I've been wanting to read this book for years but have never got around to it, I must do it.
I never knew Teddy Whitten almost became a Port player when he was 'retired' from Footscray. Norm Goss snr didn't want to pay him $250 a game. Imagine EJ and Cooky in the same forward line.
Fred Cook was one of the best ever to play VFA footy.
Strong and a great mark and lead.Always performed well in VFA Rep games as well.
North Melbourne chased Freddie in 1977. The dogs would not release him. Imagine Freddie in his prime at north in 1977. He would have kicked well over 100 goals easily with north. Great played and top bloke very genuine.
If can get your hands on a copy, do it. It's a great read. If you have trouble sourcing a copy, get in touch with Paul Amy. I'm sure he can point you in the direction.
Yes imagine the Whitten alongside Cook putting on a show at the Borough. It would have been something if it had happened!
In reply to Fred Cook was one of the best by billythekid
If you watch the video you can see how big his hands were, no wonder he was such a great mark, his fingers go off in all directions as is often the case with old footballers
Very easy read, flows well with some extraordinary information in there. To give you a example how good and easy a read it is, the only book that I've read within a week and when I lent it to a mate he read it twice in a fortnight (despite being a Williamstown fan).
Doesn't matter really who u barrack for, he was a legend and most high profile VFA player in our generation, sad he got involved with Dennis Allen but at least he's still with us, does anybody know how he's travelling nowadays?last I heard he'd had a stroke and was in a facility in Bendigo
Freddie is going ok. His memory is still still pretty good. He come at the vfa reunion at north port hotel in Feb.
Fred is now 72 and a lot of people dont know he played 33 games at Footscray before he went to Yarraville in 1969 at 21 years old and won a Liston Trophy in 1970.He crossed to Port in 1971.
I saw him play a game against Sandy at BR Oval the year he won the Liston
He played at CHB and was best on ground by a mile.The Zebra's won by 65 points and without Cook I reckon Sandy would have won by 120 points.He must have taken at least 20 marks that day.
A great player and a great person to talk to as well..
He wore number 29 at footscray. There is a YouTube clip Footscray v south Melbourne 1968 and Freddie getting a few kicks.
In reply to He wore number 29 at by vfa
Thanks for that vfa..Fred had that trade mark loping style of run way back then.
It also brought back memories of what footy was like back in those days.A bit sad to see Ted Whitten only a shadow of the player he was near the end of his VFL career.A lot of Footscray supporers say he played about two years too long just to get the games record.