Mark O'Connor (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, Bournemouth and Gillingham.[3]

Mark O'Connor

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
Club 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	Bournemouth	128	(12)
1990–1993	Gillingham	116	(8)
1993–1995	Bournemouth	58	(3)
1995–1998	Gillingham	40	(1)
Total		463	(35)
National team
1985	Republic of Ireland-U21	1	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

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 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 1996 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
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
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.

Honours

Bournemouth

• Football League Third Division champions: 1986–87

Gillingham

• Football League Third Division runner-up: 1995–96

References

1. "Mark O'Connor". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
2. Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 74. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
3. Triggs, Roger (2001). The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. Tempus Publishing Ltd. p. 237. ISBN 0-7524-2243-X.
4. Blair, Olivia (2 May 1998). "Football: Last act and testament to a professional footballer's career". The Independent. London. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
5. "Coach O'Connor departs Plymouth". BBC Sport. 8 July 2006. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
6. "Stoke City's Mark O'Connor pleased with squad depth". BBC Sport. 23 November 2010. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
7. "Dave Kevan heads list of departures from the Britannia". The Sentinel. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
8. "O'Connor takes Under-21 role". Bristol City F.C. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
9. "Tony Pulis: West Brom have plenty of targets". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
10. 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