Mark McCarrick explained

Mark McCarrick
Fullname:Mark Bernard McCarrick
Position:Full back
Birth Date:4 February 1962
Birth Place:Liverpool, England
Youthclubs1:West Bromwich Albion
Clubs1:Caroline Hill (Hong Kong)
Clubs2:Christchurch (New Zealand)
Years3:1982–1983
Clubs3:Witton Albion
Years4:1983–1984
Caps4:15
Goals4:0
Years5:1984–1986
Caps5:44
Goals5:0
Years6:1986
Caps6:11
Goals6:0
Years7:1986
Caps7:12[1]
Goals7:1
Years8:1986–1987
Clubs8:Runcorn
Years9:1987–1991
Caps9:125
Goals9:14
Years10:1991
Clubs10:Altrincham
Years11:1991
Clubs11:Northwich Victoria
Years12:1991
Clubs12:Marine
Years13:1991
Clubs13:Winsford United
Years14:1993
Caps14:6
Goals14:1
Years15:1993–1996
Clubs15:Winsford United
Years16:1996
Clubs16:Middlewich Athletic
Years17:1987
Clubs17:Koparit
Caps17:2
Goals17:0

Mark Bernard McCarrick (born 4 February 1962) is an English former professional footballer who played nearly 200 games in the Football League representing Birmingham City, Lincoln City, Crewe Alexandra and Tranmere Rovers.[2] He played as a full back.

Career

McCarrick was born in Liverpool. When he left school in 1985 he joined West Bromwich Albion as an apprentice but never signed professional forms with the club. He played abroad before signing for Witton Albion in 1982, and turned professional with Birmingham City in May 1983.[3] McCarrick made his debut for the club on 6 September 1983 as a substitute for Tony Rees in a 1–0 home win against Stoke City in the First Division. He played fairly regularly in the second half of the 1983–84 season,[4] but his lack of pace was exposed by John Barnes in the FA Cup quarter final against Watford, and he was allowed to leave for Third Division club Lincoln City in July 1984 for a fee of £4,000. He played 53 games in all competitions for Lincoln, of which 44 came in the Third Division.[5] In May 1985 he was a member of the Lincoln City team playing Bradford City at Valley Parade when a stand caught fire and 56 spectators were killed. From February 1986 he played for Crewe Alexandra on a non-contract basis, then in Finland with Koparit and in non-League football with Runcorn, before Tranmere Rovers took him back to the Football League for a fee of £5,000.[3]

McCarrick was with Tranmere as they climbed from near the bottom of the Fourth Division to the top of the Third, winning the Football League Trophy in 1990 along the way, though he played in neither their losing playoff final[6] nor the Football League Trophy final,[7] and had left by the time they won promotion to the Second Division in 1991.[8] Described by goalkeeper Eric Nixon as "one of those who could be relied upon to give his all", McCarrick was picked by both Nixon and radio journalist Peter McDowall at left back in their Tranmere select XIs.[9] [10]

In March 1991, McCarrick dropped back into non-league football in the Cheshire area with Altrincham, Northwich Victoria, Marine, Winsford United and Middlewich Athletic,[3] [11] interrupted by a spell running a bar in Spain and a foray into the League of Wales with Bangor City.[3] [12]

After retiring as a player, McCarrick ran a soccer school for children in Portugal.[13] [14]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Brittipelaajat Suomessa . Futisforum2 . Finnish . 6 October 2006 . 28 April 2009.
  2. Web site: Mark McCarrick . UK A–Z Transfers . Neil Brown . 17 March 2009.
  3. Book: Matthews, Tony . Birmingham City: A Complete Record . 1995 . Breedon Books . Derby . 108 . 978-1-85983-010-9.
  4. Matthews, p. 219.
  5. Web site: Mark McCarrick . The Lincoln City FC Archive . Lincoln City F.C. . 28 April 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120226110601/http://www.redimps.com/archive3/index.mv?cat=players&drop=playerdetsdrop&play=mcca04 . 26 February 2012 . dead .
  6. News: Tranmere topple champions . The Times . NewsBank . Keith . Blackmore . 21 May 1990 . 28 April 2009.
  7. News: County home in on victory . The Times . NewsBank . Keith . Blackmore . 28 May 1990 . 28 April 2009.
  8. Web site: Tranmere Rovers . Football Club History Database . Richard Rundle . 28 April 2009.
  9. News: Success story of a King's empire . Liverpool Echo . Nick . Hilton . 31 March 2007 . 28 April 2009.
  10. Web site: From the Press Box: With Peter McDowall . https://web.archive.org/web/20171029190519/http://www.clubfanzine.com/tranmere_rovers/v2.showNews.php?id=13222 . dead . 29 October 2017 . Richard . Ault . Every Ball's A White Ball . 14 August 2008 . 28 April 2009.
  11. News: Robins' rollercoaster week . Crewe Guardian . 5 September 1996 . 14 August 2015.
  12. Web site: Welsh Premier career details for Mark Mccarrick . Welsh Premier League . 28 April 2009.
  13. News: We're going to the Algarve with the WAGs . Kate . Simon . The Independent . 20 January 2008 . 28 April 2009.
  14. Web site: About us . Mark McCarrick Soccer School . https://web.archive.org/web/20100718171248/http://www.markmccarricksoccerschools.com/about.html . 18 July 2010.