After starting with Manchester United, and later moving to Bournemouth, Mark Rawlinson had a single season with Exeter City in 2000/01 before dropping into non-league football.

Growing up in Bolton, and playing for both Bolton and Lancashire schools, Mark had trials for a number of teams before becoming a trainee with Manchester United in 1991. Turning professional in 1993, Mark never made the first-team at Old Trafford and joined  

AFC Bournemouth in July 1995 for whom he was to play 79 league matches.   

Rarely featuring during the 1999/2000 season Mark signed for Exeter City in July 2000 and made his debut as a substitute against Mansfield Town on 2 September 2000.  However he never won a regular place in the team and, after one season, was released on a free transfer. Mark managed three league and cup goals for City - one against Torquay United - and made his final appearance for the club against Halifax Twn on 21 April 2001.

He joined Weymouth in August 2001 and stayed there for two seasons before switching to near neighbours Dorchester Town in May 2003. He then left football for a while, and after living in London, returned to the north west to play for the newly-formed FC United of Manchester in the North West Counties League in 2005/06. As both a former Manchester United player, and also a lifelong supporter, his involvement with FC United attracted considerable attention at the time although his time with the new club was blighted by injury forcing him to retire at the end of the club’s first season.