Ross McCormack
Encyclopedia
Ross 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.
McCormack started his career with Scottish Premier League
club Rangers
in 2003. Before going on loan to League One
Doncaster Rovers
in January 2006. At the end of the season he was released by Rangers and joined fellow SPL side Motherwell
. In 2008 he moved to Championship
side Cardiff
upon the expiry of his contract. In 2010 he moved to Championship rivals Leeds
for a fee of around £350,000.
He played ten times for Scotland u-21s from 2006–2008 scoring three goals and he was also capped once for the Scotland B team
. He made his debut for Scotland
in 2008 and has been capped seven times overall, scoring once in a 2–1 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
victory over Iceland.
supporter, McCormack started his career at Rangers
joining the club on 4 June 2002. He made his first appearance on 1 May 2004 against future club Motherwell
at the age of 17. McCormack scored his first goal for the club in the final match of the 2003–04 season against Dunfermline Athletic
at East End Park.
In 2005–06 he scored an equalising goal in a 1–1 draw with FC Porto in the UEFA Champions League
, in what was his first European appearance for the club.
club Doncaster Rovers
in order to gain first team experience. He scored five times for Doncaster, the pick of them coming against Hartlepool United
which kept Doncaster's play-off hopes alive.
's plans and was released. However, his first season at Motherwell was severely hampered by a virus and numerous other injuries. He returned to fitness the following season and became a fixture in the Motherwell first team, where he found himself better suited to playing in a 4–3–3 formation, receiving the October 2007 Young Player of the Month award. The season also saw an improvement in his goal tally as he scored a total of 11 goals, although he reached this mark on 16 February with a brace against Gretna
and suffered a goal drought in the remaining 14 games of the season.
sides Wigan Athletic
, even coming as close as having a contract ready to be signed with the club, and Middlesbrough
but no deal was agreed and he eventually signed for Championship
side Cardiff City
on 28 June on a free transfer, although the clubs would later agree on a compensation fee of £120,000. On his arrival, McCormack stated that one of the biggest reasons that persuaded him to sign for the club, alongside the chance to play first-team football and the group of Scottish players on the clubs books, was the presence of his idol Robbie Fowler
, only for the former England
international to leave the club soon after.
McCormack's first goal for Cardiff was in a pre-season tournament (Algarve Cup) against Vitória de Guimarães, where he scored two in a 2–1 win. He made his League debut on the opening day of the season in a 2–1 victory over Southampton
and went on to score his first competitive goal for Cardiff in a 1–1 draw against one of his former clubs in Doncaster Rovers
the following week. He scored his first brace for Cardiff against Norwich City
in a game which finished 2–2, and a penalty in the Football League Cup
game against MK Dons
marked out a successful start to his first season with Cardiff with four goals in five games. His scoring run continued and, on 28 October, he scored a 25-yard free kick in a 2–0 win over Blackpool
to take his tally to ten league goals for the season, equalling the total of league goals he scored during his time at Motherwell in just three months. On 1 November, after scoring Cardiff's only goal of the game, he was taken off during a 2–1 defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers
after suffering a grade one tear of his hamstring which was expected to rule him out for between three to four weeks.
Directly after the injury McCormack stated that he would be returning ahead of schedule and was targeting a match against Crystal Palace
two weeks after the injury as his return game, but two days prior to the game he felt a pull on his hamstring while taking part in training and would not make his return to the first team until 25 November when he converted a penalty, won by loanee Michael Chopra
, who re-signed for the club later that season, during a 2–2 draw with Reading
. A second penalty in two games saw him score in the South Wales derby
against Swansea City
as the match ended 2–2 but he suffered a second hamstring tear in two months when he was forced off in the first half of a 2–0 win over Preston North End
on 6 December, ruling him out for three weeks. Following his return, he went on to finish the season as the clubs top scorer with 23 goals in all competitions and joint second place Championship top scorer. His final goals of the season in a 3–1 win over Burnley
were the last goals scored at Ninian Park
by a Cardiff player in a competitive match.
and Portsmouth
were later rejected and McCormack remained with Cardiff, playing in the opening day 4–0 win over Scunthorpe United
. In the following fixture he picked up a hamstring injury which was expected to sideline him for 8 weeks, all but ending any transfer away from the club. He made his return on 4 October 2009, coming on as a substitute in place of Michael Chopra
during a 4–0 win over Watford
. He made his 50th Cardiff appearance in 3–2 loss to South Wales
rivals Swansea City
on 7 November 2009, before making his 50th league appearance for the club one month later in a 4–4 draw with Peterborough United
on 28 December 2009.
