Bournemouth: Steve Cook 'will start a trend' after buying defibrillator for Sussex club
- Published
Steve Cook has made 384 appearances for Bournemouth since joining from Brighton in 2011, initially on loan
Bournemouth defender Steve Cook "will start a trend" after paying for a defibrillator for a grassroots football club in East Sussex.
The 30-year-old has paid for a kit to be installed at Hollington United FC.
The gesture comes after Denmark's Christian Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest during a game against Finland.
"For him to do what he has done, it will push a lot of other footballers into helping their local clubs," Hollington United's Scott Price said.
"The club and the community will be thankful for it to be there.
"Hopefully other professional footballers follow in Cooky's footsteps. I think he'll start a trend by doing this."
Inter Milan midfielder Eriksen was given prolonged treatment on the pitch after collapsing during the first half of Saturday's Euro 2020 group match before being taken to hospital.
The 29-year-old posted a picture from his hospital bed with a thumbs-up on Tuesday and said he was "fine under the circumstances".
Price, who is director of football of the Hastings-based club, told BBC Radio Solent the incident shows it is "massively important" to have medical apparatus available for swift treatment in case of heart issues.
"If it can happen to someone like Christian Eriksen, who is in the prime of his career, it can happen to anyone," he added.
"It will be open to the community, and not just available for when there is a game on.
"We can't thank Cooky enough really.
"He's a Hastings lad. He grew up not far from where the ground is, and he realises how much we do for the community.
"It is a massive gesture."
Cook, who has previously played for Brighton & Hove Albion, tweeted, external it was a "pleasure" to fund the defibrillator.
Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.