Alan Cork
Encyclopedia
Alan Cork is an English
former professional football
player. He played as a striker for several clubs, most notably Wimbledon
and has held a number of managerial and coaching posts since his retirement from playing. Cork is a member of the Wimbledon Old Players Association. Cork scored on his Wimbledon Masters XI debut v a Chelsea Legends XI in a charity fixture at Kingsmeadow.
He is the father of Southampton F.C.
player Jack Cork
.
. However, despite a loan spell at Lincoln City
, Cork failed to break into the Derby first team and subsequently joined Wimbledon, who had been recently elected to the Football League and were playing in Division Four at the time, on a free transfer in 1978,
in the process. Initially the club's first choice starting striker, Cork also played sixty minutes of Wimbledon's famous FA Cup triumph
over Liverpool
in 1988.
He is fondly remembered by fans of the club from their Plough Lane
days, who used to salute him on the pitch with a chant of 'Alan Cork, Alan Cork, Alan Alan Cork. He's got no hair but we don't care, Alan Alan Cork', in reference to Cork's increasing baldness. During the rise of the club's notorious "Crazy Gang" image, he was always portrayed as the "sensible one" in the team.
During his time at Wimbledon he set the club record for both the most first team appearances and also the most first team goals scored
He eventually left Wimbledon in 1992 to join Sheffield United
on a free transfer.
. He famously grew a thick beard, and refused to shave until Sheffield United's FA Cup run of 1992-93
had ended. The cup run lasted four months, as the Blades made it all the way to the semi-finals, going out to local rivals Sheffield Wednesday
at Wembley. He scored the equalising goal in a 2-1 defeat.
Halfway through the 1994-95 season, he moved to Fulham
before retiring after the season aged 36. During his whole career no (significant) transfer fee was paid for him.
was appointed manager in 1996. In his role of first team coach he helped Fulham win promotion from Division Three
in 1997.
as assistant manager to Micky Adams
. Adams stepped down within two weeks of taking over, and Cork took over for the rest of the season without achieving much success. But many of the players from that period went on to feature in the Swansea side that won the Division Three
title under John Hollins
two years later.
in the summer of 2000.
, and guided them to promotion as Division Three runners-up seven months later. Despite this, Cork was never very popular with the supporters, and he was fired the following season in February 2002, after a run of results that left Cardiff very much adrift of the Division Two automatic promotion places. This was despite him leading Cardiff to a famous FA Cup third round win over then Premiership leaders Leeds United
some six weeks earlier.
as assistant manager to Micky Adams
. In his first full season he helped them achieve promotion to the Premiership, despite the club spending much of the season in receivership with huge debts. Leicester were saved by a takeover deal but their top flight comeback lasted just one season. He followed Adams out of the Walkers Stadium
exit door in October 2004.
who were looking for a number of ex-professionals to join a scouting team led by former Everton
manager Colin Harvey
. In October 2007 he was appointed to the Bolton backroom team full time when taking up the role of Assistant Head Coach but left in January 2010 when manager Gary Megson
was replaced by Owen Coyle
.
, working alongside new manager Micky Adams
. This was the fourth club at which he worked as Adams' assistant. On 9 May 2011, following Adams' dismissal following the club's relegation to League One, Cork was also sacked.
|1977-78||Derby County
||Division 1
||0||0||||||||||||
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|1977-78||Lincoln City
||Division 3
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|1977-78||rowspan="15"|Wimbledon
||rowspan="2"|Division 4
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|1978-79||45||22||||||||||||
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|1979-80||rowspan="1"|Division 3
||42||12||||||||||||
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|1980-81||rowspan="1"|Division 4
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|1981-82||rowspan="1"|Division 3
||6||0||||||||||||
|-
|1982-83||rowspan="1"|Division 4
||7||5||||||||||||
|-
|1983-84||rowspan="1"|Division 3
||42||29||||||||||||
|-
|1984-85||rowspan="2"|Division 2
||28||11||||||||||||
|-
|1985-86||38||11||||||||||||
|-
|1986-87||rowspan="7"|Division 1
||30||5||||||||||||
|-
|1987-88||34||9||||||||||||
|-
|1988-89||25||2||||||||||||
|-
|1989-90||31||5||||||||||||
|-
|1990-91||25||5||||||||||||
|-
|1991-92||19||2||||||||||||
|-
|1991-92||rowspan="3"|Sheffield United||8||2||||||||||||
|-
|1992-93||rowspan="2"|Premier League||27||2||||||||||||
|-
|1993-94||19||3||||||||||||
|-
|1993-94||Fulham
||Division 2||15||3||||||||||||
|-
504||155||?||?||?||?||?||?