. He scored his first goals of the new season in the extra time period in the first round League Cup
match against Burton Albion
, scoring two goals. But with Michael Chopra
and Jay Bothroyd
ahead of him in the pecking order, McCormack was Cardiff's third choice striker, and when Cardiff signed Craig Bellamy
and Andy Keogh
it looked like McCormack's place in the team was further under threat.
over a possible transfer. Three days later, on 27 August, McCormack completed a move to Leeds on a three year contract for an undisclosed fee that was believed to be around £350,000 . He made his Leeds United debut on 28 August 2010 as a 70th minute substitute in a 1–0 win over Watford
. McCormack made his home debut at Elland Road as a second half substitute in a 3–1 win over Swansea City
, before making his first start for Leeds in a 0–0 with Doncaster Rovers
. McCormack was replaced in the starting lineup in the next game against Sheffield United by Luciano Becchio
.
After missing games with an injury McCormack returned to the Leeds squad when he was named as a substitute against Middlesbrough
. However McCormack suffered an ankle injury and was ruled out of a few games for Leeds. After over a month out injured McCormack returned as an unused substitute against Bristol City. McCormack stepped up his comeback even further by scoring a hat-trick for Leeds United's reserves against Hull City
's reserves. McCormack made an impressive impact as a substitute against Crystal Palace
helping Leeds earn a 2–1 win. McCormack made his second start for Leeds against Portsmouth. However on New Year's Day 2011 McCormack missed several chances in the game against Middlesbrough
, including missing a gilt-edged chance to win the game for Leeds in injury time when he put a header wide from 4 yards out. On 30 April 2011, McCormack finally got his first goal for Leeds, putting them ahead against Burnley in Leeds' 1–0 win, McCormack also received the man of the match award in the same game. McCormack scored his second goal of the season in the following game which was the final game of the season in Leeds' 2–1 win over Queens Park Rangers
.
squad. During pre-season he failed to score for Leeds, he also missed penalties against his old club Motherwell
, and Norweigan club Sandefjord Fotball
. McCormack started for Leeds as a lone striker on the opening day of the season as they lost 3–1 to Southampton
. McCormack scored his first goal of the season for Leeds with a headed goal against Bradford City
in the League Cup 3–2 win on 9 August. His second goal of the season and first of the season in the league came against Hull City
at Elland Road on 16 August. McCormack scored his 3rd goal of the season against West Ham United
on 21 August. He scored his 4th goal of the season against Ipswich Town
McCormack's 5th and 6th goals of the season came in Leeds' game against Crystal Palace
on 10 September to earn Leeds a 3–2 win. McCormack's 7th goal of the season came against Bristol City on 17 September to earn Leeds a late victory. McCormack scored his 8th and 9th goals of the season in a 3–3 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion on 23 September, with McCormack scoring an injury time equaliser for Leeds. McCormack's brace against Brighton made him the first Leeds United player in over 50 years to score in six consecutive league games.
McCormack's impressive form saw him nominated for the Championship Player Of The Month Award for September, However Middlesbrough player Matthew Bates
won the award. McCormack scored his 10th goal of the season against Doncaster Rovers
on 14 October with an overhead kick. McCormack was linked with a move to Wolves during November, however manager Simon Grayson
revealed he wasn't wanting to sell McCormack. After a run of games without a goal, McCormack scored his 11th goal of the season with a freekick against Barnsley on 26th November.
in 2006. He scored his first goal for the side on 11 October 2007 against Lithuania
and scored again in his next appearance, a 4–0 victory over Slovenia U21s
. To date McCormack has won a total of ten caps for the under-21 side.
