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Mark Albrighton
Mark Christopher Albrighton (born 6 March 1976) is an English retired footballer who played for a number of clubs in the English lower leagues. CareerBorn in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, Albrighton started his career at Atherstone United, then of the Southern League Premier Division,[2] before joining Telford United in September 1999 for a fee of £10,000.[3] He made his debut for the Shropshire side shortly after in a 3–1 victory over Yeovil Town,[4] making a further 16 appearances during the 1999–00,[5] scoring once in the process.[6] He played 27 times throughout the club's 2000–01 campaign, scoring twice.[7] Albrighton continued his run in the first-team the following season, scoring 5 times from defence, and appearing 30 times.[8] Before the start of the 2002–03 season, Albrighton joined Doncaster Rovers on a free transfer.[9] He made his debut for the club in a 5–1 victory against Dagenham & Redbridge,[10] and scored his first goal in November 2002, in a 2–0 win over Hereford United.[11] He made a total of 29 appearances during the season,[12] and helped guide the club to promotion via the Conference National play-offs.[13] Albrighton adjusted well to league football, playing 30 games for the Yorkshire side and ensuring back-to-back promotions as the club reached the third tier of English football.[14][15] The 2004–05 season witnessed Albrighton struggle for both fitness and first-team appearances, and he made 17 appearances,[16] scoring once in a 1–0 win at MK Dons.[17] He played a further 19 games for Doncaster the next season,[18] but was loaned out to Chester City in February 2006.[19] He made his Chester debut in a 1–0 defeat against Grimsby Town at Blundell Park and played a further eight games for the club after having his loan deal extended for a further month.[20][21] He returned to Doncaster in April 2006, and made his last appearance for the club in a 2–1 defeat at Bradford City.[22] Albrighton was released by Doncaster in May 2006, and subsequently joined Boston United in the same month.[23] Albrighton made 14 appearances for the Lincolnshire outfit,[24] making his debut in a 3–2 defeat at Grimsby Town.[25] However, first-team appearances were limited and he was loaned out to League Two rivals Darlington in November 2006.[26] Albrighton featured three times during his one-month loan spell for the Quakers, before returning to his parent club in December.[27] He was loaned out again in January 2007, this time to Conference National outfit Rushden & Diamonds.[28] Albrighton impressed under manager Graham Westley, helping the side stay unbeaten throughout the month, and his loan spell was consequently extended until the end of the season.[29][30] He returned to Boston in April 2007, but was released a month later and joined Cambridge United on a one-year contract.[31] He made his debut for the Cambridgeshire side in a 2–1 victory away to York City at Bootham Crescent,[32] and scored his first goal in a 5–1 rout of Farsley Celtic a week later.[33] Albrighton featured a total of 45 times for the club, scoring twice,[34] as they narrowly missed out on a return to the Football League following a 1–0 play-off final defeat to Exeter City.[35] He was voted 'Cambridge United Player of the Year' for the 2007–08 season.[36] In May 2008, Albrighton rejected a one-year contract extension at Cambridge, and opted to join Conference National rivals Stevenage Borough on a two-year deal for an undisclosed fee.[37] The move reunited Albrighton with Stevenage manager Graham Westley, who had also signed the player during his time at Rushden.[37] He was initially made captain by Westley,[38] although later lost his captaincy following a spell out of the first-team.[38][39] He scored his first goal for the Hertfordshire side in a 2–0 home win against Salisbury City,[40] and played a total of 32 games during the 2008–09 season.[41] Albrighton played a further 19 games during the club's successful 2009–10 campaign, a season in which Stevenage would win the Conference National title, but was released by Graham Westley at the end of the season.[42] In late June 2010, Albrighton signed for Conference National outfit Kidderminster Harriers on a free transfer.[43] He made his Kidderminster debut in the club's first game of the 2010–11 season, playing the whole match in the centre of defence in a 2–1 away win against York City.[44] On 19 August 2019, 43-year old Albrighton joined Coventry Sphinx.[45] Honours
Career statistics
References
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