Mark Anthony Smalley (born 2 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.[3] He played as a central defender. Smalley represented England at youth level.[4][5]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mark Anthony Smalley[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 2 January 1965 | ||
| Place of birth | Newark-on-Trent, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Central defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1981–1983 | Nottingham Forest | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1983–1987 | Nottingham Forest | 3 | (0) |
| 1986 | → Birmingham City (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 1986–1987 | → Bristol Rovers (loan) | 10 | (0) |
| 1987–1990 | Leyton Orient | 64 | (4) |
| 1989–1990 | → Mansfield Town (loan)[a] | ||
| 1990–1991 | Mansfield Town[a] | 49 | (2) |
| 1991–1992 | Maidstone United | 34 | (2) |
| 1992–1993 | Kettering Town | 19 | (0) |
| 1993–199? | Ilkeston Town | ||
| 1995 | Hucknall Town | ||
| International career | |||
| 1983 | England U17 | 3 | (0) |
| 1983 | England U18 | 1 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Career
editSmalley 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.[6] Smalley played five times altogether for Forest's first team: one substitute appearance in the league in the 1983–84 season,[7] 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.[8][9] 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,[10] 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][3][11] Smalley then moved into non-league football with Conference club Kettering Town, for whom he played 24 games in all competitions,[12][13] Ilkeston Town[1] and Hucknall Town.[14]
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 124. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
- ^ Dunk, Peter, ed. (1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 214. ISBN 978-0-356-14354-5.
- ^ a b c "Mark Smalley". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 26 May 2009.
- ^ "Match results under 17 1982–2010". England Football Online. Chris Goodwin & Glen Isherwood. 31 August 2024. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
- ^ "Match results under 18 1980–1990". England Football Online. Chris Goodwin & Glen Isherwood. 9 October 2024. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
- ^ "Season 1982–1983". The Bridport Red Archive. Archived from the original on 27 December 2008.
- ^ "Season 1983–1984". The Bridport Red Archive. Archived from the original on 18 September 2010.
- ^ "Season 1984–1985". The Bridport Red Archive. Archived from the original on 18 September 2010.
- ^ "Players S". The Bridport Red Archive. Archived from the original on 27 April 2009.
- ^ Matthews, p. 221.
- ^ "Maidstone United". Football Club History Database. Richard Rundle. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
- ^ "Player profile Mark Smalley". Poppies Fans. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
- ^ Harman, John, ed. (2005). Alliance to Conference 1979–2004: The first 25 years. Tony Williams Publications. p. 371. ISBN 978-1-869833-52-7.
- ^ "Where Are They Now – from J to Z". Nottingham Forest F.C. 23 March 2009. Archived from the original on 22 July 2012.
External links
edit- Mark Smalley at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database