G’day Folks
It is with much disappointment that I am letting you know that today (Monday) is Cookie’s last day as jack-of-all-trades at The Footy Almanac. The demands of a young family and a growing role with Dairy News Australia have made it harder and harder to remain in the ever-expanding position with us.
As well as being a forever sunny character, Cookie has been fantastic for us over the last eighteen months. He has helped build the website traffic during that time – it’s up 60% to around 20,000 visitors each month.
That happened for many reasons.
Firstly, Cookie gets the idea of the Almanac. He understands its essence: that it is first and foremost a community of writers and readers who have opportunity to get to know each other via the website and via the functions we have around Australia (and the ad hoc one at Lord’s once every four years).
Secondly, as a talented writer and keen reader himself, Cookie understands that we are a site which values words. His contributions are always engaging, and he recognises that our writers are blessed with talent and enthusiasm so we have a whole range of fresh voices.
Thirdly, Cookie is well-organised, hard-working and very reliable. He made it so much easier for me. He always had (still has) solid ideas and a plan to carry them out, and he is always good to bounce thoughts off.
Fourthly, Cookie is an elite beer-drinker.
Of course, he will not be lost to us.
We wish he and Mady and the kids (Harley is three, Evie has just had her first birthday) all the best.
Thanks Cookie, we’ll see you around,
JTH
PS On a practical level this means that anything previously directed at Cookie now needs to come to me [email protected] We will be advertising Cookie’s position (in expanded form) in the next few weeks. However you are welcome to express your interest now. In the interim, I will be looking after the website with help from Mandy Johnson, Peter Baulderstone and anyone else who would like to help out.
About John Harms
JTH is a writer, publisher, speaker, historian. He is publisher and contributing editor of The Footy Almanac and footyalmanac.com.au. He has written columns and features for numerous publications. His books include Confessions of a Thirteenth Man, Memoirs of a Mug Punter, Loose Men Everywhere, Play On, The Pearl: Steve Renouf's Story and Life As I Know It (with Michelle Payne). He appears (appeared?) on ABCTV's Offsiders. He can be contacted [email protected] He is married to The Handicapper and has three school-age kids - Theo, Anna, Evie. He might not be the worst putter in the world but he's in the worst four. His ambition was to lunch for Australia but it clashed with his other ambition - to shoot his age.
Well played Old Mucker.
PJF
Well done Cookie. You are a pleasure to deal with and have done a fantastic job with the almanac. Enjoy the extra time with your family – nothing is more precious!
Thanks Cookie. A job well done.
See you at the next function. I’ll probably see you before you see me.
Thanks Cookie you and JTH and every 1 involved re Putting and Running the Site should be proud of your efforts so the most unspoken words of the English Language
THANK YOU
Yes – great job Cookie – has always been a pleasure corresponding on any technical problems faced with the site – all the best and look forward to reading more of your articles as you clearly know what your talking about! – http://www.footyalmanac.com.au/afl-round-14-geelong-v-fremantle-freo-will-never-win-the-flag-ever-a-considered-review/
Great work Cookie. Being a busy jack-of-all-trades at the Almanac was a tall order, but you were just the man for the job.
Good luck in the future. I look forward to having many more beers and footy discussions with you (especially re the mighty Cats).
Cheers!
All the best Cookie, you’ve been a pleasure to deal with. Great work. A pleasure to meet you in person at the lunch on Friday. And as I found out after getting in a shout with you, JTH is spot on when he said you are an elite beer-drinker!
Lucky cows. Cheers Cookie
Noooooooo! You Re a real ripper, Cookie! Good luck with all that comes next!
For some time I have been having trouble with cookies on my computer. Fixed.
Thanks for getting me started with the Knackery Cookie.
I did try to send something earlier but it didn’t go through, so you’re missed already at mission control.
Thanks for keeping me motivated as the Bulldogs were going down the gurgler and I was a bit tardy about writing reports. I appreciated your comment about the Bulldog supporters punching above their weight with their writing and making us feel inclusive at all times.
Hope to catch up with you at the end of the year.
Neil.
Good job, Cookie.
The hardest part of that job is the constancy.
You handled it with grace and flair.
Thanks to JTH for his kind words. Thanks to all Knackers who have made the past 18 months so enjoyable. I’ve said before that I feel like Chris Scott in 2011 – there’s a brilliant team that does the job, I’m just lucky enough to be involved.
The Almanac site is really special. Its importance will continue to grow. (I’ll wax lyrical on this at a later date.) Kudos to JTH and those who started it. I hope whoever replaces me gets as much from the role as I did.
Thanks Cookie, the Almanac is better for your efforts, humour and hard work. Tramps like you, you’re born to run. Cheers
Good on you, Cookie.
All the best.
And thanks very much for everything. It has meant a lot.
– Mountain Ash
Cookie,
Harms talked me into this. He reckoned it was a doddle. He said that if Cookie can do it, any fool can do it.
Well I’ve just read the job description; the working hours and the pay scale.
I quit. You can have your rotten job back.
I only took on a couple of days a week to reduce the amount of Catporn on the site.
Thanks for the organisation, discipline and good cheer you have brought to the Almanac.
I am sure I can be David Moyes to your Alex Ferguson.
Regards,
Peter B
reckon we even educated you a little bit about the horses….thanks Cookie.
Cookie, you will be missed. Thank you so much for all your effort, encouragement and showing me how to get my head around fucking WordPress. You’re a champ. All the best in whatever you decide to do.
Cookie,
Thank you for all your support and encouragement during the Cricket and Footy seasons. You are right, the knackery is unique. 3 votes. Well played.
Thanks for your all support Cookie. The Almanac has certainly thrived under your watch. Well played.
Good work, fella. Am sure the expanded role at Dairy News is a sign of going places – they would want more of you, just as we would.
Chat soon, and see you at the Book Launch.
Cookie,
I endorse all the richly-deserved compliments you have received on this thread. I’ve greatly appreciated your generosity and encouragement, and I admire the inclusive way in which you have managed the affairs of the Almanac cyber-community, as well as your great-hearted and welcoming attitude at functions.
I also especially commend Cheryl C’s advice to spend as ,much time as you can with your littles; that is a precious gift for you as well as them.
Good luck with what the future holds for you. I’m grateful that we will continue to enjoy your writing, which is informed by that characteristically generous spirit which we all associate with you.
You are a champion bloke.
Good luck to you and your family in your new adventure, Cookie.
Look forward to having a beer somewhere down the track. Maybe at the next Dropkick Murphys show?
Cheers
Smokie
What they all said, Cookie, especially re. family time.
Cheers
Stainless
Thaks Cookie and well done. Love your work, especially your willingness to acknowledge Hawthorn’s many attributes in spite of your natural instinct to do otherwise. Very professional.
Sasha
Cheers Cookie. You always made the thought of a long journey to Metricon seem appealing. I fell for your charm every time. As far as replacements, surely Mark Doyle is keen.
Thanks Cookie.
I also found my few dealings with you to be remarkably stress-free.
Enjoy the extra time with the family!
All the best Cookie.
We owe a lot.
But I hope a beer settles it one day.
Cheers,
HB.
Cookie? Buddy?
What’s the difference?
The $$$ talked.