He made his début for the senior side on 30 May 2008 when he came on as a substitute during a 3–1 defeat against Czech Republic
. His second call-up for the national side came in November 2008 when he was named in the squad to face Argentina
but he was forced to withdraw due to a hamstring injury. McCormack was called up again in March 2009 for the Fifa World Cup 2010 qualifiers against Netherlands
and Iceland
. He started both matches, scoring his first goal for Scotland in a 2–1 win over Iceland on 1 April 2009.
After some impressive late season form for Leeds, McCormack earned him a recall to the Scotland squad for Scotland's matches against Wales
and Republic Of Ireland, however Leeds team-mate Robert Snodgrass
missed out on the squad with a back injury . McCormack started the game for Scotland against Wales, Scotland won the game 3–1.
Scotland manager Craig Levein
received several complaints for not including the in-form McCormack in his Scotland squad in their final 2 European Championship qualifiers.
on a drink-driving charge after crashing his Range Rover
into metal railings in the early hours of the morning. Following an appearance at Cardiff Magistrates Court on 9 November, his case was adjourned to a later date. On 23 November, McCormack pleaded guilty to the charge and was banned from driving for 17 months and fined £2,600.
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
and the Scotland national team
Scotland national football team
The 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...
. His main position is as a Striker but he can also play as a Winger.
McCormack started his career with Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
club Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers 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...
in 2003. Before going on loan to League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
in January 2006. At the end of the season he was released by Rangers and joined fellow SPL side Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
. In 2008 he moved to Championship
Football League Championship
The 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
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff 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...
upon the expiry of his contract. In 2010 he moved to Championship rivals Leeds
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
for a fee of around £350,000.
He played ten times for Scotland u-21s from 2006–2008 scoring three goals and he was also capped once for the Scotland B team
Scotland B national football team
The Scotland B national football team, controlled by the Scottish Football Association, is a secondary football team of Scotland, run occasionally as support for the Scotland national football team as a second string side to the first team....
. He made his debut for Scotland
Scotland national football team
The 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...
in 2008 and has been capped seven times overall, scoring once in a 2–1 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)
The European zone of qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup saw 53 teams competing for 13 places at the finals. The qualification process started on 20 August 2008, after UEFA Euro 2008, and ended on 18 November 2009. The qualification process saw the first competitive matches of...
victory over Iceland.
Rangers
Despite being a CelticCeltic F.C.
Celtic 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...
supporter, McCormack started his career at Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers 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...
joining the club on 4 June 2002. He made his first appearance on 1 May 2004 against future club Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
at the age of 17. McCormack scored his first goal for the club in the final match of the 2003–04 season against Dunfermline Athletic
Dunfermline Athletic F.C.
Dunfermline Athletic Football Club are a Scottish football team based in Dunfermline, Fife, commonly known as just Dunfermline. They currently compete in the Scottish Premier League....
at East End Park.
In 2005–06 he scored an equalising goal in a 1–1 draw with FC Porto in the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The 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...
, in what was his first European appearance for the club.
Doncaster Rovers
Despite his memorable goal against FC Porto, McCormack was sent out on-loan to English League OneFootball League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
club Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
in order to gain first team experience. He scored five times for Doncaster, the pick of them coming against Hartlepool United
Hartlepool United F.C.
Hartlepool United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Hartlepool that currently play in League One. The team won promotion to League One in the 2006–07 season...
which kept Doncaster's play-off hopes alive.
Motherwell
At the start of season 2006–07 McCormack was told he did not feature in new Rangers manager Paul Le GuenPaul Le Guen
Paul Le Guen is a French football manager and former player. He was recently confirmed as new manager of the Oman national football team.Le Guen had a successful managerial career in France, most notably leading Olympique Lyonnais to three consecutive Ligue 1 titles. He has also managed Stade...
