Mark Chamberlain
Encyclopedia
Mark Valentine Chamberlain (born 19 November 1961 in Stoke-on-Trent
) is an English
retired international footballer. He is the younger brother of Neville Chamberlain
, and the father of Arsenal
and England U21 player Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
.
He began his professional playing career with Port Vale
in 1978, where he remained for four years before being sold on to rivals
Stoke City
, having already been selected for the PFA Fourth Division
Team of the Year
in 1981–82
. In 1985 he signed with Sheffield Wednesday
, before he moved on to Portsmouth
three years later. He remained with Pompey until 1994, at which point he transferred to Brighton & Hove Albion
. The following year he joined Exeter City
, before entering into management at Fareham Town
in 1997. Between 1982 and 1984 he won four caps for the England under-21s
and eight caps for the senior team
.
to British Jamaican parents, Chamberlain started his career with Port Vale
, making his debut as a substitute in a 2–2 home draw with Scunthorpe United
on 19 August 1978, aged 16. His full debut came on 14 April 1979 in a 3–2 home win over Barnsley
, he turned professional the following month. He was a first team regular from October 1980 and became an ever-present in the 1980–81 season
, also being selected in the PFA
Fourth Division
team and chosen as The Star's best player of the division. He was sold to local rivals
Stoke City
in August 1982, along with Mark Harrison
for a combined fee of £180,000. Asked if this move caused him to receive any "stick" from his friends, he replied: "No not really. Mind you I wouldn't, I didn't really have any mates."
In September 1985 he moved on to Sheffield Wednesday
, playing 66 games before transferring to Portsmouth
in 1988. He played 167 games over six years, helping Portsmouth to the 1992 FA Cup semi final where they lost on a penalty shootout to Liverpool, before moving on to Brighton & Hove Albion
in August 1994. The following year he switched to Exeter City
, where he ended his league
career in 1997.
squad under Bobby Robson
during his first season at Stoke, scoring on his debut against Luxembourg
on 15 December 1982, at age 21. He picked up a further seven caps over the next two years. Some believed he could have gone on to pick up many more caps
, and Graham Barnett
in particularly said that he was "like a bloody gazelle
... a black jewel... he's got the bloody lot... he's class... so much better than John Barnes
."
. In April 2008, he accepted an offer to become the assistant coach of the East Timor national football team. In September 2008 he joined the coaching staff at Portsmouth
.
. His son, Alex
, plays for Arsenal
. Mark's older brother Neville
was also a professional footballer. When the pair played together for Port Vale
they used to swap shirts at half-time so as to confuse opposition players attempting to mark him.
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
) is an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
retired international footballer. He is the younger brother of Neville Chamberlain
Neville Chamberlain (footballer)
Neville Patrick Chamberlain is a retired English footballer. His brother, Mark was also a footballer, and his nephew Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain plays for Arsenal.-Playing career:...
, and the father of Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
and England U21 player Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Alexander Mark David "Alex" Oxlade-Chamberlain is an English footballer who plays for Arsenal as a winger. After rising to prominence with Southampton during the 2010-11 season, he signed for Arsenal in August 2011...
.
He began his professional playing career with 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...
in 1978, where he remained for four years before being sold on to rivals
Potteries derby
The Potteries derby is the football local derby in Stoke-on-Trent between Port Vale and Stoke City. The fans of each club both consider the other to be their main rivals; this has led to a heated atmosphere at these matches, especially with the rise of football hooliganism and the 'Naughty Forty'...
Stoke City
Stoke 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...
, having already been selected for the PFA Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
Team of the Year
PFA Team of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year is an annual award given to a set of 44 footballers in the top four tiers of English football; the Premier League, the Championship, League One and League Two, whom are seen to be deserving of being named in a "Team of the Year".The award...
in 1981–82
1981–82 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1981–82 season was Port Vale's seventieth season of football in the Football League, and their fourth successive season in the Fourth Division. John McGrath led his team to a seventh place finish, a big improvement on the previous two seasons. Top-scorer Ernie Moss and midfielder Mark...
. In 1985 he signed with Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
, before he moved on to Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
three years later. He remained with Pompey until 1994, at which point he transferred to Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
. The following year he joined Exeter City
Exeter City F.C.
Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003...
, before entering into management at Fareham Town
Fareham Town F.C.
Fareham Town F.C. is a football club based in Fareham, Hampshire, England. They were formed in 1946 and have reached the 1st round proper of the FA Cup on four occasions in their history. Fareham's most successful exploit in the FA Trophy came in the 1986–87 season when they reached the semi finals...
in 1997. Between 1982 and 1984 he won four caps for the England under-21s
England national under-21 football team
England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
and eight caps for the senior team
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
.
Club career
Born in Stoke-on-TrentStoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
to British Jamaican parents, Chamberlain started his career with 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...
, making his debut as a substitute in a 2–2 home draw with Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
on 19 August 1978, aged 16. His full debut came on 14 April 1979 in a 3–2 home win over Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
, he turned professional the following month. He was a first team regular from October 1980 and became an ever-present in the 1980–81 season
1980–81 Port Vale F.C. season
The 1980–81 season was Port Vale's sixty-ninth season of football in the Football League, and their third successive season in the Fourth Division. A difficult season, by February the club were bottom of the Football League, however they rallied to finish in nineteenth place, thus avoiding a...
