LLOYD Kelly has taken the role of club captain at Cherries, following the departure of Steve Cook.

Cook, who assumed that role when Simon Francis left Cherries in the summer of 2020, brought to an end his decade-long stay on the south coast earlier this month.

The 30-year-old completed a move to Nottingham Forest, after falling down the pecking order at Cherries.

Following the arrival of Scott Parker as boss in June 2021, Cook played just four matches for Cherries this season.

Kelly and Gary Cahill struck up the regular centre-back partnership, with Chris Mepham and, at times, youngster Zeno Ibsen Rossi preferred to Cook.

Since joining Forest, the Hastings-born star has racked up two wins from two, keeping clean sheets in victories over Arsenal and Millwall.

Discussing the captaincy issue in September, Parker said: "The decision is that Steve Cook is the club captain and Lloyd Kelly will be captain if Steve is not in and around it.

"That stays as it is.

"He (Cook) has been a player here for some time and he’s done extremely well and in terms of his general demeanour, I see no reason why not to keep that as it is.

"His respect amongst his peers and his teammates and obviously on the flip side of that, Lloyd has done remarkably well in me giving him that ownership of captaincy and taken that on board, so that’s how it will stay."

Kelly, who took the armband for most games this season, has now stepped into that breach following Cook's departure, Parker confirmed.

Cherries' boss told the Daily Echo: "Lloydy just takes that role at the moment. Lloyd will be captain, captain of the team.

"It stays like that."

Asked if any vice-captains had been appointed to support Kelly, Parker added: "No, not really."

Kelly, who joined Cherries from Bristol City for £13million in May 2019, has played 69 games for the club, scoring two goals.