Philadelphia Union today announced the signing of forward Cory Burke. A native of Kingston, Jamaica, Burke joins the Union after playing two seasons with Bethlehem Steel FC, Philadelphia’s USL affiliate, where he ranked second on the club in goals last season, with nine. Burke is also a regular with the Jamaican National Team, registering 13 caps since his international debut on September 7, 2016. He will occupy an international roster slot for Philadelphia.
“We are pleased to sign Cory to our First Team and reward his excellent performance with Bethlehem Steel FC,” said Union Sporting Director Earnie Stewart. “Cory’s success is a testament to the importance of Bethlehem in developing players within our organization. Under Brendan Burke and his staff, Cory has been playing in our system for two years now. We anticipate a successful transition to the Union, and we are looking forward to see Cory take the next step in his career.”
Burke joined Steel FC ahead of their inaugural season in 2016 on a year-long loan from Jamaican side Rivoli United, where he plied his trade from 2013-2016, scoring 25 goals in 75 games. He scored four times in 21 games during Bethlehem’s debut campaign, and joined the team on a permanent deal ahead of the 2017 season, where he went on to score nine times, ranking second on the club.
Internationally, Burke has played alongside Union goalkeeper Andre Blake with the Jamaican National Team, earning 13 caps over the past 16 months, scoring twice. He made his debut in a World Cup qualifier against Haiti on September 7, 2016. He scored his first international goal just over a month later, tallying against Guyana in Caribbean Cup Qualification on October 12, 2016. He made five appearances in the 2017 Gold Cup, in which Jamaica finished as runners-up.
TRANSACTION: Philadelphia Union sign forward Cory Burke on December 21, 2017. He will occupy an international roster slot.
Name: Cory Burke
Position: Forward
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 180
Born: December 28, 1991
Hometown: Kingston, Jamaica
Citizenship: Jamaica
Previous Experience: Rivoli United (2013-2016), Bethlehem Steel FC (2016-2017)
Acquired: Philadelphia Union sign forward Cory Burke on December 21, 2017.
