What is it with BHAFC and producing some half-decent centre-halves? Adam Virgo, Joel Lynch and the ever-commited Adam El-Abd have all passed through the Albion ranks and gone onto bigger and better things. Even in today's game we are overloaded with quality youth products, and Steve Cook is definitely no different to that.
Cook, or 'Cookie' as he's more commonly known to Albion fans and players alike, joined the Albion's youth system as a 16-year old in 2007 as a versatile defender, but found his feet at either right or centre back. It was only a year into his time at the Albion that he made his first team debut, and it was against none other than newly crowned world's richest club Manchester City, although a cool head on young shoulders saw Cookie put in a credible performance against some of the Premier League's biggest talents.
No manager of BHAFC saw the talent in Cookie until the arrival of Gus Poyet, he saw the potential of the player inside him, he just believed that a bit of growing up was in order to fulfill the talent he saw.
Loan stints to non-league sides Havant & Waterlooville, Eastleigh, Eastbourne Borough and Mansfield Town gave Cook the vital experience he needed to both mature as a person and a player. And his big break came this season when Albion again faced Premier League opposition in the League Cup, this time it came against Liverpool.
A team packed with full-time internationals proved a tough test, but Cookie put in a solid 90 minutes, teaming up with Albion captain Gordon Greer in front of the Sky cameras, showing that despite his young age, he still had the skill to be a match with some of the world's greatest.
Cookie spoke of his experiences of being on loan to Seagull and said, "These spells are about me playing games and trying to prove to myself and to everyone else that I can play at a higher level." This hard-work and determination has definitely been rewarded as Cookie has just been sent out on loan into England's third tier of football, to local seaside town Bournemouth.
This is a massive step up in his progress because for a player of such young age to get their break in professional football this early on means he is only progressing well and building on what he has already learnt at the Albion. Players occasionally find it difficult fitting in with some of the more experienced heads of the side, but going out and getting the experience elsewhere means that Cookie will be able to build on his already promising career, and turn this into something far more successful,
No manager of BHAFC saw the talent in Cookie until the arrival of Gus Poyet, he saw the potential of the player inside him, he just believed that a bit of growing up was in order to fulfill the talent he saw.
Loan stints to non-league sides Havant & Waterlooville, Eastleigh, Eastbourne Borough and Mansfield Town gave Cook the vital experience he needed to both mature as a person and a player. And his big break came this season when Albion again faced Premier League opposition in the League Cup, this time it came against Liverpool.
A team packed with full-time internationals proved a tough test, but Cookie put in a solid 90 minutes, teaming up with Albion captain Gordon Greer in front of the Sky cameras, showing that despite his young age, he still had the skill to be a match with some of the world's greatest.
Cookie spoke of his experiences of being on loan to Seagull and said, "These spells are about me playing games and trying to prove to myself and to everyone else that I can play at a higher level." This hard-work and determination has definitely been rewarded as Cookie has just been sent out on loan into England's third tier of football, to local seaside town Bournemouth.
This is a massive step up in his progress because for a player of such young age to get their break in professional football this early on means he is only progressing well and building on what he has already learnt at the Albion. Players occasionally find it difficult fitting in with some of the more experienced heads of the side, but going out and getting the experience elsewhere means that Cookie will be able to build on his already promising career, and turn this into something far more successful,
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