Mark O'Connor (English footballer)
Mark Andrew O'Connor (born 10 March 1963) is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder in the Football League for Queens Park Rangers, Exeter City, Bristol Rovers, AFC Bournemouth and Gillingham.[3]
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mark Andrew O'Connor[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 10 March 1963[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Rochford, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | West Bromwich Albion (coach) | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1981–1983 | Queens Park Rangers | 3 | (0) |
| 1983–1984 | → Exeter City (loan) | 38 | (1) |
| 1984–1985 | Bristol Rovers | 80 | (10) |
| 1985–1990 | AFC Bournemouth | 128 | (12) |
| 1990–1993 | Gillingham | 116 | (8) |
| 1993–1995 | AFC Bournemouth | 58 | (3) |
| 1995–1998 | Gillingham | 40 | (1) |
| Total | 463 | (35) | |
| International career | |||
| 1985 | Republic of Ireland-U21 | 1 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Playing career
O'Connor was born in Rochford and began his career with Queens Park Rangers. He made only three appearances for Rangers in three seasons, and the 1983–84 campaign he spent out on loan at Exeter City. He joined Bristol Rovers in the summer of 1984. O'Connor earned one cap for the Republic of Ireland U21 side against England in 1985. He spent one and half years at Eastville Stadium making 99 appearances scoring 13 goals before leaving for AFC Bournemouth in March 1986. O'Connor spent five seasons at Dean Court making 148 appearances and helped the Cherries win the Third Division title in 1986–87. He then went on to play for Gillingham and then made a return to Bournemouth before ending his career back at Gillingham helping the side gain promotion in 1995–96. He broke his leg against Fulham on 25 November 1995 in a tackle with Martin Thomas which resulted in his retirement from playing just over a year later.[4]
Coaching career
After ending his playing career in 1998 he moved into coaching with manager Tony Pulis at Gillingham whom he played with at Bournemouth. He moved with Pulis to Portsmouth in June 2000 and became their academy manager where he remained until 2005 when he linked up again with Pulis at Plymouth Argyle.[5] He spent a season at Plymouth before moving back to Stoke City with Pulis to become one of his first-team coaches alongside former teammate Adrian Pennock in June 2006.[6] He left Stoke at the end of the 2012–13 season.[7] On 22 July 2013 O'Connor joined Bristol City as their under-21 manager.[8]
In January 2015 O'Connor joined West Bromwich Albion to work again with Pulis and Kemp.[9]
Career statistics
Source:[10]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other[A] | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Queens Park Rangers | 1981–82 | Second Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1982–83 | Second Division | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 1983–84 | First Division | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| Exeter City (loan) | 1983–84 | Third Division | 38 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 43 | 2 |
| Total | 38 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 43 | 2 | ||
| Bristol Rovers | 1984–85 | Third Division | 46 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 55 | 9 |
| 1985–86 | Third Division | 34 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 44 | 4 | |
| Total | 80 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 99 | 13 | ||
| AFC Bournemouth | 1985–86 | Third Division | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 |
| 1986–87 | Third Division | 43 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 48 | 7 | |
| 1987–88 | Second Division | 37 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 2 | |
| 1988–89 | Second Division | 33 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 2 | |
| 1989–90 | Second Division | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| Total | 128 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 148 | 12 | ||
| Gillingham | 1989–90 | Fourth Division | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 1 |
| 1990–91 | Fourth Division | 41 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 46 | 3 | |
| 1991–92 | Fourth Division | 39 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 45 | 3 | |
| 1992–93 | Third Division | 21 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 32 | 2 | |
| Total | 116 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 139 | 9 | ||
| AFC Bournemouth | 1993–94 | Second Division | 45 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 54 | 3 |
| 1994–95 | Second Division | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | |
| Total | 58 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 71 | 3 | ||
| Gillingham | 1995–96 | Third Division | 18 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 1 |
| 1996–97 | Second Division | 22 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 | |
| 1997–98 | Second Division | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 40 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 1 | ||
| Career Total | 463 | 35 | 33 | 2 | 36 | 1 | 20 | 3 | 552 | 41 | ||
- A. ^ The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the Football League Trophy and Full Members Cup.
References
- "Mark O'Connor". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
- Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 74. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
- Triggs, Roger (2001). The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. Tempus Publishing Ltd. p. 237. ISBN 0-7524-2243-X.
- Blair, Olivia (2 May 1998). "Football: Last act and testament to a professional footballer's career". The Independent. London. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
- "Coach O'Connor departs Plymouth". BBC Sport. 8 July 2006. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
- "Stoke City's Mark O'Connor pleased with squad depth". BBC Sport. 23 November 2010. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
- "Dave Kevan heads list of departures from the Britannia". The Sentinel. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
- "O'Connor takes Under-21 role". Bristol City F.C. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
- "Tony Pulis: West Brom have plenty of targets". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
- Mark O'Connor at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
External links
- Mark O'Connor at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database