Mark O'Connor
Personal information
Full name Mark Andrew O'Connor[1]
Date of birth (1963-03-10) 10 March 1963[1]
Place of birth Rochford, England
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 West Bromwich Albion (coach)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1981–1983 Queens Park Rangers 3 (0)
1983–1984 → Exeter City (loan) 38 (1)
1984–1985 Bristol Rovers 80 (10)
1985–1990 AFC Bournemouth 128 (12)
1990–1993 Gillingham 116 (8)
1993–1995 AFC Bournemouth 58 (3)
1995–1998 Gillingham 40 (1)
Total 463 (35)
International career
1985 Republic of Ireland-U21 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Mark Andrew O'Connor (born 10 March 1963) is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder in the Football League for Queens Park Rangers, Exeter City, Bristol Rovers, AFC Bournemouth and Gillingham.[3]

Playing career

O'Connor was born in Rochford and began his career with Queens Park Rangers. He made only three appearances for Rangers in three seasons, and the 1983–84 campaign he spent out on loan at Exeter City. He joined Bristol Rovers in the summer of 1984. O'Connor earned one cap for the Republic of Ireland U21 side against England in 1985. He spent one and half years at Eastville Stadium making 99 appearances scoring 13 goals before leaving for AFC Bournemouth in March 1986. O'Connor spent five seasons at Dean Court making 148 appearances and helped the Cherries win the Third Division title in 1986–87. He then went on to play for Gillingham and then made a return to Bournemouth before ending his career back at Gillingham helping the side gain promotion in 1995–96. He broke his leg against Fulham on 25 November 1995 in a tackle with Martin Thomas which resulted in his retirement from playing just over a year later.[4]

Coaching career

After ending his playing career in 1998 he moved into coaching with manager Tony Pulis at Gillingham whom he played with at Bournemouth. He moved with Pulis to Portsmouth in June 2000 and became their academy manager where he remained until 2005 when he linked up again with Pulis at Plymouth Argyle.[5] He spent a season at Plymouth before moving back to Stoke City with Pulis to become one of his first-team coaches alongside former teammate Adrian Pennock in June 2006.[6] He left Stoke at the end of the 2012–13 season.[7] On 22 July 2013 O'Connor joined Bristol City as their under-21 manager.[8]

In January 2015 O'Connor joined West Bromwich Albion to work again with Pulis and Kemp.[9]

Career statistics

Source:[10]

Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other[A] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Queens Park Rangers 1981–82 Second Division 1000000010
1982–83 Second Division 2000000020
1983–84 First Division 0000000000
Total 3000000030
Exeter City (loan) 1983–84 Third Division 381210031432
Total 381210031432
Bristol Rovers 1984–85 Third Division 468314020559
1985–86 Third Division 342404121444
Total 80107181419913
AFC Bournemouth 1985–86 Third Division 9100000091
1986–87 Third Division 437200030487
1987–88 Second Division 372105000432
1988–89 Second Division 332401010392
1989–90 Second Division 6000201090
Total 1281270805014812
Gillingham 1989–90 Fourth Division 151000010161
1990–91 Fourth Division 413102020463
1991–92 Fourth Division 393202020453
1992–93 Third Division 211504021322
Total 11688080711399
AFC Bournemouth 1993–94 Second Division 453404010543
1994–95 Second Division 130004000170
Total 583408010713
Gillingham 1995–96 Third Division 181202000221
1996–97 Second Division 220301000260
1997–98 Second Division 0000100010
Total 401504000491
Career Total 4633533236120355241
A. ^ The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the Football League Trophy and Full Members Cup.

Honours

AFC Bournemouth

References

  1. 1 2 "Mark O'Connor". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  2. ↑ Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 74. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
  3. ↑ Triggs, Roger (2001). The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. Tempus Publishing Ltd. p. 237. ISBN 0-7524-2243-X.
  4. ↑ Blair, Olivia (2 May 1998). "Football: Last act and testament to a professional footballer's career". The Independent. London. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
  5. ↑ "Coach O'Connor departs Plymouth". BBC Sport. 8 July 2006. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
  6. ↑ "Stoke City's Mark O'Connor pleased with squad depth". BBC Sport. 23 November 2010. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
  7. ↑ "Dave Kevan heads list of departures from the Britannia". The Sentinel. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  8. ↑ "O'Connor takes Under-21 role". Bristol City F.C. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  9. ↑ "Tony Pulis: West Brom have plenty of targets". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
  10. ↑ Mark O'Connor at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  • Mark O'Connor at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database
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