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Fans astonished as 11th tier club is bought by EFL legend turned Premier League player

Fans have been left astonished as 11th tier club Westfield is bought by EFL legend turned Premier League player Steve Cook this week.

The Nottingham Forest defender Steve Cook has become the new owner of the Sussex non league side, who finished 11th in the 11th-tier Mid-Sussex Premier League last season and are based just north of the town Hastings.

The 31-year-old began his career at nearby Brighton and Hove Albion before spending a decade at Bournemouth and helped the Cherries get promoted to the Premier League before joining Forest in January and helping them win the Championship play-offs.

CLUB STATEMENT:

Hastings born Premier League footballer Steve Cook has today taken majority ownership of Westfield Football Club Sussex Limited.

This is a major step for the Westies in securing the long-term future of the club, with a new ground on the horizon, the club’s ambition, Family Ethos and inclusion matches Steve’s vision and the partnership has been formed.

Chairman Jack Stapley: “I’ve known Steve along time, and this has been a long few months of talks that have bought us to this point, it’s a fantastic time to be involved with the club that now has 6 adult teams and 8 youth teams, new ground happening and a chance to kick the club onto bigger things, Steve matches the ambition of the club and can’t wait to get started.”

Steve Cook: “Delighted to get this over the line, the opportunity arisen, as I’m close to the family, the idea fitted with my current ambitions and looking to help progress local football, I’m looking forward to adding to this great club and helping to take it to the next level”.

Stapley added: “The club are sure there will be plenty of questions regarding this change, but we feel there are so many benefits to having Steve involved with the club. He’s currently taking his Pro Licence badges, so the coaches can tap into his knowledge of that – and his experience within football and of how it is run is endless.

“This is a real catalyst for the club to grow organically with the ambitions we have set to get back to senior football on the adult side and grow the youth teams to match this. We currently have 51% of our adult section out of 120 players that have previously played for a Westfield youth team and want to raise that as the time goes by and the facilities grow.

“We are in a long term contract with Macron Store Hastings to provide our equipment and kit and this announcement allows us to make sure the whole club is aligned with kit and the best possible equipment out there.”

SEE MORE: Emotional Steve Cook updates fans after his Dad has medical emergency at Bournemouth

ABOUT WESTFIELD

Westfield Football Club are a football club based in Westfield, near Hastings, England. They were established before World War I. They joined the Sussex County Football League Division Three in 1997. Despite finishing outside the Sussex County Football League Division Two relegation places Westfield were relegated due to failing the ground grading regulations. They are currently members of the Mid-Sussex League Premier Division and play at the Parish Field.

Honours and Achievements
Sussex County League
Sussex County League Division 2 Cup Runners up 2002/03
Sussex County League Division 3 Runners Up 1998/99
Sussex County League Reserve Section (East) Runners Up 2014/15
East Sussex League
East Sussex League Premier Division Winners 1977/78
East Sussex League Premier Division Runners Up 1996/97
Hastings League
Hastings League Division One Winners 1956/57
Hastings League Division One Runners Up 1946/47, 1955/56, 1957/58
Hastings League Division Two Runners Up 1953/54
Hastings League Division Three East Winners 1952/53
Hastings League Division Three East Runners Up 1951/52
Hastings & District FA
Hastings Senior Cup Winners 2007/08, 2013/14
Hastings Senior Cup Runners Up 2002/03, 2005/06
Hastings FA Intermediate Cup Winners 1997/98, 2013/14
Hastings FA Intermediate Cup Runners Up 1998/99
Hastings FA Junior Cup Winners 1936/37, 1938/39, 1946/47, 1962/63
Hastings FA Junior Cup Runners Up 1937/38

www.fanbanter.co.uk – Fan reaction to the latest football news, gossip & funnies

As mentioned, fans have been left astonished as the 11th tier club is bought by EFL legend turned Premier League player Steve Cook…

@_USACherries: Congrats @SteveCook28

@corbymac: Well done! Local football the lifeblood of the game! If you ever want to come over and watch @GresleyRovers give me a shout & be my guest

@davidaltendorff: Wow!

@afcb_r0b: Top job #Captain. Another ground to add to next season’s list of groundhopping. Let me know when/if you are going to be there. #OnceACherryAlwaysACherry

@YeatsCountyInn: The ‘tree war’ expands #nffc #stfc

@ScottPr09202328: Great news, exactly what the club deserve. @SteveCook28 fair play,  🙌

@dancasey101: Nice one gents 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

@PaulOfFame: Hey @FC1Westfield – we are going to need to talk about your replica shirt mail-order situation. Because you’ve now got a few thousand #NFFC fans who will gladly chip in.

@tez_churchill: Forest, Stags, Westfield. In that order #NFFC 🙂

@hollingtonlions: Couldn’t happen to a better club. Not many better run clubs at grassroots level over the years. Hopefully the news you needed to getting back into senior football where you should be. 👏

@mikeyk_07: This is massive. Congratulations steve. My son plays for Westfield U7’s with your football knowledge of being in the game will help massively and big things to come, look forward for you taking the club forward.

@Seb_ElJefe: The more I think about this, the more I love it! I love non league & local footy, and this is exactly wat our local footy needs! Investment & a future for a fantastic club ❤️

@gillbo64: #NFFC Cookie buys a football club! Let’s give them our backing Reds… The tree on it’s badge is better than Southampton’s too lol… 😇🌳#SaintsFC

@sregor58912907: A lot of time for this 👏 👏 👏 👏 👏

@georgelandais: This season is guna be an exciting one ⚽️🟢

@PatoharaPat: What a man. We love him

@LordFoxworth: What a legend! You’ve suddenly acquired a lot of forest fans who will be supporting you now too! 💪🔥🔥🔥

@BillyWood__: Absolutely love this!! Well done to the Stapley’s and @SteveCook28 getting involved with the club! Great for local football ❤️

@DavidFrancisDa3: SC has been ‘immense’ for the red dogs of NFFC since his arrival. Not only in a ‘football sense’….. But clearly. As a guy. He’s simply a top professional, who has helped galvanise a magnificent team spirit….. So. He’s now done the business for Westfield FC too. Congratulations.

@KingPolks: Top Man Steve, become a Forest fan Favorite in less than 6 months and and now top Philanthropist. Best of luck Steve with the Westies

@G27B92: Fantastic News ! Wish @Jack_stapley101 @charltonharry @mark_stapley & @SteveCook28. All The Best In Their New Era !! 🌳⚽

@bethanydids_HBW: Cook being the boss man we all know he is x

@kcb49: Sort of #afcb! Well done Cookie for doing this. As a player for us he was outstanding and this is terrific news for a Club he is clearly close to. Top bloke and I wish him and Westfield every success for the future.

@nffcEPL: @SteveCook28 has bought them so they’re already more wanted than #dcfc. Another 6 months and they’ll be bigger too #nffc

@SarcasticForest: Let’s make this club bigger than Derby County. Give it all the follows you can get reds fans!!! #nffc

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