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Mark Bailey (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Mark Bailey is a former professional football defender who played in the Football League for Rochdale
, Lincoln City
and Macclesfield Town
. He is the son of the former Port Vale
player Terry Bailey
.
before moving to Rochdale
on a free transfer in October 1996. He made his Football League debut for the club in the 1-0 away victory over Torquay United
on 3 December 1996 and by the end of March had secured a regular birth in the first team. The 1997-1998 season saw Bailey maintain his presence in the team, making 24 league starts with a further nine appearances from the substitutes bench. He began the 1998-1999 season as a regular member of the first team but dropped to the bench at the beginning of October and drifted out of the first team picture in mid-December. In January 1999, he attracted the attention of Northwich Victoria
's manager Mark Gardiner
but a proposed loan move was thwarted by Bailey sustaining a minor hamstring injury. He managed to break back into the Rochdale
team in March 1999, making his first league start in nearly four months in the 0-0 home draw with Barnet
on 20 March 1999. However, he made only three further appearances before being released by the club at the end of the season.
He commenced the 1999-2000 season training with Northwich Victoria
from where he was recommended to Winsford United
, debuting for the club in the 0-0 Northern Premier League
draw at Spennymoor United
on 21 August 1999, scoring his first goal for the club in the 2-2 draw at Whitby Town
a week later. He moved on to join Lancaster City
in November 1999, debuting in the 4-1 away Northern Premier League
defeat to
Hyde United on 12 November 1999.
's manager Mark Gardiner
and having turned down one offer to join the Vics to remain at the Giant Axe, Gardiner came back with an improved pay offer which coupled with the lure of moving nearer to home in the Stoke area proved too much for Bailey and he departed Lancaster City
in January 2000. He made his Football Conference
debut for the club in the 2-0 defeat at Altrincham
on 3 January 2000 scoring his first goal for the club in the 3-1 victory at Welling United
on 8 January 2000.
signing a contract that would keep him at Sincil Bank
until the summer of 2004.
's manager Brian Horton
announced that the club had agreed terms to sign Bailey with Bailey signing a one-year contract with the club following the end of his contract with Lincoln City
. He debuted for the club in the 3-1 victory at Leyton Orient
on 7 August 2004 and was an ever present member of the side until he sustained a peroneal tendon tear in the 1-1 home draw with Cambridge United
on 19 October 2004. The injury would keep Bailey out of action until the 2-0 away defeat to Swansea City on 25 March 2005 but after that he remained in the first team picture for the remainder of the season as Macclesfield reached the play-offs, losing out to his former club Lincoln City
in the semi-finals. He agreed a new one-year contract for the 2005-2006 season but a series of injuries, particularly to his achilles, restricted his appearances and in April 2006 he left the club by mutual consent.
for a third time, signing a month to month contract with Peterborough United
.
Rochdale A.F.C.
Rochdale Association Football Club is an English professional football club based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. They play their home matches at Spotland Stadium. Formed in 1907, they were accepted into the Football League in 1921...
, Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
and Macclesfield Town
Macclesfield Town F.C.
Macclesfield Town Football Club is an English football team. The club was formed in 1874 and is based in the town of Macclesfield in Cheshire. The team play its home games at the 6,355 capacity Moss Rose stadium...
. He is the son of the former Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
player Terry Bailey
Terry Bailey
Terence "Terry" Bailey is a former English footballer who played as a midfielder. His son Mark Bailey also played professional football.After a brief association with Winsford United, he joined Stafford Rangers in 1968...
.
Early career
Bailey began his career as a trainee with his home town club Stoke CityStoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
before moving to Rochdale
Rochdale A.F.C.
Rochdale Association Football Club is an English professional football club based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. They play their home matches at Spotland Stadium. Formed in 1907, they were accepted into the Football League in 1921...
on a free transfer in October 1996. He made his Football League debut for the club in the 1-0 away victory over Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
on 3 December 1996 and by the end of March had secured a regular birth in the first team. The 1997-1998 season saw Bailey maintain his presence in the team, making 24 league starts with a further nine appearances from the substitutes bench. He began the 1998-1999 season as a regular member of the first team but dropped to the bench at the beginning of October and drifted out of the first team picture in mid-December. In January 1999, he attracted the attention of Northwich Victoria
Northwich Victoria F.C.
Northwich Victoria Football Club are an English football club who play at the Victoria Stadium in Wincham, Northwich, Cheshire in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, the seventh tier of the English football league system.Northwich are an old club, founded in 1874 and named in honour of...
's manager Mark Gardiner
Mark Gardiner
Mark Christopher Gardiner is an English former professional footballer who made 262 appearances in the Football League...
but a proposed loan move was thwarted by Bailey sustaining a minor hamstring injury. He managed to break back into the Rochdale
Rochdale A.F.C.
Rochdale Association Football Club is an English professional football club based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. They play their home matches at Spotland Stadium. Formed in 1907, they were accepted into the Football League in 1921...
team in March 1999, making his first league start in nearly four months in the 0-0 home draw with Barnet
Barnet F.C.
Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet....
on 20 March 1999. However, he made only three further appearances before being released by the club at the end of the season.
He commenced the 1999-2000 season training with Northwich Victoria
Northwich Victoria F.C.
Northwich Victoria Football Club are an English football club who play at the Victoria Stadium in Wincham, Northwich, Cheshire in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, the seventh tier of the English football league system.Northwich are an old club, founded in 1874 and named in honour of...
from where he was recommended to Winsford United
Winsford United F.C.
