10th March 1963

Rochford, Essex

Midfielder

Mark O'Connor played for Exeter City when on loan from Queens Park Rangers in the mid-1980s. In a 463-game Football League career he made over a hundred league appearances for both Bournemouth and Gillingham. He later coached at several professional clubs.

Mark became a Queen's Park Rangers professional in June 1980 and had made three league appearances before joining Exeter City on loan during the early stages of the ultimately ill-fated 1983/84 season. Making his Grecians’ debut in the 2-2 home draw with Bolton Wanderers in October 1983, he was thereafter ever-present and finished the season with 38 league appearances with a goal against Oxford United in January 1984. With City under Gerry Francis finisihing at the foot of the table, Mark was arguably one of the few successes of the campaign.

Returning to Loftus Road, Mark was released and linked up with Bristol Rovers in August 1984 where he added a further 80 league appearances (10 goals) before moving to AFC Bournemouth in March 1986 for whom he made 128 league matches (12 goals) as well as winning a Republic of Ireland Under-21 cap. He then switched to Gillingham in December 1989 where he again played over 100 league matches prior to joining Bournemouth for a second spell in July 1993. Later returning also to Gillingham, Mark finished his 463-game league career (scoring 35 goals along the way) and became a coach at Gillingham, Portsmouth, Stoke City, Bristol City and West Bromwich Albion.

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