Mark Gardiner
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mark Christopher Gardiner | ||
| Date of birth | 25 December 1966 | ||
| Place of birth | Cirencester, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1983–1987 | Swindon Town | 10 | (1) |
| 1987–1988 | Torquay United | 49 | (4) |
| 1988–1995 | Crewe Alexandra | 193 | (35) |
| 1995 | → Chester City (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 1996–1997 | Fredrikstad | 16 | (3) |
| 1997–1998 | Macclesfield Town | 7 | (2) |
| 1997–2000 | Northwich Victoria | 8 | (1) |
| 2000–2001 | Leek Town | ? | (?) |
| 2001–2004 | Nantwich Town | ? | (?) |
| Total | 270 | (43) | |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1998–2000 | Northwich Victoria | ||
| 2000–2005 | Leek Town | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Mark Christopher Gardiner (born 25 December 1966 in Cirencester) is an English former professional footballer who made 262 appearances in the Football League. He could play effectively at either left-back or left-wing.
Gardiner began his career as an apprentice with Swindon Town, making his league debut while still an apprentice in a 1-1 draw against Mansfield Town at the County Ground in April 1984. He turned professional in September 1984, making 10 league appearances, scoring 1 goal for the Robins.
He joined Torquay United on a free transfer in February 1987 (as part of the deal taking Phil King to Swindon_ and was plunged straight into the relegation battle, which would eventually see Torquay survive on the last day of the season and Lincoln City relegated to the Conference. The following season, Gardiner remained a regular in the resurgent Torquay side, scoring a spectacular winner away to Bolton Wanderers (only to be given a roasting by then manager Cyril Knowles as he was supposed to have aimed for the corner-flag as Torquay held on for a draw).
In August 1988 Gardiner left for Crewe Alexandra, again on a free transfer, after making 49 league appearances for the Gulls, scoring 4 goals in the process. At Crewe he helped the Railwaymen to promotion from the bottom flight in both 1989 and 1994. After a spell on loan to Chester City in March 1995, in which he played 3 league games, he left Crewe for a short spell in Norway with Fredrikstad F.K., returning to the UK to become a postman in Crewe.
He joined Macclesfield Town in October 1995, where he continued to fit in his postal duties with full-time training. Gardiner was a member of the team that helped Macclesfield to promotion to the Football League, though he only made 7 league appearances, scoring twice, in that debut season. In December 1997, he moved to Northwich Victoria, scoring the winning goal on his Conference debut against Stalybridge Celtic on 25 December. In November 1998, Northwich manager Phil Wilson was sacked with the Vics in 12th place in the Conference. Gardiner took over as caretaker manager, his first game in charge bringing a 3-0 home win over Welling United. He was confirmed as manager that December, and led Northwich to 7th in the Conference and to the last eight of the FA Trophy.
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