in 1900), making his debut on 11 September 1886 before joining Burslem Port Vale in late August 1887, along with his teammate Richard Elston.
[1] Both Cookson and Elston returned to South Shore in the summer of 1888 and were members of the team that beat Fleetwood Rangers 6–1 to win the Fylde Cup in 1888.
He fell out with South Shore at the end of the 1889–90 season and signed with non-League Blackpool on 2 April.
He played in the test match defeat to Sheffield United at Trent Bridge that saw Accrington relegated out of the First Division.
Cookson married Polly Castle at South Shore's Holy Trinity Church on 28 January 1895, and they honeymooned later the same day in London.