Captain Cook continues to lead by example at Hythe Town

HYTHE TOWN influential captain Dave Cook praised the club’s management team after scooping two awards at the Ryman League presentation night.

Cook, 29, collected the Golden Boot after scoring 27 league goals in Ryman League Division One South last season and was also selected in the team of the year, which is chosen by the managers in the division.

Hythe Town finished in their highest position in their history, finishing in fourth-place last season, but they crashed to a disappointing 3-0 defeat away to Faversham Town in the semi-finals of the play-offs, which took the gloss off the club’s successful league campaign.

The attacking midfielder is the son of the club’s assistant manager Clive Cook and has been a driving force at Reachfields Stadium since joining the club in December 2007.

He has also played for Whitstable Town, home-town club Ashford Town and Folkestone Invicta and has been Hythe’s leading goalscorer in four of the last five seasons and captained the side to Kent League and Kent Senior Cup glory under manager Scott Porter.

Modest Cook told www.hythetownfc.co.uk : “I just wanted to thank everyone at the club and a big thank you to Scott and my old man for everything they do for us boys, you both are top gaffers, Blacky (Lloyd Blackman) and Laney (Mark Lane) too.

“But I’ve got to thank all the boys because without them I couldn’t get my goals and we wouldn’t be where we are.”

Six Maidstone United players were chosen in the team of the year – goalkeeper Deren Ibrahim; defenders Tom Mills, Tommy Osborne and Steve Watt; winger Alex Flisher and striker Stuart King.

Meanwhile, Ryman Group will continue to sponsor the Isthmian League, taking their backing of the League to 20 years.

Visit Hythe Town’s website: www.hythetownfc.co.uk