Mark Aizlewood

Mark Aizlewood
Personal information
Full nameMark Aizlewood
Date of birth1 October 1959
Place of birthNewport, Wales
Height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Playing positionDefender
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1975–1978Newport County38(3)
1978–1982Luton Town98(2)
1982–1987Charlton Athletic152(9)
1987–1989Leeds United70(3)
1989–1990Bradford City39(1)
1990–1994Bristol City101(3)
1994–1995Cardiff City39(3)
1995–1996Merthyr Tydfil
1996–1997Aberystwyth Town30(1)
1997–2000Cwmbran Town69(0)
2014-Carmarthen Town0(0)
National team
1979–1980Wales U212(0)
1986–1994Wales39(0)
Teams managed
2012–Carmarthen Town
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Mark Aizlewood (born 1 October 1959) is a Welsh former professional footballer and Wales international. He is currently managing Welsh Premier League side Carmarthen Town.

Early life

Aizlewood was born in Newport. As a child, he attended Alway Juniors school and then Hartridge High School in Newport.[1]

Playing career

Aizlewood joined his home-town club Newport County at the age of 14, making his professional debut two years later at the age of just 16, whilst he was still attending school.[2] He played for Newport for three years, leaving in 1978 to join Luton Town for a fee of £50,000.[1][3] After four seasons at Luton, he moved on to Charlton Athletic in 1982, again for a fee of £50,000.[4] He was named the clubs player of the year for both the 1984–85 and 1985–86 seasons.[2]

He moved to Leeds United in 1987 for £200,000 and was later appointed club captain. However, during a Second Division clash with Walsall at the end of the 1988–89 season, he reacted to jeers by Leeds own fans by displaying a V sign to the crowd. Leeds manager Howard Wilkinson quickly substituted Aizlewood and he left the club soon after in a £125,000 move to Bradford City.[5][6] He spent one season at Valley Parade before moving on to Bristol City.

In 1993 he returned to Wales to sign for Cardiff City. In his one full season at Ninian Park, the club narrowly avoided relegation to Division Three but did reach the final of the Welsh Cup, losing 2–1 to Barry Town. During the following season, Aizlewood decided to leave the club in order to take up a player-coach role at Merthyr Tydfil.[2] He later finished his career with spells at Welsh Premier League sides Aberystwyth Town and Cwmbran Town before retiring in 2000.[4]

Aizlewood first played for Wales in 1986, and stayed an international until 1994, being capped 39 times during that time. His debut came in a 2–1 friendly defeat to Saudi Arabia in Riyadh on 25 February 1986, his last appearance came on 14 December 1994 as Wales lost 3–0 to Bulgaria in a Euro 96 qualifier at Cardiff Arms Park. He never scored for Wales at senior level.[7]

Coaching career

Aizlewood had a spell on the coaching staff of Carmarthen Town during 2003–04, but left to become assistant manager to Ian Rush at Chester City for 2004–05.[8] He was sacked by Chester chairman Stephen Vaughan in April 2005 with the club struggling.[5] As of 2009 he was an agent.[4] Aizlewood was appointed manager of Carmarthen Town in January 2012.[9]

Personal life

Aizlewood speaks Welsh[10] and released his Welsh language autobiography in 2009, entitled Amddiffyn fy Hun (Defending Myself) in which he revealed his 27-year-long battle with alcoholism and contemplating suicide. All proceeds from the book were donated to former England player Tony Adams Sporting Chance charity.[1]

In 2004, Aizlewood was fined £1,800 after assaulting television presenter Jane Harvey during an interview for BBC investigative programme X-Ray by "grabbing her around the neck and pushing her down a flight of steps".[11] In 2012, Aizlewood was one of three men arrested into allegations of fraud regarding £1.6m of government funds that had been given to a company where Aizlewood was serving as a director.[12] Aizlewood was later banned from serving as a director of any company for six years, along with Paul Sugrue and two others.[13][14]

Honours

Cardiff City
1993–94

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "My 27 year booze battle". South Wales Argus. 2009-11-13. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Hayes, Dean (2006). The Who's Who of Cardiff City. Breedon Books. ISBN 1-85983-462-0.
  3. ↑ "Mark Aizlewood". Post War English & Scottish Football League A – Z Player's Database. Retrieved 6 May 2010.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Wash, Roger (2008). Hatters Heroes. Roger Wash. ISBN 978-0-9560832-0-3.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Ian Rush's assistant, Mark Aizlewood leaves". The Football Network. 2005-04-05. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  6. ↑ "Aizlewood salute no Mark of respect". Yorkshire Evening Post. 2009-05-01. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  7. ↑
  8. ↑ "Hanes Y Clwb / Club History". Carmarthen Town A.F.C. Retrieved 22 May 2009.
  9. ↑ "Aizlewood back with Carmarthen". South Wales Evening Post (Local World). 7 January 2012. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  10. ↑ Heath, Tony (26 August 1996). "Welsh speak up for their ancient tongue". The Independent. Retrieved 22 May 2009.
  11. ↑ "Ex-footballer guilty of presenter attack". BBC News. 2004-06-21. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  12. ↑ "SFO make arrests in football apprenticeship investigation". The Guardian. 2012-05-17. Retrieved 2014-01-05.
  13. ↑ "Ex-County star Aizlewood banned as company director". South Wales Argus. 2013-12-13. Retrieved 2014-05-01.
  14. ↑ "Case details for Mark Aizlewood". The Insolvency Service. Retrieved 2015-01-05.

External links