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former professional football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player. He played as a striker for several clubs, most notably Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
and has held a number of managerial and coaching posts since his retirement from playing. Cork is a member of the Wimbledon Old Players Association. Cork scored on his Wimbledon Masters XI debut v a Chelsea Legends XI in a charity fixture at Kingsmeadow.
He is the father of Southampton F.C.
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
player Jack Cork
Jack Cork
Jack Frank Porteous Cork is an English footballer currently playing for Southampton. He is a versatile player who can play across the back, and can also play in midfield...
.
Early career
Cork started his career at Derby CountyDerby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
. However, despite a loan spell at Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
, Cork failed to break into the Derby first team and subsequently joined Wimbledon, who had been recently elected to the Football League and were playing in Division Four at the time, on a free transfer in 1978,
Wimbledon
Cork's very substantial contribution to the team over more than 14 years helped Wimbledon climb the football league pyramid and eventually gained them entry into the First Division, playing in every division of the Football LeagueThe Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
in the process. Initially the club's first choice starting striker, Cork also played sixty minutes of Wimbledon's famous FA Cup triumph
FA Cup Final 1988
The 1988 FA Cup Final took place on 14 May 1988 at Wembley Stadium. It was contested between Wimbledon, unfashionable and unfancied, and Liverpool, one of the dominant teams of the 1980s and newly-crowned league champions....
over Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
in 1988.
He is fondly remembered by fans of the club from their Plough Lane
Plough Lane
Plough Lane was a football stadium in Wimbledon, south west London. It was the home ground of Wimbledon Football Club from September 1912 to May 1991, when the club moved their first team home matches to Selhurst Park as part of a groundshare agreement with Crystal Palace. Both clubs' reserve teams...
days, who used to salute him on the pitch with a chant of 'Alan Cork, Alan Cork, Alan Alan Cork. He's got no hair but we don't care, Alan Alan Cork', in reference to Cork's increasing baldness. During the rise of the club's notorious "Crazy Gang" image, he was always portrayed as the "sensible one" in the team.
During his time at Wimbledon he set the club record for both the most first team appearances and also the most first team goals scored
He eventually left Wimbledon in 1992 to join Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
on a free transfer.
Sheffield Utd. and retirement
He spent two-and-a-half seasons with Sheffield United, including two full seasons in the newly rebranded FA Premier LeagueFA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
. He famously grew a thick beard, and refused to shave until Sheffield United's FA Cup run of 1992-93
1992-93 in English football
The 1992–1993 season was the 113th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:This season saw the birth of the FA Premier League. This meant a break-up of the 104-year-old Football League that had operated until then with four divisions....
had ended. The cup run lasted four months, as the Blades made it all the way to the semi-finals, going out to local rivals Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
at Wembley. He scored the equalising goal in a 2-1 defeat.
Halfway through the 1994-95 season, he moved to Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
before retiring after the season aged 36. During his whole career no (significant) transfer fee was paid for him.
Fulham
Following his retirement he was appointed to the coaching staff at Fulham where he held the positions of youth coach and first team coach, the latter after Micky AdamsMicky Adams
Michael Richard "Micky" Adams is an English former professional footballer turned football manager who is in charge of League Two side Port Vale. As a player he was a full back, and made a total of 438 league appearances in a nineteen year professional career in the Football League, including five...
was appointed manager in 1996. In his role of first team coach he helped Fulham win promotion from Division Three
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
in 1997.
Swansea City
In September 1997, he moved on to Swansea CitySwansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
as assistant manager to Micky Adams
Micky Adams
Michael Richard "Micky" Adams is an English former professional footballer turned football manager who is in charge of League Two side Port Vale. As a player he was a full back, and made a total of 438 league appearances in a nineteen year professional career in the Football League, including five...
. Adams stepped down within two weeks of taking over, and Cork took over for the rest of the season without achieving much success. But many of the players from that period went on to feature in the Swansea side that won the Division Three
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
title under John Hollins
John Hollins
John William Hollins MBE is a retired English footballer and manager. He was initially a midfielder who, later in his career, became an effective centre back.Hollins' son, Chris Hollins is the main sport presenter on BBC Breakfast....
two years later.
Chesham United
Cork was appointed player-manager of non-league Chesham United in 1998 where he remained for nearly two years before accepting the role of assistant manager at Cardiff CityCardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
in the summer of 2000.
Cardiff City
Cork returned to league management in October 2000 with Cardiff CityCardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
, and guided them to promotion as Division Three runners-up seven months later. Despite this, Cork was never very popular with the supporters, and he was fired the following season in February 2002, after a run of results that left Cardiff very much adrift of the Division Two automatic promotion places. This was despite him leading Cardiff to a famous FA Cup third round win over then Premiership leaders Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
some six weeks earlier.
