Alan Cork

Early career

Cork started his career at Derby County. 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.

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 League 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 on 14 May 1988. Four days later, his testimonial match was held at Plough Lane against an All Stars XI from various club sides, to mark 10 years of Cork's service to Wimbledon. 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…

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 Adams was appointed manager in 1996. In his role of first-team coach, he helped Fulham win promotion from Division Three in 1997.

Swansea City

In October 1997, he moved on to Swansea City 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. However a number of key players brought to the club by Cork during that period would form the spine of the Swansea side that won the Division Three title under John Hollins in 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 at Cardiff City in the summer of 2000.

Cardiff City

Cork returned to league management in October 2000 with Cardiff 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, 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 leaders Leeds United some six weeks earlier.

Leicester City…

Cork is the father of Burnley player Jack Cork.

Wimbledon

FA Cup: 1987–88