The 22-acre former oil refinery sports club and ground saved for the community and looks set to become the Rocks new home.

East Thurrock United FC owner, Thurrock based entrepreneur and businessman Alfie Best, has today confirmed that he has completed the purchase of the former Pegasus Sports Club in Herd Lane, Corringham.

“A football club has so much more to offer than a game on a Saturday afternoon. Football is not my first passion but I believe that it has the opportunity to be the lifeblood of the community. I am confident we will have the support of Thurrock Council who are a go-ahead and ambitious authority determined to provide the best amenities for their residents

I have always been committed to the club and the supporters and I am now looking to create a new ‘state of the art’ sports ground”

Alfie Best

Best is the founder and chairman of Wyldecrest Parks, the UK & Europe’s leading residential park homes operator, Mr Best is immensely proud of his Romany Gypsy heritage, and recently won the Entrepreneur of the Year Award and featured in the ITV programme “Undercover Boss”.

Alfie took ownership of the football club following the sad passing of the Rocks much loved previous owner Ben Bennett back in December 2019.

The prestigious Pegasus Club was opened in 1961 by the Mobil Oil Company, to provide sports and social facilities solely for employees at their nearby Coryton Oil Refinery and their immediate families. In 1996 operation of the refinery was taken over by BP, and subsequently by Petroplus in 2007.  The latter went into liquidation in 2012 and the refinery closed for good.  This resulted in the Pegasus Club also closing for some while, until in 2014 it was purchased by a consortium of Malaysian businessmen.  However, in 2019 the ailing club closed again, and the site was once more put up for sale.

Now that Mr Best has completed the purchase, work is underway to refresh the facilities and get the club back open in the near future under the title of the “Wyldecrest Sports Arena”.