Central Insight: Cory Knight
- Christian Paris
- Mar 22, 2022
- 5 min read
Cory Knight is widely recognised amongst the Central faithful as one of the best players in the club’s history, and the club’s top scorer recalled fond memories and achievements throughout his duration at the club, when we caught up with the former Manchester Central forward, talking about his early days at the club and what it felt like to both play and score for Central.
Cory first recalled how he got into contact with the club, and how he got started under the management of former boss Paul McGuire.
"I first started with the club with Paul, we knew each other from my college football team FETA (Football Education Training Academy) and he told us all about how he was reforming Manchester Central. And because we all knew each other, we went and joined him at Central to play in the Manchester Football Leagues. That’s how it all began."
After signing for the club, Cory couldn’t quite recall his very first match for Central, but he remembered his first few games when the team moved venues, and how it felt to play his first game for the club in the new stadium. Thinking back the feeling he had playing with his friends, and some of the challenges that came along with it.
‘I can’t remember my first ever game for Central, but I can remember the feeling of playing the first games when we changed stadium to the Regional Arena. I remember that first game and it was a great feeling, playing with a bunch of my mates, learning how it was going to be and how difficult adapting to adult and mens football was.’
The club’s greatest goalscorer spoke about being the top scorer in the history of Manchester Central, and how he feels about such a great achievement. Cory spoke about his surprise to the number of goals he managed to score looking back, and how he stills thinks about getting to that 100-goal mark.
‘It is a great feeling being the top goalscorer in the club’s history. I didn’t realise how many goals I was on until I saw the club posted it on Twitter, and it made me think I am so close to 100 goals. I do always have the feeling that I want that hundredth goal, but it is a massive achievement of mine to know I am the top scorer in the club’s history.’
Moving on from the record, Cory went on to speak about a moment that stands out to him, one that he looks back on and thinks of when Manchester Central pops up. Looking back on his memories of his time at the club, he found it simple to recall moments that were a highlight during his historic time at Central.
‘Something that stands out to me and will forever stand out was winning trophies with the club, and the great feeling of lifting them. Being with all my mates, we felt like a massive family eventually. Winning with people I have been so close with for years, was a feeling like no other and I will forever have that in my head and heart that I won a cup with some of my best friends. It was a great feeling.’
The former Central forward went on to talk about some of the things he took away from his time at the club, speaking on being a part of such a close-knit group, and how it felt to be a part of such a special group of players. Cory even spoke on how the staff were close with the players also, and how this made it a special experience and environment to be in.
‘I took away from my time at the club was realising that not all clubs and environment’s will have such a close bond. From being on the pitch to off it, we all felt like we could tell anyone anything, even the management, the close feeling, and relationships we had in that team cannot be matched.
I have been to a couple other clubs, and the feeling I had with them compared to my time at Central was different. We had a great bond, that I don’t know if I can find again.’
We then asked Cory what his favourite achievement was at the club if there was a standout moment during his time on the pitch for Central. Unsurprisingly, he found it challenging to think of one singular achievement, considering that he had so many during the years he had with Central.
‘My all-time achievement with the club, was finishing top scorer in the league, looking back at league tables, and seeing that I was at the top. Even when I had played less games than others, and still being top goalscorer was a great achievement for me.
But even what it felt like to score, when we celebrated and the crazy celebrations we would do. That was a great achievement, and one that I am very proud of.’
Cory even managed to pick his all-time favourite goal he scored for the club, even if it was an impossible task to select just one from 77. The all-time scorer found this one a tough ask to answer, choosing from such a range of special strikes that found the net.
‘That is a hard one, to pick my favourite goal, I can’t quite remember who it was against, but I remember being in the purple kit and the other team were in red, and I picked up the ball in my own half. And all I heard was “Cory, go!”
So, I just remember driving, driving towards goal and before you know it, I had run past four or five players, and I slid it past the keeper. It was a massive celebration; everyone came running to the corner. Definitely my favourite goal because the clip went online, and I was constantly getting messages from loads of people, saying it was a great goal and getting that amount of attention made me think this is what it must feel like to score on telly. That’s the one I must pick because of that.’
A great insight to Cory Knight’s time at Manchester Central highlighting the special relationship that was formed between the management and players when he was at the club. A special player who stands alone at the top of the goalscoring charts for Central and considered to be one of the best players in the club’s history.
Further displaying the special and close bond that a club can have throughout the structure of the team, even at the lower levels of football, and how Manchester Central are a prime example of this.
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