Christopher Robert "Chris" Burke (born 2 December 1983) is a Scottish footballer who plays for Birmingham City.
Burke began his career with
Scottish Premier LeagueThe Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
club
RangersRangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
, playing in almost 100 league games, but without establishing himself as a regular first team player. He then played more than 100 matches over two-and-a-half seasons at Championship club
Cardiff CityCardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
. He has won two
capsIn sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
for
ScotlandThe Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
, both in the 2006 Kirin Cup competition. He scored two goals on his Scotland debut, against
BulgariaThe FIFA Bulgaria national football team is an association football team fielded by the Bulgarian Football Union, a member association of UEFA. The team's home ground is Vasil Levski in Sofia and Luboslav Penev is in charge manager after replacement of Lothar Matthäus...
.
Rangers
Born in
GlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Burke is a product of
RangersRangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
'
youth systemYouth system is a sporting terminology used to refer to a youth investment program within a particular team or league, which develops and nurtures young talent in farm teams, with the vision of using them in the first team if they show enough promise, and to fill up squads numbers in some teams...
but he had previously played for
Celtic Boys Club-External links:*...
; he joined Rangers on 5 July 2000. He first broke into the Rangers first team in the
2001/02The 2001–02 season was the 105th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Key events:Celtic, domestic treble winners a year earlier, retain their Premier League title....
season and scored on his début against
KilmarnockKilmarnock Football Club is a Scottish football team based in the town of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Founded in 1869, "Killie" is the oldest club currently in the Scottish Premier League. Home matches are played at Rugby Park...
on 20 March 2002. Since then he had been a regular player in the Rangers squad and was involved in the club's 2003–04
Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
campaign. In the opening game of the
2004/05 seasonThe 2004–05 season was the 108th season of competitive football in Scotland.-2004:*6 July 2004 - Nacho Novo from Dundee to Rangers, £450,000*1 July 2004 - Dado Prso from AS Monaco to Rangers, Bosman...
at
AberdeenAberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
, Burke fainted on the pitch and was out of action for almost the whole season with a mysterious virus.
However, he came back strongly and played in most Rangers games in
2005/06The 2006–07 season was the 110th season of competitive football in Scotland.-2006:*9 July: Rangers defender Fernando Ricksen is banned for the club's pre-season trip to South Africa, following an incident on the outbound flight. Manager Paul Le Guen cited "wholly inappropriate and...
, including vital
UEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
games against Internazionale, Porto, and
VillarrealVillarreal Club de Fútbol, S.A.D. , usually abbreviated to Villarreal CF or just Villarreal, is a Spanish Primera División football club based in Vila-real, a city in the province of Castellón within the Valencian Community...
. Burke was injured against
CelticCeltic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
on 23 September 2006, damaging ligaments in his left shoulder in a challenge with
Aiden McGeadyAiden McGeady is a Scottish-born Irish footballer who currently plays as a winger for Russian club Spartak Moscow. Although born and brought up in Scotland, McGeady plays internationally for the Republic of Ireland, a country he qualifies for through his grandparents...
. The injury required an operation and Burke was ruled out of action for an estimated three months.
On 25 January 2007, Burke signed a new contract with Rangers keeping him at the club until 2009. After being frozen out of the first team squad for the first half of the
2007/08The 2007-08 season was the 111th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Overview:* Gretna were competing in the Scottish Premier League for the first time, their first ever season in the top-flight, after being promoted as First Division champions the previous season.* Dunfermline Athletic...
season, Burke returned to replace the then injured
Nacho NovoIgnacio Javier "Nacho" Gómez Novo is a Spanish association footballer who plays for La Liga side Sporting Gijón.Novo formerly played for Huesca in Spain then moved to Scotland with Raith Rovers and Dundee. In July 2004, he moved to Rangers for £450,000. During his first season at the club he...
and
DaMarcus BeasleyDaMarcus Lamont Beasley is an American soccer player who plays for Puebla of the Mexican Primera División. He plays mainly as a winger on the left side of the midfield, but has also been used as a forward and fullback...
