Allan Cockram


Allan Charles Cockram is an English retired professional football midfielder and winger who played in the Football League for Tottenham Hotspur, Bristol Rovers, Brentford and Reading. He later player-managed St Albans City and Chertsey Town in non-league football.

Playing career

A winger, Cockram joined Tottenham Hotspur as a schoolboy in 1975 and went on to make two first team appearances for the Lilywhites towards the end of the 1983–84 season. He was released at the end of the 1984–85 season and a two-year period followed as a football nomad, which included short periods playing for Bristol Rovers and Farnborough Town and two spells in the United States. A move to Isthmian League Premier Division club St Albans City during the latter part of the 1986–87 season, in a bid to return to fitness following an achilles injury, proved to be the turning point in Cockram's career. He was voted the Saints' Player of the Year at the end of the 1987–88 season.
After a successful period training full-time with Brentford during the 1987–88 season, Cockram signed a contract with the club in March 1988. He made 118 appearances and scored 17 goals for the club before his release at the end of the 1990–91 season. After a spell back in non-league football with Woking, Cockram made a return to the Football League with Reading in October 1991 and rejoined St Albans City prior to the beginning of the 1992–93 season. He remained at Clarence Park until the end of 1995–96 season and scored 73 goals in 211 appearances across his six seasons with the club. Cockram finished his career with spells at non-league clubs Chertsey Town and Leatherhead.

Managerial and coaching career

Cockram player-managed non-league clubs St Albans City and Chertsey Town. He was later a technical specialist at Philadelphia Union and coached at University College London. In 2017, Cockram established Brentford Penguins, a Down Syndrome football club. In 2019, he became manager of Cambridge University.

International career

Cockram represented England Youth.

Personal life

Cockram worked as a firefighter in west London and later became a businessman.

Honours

St Albans City
  • Herts Charity Cup: 1986–87
Individual
  • St Albans City Player of the Year: 1987–88

    Career statistics