Leon Cort
Encyclopedia
Leon Terrance Anthony Cort (born 11 September 1979 in Southwark
) is an English
professional footballer currently playing for Burnley
. He is a defender
who wears the number 18 shirt for the Clarets. He is of Guyanese
descent, and is the younger brother of Carl Cort
. He is currently on a season long loan at Charlton Athletic
.
side Dulwich Hamlet
. He was invited by Mick Beard to trial at Millwall before signing pro-forms with his local league club Millwall
in 1998. His career at The New Den
never really took off, and after a loan spell at Forest Green Rovers
and Stevenage Borough
he joined Southend United
on a free transfer. While at Southend Cort earned rave reviews and was tipped for greater things. He became a regular in the side, achieving a remarkable feat of appearing in 130 consecutive league matches without missing any through injury or suspension.
In May 2004 Hull City manager Peter Taylor said he would be interested in signing Cort. Cort moved to newly-promoted Hull City
in the summer of 2004, again on a free transfer. Hull were promoted again that season, to The Championship
, and in this division Cort excelled himself as Hull survived comfortably. In a game between Hull and Carl's team at the time Wolverhampton Wanderers
in 2006, Leon scored for Hull and Carl scored for Wolves.
At the end of that season manager Peter Taylor departed to Crystal Palace
and made Cort his first signing for £1.25m, and gave him a return to his native South London. He again impressed and became popular with the Palace fans, winning the Player of the Year Award in 2007. The following season started poorly for the Eagles and saw Taylor sacked and replaced by Neil Warnock
, and Cort soon departed on loan to Stoke City
, with a view to making it a full-time transfer, which was completed for a fee of £1.2m, making him the Potters' record signing. Ironically, Cort's last game for Palace was at Selhurst Park
against Stoke. Cort's career at the Britannia Stadium
began very well, with assured performances featuring a remarkable tally of eight goals in just six months from the defender.
Following being sent off in one of his final games for Southend in April 2004, he went over six years without being booked or sent off in a competitive game, this record spanning over a total of 150 games for Southend, Hull, Palace, Stoke and Burnley. On 23 October 2010, his record was finally broken, following a yellow card for a tackle on Reading
striker Shane Long
. Later that same game he again fouled Long and so received his second yellow and was subsequently sent off.
on 27 January 2010 for £1.5 million pounds signing a three-and-a-half year deal. On 25 November 2010, Cort joined Preston North End
on a month long loan. On 29 August, 2011, Cort was once again sent out on loan, this time to Charlton Athletic
.
for their 2014 FIFA World Cup
qualifiers
against Barbados
and Bermuda
.
Southwark
Southwark is a district of south London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Southwark. Situated east of Charing Cross, it forms one of the oldest parts of London and fronts the River Thames to the north...
) is an English
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...
professional footballer currently playing for Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
. He is a defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
who wears the number 18 shirt for the Clarets. He is of Guyanese
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
descent, and is the younger brother of Carl Cort
Carl Cort
Carl Edward Richard Cort is an Guyanese-English footballer who plays as a forward. Most recently, he played for League One side Brentford until he was released in January 2011....
. He is currently on a season long loan at 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,...
.
Club career
Born in South London, Cort began his career at local non-LeagueNon-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...
side Dulwich Hamlet
Dulwich Hamlet F.C.
Dulwich Hamlet Football Club is an English football club who play at Champion Hill stadium in Dulwich, in the London Borough of Southwark. Formed in 1893, they joined the Isthmian League a few years later, winning it a total of 4 times, between 1920 and 1949, and wear a famous pink and blue...
. He was invited by Mick Beard to trial at Millwall before signing pro-forms with his local league club Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
in 1998. His career at The New Den
The New Den
The Den , is a football stadium and the home of Millwall FC. It is situated in South Bermondsey, South East London, almost directly adjacent to the railway line between London Bridge and New Cross Gate, plus the SELCHP incinerator. It is under a quarter of a mile away from original Den...
never really took off, and after a loan spell at Forest Green Rovers
Forest Green Rovers F.C.
Forest Green Rovers Football Club is an English football club based in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, currently the longest-serving members of the Conference National. The club is affiliated to the Gloucestershire County FA.-Early years:...
and Stevenage Borough
Stevenage Borough F.C.
