Lewis Cook reflects on Leeds United exit, Whites memories and Elland Road 'guarantee' for return

Cook progressed through the United’s Academy and made 85 appearances for the Whites before leaving Championship side Leeds for Premier League outfit Bournemouth as a 19-year-old back in July 2016. Six years on, the 25-year-old will be back at Elland Road on Saturday afternoon for the Premier League clash between the Whites and the Cherries, ahead of which the midfield star has reflected on his time at Leeds and revealed that there was no opportunity for a proper farewell upon leaving.

“It all happened so quickly,” said Cook, speaking to Bournemouth’s official website about departing the Whites for the Cherries. “I was at a pre-season training camp in Ireland and was really nervous when I found out because nothing like this had ever happened before. It was all a bit of a blur and was out of my hands. One minute I was training with Leeds and the next I was getting a plane from Dublin to here. I didn’t have a proper chance to say goodbye to the fans or anyone at the club but that time has come and gone now. It’s a long time since I was there. The Premier League was a massive draw and I just love being here. Everyone has been fantastic, it’s a family club and we’ve had a lot of success.”

Reflecting on his time at Leeds and what might be in store this weekend, Cook recalled: “It was a great time to be at Leeds as a young player coming through. It’s a real family club, similar to Bournemouth, and it was a great upbringing. To have six managers in two seasons was weird. As a young player, you think ‘is this normal?’ On one hand, I got a lot of different views on football and different styles of play and, on another, it could have been smoother for me. But I was playing and enjoying my football no matter what.

"Leeds are in the Premier League for a reason and their fans have loved the past few years being back in there. Some of our lads won’t have experienced Elland Road before but it’s a great stadium and one we can all look forward to playing in.

"I have a lot of great memories of my time there and owe a lot to the club. They brought me through, taught me the fundamentals of being a professional footballer, both on and off the pitch, and gave me a real understanding at such a young age of how much football means to fans. That learning process has continued at Bournemouth where my career has developed further. I’m thoroughly enjoying my time at the club and want to do my best for them now.”

Cook added: “I’m really looking forward to it. Every game in the Premier League is an exciting occasion and this one for me will be especially exciting, going back to where it all started for me. I’m not sure what kind of reception I’ll get but you can guarantee the atmosphere will be electric.

“It’s not about me, it’s about us trying to win the three points. Once you cross the white line, you forget everything in the background and just focus on the game. They are an energetic team with a lot of quality and we’re going to have to match that. When you get a win like they had at Liverpool, it’s a big boost

“We need to try to get couple of wins on the board before the World Cup break. Overall, we’ve had a good start to the season. We could have picked up a few more wins and are a little disappointed with that. But the Premier League is tough and anything can happen.”