Jack Colback (left) & The City Ground (right)
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Jack Colback began his professional career in 2009 with a loan spell at Ipswich Town from Sunderland.
The midfielder eventually broke into the Black Cats’ first team squad, where he cemented himself as a regular in the Premier League.
Controversially, he crossed the Tyne-Wear divide to join bitter rivals Newcastle United later in his career, and he also enjoyed spells with Nottingham Forest and QPR.
But the 36-year-old has fallen quite a way from competing at the highest level of English football by 2026, with the player plying his trade at a non-league level.
Jack Colback’s Sunderland and Newcastle stints
Jack Colback
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Colback came through the Sunderland academy system, and he spent four seasons as a major part of their first team squad.
While he was initially sent on loan to Ipswich by Steve Bruce in 2009, he came back midway through 2010/11 to help the team finish 10th in the table.
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The midfielder made a total of 115 appearances in the Premier League for the Wearside outfit before signing for the Magpies as a free agent in the summer of 2014.
Colback spent three seasons at St. James’ Park, and was part of the team that earned promotion to the Premier League in 2017, after they were relegated to the Championship in 2016.
Jack Colback helped end the wait for Premier League football at Nottingham Forest
But Newcastle’s promotion to the Premier League coincided with his fall down the pecking order at the club.
He initially went on loan to Nottingham Forest in January 2018, before eventually signing a permanent deal in the summer of 2020 as a free agent.
And the 36-year-old had a big impact at the City Ground, as he was a part of Steve Cooper’s side in 2021/22 as they earned promotion to the Premier League through the play-offs.
Colback featured 38 times in the regular campaign, contributing three goals and one assist, with the side winning 1-0 against Huddersfield Town at Wembley Stadium to end a 23-year wait for top flight football.
Across that season, he struck a key equaliser in a 1-1 draw with QPR, whilst he notched goals in other league games against Preston and West Brom, as the Reds motored towards the play-offs.
The midfielder would then complete every minute of Forest's play-off campaign, scoring in their first-leg win over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane after only 10 minutes. Cooper's side would prevail from the penalty shootout after the second-leg. A 1-0 win against Huddersfield came thanks to a Levi Colwill own goal, with Colback tied up in VAR controversy for a tangle with Lewis O'Brien.
Luck was on his and Forest's side that day, as they ended a 23-year wait for Premier League football to return.
Jack Colback’s non-league stint
However, by February 2026, Colback found himself playing at non-league level for Anstey Nomads.
He played 11 times in the Premier League for the Reds, before spending two seasons with QPR from 2023 to 2025.
Adel Taarabt, EFL Championship, Jason Koumas
Adel Taarabt, EFL Championship, Jason Koumas
And it seemed as though his playing days were over after he failed to find a new club for the start of 2025/26.
Yet the midfielder has discovered a new level for him to ply his trade, enjoying his time playing in the eighth tier of English football.
Soccer Football - Carabao Cup - Quarter Final - Nottingham Forest v Wolverhampton Wanderers - The City Ground, Nottingham, Britain - January 11, 2023 Nottingham Forest's Jack Colback celebrates scoring the winning penalty in the penalty shootout
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How Jack Colback’s top level career will be remembered
Colback was never the most spectacular or standout player in any of these sides, earning a reputation as more of a workhorse, all-action midfielder.
But he still played over 100 times in the Premier League for Sunderland, and on 93 and 11 occasions for Newcastle and Forest.
Colback had a modestly successful career, and there aren’t too many players that managed to pull off signing for the Magpies after coming through the ranks for their Wearside rivals. His stint at Forest coming at a time when they ended a long wait for a Premier League return will also be fondly remembered on the River Trent.
Then, being able to extend his career a bit further at a lower level shows his determination to keep going, which is itself a quite respectable trait.