Mark Burke facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mark Stephen Burke | ||
| Date of birth | 12 February 1969 | ||
| Place of birth | Solihull, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Solihull and District Schools | |||
| 1985–1987 | Aston Villa | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1987 | Aston Villa | 7 | (0) |
| 1987–1991 | Middlesbrough | 57 | (6) |
| 1990 | → Darlington (loan) | 5 | (1) |
| 1991–1994 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 68 | (11) |
| 1994 | → Luton Town (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 1994–1995 | Port Vale | 15 | (2) |
| 1995–1999 | Fortuna Sittard | 108 | (10) |
| 1999–2000 | Omiya Ardija | 51 | (9) |
| 2001 | Rapid Bucharest | 8 | (1) |
| 2001 | IF Brommapojkarna | ||
| 2001–2002 | TOP Oss | 4 | (0) |
| Total | 326 | (40) | |
| International career | |||
| 1983–1984 | England Schoolboys | ||
| 1986 | England Youth | 2 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Mark Stephen Burke (born on 12 February 1969) is a former English footballer. He played as a midfielder, which is a player who helps both attack and defend. Mark was known for being good at keeping the ball during games.
He had a long career, playing professionally for 15 years. His journey took him to clubs in England, the Netherlands, Japan, Romania, and Sweden. He started his professional career in February 1987.
Contents
Mark Burke's Football Journey
Mark Burke joined Aston Villa as a young player in June 1985. Before becoming a professional, he played for England Schoolboys and the England Youth team. He made his first senior game for Aston Villa on 18 April 1987. In that season, Aston Villa was relegated, meaning they moved down from the top division.
Playing for Middlesbrough
In December 1987, Mark moved to Middlesbrough for £50,000. Middlesbrough also got promoted to the top division that season. However, Mark did not play in the important play-off final games.
In the next season, Middlesbrough finished just one spot behind Aston Villa. This meant they were relegated from the top division. Mark didn't play much during this time because he had disagreements with the manager, Bruce Rioch.
Loan to Darlington and Move to Wolves
In October 1990, Mark went on loan to Darlington. A loan means a player temporarily plays for another team. Darlington ended up winning the Fourth Division title that season.
In March 1991, Mark joined Wolverhampton Wanderers for £25,000. This move brought him back together with Graham Turner, who had been his manager at Aston Villa. Mark made his debut for Wolves in March 1991.
His best season at Wolves was in 1992–93. He played 34 games and scored 8 goals, which was his highest number of goals in one season.
Time at Luton Town and Port Vale
In March 1994, Mark had a short loan spell at Luton Town. After this, he returned to Wolves, where another former manager, Graham Taylor, was now in charge. However, Mark couldn't find a regular spot in the team.
He then joined Port Vale in August 1994. He scored two goals in 15 games for them. After this, he decided to try playing football outside of England.
Playing Abroad: Netherlands, Japan, Romania, and Sweden
Mark's first club outside England was Fortuna Sittard in the Eredivisie, the top Dutch league. He was recommended to the club by Terry Lees. Mark scored the winning goal in his very first game for Fortuna Sittard.
He played for Fortuna Sittard from 1995 to 1999. He then moved to Japan in June 1999 to play for J2 League club Omiya Ardija. He scored 5 goals in 20 games in 1999 and 4 goals in 31 games in 2000.
After his contract in Japan ended, Mark returned to Europe. He signed a short-term contract with Rapid Bucharest in Romania in March 2001. This made him the first English footballer to play in Romania.
Later in 2001, Mark moved to Sweden to play for Division 2 club IF Brommapojkarna. He helped his new team win the Östra Svealand title. He finished his career playing four games for TOP Oss in the Netherlands.
"In England if the manager said it, you just did it. When I went to Fortuna .. I really started to understand the shape of the field, horizontally and vertically. In England, the only time I had training sessions like that was when I went on coaching courses."
How Mark Burke Played
People described Mark Burke as a player who was "sure of touch" and "calm of mind." He would move around the field in a relaxed way, then make a clever pass or a skillful touch. He was known for being good at keeping the ball for his team.
Mark Burke's Life Outside Football
In 2013, Mark Burke wrote his first eBook called A different kind of soccer book. This book was written for children, coaches, and parents.
Mark is also good at speaking several languages. He can speak English, Spanish, and Dutch.
Achievements
Darlington
- Football League Fourth Division: 1990–91 (Champions)
IF Brommapojkarna
- Division 2 Östra Svealand: 2001 (Champions)
See also
In Spanish: Mark Burke para niños