Winsford United Football Club is a semi-professional football club based in Winsford, Cheshire, England. The club was founded in 1883 and is nicknamed The Blues...
, debuting for the club in the 0-0 Northern Premier League
Northern Premier League
The Northern Premier League, is one of the regional English football leagues which sits directly below the Football Conference featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. Geographically, the league covers all of Northern England, and the northern areas of the Midlands. Originally just one...
draw at Spennymoor United
Spennymoor United F.C.
Spennymoor United F.C. was an English association football club based in Spennymoor, County Durham.In 1905, they joined the Northern League and won the league title six times in their history. In the 1936-37 season, they reached the third round of the FA Cup, where they lost to top-flight side West...
on 21 August 1999, scoring his first goal for the club in the 2-2 draw at Whitby Town
Whitby Town F.C.
Whitby Town Football Club is an English football club based in Whitby, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Northern Premier League, the seventh tier of English football...
a week later. He moved on to join Lancaster City
Lancaster City F.C.
Lancaster City F.C. is an English football club based in Lancaster, Lancashire. The club are currently members of Northern Premier League Division One North and play at Giant Axe.-History:...
in November 1999, debuting in the 4-1 away Northern Premier League
Northern Premier League
The Northern Premier League, is one of the regional English football leagues which sits directly below the Football Conference featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. Geographically, the league covers all of Northern England, and the northern areas of the Midlands. Originally just one...
defeat to
Hyde United on 12 November 1999.
Northwich Victoria
Bailey continued to attract the attention of Northwich VictoriaNorthwich Victoria F.C.
Northwich Victoria Football Club are an English football club who play at the Victoria Stadium in Wincham, Northwich, Cheshire in the Northern Premier League Premier Division, the seventh tier of the English football league system.Northwich are an old club, founded in 1874 and named in honour of...
's manager Mark Gardiner
Mark Gardiner
Mark Christopher Gardiner is an English former professional footballer who made 262 appearances in the Football League...
and having turned down one offer to join the Vics to remain at the Giant Axe, Gardiner came back with an improved pay offer which coupled with the lure of moving nearer to home in the Stoke area proved too much for Bailey and he departed Lancaster City
Lancaster City F.C.
Lancaster City F.C. is an English football club based in Lancaster, Lancashire. The club are currently members of Northern Premier League Division One North and play at Giant Axe.-History:...
in January 2000. He made his Football Conference
Football Conference
The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
debut for the club in the 2-0 defeat at Altrincham
Altrincham F.C.
Altrincham Football Club is an English association football club from Altrincham, Greater Manchester. They currently play in the Conference North, having been relegated from the Conference National at the end of the 2010–11 season.-History:...
on 3 January 2000 scoring his first goal for the club in the 3-1 victory at Welling United
Welling United F.C.
Welling United Football Club are an English football club, based in Welling in the London Borough of Bexley. They currently play in the Conference South. The 2010–11 season was not a good one for them as the club had financial problems, nearly going bankrupt but lots of supporters chipped in and...
on 8 January 2000.
Lincoln City
In October 2001, Bailey joined Lincoln CityLincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
signing a contract that would keep him at Sincil Bank
Sincil Bank
Sincil Bank is a football stadium in Lincoln, England and has been the home of Lincoln City since 1895. Previously, Lincoln City had played at the nearby John O'Gaunts ground since the club's 1884 inception. Sincil Bank has an overall capacity of 10,120 and is colloquially known to fans as "The...
until the summer of 2004.
Macclesfield Town
In June 2004, Macclesfield TownMacclesfield Town F.C.
Macclesfield Town Football Club is an English football team. The club was formed in 1874 and is based in the town of Macclesfield in Cheshire. The team play its home games at the 6,355 capacity Moss Rose stadium...
's manager Brian Horton
Brian Horton
Brian Horton is an English former footballer and manager, who is working as Phil Brown's assistant at Preston North End.Horton played for Hednesford Town, Port Vale, Brighton & Hove Albion, Luton Town and Hull City as a midfielder...
announced that the club had agreed terms to sign Bailey with Bailey signing a one-year contract with the club following the end of his contract with Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
. He debuted for the club in the 3-1 victory at Leyton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
on 7 August 2004 and was an ever present member of the side until he sustained a peroneal tendon tear in the 1-1 home draw with Cambridge United
Cambridge United F.C.
Cambridge United Football Club is a professional football club from Cambridge, England. They are currently playing the 2011-2012 season in the Conference National, the fifth tier of the English league system, where they have competed since 2005 following their relegation from the Football League...
on 19 October 2004. The injury would keep Bailey out of action until the 2-0 away defeat to Swansea City on 25 March 2005 but after that he remained in the first team picture for the remainder of the season as Macclesfield reached the play-offs, losing out to his former club Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
in the semi-finals. He agreed a new one-year contract for the 2005-2006 season but a series of injuries, particularly to his achilles, restricted his appearances and in April 2006 he left the club by mutual consent.
Peterborough United and Stafford Rangers
In August 2006 he joined up with Keith AlexanderKeith Alexander (footballer)
Keith Alexander was a Saint Lucian footballer and manager. Born in Nottingham, England, he was the manager of League Two side Macclesfield Town at the time of his death, in a career that included international appearances for Saint Lucia. Alexander played for a whole host of lower league football...
for a third time, signing a month to month contract with Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
.