It appears to be a consistent pattern wherever Steve Cook plays, as fans universally admire the towering center-back. His recent displays illustrate precisely why Queens Park Rangers supporters have embraced the 32-year-old. In both matches of the Easter double-header, the defender scored pivotal goals, first equalizing in Rangers’ 2-1 win over Birmingham City on Good Friday, then securing all three points with a thunderous volley against Swansea City three days later.
Those two victories have helped the Hoops move six points above the dreaded drop zone with just six matches remaining in the Championship season; something that would have been unimaginable a matter of months ago.
Cook has been fundamental to that turnaround in fortunes in recent weeks, with his goalscoring exploits at one end matched by his win-at-all-costs attitude while defending his own goal, and his wealth of experience has helped guide his team to within touching distance of safety.
In mid-January, Rangers found themselves in a dire situation, sitting five points adrift from safety with only five wins in 27 matches. However, just eight games later, the situation improved significantly for the Hoops as they doubled their number of wins, securing 17 points out of 24 possible. This surge allowed them to climb out of the relegation zone for the first time in 2024, although several clubs remained closely positioned at the bottom of the table.
With the competition remaining intense at the lower end of the standings, Cook aims to guide his team to Championship survival through six more solid performances before the season concludes, commencing with the upcoming match against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday. Despite a resurgence under Danny Röhl, the Owls remain in the bottom three going into the weekend. Both teams understand the significance of securing a victory, as it could drastically alter their season trajectory.
