Mark Bonner

Mark Bonner
Personal information
Full name Mark Bonner
Date of birth (1974-06-07) 7 June 1974
Place of birth Ormskirk, England
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Playing position Midfielder
Youth career
1989–1991 Blackpool
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1991–1998 Blackpool 178 (14)
1998–2004 Cardiff City 143 (2)
1999 → Hull City (loan) 1 (1)
2004–2006 Oldham Athletic 33 (1)
Total 355 (18)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 30 January 2007.


Mark Bonner (born 7 June 1974) is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. During his career, he made over 300 appearances in the Football League.[1] He began his professional career with Blackpool, making his first team debut at the age of just 17, and went on to make over 200 appearances for the side in all competitions. In 1998, he turned down a new contract at Bloomfield Road and instead joined Cardiff City where he spent six seasons. In 1999, he spent a brief period on loan at Hull City to regain match fitness after falling out of favour at Ninian Park, playing one match before returning to Cardiff due to injury.

During his spell with the Bluebirds, Bonner helped the club to three promotions in six seasons and suffered one relegation during the 1999–2000 season, reaching the First Division, and also played in their 2–1 victory over Premier League side Leeds United in the third round of the FA Cup in January 2002.[2] In 2004, Bonner joined Oldham Athletic but suffered a career ending injury in September 2005 after breaking his arm in a match against Port Vale. After two surgeries on the injury, he was advised to stop playing by medical staff and subsequently retired from professional football in 2006 at the age of 32.

Early life

Bonner was born in Ormskirk in Lancashire.[1][3] As a teenager, Bonner attended Bishop Rawstorne Church of England Academy in Croston.[4]

Career

Blackpool

Bonner began his career playing youth football for local side Euxton Villa. After impressing Blackpool scout Neil Bailey,[5] he joined the club on a YTS deal at the age of 15 and progressed through the youth ranks under Jimmy Mullen and Graham Carr. He broke into the first team as a teenager, making his first team debut at the age of 17 in November 1991 as a substitute during a 5–2 victory over Aldershot. However, this match was later expunged from the final standings after Aldershot withdrew from the Football League due to bankruptcy. His official debut then came just four days later when he was named in the starting line-up in a 1–1 draw with Chesterfield.[3] He went on to make three league appearances during the 1991–92 season as Blackpool reached the Division Four play-off final, defeating Scunthorpe United on penalties to win promotion to Division Three, although Bonner played no part in the play-offs.[3]

He became a regular in the first team under Billy Ayre during the latter's final two years with the Tangerines at the age of 19.[4] During the 1995–96 season, Blackpool missed out on promotion to the Second Division by a single point under the guidance of manager Sam Allardyce. During the play-offs, they played Bradford City, with Bonner scoring once during a 2–0 first leg win. However, Bradford won the second leg 3–0 to advance to the final.[4] He also played in several notable FA Cup upsets at the club, including defeating Manchester City, a game in which he was tasked with marking Georgian winger Georgi Kinkladze, and a 5–4 defeat to Chelsea, after Blackpool had recovered from an original 2–0 first leg deficit by scoring three times at Stamford Bridge.[4]

Cardiff City

After seven years and four managers in his time at Bloomfield Road, Bonner moved south to join Cardiff City in 1998 on a free transfer after turning down a new contract at Blackpool, stating "I felt I was going a bit stale and I needed a new challenge. It was nothing to do with Blackpool or the people connected with the club, I just felt it was time to move on."[3][5] Another reason Bonner chose Cardiff was the presence of his former Blackpool manager Billy Ayre at Ninian Park, describing him as "almost like a second dad to me",[4] where he was assistant manager to Frank Burrows. Ayre would later replace Burrows as manager during the 1999–2000 season as the club struggled. He soon established himself in the side but after suffering from injury he was unable to reclaim his place and was allowed to join Third Division side Hull City on a one-month loan deal, alongside Blackpool midfielder Gary Brabin. Bonner enjoyed a dream debut for the club, scoring the winning goal against Rotherham United,[6] but the loan spell was cut short when he suffered an ankle injury in training and was sent back to Cardiff, with the Rotherham game being his only appearance for the club.[7]

After recovering from the injury he managed to force his way back into the side that had seen an injection of funds from chairman Sam Hammam that saw a number of new signings arrive, including Graham Kavanagh, Spencer Prior and Neil Alexander. Bonner played a key role in the clubs promotion to Division Two, forming a central midfield partnership with Willie Boland,[3] having come close to leaving the side in March 2003 after falling out of favour under manager Lennie Lawrence. Bonner commeneted "I got my head down, trained hard and have forced myself back into the side". During his time at Ninian Park, Bonner played key roles in avoiding relegation back to Division Three and the eventual promotion to Division One, helping the club to three promotions during his six season stay and suffering one relegation during the 1999–2000 season.[8] He also played in the 2003 Football League Second Division play-off Final at the Millennium Stadium as a late substitute in place of Andy Legg as Cardiff defeated Queens Park Rangers 1–0 to win promotion.[4][9] He was also part of the side that caused a FA Cup upset by defeating Premier League leaders Leeds United in the third round during the 2001–02 season.[2][10]

