ENTREPRENEUR and flamboyant Traveller personality Alfie Best has spoken of his plans to take East Thurrock United Football Club on to 'bigger and better things'.

As reported exclusively on Thurrock Nub News yesterday (Saturday, 19 July) Mr Best arrived by helicopter at the club's Rookery Hill ground and announced the sponsorship of the club by his park homes company Wyldecrest Parks.

He later took to social media to announce not only that he was sponsoring the club, but he had bought it and the freehold of the site. It is not clear yet what his plans are for the site, but for several years its owners, the Bennett family have been in consultation with a number of property developers and Thurrock council about its potential as a housing development.

The club did try to buy the Billet Lane sports ground in Stanford-le-Hope from Thurrock Council and announced plans for a state of the art new facility there but the council blocked the move.

Mr Best, who has strong links with the Council and his companies are based in a purpose-built office block in West Thurrock, and yesterday tweeted '@wyldecrestparks loves @thurrockcouncil' may well have plans in mind in the borough. The club have promised a full statement in the near future.

Mr Best did say: "We've bought the club and freehold of the site. It's a great community club, it's fantastic and Wyldcrest, Barbados Villas, Vaaroom and Alfie Best Property Growth have also done their bit by sponsoring it.

"It's been a great day and we are hoping to build the club to bigger and better things and hopefully the community will be right behind us. Sometimes you have to support the community who supports you."

"Thanks to everyone for the support today" – a message he copied in to borough MP Jackie Doyle-Price among others, though it's not in her constituency. However, fellow Conservative East Thurrock MP Stephen Metcalfe has been a strong backer of the club in the past and has supported it with sponsorship for several seasons.