Mark Albrighton

Mark Christopher Albrighton (born 6 March 1976) is an English footballer who plays as a central defender for Coventry Sphinx.[2]

Not to be confused with Marc Albrighton.

Mark Albrighton

Personal information
Full name	Mark Christopher Albrighton
Date of birth	(1976-03-06) 6 March 1976
Place of birth	Nuneaton, England
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[1]
Playing position(s)	Defender
Club information
Current team	Coventry Sphinx
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1998–1999	Atherstone United	25	(2)
1999–2002	Telford United	74	(8)
2002–2006	Doncaster Rovers	86	(5)
2006	→ Chester City (loan)	9	(0)
2006–2007	Boston United	12	(0)
2006	→ Darlington (loan)	3	(0)
2007	→ Rushden & Diamonds (loan)	17	(1)
2007–2008	Cambridge United	40	(2)
2008–2010	Stevenage Borough	44	(1)
2010–2011	Kidderminster Harriers	30	(0)
2011–2012	Nuneaton Town	19	(0)
2012–2013	Barwell	34	(0)
2013–2019	Bedworth United	77	(2)
2019–	Coventry Sphinx
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22:49, 8 December 2017 (UTC)

Career

Born in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, Albrighton started his career at Atherstone United, then of the Southern League Premier Division,[3] before joining Telford United in September 1999 for a fee of £10,000.[4] He made his debut for the Shropshire side shortly after in a 3–1 victory over Yeovil Town,[5] making a further 16 appearances during the 1999–00,[6] scoring once in the process.[7] He played 27 times throughout the club's 2000–01 campaign, scoring twice.[8] Albrighton continued his run in the first-team the following season, scoring 5 times from defence, and appearing 30 times.[9] Before the start of the 2002–03 season, Albrighton joined Doncaster Rovers on a free transfer.[10] He made his debut for the club in a 5–1 victory against Dagenham & Redbridge,[11] and scored his first goal in November 2002, in a 2–0 win over Hereford United.[12] He made a total of 29 appearances during the season,[13] and helped guide the club to promotion via the Conference National play-offs.[14] Albrighton adjusted well to league football, playing 30 games for the Yorkshire side and ensuring back-to-back promotions as the club reached the third tier of English football.[15][16]

The 2004–05 season witnessed Albrighton struggle for both fitness and first-team appearances, and he made 17 appearances,[17] scoring once in a 1–0 win at MK Dons.[18] He played a further 19 games for Doncaster the next season,[19] but was loaned out to Chester City in February 2006.[20] He made his Chester debut in a 1–0 defeat against Grimsby Town at Blundell Park and played a further eight games for the club after having his loan deal extended for a further month.[21][22] He returned to Doncaster in April 2006, and made his last appearance for the club in a 2–1 defeat at Bradford City.[23]

Albrighton was released by Doncaster in May 2006, and subsequently joined Boston United in the same month.[24] Albrighton made 14 appearances for the Lincolnshire outfit,[25] making his debut in a 3–2 defeat at Grimsby Town.[26] However, first-team appearances were limited and he was loaned out to League Two rivals Darlington in November 2006.[27] Albrighton featured three times during his one-month loan spell for the Quakers, before returning to his parent club in December.[28] He was loaned out again in January 2007, this time to Conference National outfit Rushden & Diamonds.[29] Albrighton impressed under manager Graham Westley, helping the side stay unbeaten throughout the month, and his loan spell was consequently extended until the end of the season.[30][31] He returned to Boston in April 2007, but was released a month later and joined Cambridge United on a one-year contract.[32] He made his debut for the Cambridgeshire side in a 2–1 victory away to York City at Bootham Crescent,[33] and scored his first goal in a 5–1 rout of Farsley Celtic a week later.[34] Albrighton featured a total of 45 times for the club, scoring twice,[35] as they narrowly missed out on a return to the Football League following a 1–0 play-off final defeat to Exeter City.[36] He was voted 'Cambridge United Player of the Year' for the 2007–08 season.[37]

In May 2008, Albrighton rejected a one-year contract extension at Cambridge, and opted to join Conference National rivals Stevenage Borough on a two-year deal for an undisclosed fee.[38] The move reunited Albrighton with Stevenage manager Graham Westley, who had also signed the player during his time at Rushden.[38] He was initially made captain by Westley,[39] although later lost his captaincy following a spell out of the first-team.[39][40] He scored his first goal for the Hertfordshire side in a 2–0 home win against Salisbury City,[41] and played a total of 32 games during the 2008–09 season.[42] Albrighton played a further 19 games during the club's successful 2009–10 campaign, a season in which Stevenage would win the Conference National title, but was released by Graham Westley at the end of the season.[43]

In late June 2010, Albrighton signed for Conference National outfit Kidderminster Harriers on a free transfer.[44] He made his Kidderminster debut in the club's first game of the 2010–11 season, playing the whole match in the centre of defence in a 2–1 away win against York City.[45]

On 19 August 2019, 43-year old Albrighton joined Coventry Sphinx.[46]

Honours

Doncaster Rovers

• Conference National play-offs (1): 2002–03
• Football League Division Three (1): 2003–04

Stevenage

• FA Trophy (1): 2008–09
• Conference National (1): 2009–10

Career statistics

As of 28 January 2012.

