Jack Cork

Jack Frank Porteous Cork (born 25 June 1989) is an English professional footballer who last played as a defensive midfielder for and captained EFL Championship club Burnley. He played for the Great Britain Olympic team at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Jack Cork

Cork playing for Swansea City in 2015
Personal information
Full name	Jack Frank Porteous Cork[1]
Date of birth	(1989-06-25) 25 June 1989 (age 35)[2]
Place of birth	Carshalton, England
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[3]
Position(s)	Defensive midfielder
Youth career
1998–2006	Chelsea
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2006–2011	Chelsea	0	(0)
2006	→ AFC Bournemouth (loan)	4	(0)
2007	→ AFC Bournemouth (loan)	3	(0)
2007–2008	→ Scunthorpe United (loan)	34	(2)
2008–2009	→ Southampton (loan)	23	(0)
2009	→ Watford (loan)	19	(0)
2009	→ Coventry City (loan)	21	(0)
2010	→ Burnley (loan)	11	(1)
2010–2011	→ Burnley (loan)	40	(3)
2011–2015	Southampton	114	(2)
2015–2017	Swansea City	80	(2)
2017–2024	Burnley	184	(4)
International career
2005	England U16	3	(0)
2005–2006	England U17	7	(0)
2006	England U18	1	(0)
2007–2008	England U19	14	(0)
2009	England U20	1	(0)
2008–2011	England U21	13	(0)
2012	Great Britain Olympic	4	(0)
2017	England	1	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 09:10, 25 May 2024 (UTC)

Cork started off his career with Chelsea but between 2006 and 2011, he went on loan to a number of clubs, including Scunthorpe United where he was named player of the year. Without making an appearance for Chelsea, he signed permanently to Championship club Southampton in 2011 where he made over 100 appearances for them and helped them gain promotion to the Premier League by featuring in all their matches. Cork spent two and a half years with Premier League club Swansea City from January 2015 to July 2017 before his permanent move to Burnley where he featured in every match en route of the club qualifying to the UEFA Europa League. He spent six seasons with Burnley, one of which was a title winning EFL Championship campaign, before the contract expires.

Cork has featured for England from U16 in 2005 to U21 between 2008 and 2011, the Great Britain Olympic team and once for the senior national team.

Early life

Cork was born in Carshalton, London.^[4] He is the son of former footballer and manager Alan Cork.^[5]

Playing career

Chelsea

Cork joined the Chelsea youth system up age of nine, and captained both the club's youth and reserve teams.^[6] During the 2006–07 season, Cork twice went on loan to League One club AFC Bournemouth.^[7] Cork was selected to go on Chelsea's pre-season tour of the United States in summer 2007. He made his first appearance for the first team against Club América on 14 July. He played out-of-position at left back for most of the tour.^[8]

Cork spent the 2007–08 season on loan at newly promoted Championship club Scunthorpe United. His first league goals came for Scunthorpe, both against Coventry City; in a 1–1 away draw on 27 November 2007^[9] and in a 2–1 home victory on 1 March 2008.^[10] After 35 appearances,^[9] despite Scunthorpe's relegation from the Championship,^[11] he was voted the club's Player of the Year.^[12]

On 21 August 2008, Cork joined Championship club Southampton on loan until 1 January 2009.^[13] In January 2009, Cork joined Championship club Watford on loan until the end of the 2008–09 season.^[14] He scored his first goal for Watford on 24 January 2009 in a 4–3 victory over Crystal Palace in the fourth round of the FA Cup.^[15] Cork signed a new three-year contract with Chelsea on 21 August 2009 and immediately joined Championship club Coventry City on loan until the end of December 2009.^[16][17]

On 1 February 2010, Cork joined Premier League club Burnley on loan until the end of the 2009–10 season.^[18] He made his first appearance for Burnley in a 3–0 defeat away to Fulham on his Premier League debut.^[19] He then played in a 5–2 defeat against Aston Villa on 21 February 2010 and assisted Burnley's second goal.^[20] Cork scored his first goal for Burnley on 9 May 2010 in a 4–2 home win over Tottenham Hotspur, with a diving header to score Burnley's second to turn over a two-goal lead.^[21] His father revealed the day before in a local newspaper, the Lancashire Telegraph, that Cork was looking to leave Chelsea in the summer and was willing to drop down into the Championship in order to do so.^[22]

