Lee Cook
Encyclopedia
Lee Cook is an English footballer who plays for Queens Park Rangers
as a midfielder
.
, London
, Cook began his career at Southampton. non-League
Aylesbury United
where he made 19 appearances, scoring twice, having progressed from the club's youth team. In 1999, after impressing in a trial period, Cook moved on to Watford
. His transfer was the subject of an unsuccessful lawsuit from his former club.
Cook made his debut against Grimsby Town
on 14 April 2001 as a substitute. In his fourth game for Watford he injured his knee, which kept him out of football until the end of the 2001–02 season. Cook spent most of the 2002–03 on loan. He joined York City
on a month's loan in October 2002, which was extended for another month in late October. With York, he made a total of seven appearances and scored twice with goals against Exeter in the league and Lincoln City in the LDV Vans Trophy. He was subsequently loaned to Queens Park Rangers
in December 2002. Cook returned to Watford in March 2003, after QPR manager Ian Holloway
had been hoping to sign him permanently. He scored once during 13 starts at Loftus Road
. Cook made most his appearances for Watford during the 2003–04, playing 45 times.
Cook made no secret of the fact he was a fan of QPR, and he elected to leave Watford at the end of his contract in July 2004 to join them. As Cook was under the age of 24 when he moved, and the two clubs failed to agree a fee, it went to a tribunal where QPR were ordered to pay a fee of £125,000 to Watford. During his five year spell at Watford he made 64 appearances and scored seven goals.
Cook's QPR debut came against Watford
at Vicarage Road
on 9 August 2004 as a second-half substitute. Cook played poorly in the 3–0 defeat and was jeered by the Watford crowd . He was ruled out for six weeks in August 2005 after tearing his lateral knee ligament against Hull City
.
Cook played a significant role in QPR's battle to avoid relegation in the 2006–07 season, and formed a great partnership with striker Dexter Blackstock.
QPR rejected a bid from Fulham
for Cook in June 2007, but he eventually joined them for £2.5 million on 19 July 2007, signing a four-year contract. Cook gave his £250,000 signing on fee to QPR as a parting gift to the club. He joined Charlton Athletic
on loan until the end of the 2007–08 season in January 2008. He rejoined former club Queens Park Rangers on loan for the 2008–09
season in July 2008, with a view to a permanent move. Fulham manager Roy Hodgson
confirmed on 5 December that Cook would sign a permanent contract with Queens Park Rangers for a fee of £850,000, which could rise to £1.2 million. He completed the move on 8 January 2009 on a three-year contract, with the fee being officially undisclosed.
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
.
Career
Born in HammersmithHammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Cook began his career at Southampton. non-League
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
Aylesbury United
Aylesbury United F.C.
Aylesbury United are a football club based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, currently playing in the Spartan South Midlands League, nicknamed the Ducks....
where he made 19 appearances, scoring twice, having progressed from the club's youth team. In 1999, after impressing in a trial period, Cook moved on to Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
. His transfer was the subject of an unsuccessful lawsuit from his former club.
Cook made his debut against Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
on 14 April 2001 as a substitute. In his fourth game for Watford he injured his knee, which kept him out of football until the end of the 2001–02 season. Cook spent most of the 2002–03 on loan. He joined York City
York City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
on a month's loan in October 2002, which was extended for another month in late October. With York, he made a total of seven appearances and scored twice with goals against Exeter in the league and Lincoln City in the LDV Vans Trophy. He was subsequently loaned to Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
in December 2002. Cook returned to Watford in March 2003, after QPR manager Ian Holloway
Ian Holloway
Ian Scott Holloway is an English football manager and former player. He became the manager of Blackpool in May 2009. Holloway is well-known amongst football fans for his off-the-wall interviews, with a wide selection of quotes and soundbites being printed. Holloway's playing career spanned 18...
had been hoping to sign him permanently. He scored once during 13 starts at Loftus Road
Loftus Road
Loftus Road is a football stadium in Shepherd's Bush, London. It is home to the English football team Queens Park Rangers of the Premier League and has a capacity of around 18,500. The four stands are called the Loftus Road End , Ellerslie Road Stand, South Africa Road Stand and the School End,...
. Cook made most his appearances for Watford during the 2003–04, playing 45 times.
Cook made no secret of the fact he was a fan of QPR, and he elected to leave Watford at the end of his contract in July 2004 to join them. As Cook was under the age of 24 when he moved, and the two clubs failed to agree a fee, it went to a tribunal where QPR were ordered to pay a fee of £125,000 to Watford. During his five year spell at Watford he made 64 appearances and scored seven goals.
Cook's QPR debut came against Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
at Vicarage Road
Vicarage Road
Vicarage Road, a stadium in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, is the home of the football club Watford and their tenants, the Saracens rugby union club. An all-seater stadium, its current capacity is 17,477.-History:...
on 9 August 2004 as a second-half substitute. Cook played poorly in the 3–0 defeat and was jeered by the Watford crowd . He was ruled out for six weeks in August 2005 after tearing his lateral knee ligament against Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
.
Cook played a significant role in QPR's battle to avoid relegation in the 2006–07 season, and formed a great partnership with striker Dexter Blackstock.
QPR rejected a bid from 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...
for Cook in June 2007, but he eventually joined them for £2.5 million on 19 July 2007, signing a four-year contract. Cook gave his £250,000 signing on fee to QPR as a parting gift to the club. He joined Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
on loan until the end of the 2007–08 season in January 2008. He rejoined former club Queens Park Rangers on loan for the 2008–09
2008–09 in English football
The 2008–09 season was the 129th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City and Hull City were all playing in the Premier League after winning promotion from the Championship last season. Stoke returned to the top flight after a 23-year absence, while...
season in July 2008, with a view to a permanent move. Fulham manager Roy Hodgson
Roy Hodgson
Roy Hodgson is a former English footballer and current head coach of West Bromwich Albion.Hodgson, who has managed sixteen different teams in eight countries, guided the Switzerland national team to the last 16 of the 1994 World Cup and qualification for Euro 1996; Switzerland had not qualified...
confirmed on 5 December that Cook would sign a permanent contract with Queens Park Rangers for a fee of £850,000, which could rise to £1.2 million. He completed the move on 8 January 2009 on a three-year contract, with the fee being officially undisclosed.
External links
- Lee Cook player profile at qpr.co.uk
- Lee Cook Official Website at officialplayerwebsites.com