Stevenage Football Club is an English football club based in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. The club currently participate in League One, the third tier of English football, having won promotion from League Two in the 2010–11 season...
he joined Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
on a free transfer. While at Southend Cort earned rave reviews and was tipped for greater things. He became a regular in the side, achieving a remarkable feat of appearing in 130 consecutive league matches without missing any through injury or suspension.
In May 2004 Hull City manager Peter Taylor said he would be interested in signing Cort. Cort moved to newly-promoted 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...
in the summer of 2004, again on a free transfer. Hull were promoted again that season, to The Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
, and in this division Cort excelled himself as Hull survived comfortably. In a game between Hull and Carl's team at the time Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
in 2006, Leon scored for Hull and Carl scored for Wolves.
At the end of that season manager Peter Taylor departed to Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
and made Cort his first signing for £1.25m, and gave him a return to his native South London. He again impressed and became popular with the Palace fans, winning the Player of the Year Award in 2007. The following season started poorly for the Eagles and saw Taylor sacked and replaced by Neil Warnock
Neil Warnock
Neil Warnock is an English former footballer who is currently manager of English Premier League club Queens Park Rangers....
, and Cort soon departed on loan to Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
, with a view to making it a full-time transfer, which was completed for a fee of £1.2m, making him the Potters' record signing. Ironically, Cort's last game for Palace was at Selhurst Park
Selhurst Park
Selhurst Park is an English football stadium located in the London suburb of South Norwood in the Borough of Croydon. It is the current home ground of Crystal Palace Football Club. Its present capacity is 26,309.-History:...
against Stoke. Cort's career at the Britannia Stadium
Britannia Stadium
The Britannia Stadium is an all-seater football stadium in Stoke-on-Trent, England and the home of Premier League club Stoke City Football Club. With space for 27,598 spectators . The name is taken from the sponsors of the Stadium the Britannia Co-operative Bank...
began very well, with assured performances featuring a remarkable tally of eight goals in just six months from the defender.
Following being sent off in one of his final games for Southend in April 2004, he went over six years without being booked or sent off in a competitive game, this record spanning over a total of 150 games for Southend, Hull, Palace, Stoke and Burnley. On 23 October 2010, his record was finally broken, following a yellow card for a tackle on Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
striker Shane Long
Shane Long
Shane Patrick Long is an Irish footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League team West Bromwich Albion and the Republic of Ireland national football team. With Ireland he was part of the team that secured qualification for UEFA Euro 2012.Long began his career at Cork City...
. Later that same game he again fouled Long and so received his second yellow and was subsequently sent off.
Burnley
Cort signed for Premier League side BurnleyBurnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
on 27 January 2010 for £1.5 million pounds signing a three-and-a-half year deal. On 25 November 2010, Cort joined Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
on a month long loan. On 29 August, 2011, Cort was once again sent out on loan, this time to 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,...
.
International career
In October 2011, Cort was called up to GuyanaGuyana national football team
The Guyana national football team, nicknamed the Golden Jaguars, is the national team of Guyana and is controlled by the Guyana Football Federation. Although the former British colony is located in South America, it competes in CONCACAF, together with Suriname and French Guiana. Until the...
for their 2014 FIFA World Cup
2014 FIFA World Cup
The 2014 FIFA World Cup will be the 20th FIFA World Cup, an international association football tournament that will take place in Brazil from 12 June to 13 July 2014....
qualifiers
2014 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONCACAF)
The CONCACAF qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup will see teams competing for places at the finals in Brazil.As in recent tournaments, CONCACAF will have three direct qualifiers for the finals tournament in addition to a further possible place via the inter-confederation play-offs against the...
against Barbados
Barbados national football team
The Barbados national football team, nicknamed Bajan Pride, is the national association football team of Barbados and is controlled by the Barbados Football Association. It has never qualified for a major international tournament...
and Bermuda
Bermuda national football team
The Bermuda national football team is the national team of Bermuda and is controlled by the Bermuda Football Association. A member of CONCACAF, it is not among its strongest teams....
.