On 8 August 2010, Chelsea said that they would allow Cork to leave the club and were looking for offers of around £2 million.^[23] On 12 August, Cork re-joined Burnley on loan for the 2010–11 season.^[24] Cork scored a last minute winner at home to Derby County on 27 November, taking Burnley into the play-off positions.^[25]

Southampton

Cork playing for Southampton in 2013

On 7 July 2011, Cork signed for newly promoted Championship club Southampton, after they agreed an undisclosed fee with Chelsea.^[26] Cork ended the 2011–12 season as the only Southampton player who appeared in every league match,^[27][28] as the club earned promotion to the Premier League as runners-up in the Championship.^[29]

Cork missed Southampton's opening fixtures of the 2012–13 Premier League, due to an ankle injury, sustained against Bristol City in a friendly and a League Cup victory over Sheffield Wednesday.^[30] On 26 August 2014, he scored his first goal for Southampton in a 2–0 away victory over Millwall in the second round of the League Cup.^[31]

He scored his first league goal for the club in a 4–0 home win over Newcastle United on 13 September 2014^[32] and his second and final league goal for the club came in an 8–0 home win over Sunderland on 18 October.^[33]

Swansea City

Cork signed for Southampton's Premier League rivals Swansea City on 30 January 2015 on a three-and-a-half-year contract,^[34] for a fee "believed to be in the region of £3 million".^[35] On 25 April 2015, he scored his first goal for Swansea in a 3–2 away win over Newcastle United.^[36]

Over a year after his first goal for the club, on 1 May 2016, he scored his second, with a 20-yard curling shot in a 3–1 home victory over Liverpool.^[37] This victory helped secure Swansea's Premier League status for the 2016–17 season.^[38]

Burnley

Cork returned to Premier League club Burnley on 11 July 2017 on a four-year contract, for fee reported to be in the region of £8 million, rising to £10 million with add-ons.^[39][40] He scored his first goal on his return to Burnley in an EFL Cup tie against Blackburn Rovers on 23 August 2017.^[41] His first Premier League goal for Burnley came against his former club Swansea City in a 2–0 win on 18 November. That goal ended a run of 43 appearances without a goal for the player.^[42]

On 16 August 2018, he scored the winning goal in Burnley's 1–0 victory over İstanbul Başakşehir in the Europa League qualifiers.^[43]

On 20 June 2022, following relegation to the Championship, Cork signed a new two-year contract with the club.^[44] The club were promoted to the Premier League for the 2023–24 season on 7 April 2023, but 18 May 2024, it was announced that Cork would leave the club at the expiration of his contract following Burnley's immediate relegation back to the Championship.^[45]

Coaching career

Burnley

On 3 October 2024, Burnley announced the return of Cork as an assistant manager/player for their Under-21s. “I missed it when I was away for a month or so and it’s nice to be back in the environment and be back involved in football," Cork stated. On his role as a player/coach at the youth levels, he noted, "I’m not sure how fit I’ll be but maybe when the fixtures pile up ... maybe for 15 minutes or so, I can come on and play certain parts of the game to help that player see how someone with my experience would be able to cope in that role.”^[46]

International career

England

Cork has represented England at many youth levels, making his under-19 debut against the Czech Republic in May 2007.^[47] He captained the England U19 squad to make the 2008 UEFA European Under-19 Championship, and was part of the under-21 squad at the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.^[48]

On 7 November 2017, Cork was called into the England squad for friendly matches against Germany and Brazil.^[49] He made his debut on 10 November 2017 as an 86th-minute substitute in a 0–0 draw against Germany at Wembley Stadium.^[50]

Great Britain Olympic team

On 2 July 2012, Cork was named in Stuart Pearce's 18-man Great Britain squad for the 2012 Summer Olympics.^[51] He made his debut on 20 July in a 2–0 loss to Brazil in a pre-tournament friendly, coming on at half-time to replace Daniel Sturridge.^[52] He played as a substitute in each of Great Britain's three group matches, and was an unused substitute as the team were knocked out by South Korea in the quarter-final.^[53]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 19 May 2024