's plans and was released. However, his first season at Motherwell was severely hampered by a virus and numerous other injuries. He returned to fitness the following season and became a fixture in the Motherwell first team, where he found himself better suited to playing in a 4–3–3 formation, receiving the October 2007 Young Player of the Month award. The season also saw an improvement in his goal tally as he scored a total of 11 goals, although he reached this mark on 16 February with a brace against Gretna
Gretna F.C.
Gretna Football Club was a Scottish football club that represented the town of Gretna, Dumfries and Galloway, close to the border between England and Scotland...
and suffered a goal drought in the remaining 14 games of the season.
2008–09
In January 2008, McCormack was linked with a move to English Premier LeagueFA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
sides Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
, even coming as close as having a contract ready to be signed with the club, and Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough 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...
but no deal was agreed and he eventually signed for Championship
Football League Championship
The 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 City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff 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 28 June on a free transfer, although the clubs would later agree on a compensation fee of £120,000. On his arrival, McCormack stated that one of the biggest reasons that persuaded him to sign for the club, alongside the chance to play first-team football and the group of Scottish players on the clubs books, was the presence of his idol Robbie Fowler
Robbie Fowler
Robert Bernard Fowler is an English footballer who is currently player/manager for Thai Premier League club Muangthong United....
, only for the former England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
international to leave the club soon after.
McCormack's first goal for Cardiff was in a pre-season tournament (Algarve Cup) against Vitória de Guimarães, where he scored two in a 2–1 win. He made his League debut on the opening day of the season in a 2–1 victory over Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
and went on to score his first competitive goal for Cardiff in a 1–1 draw against one of his former clubs in Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
the following week. He scored his first brace for Cardiff against Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
in a game which finished 2–2, and a penalty in the Football League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
game against MK Dons
Milton Keynes Dons F.C.
.Milton Keynes Dons Football Club is an English professional football club founded in 2004 and based since 2007 at Stadium mk, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire...
marked out a successful start to his first season with Cardiff with four goals in five games. His scoring run continued and, on 28 October, he scored a 25-yard free kick in a 2–0 win over Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
to take his tally to ten league goals for the season, equalling the total of league goals he scored during his time at Motherwell in just three months. On 1 November, after scoring Cardiff's only goal of the game, he was taken off during a 2–1 defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
after suffering a grade one tear of his hamstring which was expected to rule him out for between three to four weeks.
Directly after the injury McCormack stated that he would be returning ahead of schedule and was targeting a match against Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal 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...
two weeks after the injury as his return game, but two days prior to the game he felt a pull on his hamstring while taking part in training and would not make his return to the first team until 25 November when he converted a penalty, won by loanee Michael Chopra
Michael Chopra
Rocky Michael Chopra is an English footballer who plays for Football League Championship side Ipswich Town. He is of mixed Indian and British descent....
, who re-signed for the club later that season, during a 2–2 draw with Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
. A second penalty in two games saw him score in the South Wales derby
South Wales derby
The South Wales derby is a football local derby between Welsh clubs Cardiff City and Swansea City and is regarded as one of the most fierce rivalries in British football....
against Swansea City
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
as the match ended 2–2 but he suffered a second hamstring tear in two months when he was forced off in the first half of a 2–0 win over Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston 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...
on 6 December, ruling him out for three weeks. Following his return, he went on to finish the season as the clubs top scorer with 23 goals in all competitions and joint second place Championship top scorer. His final goals of the season in a 3–1 win over Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
were the last goals scored at Ninian Park
Ninian Park
Ninian Park was a football stadium in Leckwith, Cardiff, Wales. Until 2009, it was the home ground of Cardiff City F.C., who compete in the English Football League Championship...
by a Cardiff player in a competitive match.
