Alan Marriott

Infobox Football biography
playername = Alan Marriott


fullname = Alan Marriott
height = height|ft=5|in=11
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1978|09|03|df=y
cityofbirth = Bedford
countryofbirth = England
currentclub = Rushden & Diamonds
clubnumber =
position = Goalkeeper
youthyears = 1995–1998
youthclubs = Tottenham Hotspur
years = 1998–1999
1999–2008
2008–
clubs =Tottenham Hotspur
Lincoln City
Rushden & Diamonds
caps(goals) = 000 (0)
351 (0)
12 (0)
nationalyears =
nationalteam =
nationalcaps(goals) =
pcupdate = 21:56, 9 July 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate =

Alan Marriott (born 3 September, 1978 in Bedford) is an English footballer, Marriott signed a two year contract in July 2008 with Rushden and Diamonds.

Early career

Marriott began his career at Tottenham Hotspur, signing a professional contract in the summer of 1997 following the completion of his two-year youth training scheme.

Released by Spurs at the completion of the 1998-1999 season, Marriott linked up with Lincoln City, initially on trial and then on a three month contract following a recommendation from one-time Lincoln manager and then Tottenham's Director of Youth, Colin Murphy. In October 1999 he agreed a two year contract with the Imps and went on to make his first team debut on 12 February, 2000 in the 2-1 home victory over Torquay United. He retained his place for the remainder of the season which culminated in him being awarded Lincoln's Young Player of the Year.

Marriott began the following season as the established number one choice and, following a series of impressive performances, was rewarded with a new three-year contract at the end of September 2000. [cite web
url=http://www.redimps.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10440~61082,00.html
title=Mazza in Contract Boost
publisher=Lincoln City F.C. Official Web-site
date=29 September, 2000
accessdate=2008-05-12] In the 1-1 draw away to Carlisle United on 2 December, 2000 Marriott limped off injured after 37 minutes with a knee injury; the injury keeping him away from the first team for a three-month spell. The season would conclude with Marriott named Away Player of the Season. [cite web
url=http://www.redimps.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10440~60875,00.html
title=Walker Picks Up Top Award
publisher=Lincoln City F.C. Official Web-site
date=3 May, 2001
accessdate=2008-05-12]

140 consecutive league appearances

A shaky start to the 2001-2002 season, which saw errors in the games against Halifax Town, Grimsby Town and Scunthorpe United, caused Marriott to be replaced by Paul Pettinger in the Lincoln goal. However, following the 1-0 home defeat to Bristol Rovers on 15 September, 2001, Marriott was restored to first team. Although he was forced off injured at half time in the 1-0 home defeat to Southend United on 16 March, 2003, it would be exactly three years, from the 1-1 away draw with Luton Town on 18 September, 2001 until the 0-0 away draw with Bristol Rovers on 18 September, 2004, before he would miss another league game: a total of 140 consecutive appearances. Injury would cause him to miss the 1-1 home draw with Chester City on 25 September, 2004.

The Keith Alexander years

Following Lincoln's move into administration towards the end of the 2001-2002 season, they appointed Keith Alexander as manager. Alexander based his team around a solid defensive unit and it was, perhaps, this period which saw Marriott's best performances. Against all expectations, Lincoln reached the Play-Off finals in the 2002-2003 season, conceding just 37 league goals with Marriott keeping 18 clean sheets in the league. Despite the ultimate disappointment of the final defeat to Bournemouth, Marriott agreed a new two-year contract in the summer of 2003. [cite web
url=http://www.redimps.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10440~395413,00.html
title=Mazza Signs On Dotted Line
publisher=Lincoln City F.C. Official Web-site
date=2 July, 2003
accessdate=2008-05-13]

The 2003-2004 season saw Lincoln reach the play-offs once again, with Marriott to the fore with 17 clean sheets in the league, 10 of them away from Sincil Bank. Marriott's efforts were rewarded with second place in the voting for Lincoln's Player of the Season but he collected the Bill Stacey Memorial Trophy after being named Away Player of the Season. [cite web
url=http://www.redimps.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10440~523776,00.html
title=Terriers Will Have Some Bite:Mazza
publisher=Lincoln City F.C. Official Web-site
date=11 May, 2004
accessdate=2008-05-13]

