Mark Ford (footballer)

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Mark Ford
Personal information
Full name Mark Stuart Ford
Date of birth October 10, 1975 (1975-10-10) (age 32)
Place of birth    Pontefract, England
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current club Unattached
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1993-1996
1996-1999
1999-2000
2000-2001
2001-2003
2003
2003-2006
2006-?
Leeds United
Burnley
Lommel
Torquay United
Darlington
Leigh RMI (loan)
Harrogate Town
Tadcaster Albion
29 (1)
48 (1)
16 (0)
28 (3)
57 (9)
13 (0)
0- (-)
0- (-)   

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only.
* Appearances (Goals)

Mark Stuart Ford (born October 10, 1975 in Pontefract) is an English professional football midfielder currently without a club. He has won 2 caps for the England national under-21 football team.

Ford, a hard-tackling midfielder, began his career as an apprentice with Leeds United after attending Tadcaster Grammar School, turning professional on March 5, 1993. After breaking into the first team he was considered as a future replacement for David Batty in the Leeds side, but he struggled to establish himself and he moved to Burnley, managed by Chris Waddle, on July 18, 1997 for £250,000.

He had a successful first season at Turf Moor, but broke an ankle early 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, joining Belgian side Lommel SK in July 1999, in wich he joined Kim Grant (a striker well known from his days playng for clubs as Millwall, Notts County, Scunthorpe, Yeovil and Gravesend) in a UK injection into the Squad.

On July 14, 2000 he returned to the UK, signing for Torquay United on a 'Bosman' free transer, turning down offers from Darlington, Hull City and Rotherham United. He was made captain in the absence of the injured Brian Healy and soon became a favourite of the crowd. On February 19, 2001, much to the surprise of many Torquay fans, he was sold to Darlington for £15,000, helping Darlington against their battle against relegation, instead of doing the same for Torquay.

After leaving Darlington he played for non-league sides Leigh RMI and Harrogate Town.

Ford is now a train driver based at York, working for Northern Rail.