Mark Smalley

Mark Smalley
Personal information
Full nameMark Anthony Smalley
Date of birth2 January 1965
Place of birthNewark-on-Trent, England
Playing positionCentral defender
Youth career
1981–1983Nottingham Forest
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1983–1987Nottingham Forest3(0)
1986→ Birmingham City (loan)7(0)
1986–1987→ Bristol Rovers (loan)10(0)
1987–1990Leyton Orient64(4)
1989–1990→ Mansfield Town (loan)[A]
1990–1991Mansfield Town[A]49(2)
1991–1992Maidstone United34(2)
1992–1993Kettering Town19(0)
1993–199xIlkeston Town
1995Hucknall Town
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Mark Anthony Smalley[1] (born 12 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.[2] He played as a central defender.

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.[3] Smalley played five times altogether for Forest's first team: one substitute appearance in the league in the 1983–84 season,[4] 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.[5][6] 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,[7] 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][2][8] Smalley then moved into non-league football with Conference club Kettering Town, for whom he played 24 games in all competitions,[9][10] Ilkeston Town[1] and Hucknall Town.[11]

Notes

A. ^ 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.[2]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 124. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Mark Smalley". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
  3. ↑ "Season 1982–1983". The Bridport Red Archive. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
  4. ↑ "Season 1983–1984". The Bridport Red Archive. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
  5. ↑ "Season 1984–1985". The Bridport Red Archive. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
  6. ↑ "Players S". The Bridport Red Archive. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
  7. ↑ Matthews, p. 221.
  8. ↑ "Maidstone United". Football Club History Database. Richard Rundle. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
  9. ↑ "Player profile Mark Smalley". poppiesfans.com. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
  10. ↑ Harman, John, ed. (2005). Alliance to Conference 1979–2004: The first 25 years. Tony Williams Publications. p. 371. ISBN 978-1-869833-52-7.
  11. ↑ "Where Are They Now – from J to Z". Nottingham Forest F.C. 23 March 2009. Retrieved 26 May 2009.

External links