Mark Kerr (footballer)

Mark Kerr
Personal information
Date of birth (1982-03-02) 2 March 1982
Place of birth Coatbridge, Scotland
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Falkirk
Number 8
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2003 Falkirk 107 (8)
2003–2008 Dundee United 164 (2)
2008–2010 Aberdeen 69 (1)
2010–2011 Asteras Tripolis 2 (0)
2012 Dunfermline Athletic 13 (0)
2012–2013 Dundee 8 (0)
2013–2014 Partick Thistle 0 (0)
2014 Queen of the South 23 (1)
2015– Falkirk 82 (2)
National team
2005 Scotland B 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 29 April 2017.

Mark Kerr (born 2 March 1982) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays for Falkirk in the Scottish Championship. He is in his second spell at the club, having started his senior career there in 1998. He later played for Dundee United and Aberdeen before joining Asteras Tripoli in Greece. Returning to Scotland, Kerr played for Dunfermline Athletic, Dundee, Partick Thistle and Queen of the South before rejoining Falkirk in 2015. He made one appearance for the Scotland B team in 2005.

Club career

Falkirk

Kerr began his career with Falkirk, where he played from 1998 until 2003. He had joined Falkirk from Moodiesburn Boys Club as a sixteen-year-old, and progressed through the Youth Development scheme at Brockville, so was already well known to then-manager Ian McCall and his management team. McCall had been keeping tabs on the Scotland Under-21 player since he himself left Falkirk.

Kerr made his Falkirk debut towards the end of the 1998–99 season at the age of 17 against Clydebank. The following season, he turned out seven times and scored his first goal in a 3–3 draw at Ayr United. For the next three seasons, he hardly missed a game for Falkirk and by the time he left, he had accumulated 125 appearances and scored nine times.

Dundee United

In July 2003, he moved to Dundee United on a Bosman transfer.[1] Kerr soon settled at Tannadice and became a regular in the side, and by the end of his first season, he had racked up 33 League and two cup appearances. His tenacity in midfield was a feature of the latter part of the campaign in which United finished strongly to take fifth place.

Commencing the season 2004–05 in the starting eleven, Kerr suffered a dip in form and only appeared another four times before making his way back into the first team at the turn of the year. He went on to miss only one more match throughout the rest of the season, and became a vital part of the midfield as Gordon Chisholm became manager. His two goals in that term came in the Cup competitions, one in the 3–0 CIS Cup win over Stranraer at Tannadice and the other in the thrilling 4–3 Scottish Cup tie against Gretna. Kerr played in the majority of matches in every season but was responsible for a horrendous backpass in the League Cup Final of 2008. United were minutes away from lifting the trophy, the backpass forcing the game into extra time and a penalty shoot out, which United lost. Kerr chose to leave when his contract expired at the end of June 2008 and moved to Aberdeen F.C.[2]

Aberdeen

In July 2008, it was reported that Kerr was on the verge of a move to New Firm rivals Aberdeen,[3] and he subsequently moved to Pittodrie on a Bosman transfer, taking over the number 8 shirt vacated by Barry Nicholson. Kerr was made Aberdeen club captain from the start of season 2009–10.[4] He scored once for Aberdeen, his goal coming in a 2–1 loss at home to Kilmarnock on 5 May 2010.[5]

Greece and return to Scotland

Kerr agreed to join Greek side Asteras Tripolis; the move was announced on 6 June 2010.[6] Asteras finished 13th in the 2010–11 Greek Superleague.[7] Kerr played his final match for the club in September 2011.[7]

In January 2012, Kerr signed for Dunfermline Athletic until the end of the 2011–12 Scottish Premier League season.[7] Kerr made his debut for the club in a 1–1 draw against Kilmarnock on 7 February 2012. However, Dunfermline were relegated at the end of the season and Kerr left the club[8] despite manager being offered a new contract by Jim Jefferies[9]

Dundee

After trial spells with Hibernian and Carlisle United, Kerr signed for Dundee, Dundee United's rival.[8] Previously, Kerr was on the verge of joining St Johnstone, after the club signed Steve MacLean, the duo having played together during their time at Aberdeen in 2010 while MacLean was on loan.[10] However, the move collapsed despite Kerr having a medical. He was 'frustrated' with the inability to complete the deal.[11] After the move, Kerr said he didn't know why his move to St Johnstone collapsed.[11] On 15 September 2012, Kerr made his debut, playing in defensive midfield, in a 2–1 loss against Motherwell.

Partick Thistle

Kerr began pre season training with the Partick Thistle team. On 13 July 2013, Kerr scored a goal from 35 yards in a pre-season friendly against Dumbarton at the Bet Butler Stadium in a 4-3 win. He was released on 30 January 2014.[12][13]

Queen of the South

Kerr signed for Queen of the South on 7 February 2014, having been released by Partick Thistle.[14] On 30 December 2014 Kerr left the Dumfries club by mutual consent.[15]

Falkirk (second spell)

Kerr signed for the Falkirk for a second spell on 3 January 2015.[16]

International career

Kerr made an appearance for the Scotland B team in December 2005, coming on as a substitute against Poland in the Future Cup 2005 competition.

Statistics

Correct as of 2 November 2008

Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Scotland League Scottish Cup League Cup Europe Total
1998–99FalkirkScottish First Division20---20
1999-0071---71
2000–013222020-362
2001–023031020-333
2002–033624030-432
2003–04Dundee UnitedScottish Premier League331-20-351
2004–053005121-372
2005–0635110-21382
2006–073602020-400
2007–083003050-380
2008–09Aberdeen2904020-350
Career total 300102212012134413

Honours

Falkirk
2002–03
Dundee United
2004–05
2007–08

References

  1. ↑ "Dundee Utd land Kerr". BBC Sport. 1 July 2003. Retrieved 3 July 2008.
  2. ↑ "Kerr can go as Levein's hunt for striker hots up". The Courier. Retrieved 30 June 2008.
  3. ↑ "Kerr poised for Pittodrie switch". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 July 2008.
  4. ↑ "Kerr completes Pittodrie switch". BBC Sport. 7 July 2008. Retrieved 7 July 2008.
  5. ↑ "Aberdeen 1 – 2 Kilmarnock". BBC. 5 May 2010. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  6. ↑ "Dons skipper Kerr moves to Greece". BBC Sport. BBC. 6 June 2010.
  7. 1 2 3 "Mark Kerr will join Dunfermline on a short-term deal". BBC Sport. BBC. 20 January 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
  8. 1 2 "Dundee beat St Johnstone to midfielder Mark Kerr's signature". BBC Sport. BBC. 13 September 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
  9. ↑ "Jefferies facing Kerr fight". Sky Sports. 1 June 2012. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  10. ↑ "St Johnstone sign Steven MacLean & hope to add Mark Kerr". BBC Sport. 1 September 2012. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  11. 1 2 "'I don't know what happened' — Dundee new boy Mark Kerr in dark about collapse of Saints deal". The Courier. 14 September 2012. Archived from the original on 9 October 2012. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
  12. ↑ http://ptfc.co.uk/news/2013-2014/january_2014/mark_kerr_released
  13. ↑ http://ptfc.co.uk/news/2013-2014/june_2013/the_manager_on_the_start_of_pre-season_training
  14. ↑ http://www.qosfc.com/new_newsview.aspx?newsid=2185
  15. ↑ http://www.qosfc.com/new_newsview.aspx?newsid=2628
  16. ↑ http://www.falkirkfc.co.uk/?p=9173#sthash.mp2TlY7G.dpbs
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