Leon Terrance Anthony Cort (born 11 September 1979 in Southwark) is an English professional footballer who plays for Charlton Athletic. He is a defender. He is of Guyanese descent and is the younger brother of Carl Cort.
[edit] Club career
Born in South London, Cort began his career at local non-League 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.[1] 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.[2] Cort moved to newly-promoted Hull City in the summer of 2004, again on a free transfer.[3] 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.[4] 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,[5] 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.
[edit] Burnley
Cort signed for Premier League side Burnley on 27 January 2010 for £1.5 million pounds signing a three-and-a-half year deal.[6] 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.[7] Cort was released by Burnley on 9 January 2012 after not making appearance for the club that season.[8]
[edit] International career
In October 2011, Cort was called up to Guyana for their 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Barbados and Bermuda.[9]
[edit] International goals
[edit] References
- ^ "Third Division eye catchers". bbc.com (bbc sport). 2003-08-01. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/3099199.stm. Retrieved 15 July 2009.
- ^ "Taylor interested in Cort". bbc.com (bbc sport). 2004-05-24. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hull_city/3742007.stm. Retrieved 15 July 2009.
- ^ "Hull secure Southends Cort". bbc.com (bbc sport). 2004-06-08. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hull_city/3787065.stm. Retrieved 15 July 2009.
- ^ "Palace snap up Hull defender Cort". bbc.com (bbc sport). 2006-06-30. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/crystal_palace/5119366.stm. Retrieved 15 July 2009.
- ^ "Potters complete Cort loan deal". bbc.com (bbc sport). 2007-11-03. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/7076752.stm. Retrieved 15 July 2009.
- ^ "Cort Joins Burnley In £1.5 Million Deal". stokecityfc.com. Stoke City. http://www.stokecityfc.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10310~1946731,00.html. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
- ^ "Cort joins on season-long loan". cafc.co.uk. Charlton Athletic. http://www.cafc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10267~2435448,00.html. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
- ^ "Burnley terminate the contract of defender Leon Cort". BBC Sport. 9 January 2012. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16476840.stm. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
- ^ "Ebbsfleet United striker Ricky Shakes called up for Guyana World Cup squad". Gravesend Messenger. 4 October 2011. http://www.kentonline.co.uk/gravesend_messenger/sport/2011/october/4/ricky_shakes.aspx. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
- ^ Includes other competitive competitions, including the FA Community Shield, UEFA Super Cup, Intercontinental Cup, FIFA Club World Cup
[edit] External links
| Persondata |
| Name |
Cort, Leon |
| Alternative names |
|
| Short description |
English footballer |
| Date of birth |
11 September 1979 |
| Place of birth |
Southwark, London, England |
| Date of death |
|
| Place of death |
|
Trinidad and Tobago