Leicester City
In the summer of 2002 Cork joined Leicester CityLeicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
as assistant manager to Micky Adams
Micky Adams
Michael Richard "Micky" Adams is an English former professional footballer turned football manager who is in charge of League Two side Port Vale. As a player he was a full back, and made a total of 438 league appearances in a nineteen year professional career in the Football League, including five...
. In his first full season he helped them achieve promotion to the Premiership, despite the club spending much of the season in receivership with huge debts. Leicester were saved by a takeover deal but their top flight comeback lasted just one season. He followed Adams out of the Walkers Stadium
Walkers Stadium
The King Power Stadium is a football stadium which hosts home matches of English football club Leicester City. The all-seater stadium, inaugurated in July 2002, holds 32,500 and has the 19th largest stadium capacity in England. The stadium is named after King Power, a company owned by club owner...
exit door in October 2004.
Bolton Wanderers
In July 2007 he was employed as a scout by Premier League side Bolton WanderersBolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
who were looking for a number of ex-professionals to join a scouting team led by former Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
manager Colin Harvey
Colin Harvey
Colin Harvey is a retired English footballer who is best known for his time as a player, coach and manager with Everton. He is married to Maureen and lives in Aughton, Lancashire.- Playing career :...
. In October 2007 he was appointed to the Bolton backroom team full time when taking up the role of Assistant Head Coach but left in January 2010 when manager Gary Megson
Gary Megson
Gary John Megson is an English former football player and is currently manager of Sheffield Wednesday.He has previously managed Norwich City, Blackpool, Stockport County, Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion, Nottingham Forest, Leicester City and Bolton Wanderers...
was replaced by Owen Coyle
Owen Coyle
Owen Columba Coyle is a Scottish-born Irish international former professional player and professional association football manager . He is currently the manager of Bolton Wanderers....
.
Sheffield United
On 30 December 2010, he was appointed the assistant manager of Sheffield UnitedSheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
, working alongside new manager Micky Adams
Micky Adams
Michael Richard "Micky" Adams is an English former professional footballer turned football manager who is in charge of League Two side Port Vale. As a player he was a full back, and made a total of 438 league appearances in a nineteen year professional career in the Football League, including five...
. This was the fourth club at which he worked as Adams' assistant. On 9 May 2011, following Adams' dismissal following the club's relegation to League One, Cork was also sacked.
Promotions
- 2000–012000-01 in English footballThe 2000–01 season was the 121st season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Manchester United secured their 3rd Premiership title in succession and their 7th title in just nine seasons...
: Division Three Runner Up (promotion to Division Two) - Cardiff CityCardiff City F.C.Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
Player
|-|1977-78||Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
||Division 1
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
||0||0||||||||||||
|-
|1977-78||Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
||Division 3
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
||5||0||||||||||||
|-
|1977-78||rowspan="15"|Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
||rowspan="2"|Division 4
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
||17||4||||||||||||
|-
|1978-79||45||22||||||||||||
|-
|1979-80||rowspan="1"|Division 3
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
||42||12||||||||||||
|-
|1980-81||rowspan="1"|Division 4
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
||41||23||||||||||||
|-
|1981-82||rowspan="1"|Division 3
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
||6||0||||||||||||
|-
|1982-83||rowspan="1"|Division 4
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
||7||5||||||||||||
|-
|1983-84||rowspan="1"|Division 3
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
||42||29||||||||||||
|-
|1984-85||rowspan="2"|Division 2
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
||28||11||||||||||||
|-
|1985-86||38||11||||||||||||
|-
|1986-87||rowspan="7"|Division 1
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
||30||5||||||||||||
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|1987-88||34||9||||||||||||
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|1988-89||25||2||||||||||||
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|1989-90||31||5||||||||||||
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|1990-91||25||5||||||||||||
|-
|1991-92||19||2||||||||||||
|-
|1991-92||rowspan="3"|Sheffield United||8||2||||||||||||
|-
|1992-93||rowspan="2"|Premier League||27||2||||||||||||
|-
|1993-94||19||3||||||||||||
|-
|1993-94||Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
||Division 2||15||3||||||||||||
|-
504||155||?||?||?||?||?||?
- Blank means unknown (FA- and League Cup)
Manager
| Team | Country | From | To | Record | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | |||||
| Swansea City |  |
22 October 1997 | 30 June 1998 | 35 | 10 | 10 | 15 | ||
| Chesham United |  |
1998 | 2000 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ||
| Cardiff City Cardiff city Cardiff City may refer to:* Cardiff city centre* Cardiff City Council* Cardiff City F.C.* Cardiff City L.F.C.* Cardiff City Stadium... |
|
3 July 2001 | 17 February 2002 | 40 | 17 | 11 | 12 | ||
| Total | 75 | 27 | 21 | 27 | |||||