Club	Season	League^[A]		FA Cup		League Cup		Other^[B]		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Atherstone United	1998–99[47]	25	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	25	2
	Total	25	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	25	2
Telford United	1999–00[6]	17	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	17	1
	2000–01[8]	26	2	2	0	0	0	1	0	29	2
	2001–02[9]	31	5	1	0	0	0	3	0	35	5
	Total	74	8	3	0	0	0	4	0	81	8
Doncaster Rovers	2002–03[13]	25	1	1	0	0	0	3	1	29	2
	2003–04[15]	28	3	1	0	0	0	1	0	30	3
	2004–05[17]	17	1	0	0	1	0	1	0	19	1
	2005–06[19]	16	0	1	0	2	0	1	0	20	0
	Total	86	5	3	0	3	0	6	1	98	6
Chester City	2005–06[22]	9	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	9	0
	Total	9	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	9	0
Boston United	2006–07[25]	12	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	14	0
	Total	12	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	14	0
Darlington	2006–07[48]	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
	Total	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
Rushden & Diamonds	2006–07[31]	17	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	17	1
	Total	17	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	17	1
Cambridge United	2007–08[35]	40	2	2	0	0	0	3	0	45	2
	Total	40	2	2	0	0	0	3	0	45	2
Stevenage	2008–09[49]	29	1	2	0	0	0	1	0	32	1
	2009–10[43]	15	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	19	0
	Total	44	1	2	0	0	0	5	0	51	1
Kidderminster Harriers	2010–11[50]	30	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	30	0
	Total	30	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	30	0
Nuneaton Town	2011–12[51]	19	0	3	0	0	0	2	0	24	0
	Total	19	0	3	0	0	0	2	0	24	0
Career totals		359	19	14	0	3	0	21	1	397	20

A. ^ The "League" column constitutes appearances and goals (including those as a substitute) in the Football League, Football Conference and Southern Football League.

B. ^ The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals (including those as a substitute) in the FA Trophy and Football League Trophy.

References

1. "Mark Albrighton – ESPN". ESPN Soccernet. 18 August 2009. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
2. http://www.bedworthunited.com/teams/33767/player/mark-albrighton-1130441/45840
3. "Mark Albrighton – first-team profile". Cambridge United F.C. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
4. "Mark Albrighton all time playing career". Soccerbase. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
5. "Telford 3–1 Yeovil Town". Soccerbase. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
6. "Telford 1999/2000 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
7. "Telford 1–1 Rushden". Soccerbase. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
8. "Telford 2000/2001 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
9. "Telford 2001/2002 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
10. "Albrighton to join Doncaster". BBC Sport. 18 May 2002. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
11. "Doncaster 5–1 Dag & Red". BBC Sport. 7 September 2002. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
12. "Doncaster 2–0 Hereford". BBC Sport. 2 November 2002. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
13. "Doncaster 2002/2003 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
14. "Doncaster seal League return". BBC Sport. 10 May 2003. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
15. "Doncaster 2003/2004 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
16. "Doncaster 1–0 Carlisle". BBC Sport. 8 May 2004. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
17. "Doncaster 2004/2005 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
18. "MK Dons 0–1 Doncaster". Soccerbase. 11 September 2004. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
19. "Doncaster 2005/2006 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
20. "Chester make Albrighton loan move". BBC Sport. 23 February 2006. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
21. "Albrighton extends Chester loan". BBC Sport. 28 March 2006. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
22. "Chester 2005/2006 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
23. "Bradford 2–1 Doncaster". BBC Sport. 15 April 2006. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
24. "Ryan and Albrighton join Boston". BBC Sport. 17 May 2006. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
25. "Boston 2006/2007 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
26. "Grimsby 3–2 Boston". Soccerbase. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
27. "Quakers bag defender Albrighton". BBC Sport. 23 November 2006. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
28. "Games played by Mark Albrighton in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
29. "Rushden sign Boston's Albrighton". BBC Sport. 17 January 2007. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
30. "Rushden swoop for striker Maamria". BBC Sport. 1 February 2007. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
31. "Rushden 2006/2007 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
32. "Mark Albrighton – June 2007". Cambridge United F.C. 3 June 2007. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
33. "York 1–2 Cambridge United". BBC Sport. 10 August 2007. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
34. "Cambridge United 5–1 Farsley". BBC Sport. 21 August 2007. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
35. "Cambridge 2007/2008 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
36. "Exeter 1–0 Cambridge Utd". BBC Sport. 18 May 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
37. "Mark of respect as fans name Albrighton their top performer". Cambridge News. 18 April 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
38. "Albrighton seals Stevenage move". BBC Sport. 30 May 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
39. "Player profile – Mark Albrighton". The Comet. 6 April 2010. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
40. "Wrexham 5–0 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 9 August 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
41. "Stevenage 2–0 Salisbury". BBC Sport. 18 October 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
42. "Stevenage Borough 2008/2009 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
43. "Stevenage 2009/2010 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
44. "Albrighton: Harriers Bag Defender". Kidderminster Harriers F.C. 30 June 2010. Archived from the original on 6 July 2010. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
45. "York 1–2 Kidderminster". BBC Sport. 14 August 2010. Retrieved 17 August 2010.
46. Coventry Sphinx sign experienced former Football League duo now aged over 40 years old, fanbanter.co.uk, 19 August 2019
47. "Atherstone player appearances [archive]". Atherstone archive. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
48. "Darlington 2006/2007 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
49. "Stevenage Borough 2008/2009 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
50. "Kidderminster 2010/2011 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
51. "1st Team – Players & Coaches – Mark Albrighton". Nuneaton Town F.C. Archived from the original on 22 December 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2011.

External links

• Mark Albrighton at Soccerbase