Mark Higgins (footballer) explained

Mark Higgins
Fullname:Mark Nicholas Higgins
Birth Date:29 September 1958
Birth Place:Buxton, Derbyshire, England
Height:[1]
Position:Centre-back
Youthyears1:1975–1976
Youthclubs1:Everton
Years1:1976–1985
Clubs1:Everton
Caps1:152
Goals1:6
Years2:1985–1987
Caps2:6
Goals2:0
Years3:1987
Clubs3:Bury (loan)
Caps3:0
Goals3:0
Years4:1987–1988
Clubs4:Bury
Caps4:68
Goals4:0
Years5:1988–1990
Clubs5:Stoke City
Caps5:39
Goals5:1
Totalcaps:265
Totalgoals:7

Mark Nicholas Higgins (born 29 September 1958) is an English former footballer who played at centre back for Everton, Manchester United, Bury and Stoke City.[2]

Career

Born in Buxton, Derbyshire, Higgins is the son of former Bolton Wanderers's centre-back John Higgins.[3] Higgins represented England schoolboys prior to signing for Everton.[4]

Higgins joined Everton as an apprentice and earned his first team debut for the Toffees on 5 October 1976. He made a total of 183 appearances for the club, scoring 6 goals.[5] Higgins later picked up a severe injury, which forced him to temporarily retire from the game in May 1984.

Defying all expectations, Higgins returned to the game 18 months later, when he joined Manchester United for £60,000 in December 1985. He made his Manchester United debut in a 2–0 home win over Rochdale in the FA Cup Third Round on 9 January 1986. However, he was unable to recover the form he had shown while with Everton and, after just eight appearances for United (six league, two cup), he was allowed to go on loan to Bury in January 1987 before the transfer was made permanent in February 1987 for a fee of £10,000.

At Gigg Lane Higgins played 82 times for the club in three seasons before joining Stoke City in September 1988.[2] He played 37 times for Stoke in 1988–89 scoring once against Chelsea.[2] In 1989–90 he played nine times for Stoke before being released at the end of the season. He then joined Burnley on trial but injured his back and decided to retire from playing.[2] He now does stadium tours for Everton.

Career statistics

Source:

ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Everton1976–77First Division2000000020
1977–78First Division261105000321
1978–79First Division201000020221
1979–80First Division190005020260
1980–81First Division2000000020
1981–82First Division293102000323
1982–83First Division391502000471
1983–84First Division140005000190
1984–85First Division0000000000
Total152670190401826
Manchester United1985–86First Division6020000080
Total6020000082
Bury1986–87Third Division220000020240
1987–88Third Division410105030500
1988–89Third Division5000300080
Total680108050820
Stoke City1988–89Second Division331300010371
1989–90Second Division6000201090
Total391302020461
Career Total26571302901103187

A.  The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the Football League Trophy, Full Members' Cup and UEFA Cup.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88 . Peter . Dunk . Queen Anne Press . London . 1987 . 102 . 978-0-356-14354-5 .
  2. Book: Matthews, Tony. The Encyclopaedia of Stoke City. 1994. Lion Press. 0-9524151-0-0.
  3. Book: Tallentire, Becky . Still talking blue : a collection of candid interviews with Everton heroes . 2002 . Mainstream . Edinburgh . 978-1840186642 . [New ed.]. .
  4. Web site: Mark Higgins interview . Blue Kipper . 18 March 2014 .
  5. Web site: Everton Player Stats: Mark Higgins. Everton Stats. Everton FC. 15 September 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20170413072131/http://www.evertonfc.com/stats/?mode=player_details&player_id=313. 13 April 2017. dead.