View source for Jack Cock

{{short description|English footballer and manager}}
{{other people|John Cock}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name       = Jack Cock
| image = Jack Cock, Brentford FC footballer, 1919.jpg
| image_size = 150
| caption = Cock as a guest player at [[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]] in 1919.
| fullname    = John Gilbert Cock<ref>{{cite book |first=Michael |last=Joyce |title=Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939 |year=2004 |publisher=SoccerData |location=Nottingham |isbn=1-899468-67-6 |page=56}}</ref>
| birth_date  = {{birth date|1893|11|14|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Hayle]], England
| death_date  = {{death date and age|1966|04|19|1893|11|14|df=y}}<ref name="englandfootballonline" />
| death_place = [[Kensington]], England
| height      = {{height|ft=5|in=11}}<ref name="englandfootballonline">{{Cite web |url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamPlyrsBios/PlayersC/BioCockJG.html |title=Jack Cock |publisher=England Football Online |access-date=28 February 2012}}</ref>
| position    = [[Centre forward]]
| years1  = 1908–1911         
| clubs1  = West Kensingston United                      
| caps1  = 
| goals1  =
| years2  = 1911–1912          
| clubs2  = Forest Gate                                  
| caps2  = 
| goals2  = 
| years3  = 1912–1914          
| clubs3  = [[Kingstonian F.C.|Old Kingstonians]]                            
| caps3  = 
| goals3  = 
| years4  = 1914      
| clubs4  = [[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]]                 
| caps4  = 3   
| goals4  = 1
| years5  = 1914–1919 
| clubs5  = [[Huddersfield Town A.F.C.|Huddersfield Town]] 
| caps5  = 18  
| goals5  = 9
| years6  = 1917–1919 
| clubs6  = → [[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]] (guest)       
| caps6  = 48  
| goals6  = 52
| years7  = 1919–1923 
| clubs7  = [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]]                     
| caps7  = 99  
| goals7  = 47
| years8  = 1923–1925 
| clubs8  = [[Everton F.C.|Everton]]                     
| caps8  = 69  
| goals8  = 29
| years9  = 1925–1927 
| clubs9  = [[Plymouth Argyle F.C.|Plymouth Argyle]]     
| caps9  = 90  
| goals9  = 72
| years10  = 1927–1930 
| clubs10  = [[Millwall F.C.|Millwall]]                 
| caps10  = 115 
| goals10  = 77
| nationalyears1 = 1919–1920 
| nationalteam1 = [[England national football team|England]] 
| nationalcaps1 = 2 
| nationalgoals1 = 2
| manageryears1  = 1944–1948 
| managerclubs1 = [[Millwall F.C.|Millwall]]
| years11 = 1931–1932          
| clubs11 = [[Folkestone F.C.|Folkestone]]               
| caps11 =    
| goals11 = 
| years12 =           
| clubs12 = [[Walton & Hersham F.C.|Walton & Hersham]]   
| caps12 =   
| goals12 = 
}}

'''John Gilbert Cock''' [[Military Medal|MM]] [[Mentioned in Despatches|MID]] (14 November 1893 – 19 April 1966) was an English [[Association football|footballer]] who played for various English club sides as a [[centre forward]]. He also had the distinction of being the first [[Cornwall|Cornishman]] to play for the [[England national football team|England national team]],<ref name="Knight"/> a decorated [[World War I]] soldier,<ref name="Knight"/> and an actor. His younger brothers, [[Donald Cock]] and [[Herbert Cock (English footballer)|Herbert Cock]], also played professional football.

==Playing career==
Born in [[Hayle]],<ref name="Knight">{{cite book |first=Brian |last=Knight |title=Plymouth Argyle: A Complete Record 1903–1989 |year=1989 |publisher=Breedon Books |location=Derby |isbn=0-907969-40-2 |page=67}}</ref> he started his football career with amateur clubs West Kensington United, Forest Gate and Old Kingstonians.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://vintagefootballers.com/product/cock-jack-image-1-chelsea-1922/|title=Cock Jack Image 1 Chelsea 1922|website=Vintage Footballers|language=en-GB|access-date=23 December 2018}}</ref> He played three Southern League Division Two matches in March 1914 as an amateur for [[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]], scoring one goal, before signing professional forms with [[Yorkshire]] side [[Huddersfield Town A.F.C.|Huddersfield Town]]<ref name="Knight"/> later that year, though the [[First World War]] broke out shortly afterwards. He served in the [[British Army]] during the conflict, rising to the rank of Acting [[Sergeant-Major]] and earning the [[Military Medal]] for "Bravery in the Field" and a Mentioned in Despatches for "gallantry". He was reported as 'missing, presumed dead' at one point during the war.<ref name="Knight"/> During his breaks from military service, he turned out for [[London]] sides [[Brentford F.C.|Brentford]]<ref name="Knight"/> and [[Croydon Common F.C.|Croydon Common]]. While with Brentford, Cock scored six [[Hattrick (football)|hattricks]], a wartime record he shares with [[Len Townsend]].<ref name="bees">{{cite book |year=2004 |title=Brentford Football Club Official Matchday Magazine versus Bournemouth 04/09/04 |page=47}}</ref> Cock also played for England in the Victory International in 1919.

