AFC Bournemouth
Despite his strong ties with Leeds United, Lewis Cook is keen to play down his return to Elland Road.
The AFC Bournemouth midfielder heads back to his old stomping ground for the first time since his move to Vitality Stadium in the summer of 2016.
Cook’s association with the Yorkshire club started when he was six, the Cherries pulling off a major coup to sign him when he was 19.
“It’s not about me, it’s about us trying to win the three points,” said Cook. “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.”
Although the Cherries tracked Cook for more than a year, his signing moved at such pace that he was unable to say his goodbyes at Elland Road.
“It all happened so quickly,” said Cook. “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.”
Cook progressed through the Leeds ranks alongside the likes of Kalvin Phillips, Alex Mowatt (pictured above), Sam Byram, Charlie Taylor and Lewis Coyle, making his first-team debut when he was 17.
He made 85 appearances in all competitions and played under no fewer than six different managers during his two years in the Championship.
Cook was named Championship apprentice of the year and Leeds’ young player of the year in his first season before winning the EFL young player of the year award, Leeds’ young player of the year and the club’s goal of the season award in 2015/16.
“It was a great time to be at Leeds as a young player coming through,” he added. “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.”
Cook will have a legion of family and friends among the crowd on Saturday and admits demand for tickets has been “quite high, as you would imagine”.
He 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.
“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 though, 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.”