The 2004-2005 season saw a third unsuccessful tilt at the play-offs though Marriott managed to keep 19 clean sheets in the league. He became the 28th Lincoln player to start 250 competitive games when keeping his 72nd Football League clean sheet in the 1-0 home victory over Swansea City on 9 April, 2005; Lincoln manager Keith Alexander recognised the feat by making Marriott captain for the game. [cite web
url=http://www.redimps.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10440~651475,00.html
title=Mazza Joins Elite List
publisher=Lincoln City F.C. Official Web-site
date=12 April, 2005
accessdate=2008-05-13] In June 2005 he agreed a new three-year contract with the Imps. [cite web
url=http://www.redimps.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10440~678790,00.html
title=Mazza Pens Three-Year Deal
publisher=Lincoln City F.C. Official Web-site
date=28 June, 2005
accessdate=2008-05-13]

The 1-1 home draw with Bury on 15 April, 2006 saw Marriott become only the 13th player in Lincoln's history to have started 300 competitive matches. Lincoln marked the occasion by making Marriott captain for the game. [cite web
url=http://www.redimps.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10440~817795,00.html
title=Mazza Joins 300 Club
publisher=Lincoln City F.C. Official Web-site
date=18 April, 2006
accessdate=2008-05-13]

A season of records

The 2006-2007 season saw Marriott once again ever present in the Football League and was memorable not only for him reaching three hundred league appearances but also breaking a number of the club's goalkeeping records. The three hundreth appearance came in the 2-2 away draw to Bury on 18 January, 2007 with Marriott becoming just the ninth player in Lincoln's history to reach this figure. [cite web
url=http://www.redimps.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10440~968318,00.html
title=Mazza Joins Elite Group
publisher=Lincoln City F.C. Official Web-site
date=20 January, 2007
accessdate=2008-05-12] His 309th league appearance in the 1-0 home victory over Barnet on 17 March, 2007 saw him equal Dan McPhail's club record for Football League appearances by a goalkeeper; [cite web
url=http://www.redimps.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10440~998932,00.html
title=Mazza Equals Club Record
publisher=Lincoln City F.C. Official Web-site
date=19 March, 2007
accessdate=2008-05-12] he would claim the record for himself when appearing in the following week's 3-2 home defeat to Swindon Town. In keeping a clean sheet in the 0-0 draw away to Bristol Rovers on 21 April, 2007, Marriott equalled McPhail's club record of 97 clean sheets in the Football League whilst simultaneously passing McPhail's total club record of 102 clean sheets; [cite web
url=http://www.redimps.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10440~1015188,00.html
title=Mazza Closes In On Another Record
publisher=Lincoln City F.C. Official Web-site
date=23 April, 2007
accessdate=2008-05-13] Marriott's clean sheet the following week in the 0-0 away draw with Grimsby Town would see him surpass the football league record.

The final Lincoln season

The 2007-2008 began with Marriott achieving a notable record: his clean sheet in the 2-0 victory against Accrington Stanley on 25 August, 2007 seeing him become the first goalkeeper in Lincoln's history to keep 100 clean sheets in the Football League. [cite web
url=http://www.redimps.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10440~1100513,00.html
title=Ton Up For Mazza!
publisher=Lincoln City F.C. Official Web-site
date=28 August, 2007
accessdate=2008-05-13] However, Lincoln's form was not so notable and saw the dismissal of manager John Schofield in October, 2007. The newly appointed Peter Jackson's first signing was goalkeeper Ben Smith, on loan from Doncaster Rovers, a move which saw Marriott dropped. Although he retained his place in January, Marriott's contract was not renewed at the end of the season, bringing an end to nine seasons at Lincoln which saw him make 351 league appearances, conceding 414 goals and keeping 106 clean sheets in the process. [cite web
url=http://www.redimps.com/archive3/index.mv?cat=keepers&drop=matchsearch
title=Goalkeepers
publisher=The Official Lincoln City F.C. Archive
accessdate=2008-05-13] Alan was voted 19th by the clubs fans,on the official Lincoln City club website's all time top 100 Lincoln city legends poll.

Honours

Alan has been at Lincoln City through there five consecutive Play-offs in the Coca-Cola League 2.Where Lincoln City missed out in 2 Finals and 3 Semi finals.

References

External links