Mark Smalley

Mark Anthony Smalley (born 2 January 1965) is an English former professional footballer who made 167 appearances in the Football League playing for Nottingham Forest, Birmingham City, Bristol Rovers, Leyton Orient, Mansfield Town and Maidstone United.[3] He played as a central defender.

Mark Smalley
Personal information
Full name Mark Anthony Smalley[1]
Date of birth (1965-01-02) 2 January 1965
Place of birth Newark-on-Trent, England
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2]
Position(s) Central defender
Youth career
1981–1983 Nottingham Forest
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1983–1987 Nottingham Forest 3 (0)
1986 → Birmingham City (loan) 7 (0)
1986–1987 → Bristol Rovers (loan) 10 (0)
1987–1990 Leyton Orient 64 (4)
1989–1990 → Mansfield Town (loan)[lower-alpha 1]
1990–1991 Mansfield Town[lower-alpha 1] 49 (2)
1991–1992 Maidstone United 34 (2)
1992–1993 Kettering Town 19 (0)
1993–199? Ilkeston Town
1995 Hucknall Town
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Smalley was born in Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire. When he left school in 1981, he joined Nottingham Forest as an apprentice, and turned professional two years later.[1] He made his debut in the First Division on 19 March 1983, coming on as substitute for Kenny Swain in a 2–0 defeat away at Ipswich Town.[4] Smalley played five times altogether for Forest's first team: one substitute appearance in the league in the 1983–84 season,[5] and three games in September 1984 deputising for Paul Hart, one in the UEFA Cup, one in the League, and the third in the League Cup in which he sustained a hip injury.[6][7] He spent the last few weeks of the 1985–86 season on loan at First Division Birmingham City, where his contribution was insufficient to prevent the team losing their last seven games,[8] and spent the first part of the next season at Third Division club Bristol Rovers.[1]

In February 1987 Smalley signed for Orient of the Fourth Division. After two-and-a-half seasons in which he played 64 league games, he joined Mansfield Town, initially on loan, making the deal permanent in January 1990 for a fee of £15,000. He played 49 league games before moving on to Maidstone United, for whom he played 34 games before the club was wound up at the end of the 1991–92 season.[1][3][9] Smalley then moved into non-league football with Conference club Kettering Town, for whom he played 24 games in all competitions,[10][11] Ilkeston Town[1] and Hucknall Town.[12]

Notes
  1. The figures against Smalley's permanent Mansfield Town career cover his appearances and goals both while on loan at the club (from November 1989 to January 1990) and once signed permanently in January 1990.[3]

References
  1. Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 124. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
  2. Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 214. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
  3. "Mark Smalley". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
  4. "Season 1982–1983". The Bridport Red Archive. Archived from the original on 27 December 2008.
  5. "Season 1983–1984". The Bridport Red Archive. Archived from the original on 18 September 2010.
  6. "Season 1984–1985". The Bridport Red Archive. Archived from the original on 18 September 2010.
  7. "Players S". The Bridport Red Archive. Archived from the original on 27 April 2009.
  8. Matthews, p. 221.
  9. "Maidstone United". Football Club History Database. Richard Rundle. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
  10. "Player profile Mark Smalley". poppiesfans.com. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
  11. Harman, John, ed. (2005). Alliance to Conference 1979–2004: The first 25 years. Tony Williams Publications. p. 371. ISBN 978-1-869833-52-7.
  12. "Where Are They Now – from J to Z". Nottingham Forest F.C. 23 March 2009. Archived from the original on 22 July 2012.
  • Mark Smalley at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database
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