*Indicates unconfirmed information. Figures in brackets after English team names indicate all appearances made and goals scored in competitive matches for Football League clubs from 1888 onwards. For Scottish League clubs the figures show details of all competitive appearances and goals scored from 1946/47 onwards.
Rob Cork
Appearances: 14+2 Goals: 1
Date / Year of birth: 29th December 1974
Position: Defender / Midfielder
Season of first appearance: 1992/93
Season of last appearance: 1992/93
Also played for: Egham Town, Windsor & Eton, Slough Town, Burnham, Uxbridge, Hayes, Buckingham Town and Croydon Athletic
Burly Margate-born player who joined Margate as a teenager in the summer of 1992 and became a fixture in the club's Under-18's side during the 1992/93 campaign. Rob made 25 appearances and scored seven goals for them. On 20.9.92 he was sent off in a 1-0 defeat away to Gillingham Under-18's and Rob also made 12 appearances (one as sub) in the Kent Midweek League for what was effectively Margate's reserves. His performances led to a first team call-up in January 1993.
Rob made his senior debut at centre-back in a 3-1 win at Burnham on 16.1.93 and the Thanet Times said that he "gave a good account of himself". He went on to play regularly during the remainder of the season, usually in midfield or at right-back. The Isle of Thanet Gazette said that Rob "took the eye with some dogged work in defence" in a 3-1 win over Poole at Hartsdown Park on 26.1.93 and that he turned in "a promising display" in a 5-3 home defeat against Salisbury on 2.2.93. On 24.4.93 Rob scored in a 2-1 win at Havant after coming on as a substitute and then played in the final game of 1992/93 - a 1-1 draw at Dunstable on 1.5.93. By the end of the campaign he'd made a total of 16 appearances (two as sub) and won the club's 'Young Player of the Year' award for the season.
Rob played in most of Margate's pre-season friendlies in the summer of 1993 but found himself on the subs bench when the 1993/94 campaign proper began. He was an unused substitute for five matches before leaving the club a couple of months into the season . Rob had recently moved to Uxbridge to start a degree at Brunel University and found the travelling to Margate too much.
He joined Egham immediately after leaving Hartsdown Park and Rob then had spells with Windsor & Eton and Slough later in the 1993/94 season before signing for Burnham in March 1994.
During the next two years Rob went on to play for Uxbridge, Hayes and Buckingham and also featured in a few of Margate's pre-season friendlies in the summer of 1995.
He joined Croydon Athletic for the 1997/98 campaign and made two league appearances (one as sub) there before retiring. In 2008 Rob explained "That was my last crack at senior football but I kept suffering knee injuries." He added "I was a fairly well built player so carried too much weight !"
After giving up football Rob turned to rugby and was still active in the sport during 2008. By then Rob was living in Sutton, Surrey and was working as a buyer for an English fashion company.
Looking back on his time at Margate Rob recalled "it was quite a good introduction to senior football and particularly good for me as I played with Mark Weatherly at the back who was too good for that standard even in his mid-30's." He added "Billy Plews was a cracking player and there were real characters such as Dave Gear - he really gave me some stick when I got in the team !"
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
| |
|
1992/93 (MFC) |
14 (53) |
2 |
1 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE SOUTHERN DIV. (10TH OF 22) |
2QR |
2QR |
1R |
1R |