Mark Seagraves Explained

Mark Seagraves
Height:6 ft 0 in[1]
Birth Date:1966 10, df=y
Birth Place:Bootle, England
Position:Defender
Years1:1983–1987
Clubs1:Liverpool
Caps1:0
Goals1:0
Years2:1986
Clubs2:Norwich City (loan)
Caps2:3
Goals2:0
Years3:1987–1990
Clubs3:Manchester City
Caps3:42
Goals3:0
Years4:1990–1995
Clubs4:Bolton Wanderers
Caps4:157
Goals4:7
Years5:1995–1998
Clubs5:Swindon Town
Caps5:61
Goals5:0
Years6:1998–1999
Clubs6:Barrow
Totalcaps:263
Totalgoals:7

Mark Seagraves (born 22 October 1966) is an English former professional footballer who played as a defender for Liverpool, Norwich City, Manchester City, Bolton Wanderers and Swindon Town.

Career

Seagraves was born in Bootle. He began his playing career with Liverpool. He came through their youth system and won England Youth caps. However, he was unable to break into Liverpool's first team. He made two appearances for the club, both in cup matches. His debut came in the first leg of the 1985–86 League Cup semi-finals, against Queen's Park Rangers, when he deputised for the injured Gary Gillespie.[2] He made one further appearance in an FA Cup tie against York City, but after Gillespie recovered, Seagraves never again featured in the Liverpool team. He spent a short spell on loan at Norwich City F.C. during the 1986–87 season and made three appearances for The Canaries.[3]

Early in the 1987–88 season, Mel Machin signed Seagraves for Manchester City, then in the Second Division, for a transfer fee of £100,000.[4] He made his debut the following Saturday, when he came on as a substitute for Paul Lake in a 2–0 home defeat at the hands of Leeds United.[5] He made 14 starts in the 1987–88 season, mostly deputising for Kenny Clements. He was the first-choice right back in the first half of the 1988–89 season, in which City gained promotion to the First Division, but his season was ended in February by a cracked vertebra.[6] His first team opportunities were limited the following season. A brief opportunity arrived after Machin was sacked in November 1989. Still, Seagraves made just two appearances before new manager Howard Kendall brought in Alan Harper as a new right-back. His final Manchester City appearance came on 9 December 1989 against Southampton.[7] In September 1990 he was transferred to Bolton Wanderers for £100,000.[8]

Whilst at Bolton Seagraves played in the 1995 Football League Cup Final. Seagraves went on to play for Swindon Town before moving into non-league football. He was appointed to his coaching position at Wigan in the summer of 2006. His manager at Wigan – Paul Jewell – was a teammate of Seagraves in the Liverpool FC youth team. In November 2007 he left Wigan to join Jewell at his new club Derby County.On Monday 29 December 2008, Seagraves left his position as coach at Derby County after the resignation of Paul Jewell.

He linked up with Jewell for a fourth time when agreeing to become a scout for Ipswich Town in November 2011.

In May 2013 Seagraves began working in Delhi India, for a company called "India On Track" in conjunction with Arsenal Soccer Schools. He is working to create a structure within the Soccer Schools that will be sustainable and will ensure the future development of football and football players within India.

Post-playing career

After his retirement from playing Seagraves ran Football Faktory, a football school for children in India.[9]

Honours

Bolton Wanderers

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88 . Peter . Dunk . Queen Anne Press . London . 1987 . 222 . 978-0-356-14354-5.
  2. News: Liverpool injured recovering . The Times . 14 February 1986.
  3. Web site: Mark Seagraves . Liverpool FC official website . 5 November 2012.
  4. News: Melrose moves to Leeds . Ian Ross . The Times . 24 September 1987.
  5. Book: James, Gary . Manchester City - The Complete Record . Breedon . Derby . 2006 . 1-85983-512-0 . 442–3.
  6. News: Armstrong hearing date fixed . The Times . 1 February 1989.
  7. James, Manchester City - The Complete Record, p. 447.
  8. News: Ginzburg too expensive for Newcastle . The Times . 25 September 1990.
  9. News: Chanda . Kathakali . Why An Indian Owner Of An Elite Football Club Could Be A Win-win . 7 March 2023 . Forbes India . 30 November 2022.
  10. News: Liverpool prevail in cup final to savour . Glenn . Moore . The Independent . 2 April 1995 . 3 April 2024.