Brian Cook (football administrator)

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Brian Cook (born November 14, 1955) is a former Australian rules football player and now administrator, currently CEO of the Geelong Football Club. He is widely considered one of the pre-eminent administrators of recent times.

[edit] Playing and coaching career

In 1973 and 1974 Cook played in the VFA with Box Hill for a total of 27 senior games and 20 goals with that club.

Cook played four games with Melbourne Football Club in 1977 after moving from Hawthorn Football Club where he played nearly 50 games in the reserves team (although none at senior VFL level).

He moved to Western Australia to pursue a Master of Education at the University of Western Australia whilst continuing his playing career with East Perth and Subiaco. Turning to coaching, he guided East Perth to two WAFL reserves premierships and was later senior coach at Ainslie in the ACTFL in 1986.

[edit] Administration career

Cook moved to Canberra in 1986 and took up the post of National Sports Research Coordinator with the Australian Sports Commission.

He then returned to Perth and spent two years as the general manager of the Western Australian Football Development Trust and a further two years as CEO of the Western Australian Football Commission before being appointed as CEO of the West Coast Eagles in 1990.

During his nine years at the Eagles, the club quadrupled its membership, dramatically increased revenue and became the first non-Victorian club to win the AFL premiership, in 1992, also taking out 1994 AFL flag. Ironically, both successes achieved against Geelong.

Appointed as CEO of the Geelong Football Club in 1999, Cook has overseen a complete overhaul of the once-struggling club's finances as well as being a key supporter of current coach Mark Thompson along with club president Frank Costa.

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