Mark Whitlock (born 14 March 1961) is an English retired footballer. Primarily a centre back, Whitlock played initially for Hampshire-based club Southampton, before moving to local rivals Bournemouth in 1986, Reading in 1988, and Aldershot in 1990.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mark Whitlock[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 14 March 1961[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Portsmouth, England[1] | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2][3] | ||
| Position(s) | Centre back[1] | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Sarisbury Sparks | |||
| 1975–1979 | Southampton | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1979–1986 | Southampton | 61 | (1) |
| 1982 | → Grimsby Town (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| 1983 | → Aldershot (loan) | 14 | (0) |
| 1986–1988 | Bournemouth | 99 | (1) |
| 1988–1990 | Reading | 27 | (0) |
| 1990–1992 | Aldershot | 39 | (2) |
| 1992–19?? | Aerostructures S & S | ||
| Total | 248 | (4) | |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Club career
editWhitlock was born in Portsmouth and was educated at Bridgemary School. He played youth football with Sarisbury Sparks.[4] He began his career as a youth player with Southampton,[5] starting as an associate schoolboy in October 1975 before becoming an apprentice in August 1977 and signing professional terms in March 1979,[4] having already played regularly in the reserve-team since December 1977.[6]
He made his league debut for the club in September 1981,[7] playing the full 90 minutes of a 4–1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the First Division,[8] and scored his first goal in March 1982 against Stoke City.[9] After spending spells on loan at Grimsby Town and Aldershot in the 1982–83 season,[10] he became a semi-regular starting player in the 1983–84 season, and made a total of 61 appearances in all competitions before leaving the club in July 1986.[7] Described as a "quiet, effective central defender",[4] he initially vied with Ken Armstong to be centre-back, before the emergence of Mark Wright and the signing of Kevin Bond in September 1984 led to him being deployed in various midfield roles.[11]
Along with Saints' teammate David Puckett, Whitlock was transferred to local side Bournemouth in July 1986 as part of a deal which saw Northern Irish striker Colin Clarke moving to The Dell. He helped Bournemouth win their first Third Division championship in his first season with the club.[5] Whitlock remained with Bournemouth for the following season, when the team finished 17th in the Second Division, but left less than halfway through the 1988–89 campaign to move back down a division with Reading.[7] The defender stayed with Reading until the end of the 1989–90 season,[7] at which point he moved to Fourth Division side Aldershot until the club was dissolved in 1992.[5]
Later career
editOn retiring from League football, Whitlock found employment as a security guard, and turned out occasionally for the Aerostructures works team at Hamble.[4]
Honours
editBournemouth
- Third Division champions: 1986–87
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Mark Whitlock". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
- ^ Chalk, Gary; Holley, Duncan; Bull, David (2013). All the Saints: A Complete Players' Who's Who of Southampton FC. Southampton: Hagiology Publishing. p. 500. ISBN 978-0-9926-8640-6.
- ^ Dunk, Peter (20 August 1987). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88. Queen Anne Press. p. 74. ISBN 978-0-3561435-4-5.
- ^ a b c d Holley, Duncan; Chalk, Gary (2003). In That Number – A post-war chronicle of Southampton FC. Hagiology Publishing. ISBN 0-9534474-3-X.
- ^ a b c Perrett, Neil (23 December 2011). "Cherries: Title-winners team-mates again after random supermarket meeting". Bournemouth Daily Echo. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
- ^ In That Number – A post-war chronicle of Southampton FC. pp. 454–459.
- ^ a b c d "Mark Whitlock". 11v11.com. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
- ^ "Southampton v Wolverhampton Wanderers, 01 September 1981". 11v11.com. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
- ^ "Southampton v Stoke City, 27 March 1982". 11v11.com. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
- ^ "Mark Whitlock". Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Transfer Database. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
- ^ Chalk, Gary; Holley, Duncan (1987). Saints – A complete record. Breedon Books. pp. 191, 193, 195. ISBN 0-907969-22-4.
External links
edit- Mark Whitlock at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Transfer Database