Farewell to Ernie

ERNIE COOKSEY: brave fight

A BIG turn-out of Athletic players and staff, from both past and present, attended Ernie Cooksey’s funeral in London yesterday.

Ernie’s coffin was draped in a Latics shirt as hundreds of people celebrated the life of a massively popular 28-year-old, whose partner is due to give birth in the next two weeks.

Midfielder Ernie spent just over one full season at Boundary Park before moving to Rochdale, Boston and Grays. He recently lost his battle against cancer.

Athletic will hold a minute’s applause before their opening league game, at home to Millwall on August 9, and there will be a similar tribute when they play at Rochdale in the Carling Cup three days later.

Chief executive Alan Hardy said: “A lot of Ernie’s former team-mates from various clubs attended the service and it was a very sad and touching occasion.”