2009–10
On 23 July 2009 it was reported McCormack handed in a transfer request to Cardiff City. This was denied by his agent who claimed that there is a 'gentleman's agreement' in his contract that stipulates that he can speak to any Premier League club who bid for his services. Bids from Hull CityHull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
and Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
were later rejected and McCormack remained with Cardiff, playing in the opening day 4–0 win over Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
. In the following fixture he picked up a hamstring injury which was expected to sideline him for 8 weeks, all but ending any transfer away from the club. He made his return on 4 October 2009, coming on as a substitute in place of Michael Chopra
Michael Chopra
Rocky Michael Chopra is an English footballer who plays for Football League Championship side Ipswich Town. He is of mixed Indian and British descent....
during a 4–0 win over Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
. He made his 50th Cardiff appearance in 3–2 loss to South Wales
South Wales derby
The South Wales derby is a football local derby between Welsh clubs Cardiff City and Swansea City and is regarded as one of the most fierce rivalries in British football....
rivals Swansea City
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
on 7 November 2009, before making his 50th league appearance for the club one month later in a 4–4 draw with Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
on 28 December 2009.
2010–11
McCormack's first competitive appearance of the 2010–11 season came as a substitute in a 1–1 draw during the first league match of the season against Sheffield UnitedSheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
. He scored his first goals of the new season in the extra time period in the first round League Cup
2010–11 Football League Cup
The 2010–11 Football League Cup, known as the Carling Cup due to the competition's sponsorship by lager brand Carling, was the 51st season of the Football League Cup, a knock-out competition for England's top 92 football clubs....
match against Burton Albion
Burton Albion F.C.
Burton Albion Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire. The club's home ground is the Pirelli Stadium, having moved from Eton Park in 2005...
, scoring two goals. But with Michael Chopra
Michael Chopra
Rocky Michael Chopra is an English footballer who plays for Football League Championship side Ipswich Town. He is of mixed Indian and British descent....
and Jay Bothroyd
Jay Bothroyd
Jay Bothroyd is an English footballer who plays for Queens Park Rangers as a striker. He has also played for the England national team. He was a product of the Arsenal Academy and came to prominence during the 1999–2000 FA Youth Cup Final win against Coventry City...
ahead of him in the pecking order, McCormack was Cardiff's third choice striker, and when Cardiff signed Craig Bellamy
Craig Bellamy
Craig Douglas Bellamy is a Welsh footballer who plays as a striker for Liverpool and the Welsh national team. Born in Cardiff, Bellamy was the captain of the Welsh national side for four years after taking over from Ryan Giggs in 2007, but stood down in January 2011 due to constant injuries...
and Andy Keogh
Andy Keogh
Andrew Declan "Andy" Keogh is a Republic of Ireland International footballer who plays as a striker. He can also play as a winger. He is currently on loan at Championship side Leeds United from Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers...
it looked like McCormack's place in the team was further under threat.
Leeds United
On 24 August 2010, Cardiff agreed a fee with Leeds UnitedLeeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
over a possible transfer. Three days later, on 27 August, McCormack completed a move to Leeds on a three year contract for an undisclosed fee that was believed to be around £350,000 . He made his Leeds United debut on 28 August 2010 as a 70th minute substitute in a 1–0 win over Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
. McCormack made his home debut at Elland Road as a second half substitute in a 3–1 win over Swansea City
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
, before making his first start for Leeds in a 0–0 with Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
. McCormack was replaced in the starting lineup in the next game against Sheffield United by Luciano Becchio
Luciano Becchio
Luciano Héctor Becchio is an Argentine footballer who plays for Leeds United as a striker. Born in Córdoba, Argentina, Becchio began his career at Boca Juniors before moving to Europe on an Italian passport, where he established himself in the Spanish lower leagues.He moved to England in the...
.
After missing games with an injury McCormack returned to the Leeds squad when he was named as a substitute against Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
. However McCormack suffered an ankle injury and was ruled out of a few games for Leeds. After over a month out injured McCormack returned as an unused substitute against Bristol City. McCormack stepped up his comeback even further by scoring a hat-trick for Leeds United's reserves against Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
's reserves. McCormack made an impressive impact as a substitute against Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal 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...
helping Leeds earn a 2–1 win. McCormack made his second start for Leeds against Portsmouth. However on New Year's Day 2011 McCormack missed several chances in the game against Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
, including missing a gilt-edged chance to win the game for Leeds in injury time when he put a header wide from 4 yards out. On 30 April 2011, McCormack finally got his first goal for Leeds, putting them ahead against Burnley in Leeds' 1–0 win, McCormack also received the man of the match award in the same game. McCormack scored his second goal of the season in the following game which was the final game of the season in Leeds' 2–1 win over Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
.
