Farnham Town are delighted to announce that fan-favourite midfielder Harry Cooksley has agreed terms to extend his stay at the Club for the 2026/27 season.
Harry has been an instrumental part of this Club’s rapid ascent through the divisions in the three years since he joined the Club from Hartley Wintney, one of many players who came down the levels to join our project.
In his first season at Farnham Town, Cooks was named the Player’s and Manager’s Player of the Season in 2023/24 as we completed an unbeaten league campaign en route to winning the Combined Counties Premier Division South.
The following campaign, now in the Isthmian South Central, the “Surrey Zidane” was again at the heart of our success, with his 15 assists earning him the Club’s Playmaker of the Season award, as we eclipsed 100 points again, won the title and earned promotion to the Southern League Premier South.
A brief detour to the Love Island Villa followed, but Harry returned to the fold in the Autumn of 2025 for our debut season at Step 3. Playing in a slightly deeper position this season, Cooks still played a huge role in our promotion-winning campaign, making 44 appearances in total.
Manager Paul Johnson adds: “I think Cooks surprised a lot of people this season with how much he kicked on despite all the outside noise around him.
“He came back in brilliant condition, earned his place in the side and became a regular starter for us again. Every time he stepped onto the pitch he gave absolutely everything for the team.
“What really stood out to me was how big he was for us in the Play-Offs. In the biggest moments, against the toughest opposition, he stepped up and showed his quality and experience.
“He’s been a massive part of what we’ve built here over the last few years and I’m delighted he’ll be with us again for next season.”
Over the past three years, Harry has made 140 appearances for the Club, the fourth-most in that time, and is one of just four players to make 40 or more appearances in each of the last three campaigns as we secured promotion each and every time, with a total of 56 goal contributions as well in that span.
Chairman Harry Hugo adds: “Cooks seems to get better with age. The higher we go, the more impressive he gets.
“He’s had to adapt his game this season from being one of the biggest goal threats and creative forces in the team his first two years to being a more disciplined, deep-lying player this season, and to great success.
“Coming back from Love Island, he could’ve easily jibbed the football off and pursued other opportunities. But he didn’t, which I think is a testament to him and how much he loves being here at Farnham.
“Being close with him away from football, I can see how much he’s had to juggle in his personal life as he’s gone from just your every day chap to a celebrity, but he’s taken it all in his stride and somehow, his football hasn’t suffered in the slightest. If anything, I think this season was his most impressive, at the toughest level we’ve played.
“He’s as fit as I’ve ever seen him, and he’s really added that industrious, work-house style to his game. Obviously it goes without saying, his quality with the ball at his feet is up there with the best I’ve seen at Farnham, but he’s really rounded his game nicely and continues to raise his game as the opponents get tougher, and also the competition for places at Farnham gets stronger.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing Cooks play a big role in a National League South side next season as he continues the story with us.”