, also being selected in the PFA
Professional Footballers' Association
The Professional Footballers' Association is the trade union for professional footballers in England and Wales. The world's oldest professional sport trade union, it has 4,000 members....
Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
team and chosen as The Star's best player of the division. He was sold to local rivals
Potteries derby
The Potteries derby is the football local derby in Stoke-on-Trent between Port Vale and Stoke City. The fans of each club both consider the other to be their main rivals; this has led to a heated atmosphere at these matches, especially with the rise of football hooliganism and the 'Naughty Forty'...
Stoke City
Stoke 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...
in August 1982, along with Mark Harrison
Mark Harrison (footballer)
Mark Simon Harrison is a former English footballer, specialist goalkeeper trainer, and manager.-Playing career:Harrison was a trainee with Southampton before joining Port Vale in February 1980. He was immediately the first choice keeper, however was troubled by cartilage problems from November 1980...
for a combined fee of £180,000. Asked if this move caused him to receive any "stick" from his friends, he replied: "No not really. Mind you I wouldn't, I didn't really have any mates."
In September 1985 he moved on to Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
, playing 66 games before transferring to Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
in 1988. He played 167 games over six years, helping Portsmouth to the 1992 FA Cup semi final where they lost on a penalty shootout to Liverpool, before moving on to Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
in August 1994. The following year he switched to Exeter City
Exeter City F.C.
Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003...
, where he ended his league
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
career in 1997.
International career
Chamberlain broke into the EnglandEngland national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
squad under Bobby Robson
Bobby Robson
Sir Robert William "Bobby" Robson, CBE was an English footballer and manager, who coached seven European clubs and the England national team during his career....
during his first season at Stoke, scoring on his debut against Luxembourg
Luxembourg national football team
The Luxembourg national football team is the national football team of Luxembourg, and is controlled by the Luxembourg Football Federation. The team play most of their home matches at the Stade Josy Barthel, in Luxembourg.- History :...
on 15 December 1982, at age 21. He picked up a further seven caps over the next two years. Some believed he could have gone on to pick up many more caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
, and Graham Barnett
Graham Barnett
Graham Barnett is a former English footballer who played as an inside-forward.He began his career with Port Vale in 1956, before he was sold on to Tranmere Rovers four years later. In 1961 he signed with Halifax Town, before he emigrated to Australia the following year so as to play for South...
in particularly said that he was "like a bloody gazelle
Gazelle
A gazelle is any of many antelope species in the genus Gazella, or formerly considered to belong to it. Six species are included in two genera, Eudorcas and Nanger, which were formerly considered subgenera...
... a black jewel... he's got the bloody lot... he's class... so much better than John Barnes
John Barnes (footballer)
John Charles Bryan Barnes MBE is an English football manager and former player.During his playing career, Barnes had successful periods at Watford and Liverpool in the 1980s and 1990s, winning the First Division twice, the FA Cup twice, and playing for England 79 times...
."
Post-retirement
He became player-manager of non league Fareham TownFareham Town F.C.
Fareham Town F.C. is a football club based in Fareham, Hampshire, England. They were formed in 1946 and have reached the 1st round proper of the FA Cup on four occasions in their history. Fareham's most successful exploit in the FA Trophy came in the 1986–87 season when they reached the semi finals...
. In April 2008, he accepted an offer to become the assistant coach of the East Timor national football team. In September 2008 he joined the coaching staff at Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
.
Personal life
He lives with his family in Port SolentPort Solent
Port Solent is an area of Portsmouth, Hampshire, comprising a marina and luxury housing estate. The development is located on the western side of Horsea Island, in the north of Portsmouth Harbour, and was built in the 1980s on reclaimed land formerly used as a landfill site...
. His son, Alex
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Alexander Mark David "Alex" Oxlade-Chamberlain is an English footballer who plays for Arsenal as a winger. After rising to prominence with Southampton during the 2010-11 season, he signed for Arsenal in August 2011...
, plays for Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
. Mark's older brother Neville
Neville Chamberlain (footballer)
Neville Patrick Chamberlain is a retired English footballer. His brother, Mark was also a footballer, and his nephew Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain plays for Arsenal.-Playing career:...
was also a professional footballer. When the pair played together for 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...
they used to swap shirts at half-time so as to confuse opposition players attempting to mark him.
Honours
Individual- PFA Fourth DivisionFootball League Fourth DivisionThe Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
Team of the YearPFA Team of the YearThe Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year is an annual award given to a set of 44 footballers in the top four tiers of English football; the Premier League, the Championship, League One and League Two, whom are seen to be deserving of being named in a "Team of the Year".The award...
: 1981–821981–82 Port Vale F.C. seasonThe 1981–82 season was Port Vale's seventieth season of football in the Football League, and their fourth successive season in the Fourth Division. John McGrath led his team to a seventh place finish, a big improvement on the previous two seasons. Top-scorer Ernie Moss and midfielder Mark...