The following season, Bonner made 20 appearances for the Bluebirds but fell out of favour at the club, making his final appearance in December 2003 as injuries took their toll on him and he grew unhappy following being excluded from the side due to a potential bonus being triggered if he played another league fixture for the club along with Gareth Whalley,[11] he left the club in March 2004 after being released.[12]

Oldham Athletic

Bonner instead joined Division Two side Oldham Athletic in March 2004 on a deal until the end of the 2003–04 season, becoming Brian Talbot's first signing since being appointed manager.[12] He made nine appearances during the final two months of the season as Oldham avoided relegation and he was rewarded with a two-year contract with the Latics.[13] He scored once for Oldham against Southend United.[14]

On 28 September 2005, having just signed a new contract extension at the club, Bonner played in a 2–2 draw with Port Vale but suffered a severely broken arm in the opening five minutes of the match after colliding with a Port Vale player. He was quickly replaced by Richard Butcher,[15] before being transported to a local hospital for treatment. His arm was pinned back together and he was originally expected to be out for eight weeks,[16] but his arm failed to knit back together correctly and, in November, this was eventually extended to an estimated three months out,[17] from the injury and was forced to undergo a second operation where surgeons were forced to graft bone from his hip onto his arm. His arm was eventually secured using a metal plate and nine pins.[18] He was forced to retire from football at the age of 32 on medical advice after being warned of potential permanent disability if he injured the arm again.[4][18]

After football

After his retirement from football, Bonner later opened his own furniture store in Chorley.[4][10]

Career statistics

Club

Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other[nb 1] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Blackpool 1991–92[7] Division Four 3000001040
1992–93[7][nb 2] Second Division 150202020210
1993–94[7] 407106020497
1994–95[7] 170000010180
1995–96[7] 423302051524
1996–97[7] 291204010361
1997–98[7] 323204010393
Blackpool total1781410018013121915
Cardiff City 1998–99[7] Division Three 251002010281
1999–2000[7] Division Two 310202000350
2000–01[7] Division Three 241202000281
2001–02[7] Division Two 290400041371
2002–03[7] 140000050190
2003–04[7] Division One 200002000220
Cardiff City total143280801111703
Hull City (loan) 1998–99[7] Division Three 1100100011
Oldham Athletic[7] 2003–04[7] Division Two 7000000070
2004–05[7] League One 190001000200
2005–06[7] 7100100081
Oldham Athletic total331002000351
Total 3551818029024242620
  1. ↑ Includes other competitive competitions, including the Football League Trophy and Football League play-offs
  2. ↑ The Third Division was renamed the Second Division following the creation of the Premier League

Honours

Cardiff City[8]
2000–01
2002–03

References

  1. 1 2 "Mark Bonner". Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database. Neil Brown. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  2. 1 2 "Cardiff stun Leeds". BBC Sport. 6 January 2002. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Mark out to illuminate tough Blackpool clash". South Wales Echo. 13 December 2001. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Mike Day talks to soccer star Mark Bonner". Chorley Guardian. 17 April 2007. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  5. 1 2 "Old pal Bonner just can't lose". Blackpool Gazette. 19 May 2010. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  6. ↑ "Flying start for Bonner; HULL 1 ROTHERHAM 0". thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 "Mark Bonner". On Cloud Seven. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  8. 1 2 Hayes, Dean (2006). The Who's Who of Cardiff City. Breedon Books. ISBN 1-85983-462-0.
  9. ↑ "Cardiff 1–0 QPR (aet)". BBC Sport. 25 May 2003. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  10. 1 2 "Cardiff City 2 – 1 Leeds United...10 years on from iconic FA Cup triumph". WalesOnline. 6 January 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
  11. ↑ "Bonus storm". South Wales Echo. 26 April 2004. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
  12. 1 2 "Bonner joins Oldham". BBC Sport. 25 March 2004. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  13. ↑ "Bonner signs Oldham deal". BBC Sport. 27 May 2004. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  14. ↑ "Southend 2–1 Oldham". BBC Sport. 4 September 2005. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  15. ↑ "Port Vale 2–2 Oldham". BBC Sport. 28 September 2005. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  16. ↑ "Bonner has broken arm confirmed". BBC Sport. 29 September 2005. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  17. ↑ "More injury woe for Bonner". Manchester Evening News. 22 November 2005. Retrieved 30 June 2016.
  18. 1 2 "Bonner retires on medical advice". BBC Sport. 19 January 2006. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
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