Lee Cook

Lee Cook (born 3 August 1982) is an English former professional footballer.

Lee Cook
Personal information
Full name Lee Cook[1]
Date of birth (1982-08-03) 3 August 1982
Place of birth Hammersmith, England
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position(s) Winger
Youth career
1998 Southampton
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999 Aylesbury United 14 (2)
1999–2004 Watford 59 (7)
2002 → York City (loan) 7 (1)
2002–2003 → Queens Park Rangers (loan) 13 (1)
2004–2007 Queens Park Rangers 119 (9)
2007–2009 Fulham 0 (0)
2008 → Charlton Athletic (loan) 9 (0)
2008–2009 → Queens Park Rangers (loan) 23 (1)
2009–2012 Queens Park Rangers 27 (1)
2011–2012 → Leyton Orient (loan) 9 (1)
2012 → Charlton Athletic (loan) 4 (0)
2012–2013 Leyton Orient 38 (5)
2014 Apollon Smyrni 1 (0)
2014–2015 Barnet 39 (8)
2015–2016 Eastleigh 36 (5)
Total 398 (41)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Born in Hammersmith, London, Cook began his career at Southampton before moving on to non-League club Aylesbury United where he made 19 appearances, of which 14 were in the league, scoring twice, having progressed from the club's youth team.[2][3]

Watford

In 1999, after impressing in a trial period, Cook moved on to Watford. His transfer was the subject of an unsuccessful lawsuit from his former club.[4]

Cook made his debut against Grimsby Town on 14 April 2001 as a substitute. In his fourth game for Watford he injured his knee,[4] which kept him out of football until the end of the 2001–02 season. Cook spent most of the 2002–03 season on loan. He joined York City on a month's loan in October 2002,[5] which was extended for another month in late October.[6] For York, he made a total of seven appearances and scored twice, with goals against Exeter in the league[7] and Lincoln City in the Football League Trophy.[8] He was subsequently loaned to Queens Park Rangers in December 2002.[9] Cook returned to Watford in March 2003, after QPR manager Ian Holloway had been hoping to sign him permanently.[10] He scored once during 13 starts at Loftus Road. Cook made most his appearances for Watford during the 2003–04 season, playing 45 times.

Queens Park Rangers

Cook made no secret of the fact he was a fan of QPR, and he elected to leave Watford to join them at the end of his contract in July 2004. As Cook was under the age of 24 when he moved, and the two clubs failed to agree a fee, a tribunal ordered QPR to pay a fee of £125,000 to Watford.[11] During his five-year spell at Watford he made 64 appearances and scored seven goals.

Cook's QPR debut came against Watford at Vicarage Road on 9 August 2004 as a second-half substitute. Cook played poorly in the 3–0 defeat and was jeered by the Watford crowd.[12] He was ruled out for six weeks in August 2005 after tearing his lateral knee ligament against Hull City.[13]

Cook played a significant role in QPR's battle to avoid relegation in the 2006–07 season, and he formed a great partnership with striker Dexter Blackstock.

QPR rejected a bid from Fulham for Cook in June 2007,[14] but he eventually joined them for £2.5 million on 19 July 2007, signing a four-year contract.[15] Cook gave his £250,000 signing-on fee to QPR as a parting gift to the club.[16] He joined Charlton Athletic on loan until the end of the 2007–08 season in January 2008.[17] He rejoined former club Queens Park Rangers on loan for the 2008–09 season in July 2008, with a view to a permanent move.[18] Fulham manager Roy Hodgson confirmed on 5 December that Cook would sign a permanent contract with Queens Park Rangers for a fee of £850,000, which could rise to £1.2 million.[19] He completed the move on 8 January 2009, signing a three-year contract, for an undisclosed fee.[20]

On 19 March 2012, Cook rejoined Charlton Athletic on loan until the end of the season.[21]

Leyton Orient

On 24 August 2012, Cook joined Football League One side Leyton Orient on a five-month contract, after his release from QPR.[22] After 54 appearances and six goals in all competitions (including his loan spell), he rejected a contract extension at the end of the 2012–13 season. On 6 January 2014 he signed a six-month contract with Apollon Smyrni in the Greek Super League. He played four times for the club, once in the league, before leaving at the end of the season after their relegation to the Football League.

Barnet

Cook signed for Barnet on a one-year deal on 5 August 2014.[23] He scored twice on his debut in a 5–0 away win at Chester.[24] He scored his first career hattrick in a 4–0 win over Dartford on 25 August, after coming on as a second-half substitute.[25] He scored his sixth goal of the season in a 2–0 away victory against Southport a week later, with a chip from an extremely wide angle.

Cook scored six goals in his first six games for the Bees, but did not score at all after October and later lost his place in the team. He was released at the end of the season.[26]

Eastleigh

On 29 June 2015, Cook signed for Conference National side Eastleigh.[27] He was released at the end of the season after 36 league appearances.

Personal life

Lee is a second cousin of Olympic gold medal boxer James DeGale.

Honours
Barnet
  • Conference Premier
    • Champions: 2014–15

References
  1. Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2009). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2009–10. Mainstream Publishing. ISBN 9781845964740.
  2. "Aylesbury footballers move up to the Premiership". BucksHerald. 4 March 2007. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  3. "Aylesbury profile". AUFC. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  4. "Lee Cook". Blind, Stupid and Desperate. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
  5. "York swoop for winger". BBC Sport. 1 October 2002. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
  6. "Cook stays with York". BBC Sport. 29 October 2002. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
  7. "Exeter 0–1 York". BBC. 5 October 2002. Retrieved 24 October 2009.
  8. "Lincoln 4–3 York". BBC. 22 October 2002. Retrieved 30 December 2010.
  9. "QPR capture Cook". BBC Sport. 18 December 2002. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
  10. "QPR to lose Cook". BBC Sport. 13 March 2003. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
  11. "Cook joins QPR". BBC Sport. 3 July 2004. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
  12. "Local Derby Lite". Blind, Stupid and Desperate. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
  13. "QPR winger Cook out for six weeks". BBC Sport. 10 August 2005. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
  14. "QPR turn down Fulham bid for Cook". BBC Sport. 21 June 2007. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
  15. "Fulham seal deal for QPR's Cook". BBC Sport. 19 July 2007. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
  16. O' Rourke, Peter (6 August 2007). "Cook's parting gift to QPR". Sky Sports. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  17. "Charlton snap up Halford and Cook". BBC Sport. 31 January 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2007.
  18. "Cook leaves Fulham to rejoin QPR". BBC Sport. 1 August 2008. Retrieved 1 August 2008.
  19. "Fulham's Roy Hodgson would let Brede Hangeland leave for right offer". Daily Mirror. Trinity Mirror. 6 December 2008. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
  20. "Cook's transfer to QPR confirmed". BBC Sport. 8 January 2009. Retrieved 8 January 2009.
  21. "Cook is second loan recruit". Charlton Athletic. 19 March 2012. Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  22. "Cook Wings In". Leyton Orient. 24 August 2012. Archived from the original on 1 September 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  23. Lee Cook signs for Barnet
  24. Chester 0 – 5 Barnet
  25. Barnet 4 – 0 Dartford
  26. Retained list for new season announced
  27. "Eastleigh: Former QPR Winger Lee Cook joins from Barnet". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
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