2011–12 season
After impressing in his final few games of the previous season and earning a recall to the ScotlandScotland national football team
The 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...
squad. During pre-season he failed to score for Leeds, he also missed penalties against his old club Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
, and Norweigan club Sandefjord Fotball
Sandefjord Fotball
Sandefjord Fotball is a Norwegian professional football club, founded on September 10, 1998. The club plays in the Adeccoligaen. Their home ground is the Komplett.no Arena, located in Sandefjord, Vestfold....
. McCormack started for Leeds as a lone striker on the opening day of the season as they lost 3–1 to Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
. McCormack scored his first goal of the season for Leeds with a headed goal against Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
in the League Cup 3–2 win on 9 August. His second goal of the season and first of the season in the league came against Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
at Elland Road on 16 August. McCormack scored his 3rd goal of the season against West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
on 21 August. He scored his 4th goal of the season against Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
McCormack's 5th and 6th goals of the season came in Leeds' game against Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace
- United Kingdom :* The Crystal Palace, an 1851 building in south London destroyed by fire in 1936** The Great Exhibition, the event the building was built for, sometimes also known as Crystal Palace...
on 10 September to earn Leeds a 3–2 win. McCormack's 7th goal of the season came against Bristol City on 17 September to earn Leeds a late victory. McCormack scored his 8th and 9th goals of the season in a 3–3 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion on 23 September, with McCormack scoring an injury time equaliser for Leeds. McCormack's brace against Brighton made him the first Leeds United player in over 50 years to score in six consecutive league games.
McCormack's impressive form saw him nominated for the Championship Player Of The Month Award for September, However Middlesbrough player Matthew Bates
Matthew Bates
Matthew David Bates is an English professional football player and captain of Middlesbrough. He plays in central defence, however is equally adept at playing right-back or defensive midfield.-Career:...
won the award. McCormack scored his 10th goal of the season against Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
on 14 October with an overhead kick. McCormack was linked with a move to Wolves during November, however manager Simon Grayson
Simon Grayson
Simon Nicholas Grayson is a retired English footballer and current manager of Leeds United. He is the elder brother of cricketer Paul Grayson....
revealed he wasn't wanting to sell McCormack. After a run of games without a goal, McCormack scored his 11th goal of the season with a freekick against Barnsley on 26th November.
International career
McCormack made his début for the Scotland U21Scotland national under-21 football team
The Scotland national under-21 football team, controlled by the Scottish Football Association, is Scotland's national under 21 football team and is considered to be a feeder team for the Scotland national football team....
in 2006. He scored his first goal for the side on 11 October 2007 against Lithuania
Lithuania national under-21 football team
The Lithuania national under-21 football team is the feeder team for the Senior team.Coach: Vitalijus StankevičiusCaptain:-Goalkeepers:-Defenders:-Midfielders:-Forwards:-External links:*...
and scored again in his next appearance, a 4–0 victory over Slovenia U21s
Slovenia national under-21 football team
The Slovenia national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Slovenia and is controlled by the Football Association of Slovenia.-Current squad:...
. To date McCormack has won a total of ten caps for the under-21 side.
He made his début for the senior side on 30 May 2008 when he came on as a substitute during a 3–1 defeat against Czech Republic
Czech Republic national football team
The Czech Republic national football team represents the Czech Republic in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic, the governing body for football in the Czech Republic. Their current head coach is Michal Bílek...
. His second call-up for the national side came in November 2008 when he was named in the squad to face Argentina
Argentina national football team
The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in association football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti and their head coach is Alejandro...
but he was forced to withdraw due to a hamstring injury. McCormack was called up again in March 2009 for the Fifa World Cup 2010 qualifiers against Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
and Iceland
Iceland national football team
The Iceland national football team is the national football team of Iceland and is controlled by the Football Association of Iceland. It has never advanced to the finals of any major international competition....