, keeping his place in the side until April 2008, when he was injured in a
Scottish CupThe Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
match against
St JohnstoneSt. Johnstone F.C. is a professional football club based in Perth, Scotland. Although it is officially recorded as being formed in 1884, the club did not play its first game until February 1885. The club's home since 1989 has been McDiarmid Park....
.
Cardiff City
After making just two appearances for Rangers during the first half of the 2008–09 season, Burke left the club on 9 January to sign for
ChampionshipThe Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
side
Cardiff CityCardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
on a free transfer, linking up with former Rangers teammates
Gavin RaeGavin Paul Rae is a Scottish international footballer, who currently plays for Scottish First Division club Dundee. Rae started his career with Dundee, making over 200 league appearances for the club. He moved to Rangers in January 2004, but struggled to hold down a regular place in their team due...
and
Ross McCormackRoss McCormack is a Scottish professional footballer currently playing for English football club Leeds United and the Scotland national team. His main position is as a Striker but he can also play as a Winger....
. He made his debut on 17 January when he replaced Peter Whittingham after 45 minutes in a 1–1 draw with
Birmingham CityBirmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
, scoring his first goal for the club on 21 April during a 2–2 draw with
Charlton AthleticCharlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
.
On 16 September 2009, Burke scored his first goal of the 2009–10 season, scoring the only goal in a 1–0 win over
ReadingReading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
at the
Madejski StadiumThe Madejski Stadium is a stadium in Reading, Berkshire, England. The stadium is the home of Reading Football Club and to the rugby union club London Irish as tenants. It also provides the finish for the Reading Half Marathon...
. On 29 September he scored his second of the season in a 6–1 thrashing over
Derby CountyDerby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
at the Cardiff City Stadium. His goalscoring form continued, including winning goals in matches against
Preston North EndPreston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
and
MiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
, and on 8 December he scored his fourth goal of the season in a 2–0 win over
West Bromwich AlbionWest Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
, making the 2009–10 season the highest goalscoring year of his career.
On 27 March 2010, Burke reached ten goals in all competitions with a goal against
Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
, leading manager Dave Jones to describe him as being "an integral part of what we do". On 23 May 2011, Burke left Cardiff City after failing to agree a new contract.
Birmingham City
On 8 June 2011, Burke signed a pre-contract agreement with fellow Championship club
Birmingham CityBirmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
. He joined the club formally on a two-year deal on 1 July, having left Cardiff on a free transfer under the
Bosman rulingUnion Royale Belge des Sociétés de Football Association ASBL v Jean-Marc Bosman is a 1995 European Court of Justice decision concerning freedom of movement for workers, freedom of association, and direct effect of article 39 of the EC Treaty...
. He made his Birmingham debut on the opening day of the season in a 2–1 defeat to
Derby CountyDerby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
, and came close to equalising in the second half when his shot after a fine solo run beat the goalkeeper but rebounded back into play off the post. Burke was part of the starting eleven in Birmingham's first match in major European competition for nearly 50 years, the Europa League play-off round first leg against Portuguese club Nacional, which finished goalless.
International career
Burke won his first
ScotlandThe Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
cap on 11 May 2006 as a substitute against
BulgariaThe FIFA Bulgaria national football team is an association football team fielded by the Bulgarian Football Union, a member association of UEFA. The team's home ground is Vasil Levski in Sofia and Luboslav Penev is in charge manager after replacement of Lothar Matthäus...
in the
Kirin CupThe Kirin Cup is an annual association football tournament sponsored in Japan by the Kirin Brewery Company. The host, Japan, is a participant in every edition. The tournament was founded in 1978 as an international club competition. From 1992 onwards the format was changed to a round robin national...
and scored twice in a 5–1 victory.
International goals
- Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first.