International goals
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 11 November 2011 | Providence Stadium Providence Stadium The Providence Stadium is a sports stadium in Guyana, replacing Bourda as the national stadium. The stadium was built specifically to host Super Eight matches in the 2007 Cricket World Cup, held in March and April 2007... , Providence Providence, Guyana Providence is a community in the Demerara-Mahaica Region of Guyana, on the east bank of the Demerara River, located at , altitude 1 metre . Providence is approximately south of the capital, Georgetown.... |
2 – 0 | 2 – 1 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification The 2014 FIFA World Cup will feature 32 teams. One place was allocated to the hosts, , but no automatic place is given to the defending champions, . The remaining 31 places will be determined by a qualification process, in which entrants from among the other 207 teams from the six FIFA... |
Club
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's... |
League Cup Football League Cup The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis... |
Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Millwall Millwall F.C. Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the... |
2000–01 2000-01 in English football The 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... |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| → Forest Green Rovers Forest Green Rovers F.C. Forest Green Rovers Football Club is an English football club based in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, currently the longest-serving members of the Conference National. The club is affiliated to the Gloucestershire County FA.-Early years:... (loan) |
2000–01 2000-01 in English football The 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... |
12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| → Stevenage Borough (loan) | 2000–01 2000-01 in English football The 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... |
9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Southend United Southend United F.C. Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had... |
2001–02 2001-02 in English football The 2001-02 season was the 122nd season of competitive football in England.-Arsenal cruise to title glory:In what had earlier been one of the most closely fought Premiership title races for years, Arsenal won the championship by seven points. Their crown was won in the penultimate game of the... |
45 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 51 | 4 |
| 2002–03 2002-03 in English football The 2002-03 season was the 123rd season of competitive football in England.-Most Memorable rise:*Wigan Athletic marked their 25th season of Football League membership by winning the Division Two championship and reaching the league's second tier for the very first time.-Most Memorable... |
46 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 7 | |
| 2003–04 2003-04 in English football The 2003-04 season was the 124th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Arsenal completed the entire campaign without losing a single league game.... |
46 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 58 | 1 | |
| Total | 137 | 11 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 161 | 12 | |
| 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... |
2004–05 2004-05 in English football The 2004–05 season was the 125th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*2004–05 was the first season to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League... |
44 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 6 |
| 2005–06 2005-06 in English football The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether... |
42 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 4 | |
| Total | 86 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 91 | 10 | |
| Crystal Palace Crystal Palace F.C. Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in... |
2006–07 2006-07 in English football The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five... |
37 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 7 |
| 2007–08 2007-08 in English football The 2007–08 season was the 128th season of competitive football in England.-European competitions:In October 2007 Arsenal equalled the UEFA Champions League record victory with a 7–0 win over Slavia Prague at the Emirates Stadium. The record was broken the following month when Liverpool... |
12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | |
| Total | 49 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 7 | |
| Stoke City Stoke City F.C. Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts... |
2007–08 | 33 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 8 |
| 2008–09 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2009–10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 44 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 8 | |
| Burnley Burnley F.C. Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888... |
2009–10 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| 2010–11 2010–11 Football League The Football League 2010–11, called the Npower Football League, was the 111th completed season of the Football League. It began in August 2010 and concluded in May 2011, with the promotion play-off finals.... |
4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2011–12 2011–12 Football League The Football League 2011–12, called the Npower Football League, is the 112th season of the Football League. It began in August 2011 and will conclude in May 2012, with the promotion play-off finals.... |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | |
| → Preston North End Preston North End F.C. Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One... (loan) |
2010–11 2010–11 in English football The 2010–11 season was the 131st season of competitive football in England.The season began on 6 August 2010 for the Football Leagues, with the Premier League and Football Conference both starting eight days later on 14 August 2010. The Championship, League One, and League Two ended on 7 May... |
13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| → 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,... (loan) |
2011–12 2011–12 in English football The 2011–12 season is the 132nd season of competitive football in England.The season began on 5 August 2011 for the Football Leagues, with the Premier starting eight days later, League Football Conference Starting one day before Premier League starts.The Championship, League One, and League Two... |
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Career totals | 371 | 36 | 21 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 412 | 37 | |
External links
- Leon Cort player profile at stokecityfc.com
- ESPN Profile