Career
A forward, he played for South Shore, Burslem Portuguese Vale, Blackpool, and Accrington. Cookson began his career with South Shore (a club that would merge with Blackpool Football Club in 1900), making his debut on 11 September 1886, before joining Burslem Portuguese Vale in late August 1887, along with his teammate Richard Elston. Cookson scored 23 goals in 33 friendlies to become the club"s top-scorer in the 1887-1888 season.
He fell out with South Shore at the end of the 1889-1890 season, and signed with non-League Blackpool on 2 April.
He made his debut for the "Seasiders" at the start of the following 1890-1891 campaign, in a 5–1 defeat at Heywood Central on 6 September. By December, he had been re-signed for another season for fifteen shillings a week.
In May 1892, he joined Accrington (in part-exchange for full-back Jerry Morgan) for £40. He went on to make a further 26 league appearances, scoring fourteen goals.
He left when the club dropped out of the Football League.
In May 1893, he returned to Blackpool. His first comeback game for the club was against Accrington, a 3–1 victory on 2 September. He scored over twenty goals during the 1893-1894 season.
He played his final game for Blackpool on 25 April 1896, in a 3–1 defeat to Darwen.
Outside of football, Cookson was a builder and contractor. His father, Thomas, had built, amongst other things, the Clifton Arms Hotel.
Cookson married Polly Castle at South Shore"s Holy Trinity Church on 28 January 1895 and honeymooned later the same day in London. Cookson died on 27 May 1922, aged 53.
He was buried at Layton cemetery.