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Chelsea	2006–07[7]	Premier League	0	0	—		0	0	0	0	0	0
	2007–08[9]	Premier League	0	0	—		—		0	0	0	0
	2008–09[54]	Premier League	0	0	—		—		0	0	0	0
	2009–10[19]	Premier League	0	0	0	0	—		0	0	0	0
	2010–11[55]	Premier League	0	0	—		—		0	0	0	0
	Total		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
AFC Bournemouth (loan)	2006–07[7]	League One	7	0	2	0	—		—		9	0
Scunthorpe United (loan)	2007–08[9]	Championship	34	2	1	0	—		—		35	2
Southampton (loan)	2008–09[54]	Championship	23	0	—		2	0	—		25	0
Watford (loan)	2008–09[54]	Championship	19	0	2	1	—		—		21	1
Coventry City (loan)	2009–10[19]	Championship	21	0	—		—		—		21	0
Burnley (loan)	2009–10[19]	Premier League	11	1	—		—		—		11	1
	2010–11[55]	Championship	40	3	3	0	3	0	—		46	3
	Total		51	4	3	0	3	0	—		57	4
Southampton	2011–12[27]	Championship	46	0	1	0	2	0	—		49	0
	2012–13[56]	Premier League	28	0	1	0	1	0	—		30	0
	2013–14[57]	Premier League	28	0	2	0	3	0	—		33	0
	2014–15[58]	Premier League	12	2	1	0	2	1	—		15	3
	Total		114	2	5	0	8	1	—		127	3
Swansea City	2014–15[58]	Premier League	15	1	—		—		—		15	1
	2015–16[59]	Premier League	35	1	1	0	0	0	—		36	1
	2016–17[60]	Premier League	30	0	1	0	1	0	—		32	0
	Total		80	2	2	0	1	0	—		83	2
Swansea City U23	2016–17[60]	—			—		—		1[a]	0	1	0
Burnley	2017–18[61]	Premier League	38	2	1	0	2	1	—		41	3
	2018–19[62]	Premier League	37	1	2	0	0	0	6[b]	2	45	3
	2019–20[63]	Premier League	30	0	2	0	0	0	—		32	0
	2020–21[64]	Premier League	16	0	2	0	0	0	—		18	0
	2021–22[65]	Premier League	20	1	1	0	3	0	—		23	1
	2022–23[66]	Championship	39	0	4	0	1	0	—		44	0
	2023–24[67]	Premier League	4	0	0	0	2	0	—		6	0
	Total		184	4	12	0	8	1	6	2	210	7
Career total			533	14	27	1	22	2	7	2	589	19

1. Appearance in EFL Trophy
2. Appearances in UEFA Europa League

International

As of match played 10 November 2017^[68]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
England	2017	1	0
Total		1	0

Honours

Burnley

• EFL Championship: 2022–23^[69]

Individual

• Scunthorpe United Player of the Year: 2007–08^[12]

