Mark Ford (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Mark Stuart Ford is an English former professional footballer who played in the Football League
for Leeds United, Burnley
, Torquay United
and Darlington
and in the Belgian First Division for Lommel
. He was capped
twice for the England under-21s
.
and attended Tadcaster Grammar School
. He began his football career as an apprentice with Leeds United
, and was part of the Leeds team that won the FA Youth Cup
in 1993. Ford turned professional in March 1993. A hard-tackling midfielder
, once he broke into the first team he was considered as a future replacement for David Batty
. However despite playing in the 1996 League Cup Final
, he struggled to establish himself at Elland Road and moved on to Division Two
club Burnley
, managed by Chris Waddle
, in July 1997 for a fee reported as £275,000. He had a successful first season at Turf Moor, but broke an ankle on the opening day of the following season. After three months out he struggled to regain his place in new manager Stan Ternent
's side and was released in the summer. In July 1999 he joined Belgian First Division side Lommel
at the same time as Millwall
's Kim Grant
.
He returned to the UK at the end of the 1999–2000 season, and signed for Torquay United
on a free transfer under the Bosman ruling
, turning down offers from Darlington
, Hull City
and Rotherham United
. He was made captain in the absence of the injured Brian Healy, but in February 2001 he was sold to Darlington
for £15,000, helping Darlington against their battle against relegation
instead of doing the same for Torquay.
After two years with Darlington he joined Conference
side Leigh RMI
on loan, before being released at the end of the 2002–2003 season. He then signed for Northern Premier League
club Harrogate Town
after a trial, and in 2006 was playing for Tadcaster Albion
in the Northern Counties East 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...
for Leeds United, Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
, 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...
and Darlington
Darlington F.C.
Darlington Football Club is a professional association football club based in Darlington, County Durham, currently playing in the Conference National. The club was founded in 1883, and originally played its games at Feethams, before moving to the Darlington Arena in 2003...
and in the Belgian First Division for Lommel
K.F.C. Lommel S.K.
Koninklijke Football Club Lommelse Sportkring was a Belgian football club that existed between 1932 and 2003. It played two spells at the highest level in the Belgian football league system: from 1992 to 2000 and from 2001 to 2003. Its best ranking was reached in 1997 when it finished...
. He was capped
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...
twice 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....
.
Career
Ford was born in PontefractPontefract
Pontefract is an historic market town in West Yorkshire, England. Traditionally in the West Riding, near the A1 , the M62 motorway and Castleford. It is one of the five towns in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield and has a population of 28,250...
and attended Tadcaster Grammar School
Tadcaster Grammar School
Tadcaster Grammar School is a secondary school near Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, England founded in 1557 by Owen Oglethorpe as an all boys school. The school is no longer situated in the brewery town of Tadcaster, rather in the hamlet of Toulston just outside the town...
. He began his football career as an apprentice with Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
, and was part of the Leeds team that won the FA Youth Cup
FA Youth Cup
The Football Association Youth Challenge Cup is an English football competition run by The Football Association for under–18 sides. Only those players between the age of 15 and 18 on 31 August of the current season are eligible to take part...
in 1993. Ford turned professional in March 1993. A hard-tackling midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
, once he broke into the first team he was considered as a future replacement for David Batty
David Batty
David Batty is an English retired professional footballer, who played as a defensive midfielder....
. However despite playing in the 1996 League Cup Final
1996 Football League Cup Final
The 1996 Coca-Cola Cup Final took place on 24 March 1996 at Wembley Stadium and was contested between Aston Villa and Leeds United. This was the 35th final and the 29th to be played at Wembley...
, he struggled to establish himself at Elland Road and moved on to Division Two
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
club Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
, managed by Chris Waddle
Chris Waddle
Christopher Roland "Chris" Waddle is a former footballer from England. He played for a number of clubs in the 1980s and 90s, including Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Sheffield Wednesday in England, and Olympique de Marseille in France...
, in July 1997 for a fee reported as £275,000. He had a successful first season at Turf Moor, but broke an ankle on the opening day of the following season. After three months out he struggled to regain his place in new manager Stan Ternent
Stan Ternent
Francis Stanley "Stan" Ternent is an English former footballer and manager. He managed Blackpool, Hull City, Bury, Burnley, Gillingham and Huddersfield Town. He is currently a scout for Sunderland.-Career:...
's side and was released in the summer. In July 1999 he joined Belgian First Division side Lommel
K.F.C. Lommel S.K.
Koninklijke Football Club Lommelse Sportkring was a Belgian football club that existed between 1932 and 2003. It played two spells at the highest level in the Belgian football league system: from 1992 to 2000 and from 2001 to 2003. Its best ranking was reached in 1997 when it finished...
at the same time as Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
's Kim Grant
Kim Grant (footballer)
Kimberley Tyrone "Kim" Grant is a Ghanaian former footballer and is the manager of F.C. Takoradi. Grant has been involved in professional football for over 18 years, playing in European and Asian leagues.-Club career:...
.
He returned to the UK at the end of the 1999–2000 season, and signed for 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 a free transfer under the Bosman ruling
Bosman ruling
Union Royale Belge des Sociétés de Football Association ASBL v Jean-Marc Bosman is a 1995 European Court of Justice decision concerning freedom of movement for workers, freedom of association, and direct effect of article 39 of the EC Treaty...
, turning down offers from Darlington
Darlington F.C.
Darlington Football Club is a professional association football club based in Darlington, County Durham, currently playing in the Conference National. The club was founded in 1883, and originally played its games at Feethams, before moving to the Darlington Arena in 2003...
, Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
and Rotherham United
Rotherham United F.C.
Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history...
. He was made captain in the absence of the injured Brian Healy, but in February 2001 he was sold to Darlington
Darlington F.C.
Darlington Football Club is a professional association football club based in Darlington, County Durham, currently playing in the Conference National. The club was founded in 1883, and originally played its games at Feethams, before moving to the Darlington Arena in 2003...
for £15,000, helping Darlington against their battle against relegation
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
instead of doing the same for Torquay.
After two years with Darlington he joined Conference
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
side Leigh RMI
Leigh RMI F.C.
Leigh Genesis Football Club, formerly known as Horwich Railway Mechanics Institute F.C. and Leigh Railway Mechanics Institute F.C. , was an English semi-professional association football team that folded after relegation from the Northern Premier League in 2011...
on loan, before being released at the end of the 2002–2003 season. He then signed for 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...
club Harrogate Town
Harrogate Town F.C.
Harrogate Town Football Club is an English semi-professional football club based in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. The club was founded in 1914 and currently competes in the Conference North division of the Football Conference.-History:...
after a trial, and in 2006 was playing for Tadcaster Albion
Tadcaster Albion A.F.C.
Tadcaster Albion A.F.C. are an English football club based in Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, formed in 1892. Their ground is situated behind the John Smith's brewery in Tadcaster, thus the reason for their nickname "The Brewers". Currently, they are members of the Northern Counties East Football...
in the Northern Counties East League.
External links
- League stats at Neil Brown's site