Alan Cork

Alan Cork
Personal information
Full name	Alan Graham Cork
Date of birth	4 March 1959(age 65)
Place of birth	Derby,England
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Position(s)	Forward
Senior career*
Years	Team
1977–1978	Lincoln City
1978–1992	Wimbledon
1992–1994	Sheffield United
1994–1995	Fulham
Total
Managerial career
1997–1998	Swansea City
1998–2000	Chesham United
2000–2002	Cardiff City
2008–2010	Bolton Wanderers Reserves
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Alan Graham Cork(born 4 March 1959) is an English former professionalfootballer.He played as a striker for several clubs, most notablyWimbledon(where he spent 14 years, played in all four divisions of theFootball Leagueand gained anFA Cup-winner's medal in1988) and has held a number of managerial and coaching posts since his retirement from playing.

He holds the record for first-team appearances and first-team goals at Wimbledon and is also the only player to have scored in all four divisions of the pre-1992 Football League and also the Premier League.

Playing career

Early career

Cork started his career atDerby County.However, despite a loan spell atLincoln City,Cork failed to break into the Derbyfirst teamand subsequently joined Wimbledon, who had been recently elected to the Football League and were playing inDivision Fourat 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 theFootball Leaguein the process. Initially, the club's first choice starting striker, Cork also played sixty minutes of Wimbledon's famousFA Cup triumphoverLiverpoolon 14 May 1988. Four days later, his testimonial match was held atPlough Laneagainst an All Stars XI from various club sides, to mark 10 years of Cork's service to Wimbledon.^[3]

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. Typically, on hearing the chant, Cork would turn to the crowd and tap his head. 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 early 1992 to joinSheffield Unitedon a free transfer. In 14 years at Wimbledon, he scored 145 league goals in 440 appearances.^[4]

Sheffield Utd. and retirement

He spent two and a half seasons with Sheffield United, including two full seasons in the newly rebrandedFA Premier League.He famously grew a thick beard, and refused to shave until Sheffield United's FA Cup run of1992–93had ended. The cup run lasted four months, as the Blades made it all the way to the semi-finals, going out to local rivalsSheffield WednesdayatWembley.He scored the equalising goal in a 2–1 defeat.

Halfway through the 1994–95 season, he moved toFulhambefore retiring after the season aged 36. During his whole career no (significant) transfer fee was paid for him.

Managerial and coaching career

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 afterMicky Adamswas appointed manager in 1996. In his role of first-team coach, he helped Fulham win promotion fromDivision Threein 1997.

Swansea City

In October 1997, he moved on toSwansea Cityas assistant manager toMicky Adams.Adams stepped down within two weeks of taking over, and Cork took over for the rest of the season without achieving much success. However a number of key players brought to the club by Cork during that period^[5]would form the spine of the Swansea side that won theDivision Threetitle underJohn Hollinsin 2000.

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 atCardiff Cityin the summer of 2000.

Cardiff City

Cork returned to league management in October 2000 withCardiff City,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,^[6]after a run of results that left Cardiff somewhat 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 leadersLeeds Unitedsome six weeks earlier.

Leicester City

In the summer of 2002, Cork joinedLeicester Cityas assistant manager toMicky Adams.^[7]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 theWalkers Stadiumexit door in October 2004.

Bolton Wanderers

In July 2007 he was employed as a scout by Premier League sideBolton Wandererswho were looking for a number of former professionals to join a scouting team led by formerEvertonmanagerColin 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 managerGary Megsonwas replaced byOwen Coyle.^[8]

Sheffield United

On 30 December 2010, he was appointed the assistant manager ofSheffield United,working alongside new managerMicky Adams.^[9]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.

England

Cork is a scout for the England national football team.^[10]

Wimbledon Old Players Association

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 atKingsmeadow.