References

1. "Updated squads for 2017/18 Premier League confirmed". Premier League. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
2. Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2010). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2010–11. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. p. 95. ISBN 978-1-84596-601-0.
3. "Jack Cork". Burnley F.C. Archived from the original on 1 December 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
4. "Jack Cork". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
5. Pepper, James (1 August 2012). "Carshalton star Jack Cork gets praise from ex Wimbledon star father Alan Cork". Your Local Guardian. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
6. "England Football Online". 14 May 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
7. "Games played by Jack Cork in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
8. "Minute Detail: Chelsea 2 Club America 1". Chelsea F.C. Archived from the original on 7 June 2014.
9. "Games played by Jack Cork in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
10. "Scunthorpe 2–1 Coventry". BBC Sport. 1 March 2008. Retrieved 4 May 2014.
11. "Championship: 2007/08: Latest table". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
12. "Vote for your Player of the Season 2016/17". Scunthorpe United F.C. 29 March 2017. Archived from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
13. "Saints bag Chelsea's Cork on loan". BBC Sport. 21 August 2008. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
14. Smith, Frank (2 January 2009). "Watford sign Chelsea's Jack Cork on loan until end of season". Retrieved 13 July 2018.
15. "Watford 4–3 Crystal Palace". BBC Sport. 24 January 2009. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
16. "Chelsea kid Jack Cork handed new three-year deal". Mirror. 6 September 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
17. "Cork may extend stay at Coventry". BBC Sport. 24 August 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
18. "Burnley boss delighted with signing of Chelsea youngster". BBC Sport. 1 February 2010. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
19. "Games played by Jack Cork in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
20. Bevan, Chris (21 February 2010). "Aston Villa 5–2 Burnley". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
21. "Burnley 4–2 Tottenham". BBC Sport. 9 May 2010. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
22. Flanagan, Chris (8 May 2010). "Burnley midfielder Cork is ready to leave Chelsea, says father". Lancashire Telegraph. Blackburn. Retrieved 4 May 2014.
23. Scholes, Tony (8 August 2010). "Cork can go say Chelsea". Clarets Mad. Digital Sports Group. Retrieved 20 June 2011.
24. "Loan star Jack's the Lad – Again!". Burnley F.C. 12 August 2010. Archived from the original on 27 September 2012.
25. "Burnley 2–1 Derby". BBC Sport. 27 November 2010. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
26. "Saints sign Jack Cork". Southampton F.C. 7 July 2011. Archived from the original on 7 September 2011.
27. "Games played by Jack Cork in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
28. "Southampton FC Player Appearances". Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
29. "Championship: 2011/12: Latest table". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
30. "Southampton midfielder Jack Cork out for up to six weeks". BBC Sport. 27 September 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
31. "Millwall 0–2 Southampton". BBC Sport. 26 August 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
32. Chowdhury, Saj (13 September 2014). "Southampton 4–0 Newcastle". BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
33. Reddy, Luke (18 October 2014). "Southampton 8–0 Sunderland". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 October 2014.
34. "Jack Cork: Swansea City finalise signing of Southampton midfielder". BBC Sport. 30 January 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
35. "Swansea complete £3m signing of Jack Cork from Southampton". The Guardian. London. 30 January 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
36. "Cork nets first Swansea goal". Sky Sports. 26 April 2015.
37. "Swansea City 3–1 Liverpool". Sky Sports. 1 May 2016.
38. Pritchard, Dafydd (1 May 2017). "Swansea City 3–1 Liverpool". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
39. "Cork: It's Great To Be Back!". Burnley F.C. 11 July 2017. Archived from the original on 28 September 2018. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
40. Pritchard, Dafydd (11 July 2017). "Jack Cork: Burnley sign midfielder from Swansea City for about £10m". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
41. "Blackburn Rovers 0–2 Burnley". BBC Sport. 23 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
42. Matthew, Henry (18 November 2017). "Burnley 2–0 Swansea City". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
43. Emons, Michael (16 August 2018). "Burnley 1–0 Istanbul Basaksehir". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
44. "Jack Cork signs new contract". www.burnleyfootballclub.com. 20 June 2022. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
45. "Burnley midfield duo depart". www.burnleyfootballclub.com. 18 May 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
46. "JACK'S BACK - AGAIN! | BurnleyFC". www.burnleyfootballclub.com. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
47. "Lions grab consolation". The Football Association. Archived from the original on 29 October 2007.
48. "Burnley on-loan star Cork earns England U21 selection". Lancashire Telegraph. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
49. "Jack Cork: Burnley midfielder called up to England squad after trio withdraw". BBC Sport. 7 November 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
50. McNulty, Phil (10 November 2017). "England 0–0 Germany". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
51. "Pearce names squad". Sky Sports. 2 July 2012. Archived from the original on 21 July 2010. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
52. White, Duncan (20 July 2012). "London 2012 Olympics: Great Britain 0 Brazil 2". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
53. Winter, Henry (26 July 2012). "London 2012 Olympics: Great Britain 1 Senegal 1". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
    Winter, Henry (30 July 2012). "London 2012 Olympics: Great Britain overcome UAE to set up Uruguay decider". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
    Winter, Henry (2 August 2012). "London 2012 Olympics: Great Britain 1 Uruguay 0 – Match report". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
    Winter, Henry (4 August 2012). "London 2012 Olympics; Team GB 1 South Korea 1 aet (4–5 pens): Match report". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
54. "Games played by Jack Cork in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
55. "Games played by Jack Cork in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
56. "Games played by Jack Cork in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
57. "Games played by Jack Cork in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
58. "Games played by Jack Cork in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
59. "Games played by Jack Cork in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
60. "Games played by Jack Cork in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
61. "Games played by Jack Cork in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
62. "Games played by Jack Cork in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
63. "Games played by Jack Cork in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
64. "Games played by Jack Cork in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
65. "Games played by Jack Cork in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
66. "Games played by Jack Cork in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
67. "Games played by Jack Cork in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
68. "Cork, Jack". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
69. Long, Dan (25 April 2023). "Blackburn Rovers 0-1 Burnley: Vincent Kompany's Clarets clinch Championship title after Manuel Benson stunner". Sky Sports. Retrieved 25 April 2023.

External links

• Profile at the Burnley F.C. website
• Jack Cork – UEFA competition record (archive) 
• Jack Cork at Soccerbase