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1. |
11 May 2006 |
Kobe, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
, JapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
|
|
4–1 |
5–1 |
Kirin Cup The Kirin Cup is an annual association football tournament sponsored in Japan by the Kirin Brewery Company. The host, Japan, is a participant in every edition. The tournament was founded in 1978 as an international club competition. From 1992 onwards the format was changed to a round robin national...
|
| 2. |
11 May 2006 |
Kobe, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
, JapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
|
|
5–1 |
5–1 |
Kirin Cup The Kirin Cup is an annual association football tournament sponsored in Japan by the Kirin Brewery Company. The host, Japan, is a participant in every edition. The tournament was founded in 1978 as an international club competition. From 1992 onwards the format was changed to a round robin national...
|
Career statistics
Club statistics
| Club |
Season |
League |
National Cup |
League Cup |
Other |
Total |
| App |
Goals |
App |
Goals |
App |
Goals |
App |
Goals |
App |
Goals |
RangersRangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
|
2001–02The 2001–02 season was the 105th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Key events:Celtic, domestic treble winners a year earlier, retain their Premier League title....
|
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
2002–03The 2002–03 season was the 106th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish Premier League:The 2002–03 Scottish Premier League was won on goal difference by Rangers by a single goal over Celtic. Both Rangers and Celtic qualified for the 2003–04 UEFA Champions League and...
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2003–04The 2003–04 season was the 107th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish Premier League:The 2003–04 Scottish Premier League season was won by Celtic with 98 points, 17 points ahead of closest challengers Rangers. Both Rangers and Celtic therefore gained the two UEFA...
|
20 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
26 |
4 |
2004–05The 2004–05 season was the 108th season of competitive football in Scotland.-2004:*6 July 2004 - Nacho Novo from Dundee to Rangers, £450,000*1 July 2004 - Dado Prso from AS Monaco to Rangers, Bosman...
|
12 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
16 |
0 |
2005–06The 2005–06 season was the 109th season of competitive football in Scotland.-2005:*1 June: Gordon Strachan officially takes charge of Celtic after the resignation of Martin O'Neill...
|
27 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
35 |
3 |
2006–07The 2006–07 season was the 110th season of competitive football in Scotland.-2006:*9 July: Rangers defender Fernando Ricksen is banned for the club's pre-season trip to South Africa, following an incident on the outbound flight. Manager Paul Le Guen cited "wholly inappropriate and...
|
22 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
29 |
2 |
2007–08The 2007-08 season was the 111th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Overview:* Gretna were competing in the Scottish Premier League for the first time, their first ever season in the top-flight, after being promoted as First Division champions the previous season.* Dunfermline Athletic...
|
11 |
2 |
5 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
21 |
4 |
2008–09The 2008–09 season was the 112th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Overview:* Hamilton Academical competed in the Scottish Premier League for the first time, their first season in the top-flight since the 1988–89 season, after being promoted as First Division champions the...
|
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
| Subtotal |
96 | 11 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 131 | 14 |
Cardiff CityCardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
|
2008–09 |
14 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
16 |
1 |
| 2009–10 |
44 |
9 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
52 |
10 |
| 2010–11 |
44 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
46 |
5 |
| Subtotal |
102 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 114 | 16 |
Birmingham CityBirmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
|
2011–12 The 2011–12 season is Birmingham City Football Clubs 110th season in the English football league system. It runs from 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2012. After relegation from the Premier League in 2010–11 under previous manager Alex McLeish, the team will play in the Football League Championship under...
|
16 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
1 |
23 |
6 |
| Total |
214 |
31 |
14 |
3 |
12 |
1 |
28 |
1 |
268 |
36 |
Honours
RangersRangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
:
- Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
: 1
-
- 2005
The 2004–05 Scottish Premier League was won by Rangers.As league champions, Rangers qualified for the UEFA Champions League, with runners-up Celtic also qualifying...
- Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
: 1
- 2008
The 2007–08 Scottish League Cup was the 62nd staging of the Scotland's second most prestigious football knockout competition, also known for sponsorship reasons as the CIS Insurance Cup....
ScotlandThe Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
:
- Kirin Cup
The Kirin Cup is an annual association football tournament sponsored in Japan by the Kirin Brewery Company. The host, Japan, is a participant in every edition. The tournament was founded in 1978 as an international club competition. From 1992 onwards the format was changed to a round robin national...
: 1
-
- 2006
External links