Mark Kinsella facts for kids

Mark Anthony Kinsella was born on August 12, 1972. He is an Irish football manager and a former player. Mark mostly played as a central midfielder during his career.

He started his football journey at Colchester United. Later, he played for several other clubs. These included Charlton Athletic, Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion, Walsall, and Lewes. Mark also played 48 times for the Republic of Ireland. He scored three goals for his country. He was part of the team that played in the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan and South Korea. Mark Kinsella has also managed Daventry Town. He is currently a coach at Drogheda United.

Mark Kinsella's Club Career

Playing for Colchester United

Mark Kinsella joined Colchester United when he was 17 years old. He played for the club for seven seasons. During this time, he helped them win the FA Trophy in 1992. This big game was played at Wembley Stadium. Fans at Colchester United gave him the nickname "Sheedy." This was in honor of a famous player from Everton. Mark is still remembered as one of the club's best players.

Time at Charlton Athletic

In September 1996, Mark moved to Charlton Athletic. He was bought for £150,000. At Charlton, he became the team captain. He led them to an exciting win in the 1998 Division 1 Play-off Final against Sunderland. Mark even scored one of the penalties in the shootout.

After Charlton was relegated from the Premier League in 1999, Mark helped them bounce back. He lifted the First Division championship trophy with Charlton the very next year. This meant the team returned to the top league in 2000. Charlton fans remember Mark as a key player who helped change the club's history. He was known for his skill and talent. In 2001, Mark got an injury. This allowed another player, Scott Parker, to take his spot. When Mark recovered, he could not get his place back in the first team. So, he was sold to Aston Villa in 2002 for £1 million.

Playing for Aston Villa

Mark Kinsella played his first game for Aston Villa on August 24, 2002. It was against Tottenham Hotspur. He played 24 games in his first season. He had a good start in the first half of the 2002–03 season. However, he later had a couple of injuries. These injuries kept him from playing much in the second half of that season. In his second season at Aston Villa, he only played two games. He left the club in early 2004.

Moving to West Bromwich Albion

In January 2004, Mark Kinsella joined West Bromwich Albion. He signed a short contract until the end of the season. He played 18 games for the club. He helped them get promoted to the Premier League. Mark scored his only goal for Albion in a 3–0 win. This game was against Coventry City on March 6, 2004.

Playing for Walsall

Mark then moved to Walsall in July 2004. He signed a two-year contract. He had two seasons where injuries affected his playing time. In April 2006, Mark took over as caretaker manager for Walsall. This happened after the previous manager, Kevan Broadhurst, left. Mark was in charge for two games, winning one and losing one. He continued to play and coach at Walsall. His last professional game was on December 9, 2006. It was a home game against Swindon Town. Mark scored two goals for Walsall during his time there. One was in the FA Cup and the other in a league game.

Mark Kinsella's International Career

Mark Kinsella played 48 games for the Irish national team. He scored 3 goals for his country. In 2000, he was named the Irish Footballer of the Year. He also captained the team in a friendly match against Finland in November 2000.

He formed a strong midfield partnership with Roy Keane during the qualifying games for the 2002 World Cup. Roy Keane even said that Ireland's good performance during that time was thanks to Mark Kinsella. Before the 2002 World Cup, Roy Keane left the squad. After that, Mark formed another strong partnership with future Charlton player Matt Holland.

Manager and Coaching Roles

While still playing for Walsall, Mark Kinsella also started coaching. He managed the reserve team and coached the first team. In December 2006, he became a development coach at Charlton Athletic. His job was to help young professional players grow. He also managed the reserve team.

Later, his role changed to just being the reserve-team manager. In November 2008, Mark left his role as Reserve team manager. He took on a more senior role with the first team. He helped the caretaker manager, Phil Parkinson. In December 2008, Phil Parkinson became the new Charlton manager. Mark Kinsella then became the first-team coach permanently. They were both let go on January 4, 2011.

In June 2011, Mark became the manager of Daventry Town. He left the club in July 2012. After leaving Daventry, Mark joined Dennis Greene's coaching staff. This was at Conference North side Histon in August 2012.

On September 27, 2012, Mark was appointed assistant manager at Colchester United. He worked alongside fellow Irishman Joe Dunne. However, on September 1, 2014, Mark Kinsella was let go from his assistant manager role at Colchester United.

On November 29, 2014, Mark Kinsella was announced as the assistant manager for League of Ireland team Drogheda United. He later took over as manager of Drogheda United. This happened after the previous manager, Johnny McDonnell, left the club.

On November 10, 2015, Drogheda appointed Pete Mahon as manager. Mark Kinsella then moved back into a coaching role. On April 16, 2016, the Football Association of Ireland announced something exciting. Mark Kinsella, along with other former international players, would help coach Ireland's youth players. Then, on August 31, 2018, Mark started working specifically with the under-21s team.

Mark Kinsella's Family Life

Mark Kinsella has two children. His son is Liam Kinsella, who is also a footballer. His daughter is Alice Kinsella, who is a gymnast. Alice won a bronze medal in gymnastics at the 2020 Olympic Games.

Career Achievements

Colchester United

• Football Conference: 1991–92
• FA Trophy: 1991–92

Charlton Athletic

• Football League First Division: 1999–2000

Individual Awards

• FAI Senior International Player of the Year: 2000
• PFA Team of the Year: 1995–96 Third Division, 1999–2000 First Division
• Colchester United F.C. Player of the Year: 1993–94, 1995–96
• Charlton Athletic Player of the Year: 1997–98, 1998–99

See also

In Spanish: Mark Kinsella para niños