Statistics

Player

Club performance			League		Cup		League Cup		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
England			League		FA Cup		League Cup		Total^[11]
1977–78	Derby County	Division 1	0	0
1977–78	Lincoln City	Division 3	5	0
1977–78	Wimbledon	Division 4	17	4
1978–79		Division 4	45	22
1979–80		Division 3	42	12
1980–81		Division 4	41	23
1981–82		Division 3	6	0
1982–83		Division 4	7	5
1983–84		Division 3	42	29
1984–85		Division 2	28	11
1985–86		Division 2	38	11
1986–87		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	Sheffield United		8	2
1992–93		Premier League	27	2
1993–94		Premier League	19	3
1993–94	Fulham	Division 2	15	3
Total	England		504	155	?	?	?	?	?	?

Blank means unknown (FA- and League Cup)

Manager

Team	Country	From	To	Record
Team	Country	From	To	G	W	D	L	Win %
Swansea City	Wales	22 October 1997	30 June 1998	35	10	10	15	28.57
Chesham United	England	1998	2000	?	?	?	?
Cardiff City	Wales	16 October 2000	17 February 2002	68	33	18	17	48.53
Total				103	43	28	32	41.75

Personal life

Cork is the father ofBurnleyplayerJack Cork.^[12]

References

^^a ^b ^c"Alan Cork".Barry Hugman's Footballers.Retrieved11 May2020.
^Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987).Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88.London: Queen Anne Press. p.396.ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
^VideoonYouTube
^"Alan CORK. – Free Online Library".
^"Centenary feature: 1991–1999".^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^"Cork resigns from Cardiff City".BBC Sport. 17 February 2002.Retrieved30 August2007.
^"Cork joins Foxes".BBC Sport. 28 June 2002.Retrieved30 August2007.
^"It's all change at the Reebok".Bolton News. 11 January 2010.Retrieved12 January2010.
^"Micky Adams confirmed as Sheffield United manager".BBC Sport.30 December 2010.Retrieved30 December2010.
^"England scout Alan Cork reveals Stade de France panic".BBC Sport. 18 November 2015.
^"Football photographic encyclopedia, footballer, world cup, champions league, football championship, olympic games & hero images by sporting-heroes.net".
^Pepper, James (1 August 2012)."Carshalton star Jack Cork gets praise from ex Wimbledon star father Alan Cork".Your Local Guardian.Retrieved21 January2021.

[Hugman-1] "Alan Cork".Barry Hugman's Footballers.Retrieved11 May2020.

[1987_Rothmans-2] Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987).Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88.London: Queen Anne Press. p.396.ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.

[3] VideoonYouTube

[4] "Alan CORK. – Free Online Library".

[5] "Centenary feature: 1991–1999".^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[6] "Cork resigns from Cardiff City".BBC Sport. 17 February 2002.Retrieved30 August2007.

[7] "Cork joins Foxes".BBC Sport. 28 June 2002.Retrieved30 August2007.

[8] "It's all change at the Reebok".Bolton News. 11 January 2010.Retrieved12 January2010.

[cn-9] "Micky Adams confirmed as Sheffield United manager".BBC Sport.30 December 2010.Retrieved30 December2010.

[10] "England scout Alan Cork reveals Stade de France panic".BBC Sport. 18 November 2015.

[11] "Football photographic encyclopedia, footballer, world cup, champions league, football championship, olympic games & hero images by sporting-heroes.net".

[12] Pepper, James (1 August 2012)."Carshalton star Jack Cork gets praise from ex Wimbledon star father Alan Cork".Your Local Guardian.Retrieved21 January2021.

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Personal information
Full name	Alan Graham Cork^[1]
Date of birth	(1959-03-04)4 March 1959(age 65)^[1]
Place of birth	Derby,^[1]England
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)^[2]
Position(s)	Forward
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1977–1978	Lincoln City	5	(0)
1978–1992	Wimbledon	430	(145)
1992–1994	Sheffield United	54	(7)
1994–1995	Fulham	15	(3)
Total		504	(155)
Managerial career
1997–1998	Swansea City
1998–2000	Chesham United
2000–2002	Cardiff City
2008–2010	Bolton Wanderers Reserves
*Club domestic league appearances and goals