Career
Cockroft played for Yorkshire Paper Mills, Barnsley Old Boys, Ardsley Athletic, Wombwell, Rotherham United and then Gainsborough Trinity before moving to West Ham United, then of Division Two, in 1933. Signed after a months trial from Gainsborough by Charlie Paynter, Cockroft made his West Ham debut on 14 April 1933, having made just four reserve appearances for the club Drafted in after injuries to first-choice left-halves Albert Cadwell and Joe Musgrave, he made the position his own and rarely missed a game up to the outbreak of World World War World War II He was an ever-present in the team for the 1933-1934, 1934-1935, 1935-1936 and 1936-1937 seasons.
Cockroft played as a left-half, but often switched positions with Len Goulden during matches to dumbfound oppositions.
He played in the Football League War Cup winning side of 1940. During the war, he guested for Sheffield Wednesday as direction of labour laws compelled his employment at a steelworks in Sheffield.
He went on to join the club after hostilities ended. Cockroft spent almost three years at Hillsborough after the war, making a total of 96 appearances in all competitions.
He joined First Division side Sheffield United in 1949, but left a year later to take on the manager"s role at Wisbech Town
Cockroft was a football player with many other interests, he was a keen golfer, swimmer, motorist and was also very interested in anatomy.