Football match in memory Sam Cook

The life of Sam Cook was commemorated last month with a football match between Sam’s old team and Merseyside Police.

The match – which is set to be an annual fixture – was the brainchild of Sam’s uncle Ian Cook and Constable Danny Ching, the manager of the Merseyside Police team.

Taking place at Harrow Drive Playing Fields in Aintree, it featured a team of officers and staff from Merseyside Police taking to the pitch against Sam’s old team, St Mary’s.

On the day, the Merseyside Police team won a highly competitive but good natured match 4-1.

Sam, from Crosby, died in the early hours of 22 October 2017 after he was stabbed while out in the Empire Bar on Seel Street, where he was celebrating his 21st birthday with friends. In June last year, a man was jailed for life for his murder.

Constable Danny Ching, part of the joint management team with Sean Byrne said: “Everyone in the force was deeply affected by the tragic circumstances of Sam’s death, and have nothing but admiration for the way his family have composed themselves in the time since his passing.

“Sam’s family have experienced first-hand the consequences of people going out carrying a knife and have been passionate campaigners against knife crime. They share our determination to rid our streets of knives, and to continue to educate people of all ages on the danger they pose.”

Sam’s parents were there to watch the game and they helped present a trophy, sponsored by Merseyside Police Sports and Social, to the winning team’s captain, Constable Tom Sumner.

On the day Sam’s dad Alan Cook said: “I would like to thank my brother Ian, and Danny and Sean from Merseyside Police for making this day happen.

“This will be an annual event celebrating the life of Sam and to continue in the fight to take knives off our streets and stop lives being taken at such a young age.”