Jordan Cook

Cook was born in Hetton-le-Hole, Tyne and Wear[1] and attended Hetton School.[3] He began his career with Hetton Juniors, before joining Sunderland aged seven.[3] Cook progressed through the club's youth system and signed his first professional contract on 30 May 2008.[4] He joined League Two club Darlington on loan on 18 August 2009,[5] before making his debut later that day in a 1–0 defeat at home to Crewe Alexandra, in which he was substituted for Jeff Smith in the 58th minute.[6] His loan spell with Darlington was cut short after sustaining cruciate knee ligament damage.[7] Cook made his Sunderland debut on 26 December 2010 after being introduced as an 82nd-minute substitute for Steed Malbranque in a 2–0 defeat away to Manchester United.[8][9] He replaced Nedum Onuoha as an 87th-minute substitute to make his home debut in a 4–2 defeat to Chelsea on 1 February 2011.[9][10]

On 24 March 2011, Cook signed for League One club Walsall on loan until the end of 2010–11.[11] He debuted a day later in a 1–1 draw away to Milton Keynes Dons, having entered the match as a 68th-minute substitute.[12] His first goal for Walsall came in a 3–2 win at home to Brentford on 12 April,[13][14] and completed the loan spell with eight appearances.[9] After returning to Sunderland, he played in their final match of 2010–11, a 3–0 win away to West Ham United, having entered the match as a 72nd-minute substitute for Asamoah Gyan.[15]

Cook joined Carlisle United on 16 January 2012 on a one-month loan.[16] After making four appearances during his initial loan spell, Cook's loan was extended by a further month until 10 March.[17] He scored his first goal for Carlisle after being introduced as a 74th-minute substitute in a 4–1 win at home to Bury, after which his loan was due to expire.[18][19] However, the loan was extended on 22 March by a further month,[20] and would expire after the penultimate match of the season against Exeter City under emergency loan rules.[21] Cook scored a brace five days later to help Carlisle come from behind to earn a 2–1 win away to Milton Keynes Dons.[22] He completed the emergency loan with 14 appearances and four goals.[19] After failing to make an appearance for Sunderland in 2011–12,[19] Cook was amongst nine players released by the club in May 2012.[23]

Cook signed a two-year contract with newly promoted Championship club Charlton Athletic on 9 July 2012.[24] He debuted in a 1–1 draw against Leyton Orient in a League Cup first round tie on 14 August,[25] before making his league debut in a 1–1 draw away to Birmingham City four days later, having entered the match as a 77th-minute substitute for Bradley Wright-Phillips.[26] Cook made six further league appearances and one FA Cup appearance for Charlton in 2012–13.[27] He joined League One club Yeovil Town on a one-month loan on 18 March 2013.[28] Cook debuted as a 61st-minute substitute for Gavin Williams in a 2–0 defeat at home to Swindon Town.[29] However, a knee injury meant he returned to Charlton for treatment and made no further appearances for Yeovil.[30] Cook made his first appearance of 2013–14 after being named in the starting lineup against Oxford United in the League Cup first round, which finished as a 4–0 victory.[31] However, his first-team opportunities were limited, and finished the season with only five appearances.[32] On 22 May 2014, it was announced that Cook would be released following the expiration of his contract.[33]

On 7 July 2014, Cook returned to League One club Walsall and signed a two-year contract, having previously been on loan with them for two months in 2011.[34] He made his first appearance since his return in a 1–1 draw with Bristol City on 4 October after being introduced as a 34th-minute substitute for the injured Tom Bradshaw.[35] One week later, he scored the opening goal, his first since April 2012 in a 2–1 defeat away to Oldham Athletic.[36][37] Cook scored a brace to help Walsall come from behind to earn a 3–1 win at home to Barnsley on 13 December.[38] He scored his fourth goal of the season on 7 February 2015 in a 2–0 win away to Doncaster Rovers after only three minutes.[39] Cook came off the bench as a 72nd-minute substitute for Tom Bradshaw to score his fifth goal of the season in stoppage time against Crawley Town in a 5–0 victory on 14 April.[40] Cook also played in every Football League Trophy match,[41] which saw Walsall reach the final of the competition, only to be defeated 2–0 by Bristol City at Wembley Stadium on 22 March.[42] He finished 2014–15 with 39 appearances and five goals.[41]

Cook was named in the starting lineup against Oldham Athletic on the opening day of 2015–16, but was replaced in the 66th minute by Milan Lalkovič in a 1–1 draw.[43] Thereafter, he assumed the role of a substitute, making 36 of his 44 appearances from the bench.[44] However, he scored three times including Walsall's third goal in the 93rd minute of a 3–1 win away to Shrewsbury Town,[45] prior to a brace in a 2–0 win at home to Port Vale after being introduced as a 60th-minute substitute for Kieron Morris.[46] His contributions helped Walsall to qualify for the play-offs after a third-place finish in League One.[47] Cook played in both semi-final legs as a substitute, scoring a late consolation goal in the second leg as Walsall lost 3–1 to Barnsley and 6–1 on aggregate.[48]

On 5 July 2016, Cook signed a two-year contract with League Two club Luton Town after rejecting a new contract with Walsall.[49] He debuted on the opening day of 2016–17 in a 3–0 win away to Plymouth Argyle.[50] Cook scored his first goal for Luton in a 4–1 win at home to Wycombe Wanderers on 3 September.[51] He was released by Luton at the end of the 2017–18 season.[52]

Cook signed for League Two club Grimsby Town on a two-year contract on 22 June 2018.[53] He was released at the end of the 2019–20 season.[54]

Cook joined Gateshead of the National League North on 20 October 2020 for the 2020–21 season.[55]