An umpire who, if chased by cheetahs, would leave them in his wake is just the umpire who is my next ‘Where Are They Now’ participant.
Allan ‘Cookie’ Cook took on umpiring in Mildura, inspired by his two older brothers and his father, Charlie. Charlie, well known to VFL umpires during the 1970s and ’80s, was a goal umpire in the Sunraysia Football League and would look after our umpires over the weekend when we received that appointment. After several seasons in Mildura, Allan moved to Wodonga in 1983 for employment and joined the Albury Umpires League, officiating in the Ovens & Murray League under the guidance of field umpiring coach Michael Quinlivan. On Michael’s recommendation, Allan moved to Melbourne in 1984 to join the VFL Cadet Squad as a field umpire. He was promoted onto the senior list in 1988 and, after seven seasons running around the country, was delisted from the senior AFL panel. Boundary Umpire Coach Bill Sutton, recognising his excellent running skills, offered him the chance to give boundary umpiring a go. So, in 1991, Allan took up boundary umpiring, his first appointment being Melbourne v. Fitzroy at the MCG.
Born at Chelsea Bush Hospital on 30 October 1962 to Charlie and Margaret Cook, Allan moved with his family to Mildura in 1964, along with his three sisters and four brothers. He attended Sacred Heart Primary School, then St Joseph’s Secondary College in 1971, before moving to Mildura High School from 1975 to 1978. While at school Allan played cricket, football and athletics, but football umpiring eventually took over and the other sports went by the wayside.
In 1979 Allan met a lovely lady named Cheryl in Mildura, and in 1986 they married. Today they have three boys.
As previously mentioned, Allan took up umpiring at the age of 10 to earn some pocket money, encouraged by his father’s involvement. He started off running the boundary and, in 1979 and 1980, was appointed to the Grand Finals in the Sunraysia F.L., followed the next week by the Millewa F.L. Grand Final. In 1981 Allan switched to field umpiring when a position for employment saw him move to Wodonga as a Grocery Manager with Coles.
In 1984 Allan joined the newly formed Cadet Squad and, after two years, was promoted onto the VFL senior list. His first senior game was in the Ovens & Murray F.L., Wangaratta Rovers 11.21 d. Corowa Rutherglen 10.15. While on the senior list Allan umpired seven VFL Reserve games, 110 VCFL games, four VCFL finals, two VCFL Grand Finals and two interleague games: 1986 Sunraysia F.L. 20.12 d. Mid Murray F.L. 13.11, and 1987 Murray F.L. 19.14 d. Mid Murray F.L. 13.11. The two VCFL Grand Finals to which Allan was appointed were the Alberton F.L. Grand Final, where Devon 11.10 d. Fish Creek 8.15, and the following week the Mid Murray Grand Final, Tyntynder 20.25 d. Tooleybuc 12.11.
A change of employment saw Allan join Sunburst Regency Foods in 1985. John Sutcliffe, the Cadet Squad Umpires Coach, suggested he try the professional running circuit, and Allan teamed up with coach Des Fitzgerald. That same year, at the Stawell Gift, Allan won the 800m and, in 1986, won the VFLUA 800m Coca-Cola Gift in a canter. After seven years on the list, Allan was coaxed by Boundary Umpires Adviser Bill Sutton to try boundary umpiring following his delisting from the senior field umpires in 1990, his last game being Geelong v. Richmond in the Reserves. In 1991 Allan became a boundary umpire and, in Round 17 of that year, was appointed to his first AFL game, Melbourne v. Fitzroy, receiving his Heritage Boundary No. 427.
This is where his career truly blossomed. Allan, also a professional foot runner, combined both pursuits, using his running to elevate his fitness and performance on the boundary.
In 1993 Allan received Life Membership of the AFLUA, but it was his performances on the boundary that most impressed the coaches. He was appointed to the 1995 (Carlton d. Geelong), 1996 (Nth Melb. d. Sydney) and 1997 (Adelaide d. St Kilda) AFL Grand Finals on the boundary. In 1993 Allan also joined Selleys in the hardware industry as a Sales Executive and, after 33 years, remains employed there today. In 1994 he was appointed to officiate as a boundary umpire at The Oval in London for Richmond v. Carlton, and in 1998 travelled to Cape Town, South Africa, for the first Ansett Australia Cup pre-season game played outside Australia.
By 2003, having umpired 43 games under the two-umpire system and 213 under the three-umpire system, Allan felt it was time to retire to spend more time with his family and continue his professional running. His boundary career totalled 256 AFL games, including 16 finals and three Grand Finals. Each year Allan volunteers as part of the umpiring team for the E.J. Whitten game. In 2004 he became Boundary Umpires Adviser with the Western Region Football League, holding that position for three years.
In 2007 Allan joined the Western Athletics Amateur Club after winning the 1600m at the Stawell Easter Carnival—22 years since he had last won the
800m event—marking the longest stint between Stawell wins for a middle-distance runner. He also took on the role of part-time personal trainer and Level 3 middle-distance coach, and was appointed an AFL Boundary Umpire Observer/Coach on match days until 2022. In 2024 Allan was again appointed as a match-day coach, this time in the VFL, a role he continues in today.
His running career had truly taken off and, at 45 years of age, Allan joined World Masters Athletics, giving him the opportunity to travel the world, meeting competitors from across the globe. The level of camaraderie is something he speaks of fondly, and he remains friends with many he met along the way. In 2013 Allan won gold at the World Masters Championships in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and was crowned World Champion over 1500m for men over 50. He also claimed silver in the 800m and silver in the 4 x 400m relay. In 2014 Allan recorded the fastest time in the world for a 51-year-old over 800m (2:01.00) and, in 2015, was selected to represent Australia at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing, competing in the 800m Masters event and recording 2:05.59 to finish seventh—not a bad effort. Allan is a 10-time National Masters Champion and 12-time Victorian Masters Champion. In 2015/2016 he received an award as the most outstanding Masters athlete for his success in international athletics. Allan admits the mental and physical demands of AFL umpiring assisted him greatly in becoming a successful Masters athlete.
From 2006 to 2024 Allan served on the Hall of Fame Sub-Committee for the AFLUA, helping to select those honoured with Hall of Fame induction. Allan himself was inducted in 2010.
Allan considers today’s football a fast-moving, continuous and highly skilled game; however, he believes kicking for goal from set shots has not improved from years gone by.
On March 21 Allan will support the Walk for a Bloke, a 25km challenge encouraging men to step up, walk side by side and make a real difference for men’s mental health.
Although working full time at present, Allan still exercises as part of his everyday routine. In June this year (2026), he plans to retire after 33 years with Selleys Pty Ltd. So perhaps we will see Allan at the Caulfield function.
Graeme ‘Wizzer’ Fellows