. He started both matches, scoring his first goal for Scotland in a 2–1 win over Iceland on 1 April 2009.
After some impressive late season form for Leeds, McCormack earned him a recall to the Scotland squad for Scotland's matches against Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and Republic Of Ireland, however Leeds team-mate Robert Snodgrass
Robert Snodgrass
Robert Snodgrass is a Scottish footballer who plays for Leeds United as a winger comfortable playing on either side of the pitch. He can also play as a forward...
missed out on the squad with a back injury . McCormack started the game for Scotland against Wales, Scotland won the game 3–1.
Scotland manager Craig Levein
Craig Levein
Craig William Levein is a Scottish former professional footballer and manager of the Scotland national team. During his playing career he played for Cowdenbeath and Heart of Midlothian...
received several complaints for not including the in-form McCormack in his Scotland squad in their final 2 European Championship qualifiers.
International goals
- Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1. 1 April 2009 Glasgow 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...
, Scotland1–0 2–1 FIFA 2010 qualifying 2010 FIFA World CupThe 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
Career statistics
| Season | Club | Loan | Division | League | FA Cup FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's... |
League Cup Football League Cup The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis... |
FL Trophy Football League Trophy The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top... |
Play-Offs Football League Play-Offs The Football League play-offs are an annual series of football matches to determine some of the promotion places within the Football League. Essentially, each division of the league offers a certain number of automatic promotion places to the top two or three clubs. A further promotion place is... |
Europe UEFA The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer.... |
Total | Discipline | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Leeds United Leeds United A.F.C. Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system... |
Championship Football League Championship The 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... > 18 |
10 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | ! 21 !! 11 | 0 | |||||
| |
Championship Football League Championship The 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... > 21 |
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | ! 21 !! 2 | 0 | ||||||
 |
Cardiff City Cardiff City F.C. Cardiff 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... |
Championship Football League Championship The 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... > 2 |
0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | – | – | 0 | 0 | – | ! 4 !! 2 | 0 | |||||
| |
Championship Football League Championship The 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... > 34 |
4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 3 | 0 | – | ! 41 !! 5 | 0 | ||||||
| |
Championship Football League Championship The 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... > 38 |
21 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | ! 44 !! 23 | 1 | ||||||
 |
Motherwell Motherwell F.C. Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998... |
Premier League Scottish Premier League The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland... > 36 |
8 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | ! 42 !! 11 | 0 | |||||
| |
Premier League Scottish Premier League The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland... > 12 |
2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | ! 15 !! 3 | 0 | ||||||
| |
|Doncaster Rovers | Loan | League One Football League One Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system.... > 19 |
5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | ! 19 !! 5 | 0 | ||||
| |
Rangers Rangers F.C. Rangers 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... |
Premier League Scottish Premier League The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland... > 8 |
1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 2 | ! 11 !! 3 | 0 | |||||
| |
Premier League Scottish Premier League The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland... > 1 |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 | ! 0 !! 0 | 0 | ||||||
| |
Premier League Scottish Premier League The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland... > 2 |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 | ! 2 !! 1 | 0 | ||||||
Personal life
On 27 October 2009, McCormack was arrested in Cardiff BayCardiff Bay
Cardiff Bay is the area created by the Cardiff Barrage in South Cardiff, the capital of Wales. The regeneration of Cardiff Bay is now widely regarded as one of the most successful regeneration projects in the United Kingdom. The Bay is supplied by two rivers to form a freshwater lake round the...
on a drink-driving charge after crashing his Range Rover
Range Rover
The Range Rover is a large luxury four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle produced by British car maker Land Rover. The model, launched in 1970, is now in its third generation...
into metal railings in the early hours of the morning. Following an appearance at Cardiff Magistrates Court on 9 November, his case was adjourned to a later date. On 23 November, McCormack pleaded guilty to the charge and was banned from driving for 17 months and fined £2,600.