With the resumption of league football in 1919, he moved back to Huddersfield who, at the time, were in severe financial trouble. Cock was sold to [[David Calderhead]]'s [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]] for a record £2,500 in October that year. A skilful, nimble striker with a powerful shot, he had a fanatical dedication to fitness, often staying behind to train long after his teammates had gone home. He scored twice on his Chelsea debut against [[Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.|Bradford]] and hit 22 more that season in 30 league games, a key factor in the club finishing third in the [[Football League First Division|League]] and reaching the [[FA Cup]] semi-finals.

Cock's first season with the [[Stamford Bridge (stadium)|Stamford Bridge]] club proved to be his most successful, and thereafter his goalscoring record was never as prolific, though he was still top scorer at the club in [[1920–21 in English football|1920–21]] and [[1921–22 in English football|1921–22]]. After scoring one goal in 11 appearances in [[1922–23 in English football|1922–23]], he was transferred to [[Everton F.C.|Everton]] in February 1923. He ended his Chelsea career with a nonetheless impressive 53 goals from 110 games. Cock remained on [[Merseyside]] for two years, before signing for [[Plymouth Argyle F.C.|Plymouth Argyle]] in March 1925, where he scored 72 League goals in just 90 games,<ref name="Knight"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Jack Cock|url=http://www.greensonscreen.co.uk/gosdb-players2.asp?pid=175&scp=1,2,3,4,5,6,7|work=GoS–DB|publisher=Greens on Screen|access-date=28 February 2012}}</ref> including a club record 32 goals in 39 League games in [[1926–27 in English football|1926–27]]. However, the club finished 2nd in the [[Football League Third Division South|Third Division South]] in each of his three seasons there and thus missed out on promotion. His playing career ended on a high note, though, when he moved to [[Millwall F.C.|Millwall]] and scored 92 goals in 135 appearances, helping the club win the Division Three South title in [[1927–28 in English football|1927–28]]. His 77 League goals there remained a club record until 1973. He is currently Millwall's fourth [[Millwall F.C.#Goals|all-time leading scorer]], with 83 goals in all competitions.

Cock ended his first class playing career with 234 [[the Football League|Football League]] goals from 391 matches. He wound down playing for [[non-league]] sides such as [[Folkestone F.C.|Folkestone]] and [[Walton & Hersham F.C.|Walton & Hersham]]. He managed Millwall between 1944 and 1948, leading them to the [[1945 Football League War Cup South Final|War Cup South final]] at [[Wembley Stadium (1923)|Wembley]] in 1945, where they lost to his old side Chelsea. The club's playing squad was hit hard by [[World War II]] and they were relegated at the end of the [[1947–48 in English football|1947–48]] season; he left the job shortly afterwards.

He made his England debut against [[Ireland national football team (1882–1950)|Ireland]]<ref name="Knight"/> in 1919, and opened the scoring after 30 seconds, which is currently the third-fastest timed England goal of all time. He won a second (and final) [[Cap (football)|cap]] against [[Scotland national football team|Scotland]]<ref name="Knight"/> in 1920, again scoring.

Owing to his good looks and a [[tenor]] voice,<ref name="Knight"/> Cock appeared on the [[music hall]] stage numerous times (during his playing days, he was known for singing before entering the pitch). He also starred in several films, including "[[The Winning Goal]]" (1920) and "[[The Great Game (1930 film)|The Great Game]]" (1930). He later ran a [[Public house|pub]] in [[New Cross]]. He died in [[Kensington]] on 19 April 1966, at the age of 72.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.millwallfc.co.uk/page/HallOfFame/0,,10367~80358,00.html|title=Jack Cock|publisher=Millwall F.C|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120829232541/http://www.millwallfc.co.uk/page/HallOfFame/0,,10367~80358,00.html|archive-date=29 August 2012|url-status=dead|access-date=28 February 2012}}</ref>

== Honours ==
'''Brentford'''
* [[London Combination]]: [[1918–19 Brentford F.C. season|1918–19]]<ref name="White">{{Cite book|title=100 Years Of Brentford|publisher=Brentford FC|year=1989|isbn=0951526200|editor-last=White|editor-first=Eric|pages=365}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Cornwall}}
*[[List of solved missing person cases: pre–1950|List of solved missing person cases]]
*"Over the Line" by Tom Palmer

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{English Third Division top scorers}}
{{Millwall F.C. managers}}{{Millwall F.C. Hall of Fame}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cock, Jack}}
[[Category:1893 births]]
[[Category:1910s missing person cases]]
[[Category:1966 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Hayle]]
[[Category:Footballers from Cornwall]]
[[Category:Men's association football forwards]]
[[Category:English men's footballers]]
[[Category:England men's international footballers]]
[[Category:England men's wartime international footballers]]
[[Category:Brentford F.C. players]]
[[Category:Brentford F.C. wartime guest players]]
[[Category:Chelsea F.C. players]]
[[Category:Croydon Common F.C. players]]
[[Category:Everton F.C. players]]
[[Category:Huddersfield Town A.F.C. players]]
[[Category:Millwall F.C. players]]
[[Category:Plymouth Argyle F.C. players]]
[[Category:Walton & Hersham F.C. players]]
[[Category:English football managers]]
[[Category:Millwall F.C. managers]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Conduct Medal]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Military Medal]]
[[Category:Middlesex Regiment soldiers]]
[[Category:Folkestone F.C. players]]
[[Category:English Football League players]]
[[Category:English Football League representative players]]
[[Category:Missing in action of World War I]]
[[Category:Formerly missing British people]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Cornwall]]