PAUL ‘JUDAS’ COOKE: TODAY TALKSPORT, TOMORROW YORKSHIRE!

PAUL ‘JUDAS’ COOKE: TODAY TALKSPORT, TOMORROW YORKSHIRE!

Hull rugby league superhero/supervillain Paul Cooke is on talkSPORT this afternoon – with book events to follow back home in Yorkshire tomorrow and Friday.

 

Last night saw a packed book launch at Garbutts Bar in Hull, where Paul signed lorryloads of books and met local league fans from both sides of the city’s traditional divide. No doubt which book is going to be on an awful lot of Xmas lists this year in Hull!

 

“A great time was had by all,” said biographer Adrian Durham (shirt pic, right). “Former England head coach Steve McNamara came along – here he is with Paul (main pic) signing a book. Steve is a Hull lad, good of him to come. He's back in the UK visiting after finishing the season as Sydney Roosters assistant coach in Australia.”

 

Listen out for Paul Cooke on talkSPORT this afternoon, and then meet him live in Yorkshire on Thursday and Friday:

  • Live on talkSPORT's Hawksbee & Jacobs show 2.30pm
  • Live on talkSPORT 2 The Ray Stubbs Show 3pm
  • Thursday 6th - 11am-2pm - Hessle bookshop
  • Thursday 6th - 7pm Waterstones, Jameson St, Hull
  • Friday 7th - 7pm Brittannia pub, Leigh

 

Click here for more information, or to read a sample from Judas?

 

If you're from Hull you're either black and white or red and white. No ifs, no buts. Judas is the story of Paul Cooke, a gifted rugby league player who enjoyed glory at Hull FC on the west side of the city's rugby league divide - but caused outrage when he walked out of the club to join bitter rivals Hull Kingston Rovers.

 

Brutally honest and self-critical, Cooke tells the painful truth in this book, alongside some glorious memories of sporting brilliance. It's the story of the player called 'Judas', Hull's most-hated rugby league son.

 

  • Paul confronts some painful home truths in the book, and invites family, team-mates, coaches and club executives to be brutally honest in it as well;
  • He talks about winning the Challenge Cup and scoring the decisive try in the final, as well as losing a Grand Final with Hull FC;
  • For the first time ever, Paul explains why Cup-winning coach John Kear was sacked at Hull FC;
  • Paul exclusively reveals why he had no choice but to leave Hull FC;
  • He doesn't hold back with his feelings towards the people at Hull FC who let him down;
  • He details the extent of the hate and abuse he received after making the move to Hull KR;
  • He talks about his meltdown after he switched clubs in Hull which led to him being breathalysed on the training ground and diagnosed with depression;
  • He opens up about how the death of his mother changed him completely;
  • The book ends with glory for the club where he is now assistant coach as Leigh Centurions achieve promotion to Super League in 2016.