Roland

Bert Trautmann OBE (left) with Roland Cooke ARPS. Manchester City Football Club, 27th March 2009 
Image - John Riley Secretary MCFC Players Association

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Roland Cooke ARPS is a respected British photographer from Manchester who has been capturing iconic moments in music, sport, and natural history for decades - over 30 years professionally and more than 50 years behind the lens. Awarded the prestigious Associateship of the Royal Photographic Society in 1996, Roland’s work has featured in publications such as National Geographic and The RPS Journal.

From 1997 to 2013, Roland served as the official freelance photographer for Manchester City Football Club, covering match action, private player shoots, sponsor features, and major music events - following the club through its move from Maine Road to the City of Manchester Stadium (now the Etihad).

The portrait above with the late Bert Trautmann OBE, taken in 2009, reflects Roland’s deep bond with the club’s former players - friendships built over years of Former Players’ Charity Dinners and shared club history.

He also photographed world-class concerts by Oasis, U2, and Take That, documenting some of the biggest live performances ever held in Manchester with his signature instinct for timing and storytelling.

After stepping back from Premier League photography, Roland continued accredited work in Premiership Rugby with Sale Sharks (since 2007) and remained licensed to cover Super League, maintaining his reputation for dynamic, narrative-rich sports imagery.

Reborn

In 2020, Roland suffered a sudden cardiac arrest and was without a heartbeat for 25 minutes. Thanks to immediate CPR from his wife and lifesaving care from the NHS, he made a miraculous full recovery during the pandemic.

This second life gave him clarity: return to the archive, honour the stories, and share the best work of his career before it was lost to time.

That personal journey - defined by passion, precision, and perspective - led to the creation of Rock & Roland, opening with a powerful collection of limited-edition Oasis prints drawn from Roland’s exclusive archive.

Each image captures a raw, authentic moment. Each print is a piece of rock history revived.

Rock & Roland ~ where rock icons are reborn