- Mark Draper
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Mark Draper Personal information Full name Mark Draper Date of birth 11 November 1970 Place of birth Long Eaton, England Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) Playing position Midfielder Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 1988–1994 Notts County 222 (40) 1994–1995 Leicester City 39 (5) 1995–2000 Aston Villa 120 (7) 2000 → Rayo Vallecano (loan) 4 (1) 2000–2003 Southampton 24 (1) 2009 Dunkirk Total 409 (54) National team 1991 England U21 3 (0) * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).Mark Draper (born 11 November 1970 in Long Eaton, Derbyshire) is an English former footballer who played as a midfielder and represented England at under-21 level. He currently works as the Kit Man at Notts County.
Career
Draper began his career as a product of the youth system at Notts County, making his professional debut in December 1988. A talented midfielder, he became recognized by County supporters as one of the greatest young players ever developed at the club.[1] After attracting the attention of a number of bigger clubs Draper was finally sold during the 1994 close season to Leicester City for £1.25 million - a record fee for the club at the time.
Draper spent the entire 1994–95 season at Filbert Street, playing 39 times in the Premier League (to which they had just been promoted) and scoring five goals, though it was not enough to prevent relegation for a side who were never out of the bottom two after November.
His form attracted the attention of Aston Villa, who paid £3.25 million to keep him in the Premier League. Over the next four seasons Draper became a regular in the Aston Villa starting line-up, helping them to a League Cup win in 1996, and being called up to the England squad.
Draper fell out of favour in the 1999–2000 season, appearing in only one game to bring his Villa total up to 120 league appearances (7 goals), and was loaned to Rayo Vallecano in Spain. He was sold during that close season to Southampton for £1.5 million. By then approaching veteran stage, Draper added another 24 top flight appearances (with one goal against Middlesbrough)[2] for the Saints before leaving the game.
He is currently involved in property development.[3]
Draper made a brief playing comeback in 2009, signing for non-league side Dunkirk. [4]
In 2009 Mark rejoined the Notts County Team as their Kit Man.[5]
References
- ^ Mark Draper - 1988 to 1994 at www.nottscounty-mad.co.uk
- ^ "Boro downed by Saints". BBC. 24 February 2001. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/1186191.stm. Retrieved 7 November 2009.
- ^ Mark Draper at www.truegreats.com
- ^ http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/news/Notts-legend-Draper-signs-Dunkirk/article-638575-detail/article.html
- ^ http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/sport/Notts-boss-McParland-Relax/article-1324367-detail/article.html
External links
- Mark Draper career stats at Soccerbase
- ESPN Profile
- Aston Villa fan site profile
- Southampton fan site profile
- Aston Villa profile
1993–94 Football League First Division PFA Team of the Year GK: Nigel Martyn · DF: Gary Charles · DF: Colin Cooper · DF: Eric Young · DF: Scott Minto · MF: Jason McAteer · MF: Mark Draper · MF: Scot Gemmill · FW: Stan Collymore · FW: Paul Walsh · FW: Chris ArmstrongCategories:- 1970 births
- Living people
- People from Long Eaton
- English footballers
- England under-21 international footballers
- Association football midfielders
- Notts County F.C. players
- Leicester City F.C. players
- Aston Villa F.C. players
- Rayo Vallecano footballers
- Southampton F.C. players
- La Liga footballers
- Premier League players
- The Football League players
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