| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mark Dale Thomas McGregor[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1977-02-16)16 February 1977 (age 48) | ||
| Place of birth | Chester, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[2] | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1995–2001 | Wrexham | 244 | (11) |
| 2001–2004 | Burnley | 54 | (2) |
| 2004–2006 | Blackpool | 59 | (0) |
| 2006–2008 | Port Vale | 66 | (0) |
| 2008–2009 | Altrincham | 42 | (1) |
| 2009–2015 | Gap Connah's Quay | ||
| 2015 | Cefn Druids | ||
| 2016–2017 | Runcorn Town | ||
| Total | 465 | (14) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2009–2015 | Gap Connah's Quay (player-manager) | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Mark Dale Thomas McGregor (born 16 February 1977) is an English formerfootballer who played as adefender. He played 498 games in a 13-year career in theFootball League, mostly in the third tier.
He started his career atWrexham in 1995 and made 288 league and cup appearances in his six years for the Welsh club before he signed withBurnley. In July 2004, he moved from Burnley toBlackpool. In January 2006 hetransferred toPort Vale, before joiningConference sideAltrincham in August 2008. He stayed in Altrincham for one season before becoming player-manager at Gap Connah's Quay. He led the club to the Cymru Alliance title for two consecutive seasons. He returned to playing football withCefn Druids in January 2015. He was appointed player-assistant manager of Runcorn Town in April 2016.
McGregor started as a trainee forWrexham, signing a professionalcontract for the first time in July 1995. He first came to prominence in the1995–96 season, making 33 appearances in theSecond Division. He continued to be a regular feature at theRacecourse Ground, making 44 appearances in1996–97. The youngster was a consistent first-team player for the "Dragons" by1997–98, hitting 48 appearances in league and cup competitions. He missed just a handful of games in1998–99, making 56 appearances. On the last day of the1999–2000 season, he put a speculative long-range effort pastGillingham'sVince Bartram, costing the "Gills" an automaticpromotion place, to the benefit ofBurnley; this was the only goal of his 52 appearances that season. He was voted Wrexham's Player of the Year in2000–01 for his performances during his 47 appearances throughout the campaign. In total, he played 288 league and cup games forBrian Flynn's side.
Despite verbally agreeing a new contract with Wrexham,[3] he moved toFirst Division club Burnley on afree transfer in July 2001.[4] He made just two appearances in the2001–02 season underStan Ternent, though he went on to play 37 games in2002–03. He had surgery on his knee at the start of the2003–04 campaign before recovering to post 26 appearances[5]
He moved on toLeague One sideBlackpool in July 2004, aftermanagerColin Hendry offered him a twelve-month deal.[6] He played 44 games in2004–05 and made 25 appearances in2005–06, scoring once in theFootball League Trophy against former club Wrexham,[7] before leavingBloomfield Road afterSimon Grayson took charge.
In January 2006, McGregor decided to move on toMartin Foyle'sPort Vale.[8] He played 14 League One games throughout the rest ofthe season, before featuring 35 times in an unsettled defence in2006–07. He featured just 23 times in2007–08, and wastransfer listed by new managerLee Sinnott in January 2008,[9] before Sinnott released him from the club three months later, as the "Valiants" wererelegated intoLeague Two.[10]
McGregor had an unsuccessful trial withMansfield Town in July 2008 before he eventually dropped out of the Football League to sign forConference clubAltrincham on 27 July.[11] Handed the number four shirt at the club, he found himself a key feature of the back four and an occasionalcaptain, featuring 44 times for the Robins" in the2008–09 campaign.
In January 2015, McGregor left as manager of the Nomads and just a few days later joinedWelsh Premier League sideCefn Druids as a player. The "Druids" were relegated out of the division at the end of the2014–15 season.
He was appointed player-assistant manager ofNorth West Counties League Premier Division clubRuncorn Town in April 2016.[12]
In August 2009, he was appointedplayer-manager atWelsh Premier League sideGap Connah's Quay.[13] The2009–10 season ended in relegation to theCymru Alliance in 14th place, as a restructuring of theWelsh league meant six places were cut from the Premier League from 18 to 12. They finished level on points withNewtown (who avoided relegation), who finished above them ongoal difference. Making 26 league and 6 cup appearances in the2010–11 season,[14] he managed his side to the Cymru Alliance title. However, they were not granted a promotion back to the top flight. They retained their title in2011–12 and were promoted into theWelsh Premier League. Thefollowing season saw the "Nomads" finish eighth in the Welsh Premier League, losing out in theUEFA Europa League play-off to eventual qualifiersBala Town. The "Nomads" finished tenth in2013–14.
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Wrexham | 1995–96[15] | Second Division | 33 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 42 | 1 |
| 1996–97[16] | Second Division | 38 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 1 | |
| 1997–98[17] | Second Division | 42 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 48 | 2 | |
| 1998–99[18] | Second Division | 43 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6[a] | 0 | 56 | 1 | |
| 1999–2000[19] | Second Division | 45 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 1 | |
| 2000–01[20] | Second Division | 43 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 47 | 5 | |
| Total | 244 | 11 | 25 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 289 | 11 | ||
| Burnley | 2001–02[21] | First Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 2002–03[22] | First Division | 30 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 1 | |
| 2003–04[23] | First Division | 23 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 1 | |
| Total | 54 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 65 | 3 | ||
| Blackpool | 2004–05[24] | League One | 38 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 44 | 0 |
| 2005–06[25] | League One | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1[a] | 1[a] | 25 | 1 | |
| Total | 59 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 69 | 1 | ||
| Port Vale | 2005–06[25] | League One | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| 2006–07[26] | League One | 32 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 0 | |
| 2007–08[27] | League One | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 | |
| Total | 66 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 72 | 0 | ||
| Altrincham | 2008–09[28][29] | Conference National | 42 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 50 | 1 |
| Career total[b] | 465 | 14 | 42 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 19 | 1 | 545 | 16 | ||
Wrexham
Connah's Quay Nomads