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Mark Bridge

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Mark Bridge
Bridge with the Western Sydney Wanderers in 2019
Personal information
Full name Mark Robert Bridge[1]
Date of birth (1985-11-07) 7 November 1985 (age 39)
Place of birth Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Camden Tigers
Youth career
Parramatta Eagles
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2004 Parramatta Power 5 (0)
2005–2008 Newcastle Jets 50 (13)
2008–2012 Sydney FC 80 (17)
2009 → Tianjin Teda (loan) 2 (0)
2012–2016 Western Sydney Wanderers 95 (28)
2016–2017 Chiangrai United 14 (7)
2017–2019 Western Sydney Wanderers 26 (5)
2019 Mounties Wanderers 7 (0)
International career
2004–2005 Australia U20 9 (9)
2006–2008 Australia U23 23 (3)
2008 Australia 2 (0)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Australia
OFC U-20 Championship
Winner 2005
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 26 September 2019

Mark Robert Bridge (born 7 November 1985) is a retired Australian professional football (soccer) player.

Bridge is the Western Sydney Wanderers' first ever goalscorer, earning himself the nickname 'King Bridge' among fans. On 18 April 2015 in the 26th-round match against Adelaide United, Bridge became the ninth player to reach 200 A-League games.[3]

Club career

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Newcastle Jets

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Bridge with Newcastle in 2007

Bridge joined Newcastle from Parramatta Power in 2005 during the inaugural A-League season. Although it took some time for Bridge to find his feet he was the Jets best player during his second season (2006/07) at the club scoring 8 goals during the season.

Although his third season with the Jets only yielded four goals, his last for the Jets was the most decisive, being the only goal in the 2008 A-League Grand Final.[4]

Sydney FC

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Bridge in 2008

As his contract had expired at the Jets, Bridge subsequently left the team and was unveiled as a Sydney FC player on 3 March 2008 alongside Simon Colosimo and John Aloisi.[5] He scored his first goal for Sydney in their 5–2 demolition of Perth Glory at the Sydney Football Stadium.

On 11 February 2009, Bridge arrived Kunming, Yunnan province, China, meet with Tianjin TEDA. He signed a four-month loan deal for Chinese Super League club Tianjin Teda during the offseason with Sydney FC.[6] However, Tianjin's failure to qualify from the group stage of the AFC Champions League meant that he had made the last appearance for the club and would return to Sydney FC at the end of May.

He became the first player to score in two A-League Grand finals with his headed goal against Melbourne Victory in the 09-10 edition, which Sydney went on to win on penalties

Bridge scored the third goal in the 3–2 victory of Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua, during the 2011 AFC Champions League keeping Sydney's chances of progressing through to the next round alive.[7]

Bridge was sent from the field after being given a red card in the opening game of the 2011–12 A-League season against Melbourne Victory, following an altercation in which Bridge struck Victory player Rodrigo Vargas in the throat. The match would finish 0–0.[8]

Bridge asked for and received a mutual termination of his Sydney FC contract on 1 June 2012.[9]

Western Sydney Wanderers

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Bridge playing for the Wanderers in 2017

On 30 June 2012 it was officially announced he had joined the newly formed Western Sydney Wanderers club.[10]

On 27 October 2012 Bridge scored the first ever A-League goal for the Western Sydney Wanderers, against Brisbane Roar in the Wanderers fourth game of their inaugural season.

Bridge scored the Wanderers' first ever hat-trick in the round 16 6–1 thrashing of Adelaide United in their inaugural season. Bridge was also the Wanderers' top goalscorer for the 2012–13 A-League season with 11 goals. Bridge is also the club's all-time top goalscorer.

On 25 October 2014 Bridge was part of the Western Sydney Wanderers squad who defeated Al Hilal to win the Asian Champions League. Western Sydney Wanderers won the match 1–0 on aggregate to become the first Australian team to win the trophy. As champions, Wanderers also earned the right to represent the AFC at the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco, entering at the quarter-finals.

Chiangrai United

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On 27 May 2016, after 4 seasons with the Western Sydney Wanderers, Bridge left the club to join Thai Premier League club Chiangrai United.[11][12] On 6 July 2017, Bridge terminated his contract with Chiangrai United.[13]

Return to Western Sydney Wanderers

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In July 2017, Bridge returned to Western Sydney Wanderers on a two-year contract.[14]

Mounties Wanderers FC

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On 12 March 2019, Bridge signed for National Premier Leagues NSW 2 side Mounties Wanderers FC.[15] Bridge is set to join the club at the conclusion of the 2018–19 A-League season.

Life after professional career

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Blacktown Premier Spurs and Camden Tigers

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Mark Bridge, Retired from Semi-Professional NPL football in 2020, in 2021 he started playing local football in the Blacktown & District Soccer Football Association. In 2024 he signed with Camden Tigers and is currently playing in The Macarthur District Soccer Football Association.

International career

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Mark Bridge has played for the Australian U-20 Squad where he made 9 appearances and scored 9 goals. He is currently a member of Australia U-23 national team. He was also called up to Australia senior squad for their Asian Cup qualifiers, in a match against Kuwait on 16 August. He was hoping to be included in the Australia senior squad for the Asian Cup games against Qatar, China and Iraq, but was not selected.

Bridge made his senior international debut against Singapore in a friendly match in March 2008.

Bridge was selected for the 2008 Australian Olympic squad.

A-League statistics

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As of 12 December 2018[16]
Club Season League National Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Parramatta Power 2003–04 National Soccer League 5 0 0 0 — — 5 0
Newcastle Jets 2005–06 A-League 6 0 — — — 6 0
2006–07 A-League 24 8 — — 6[a] 1 30 9
2007–08 A-League 20 5 — — 4[b] 0 24 5
Total 50 13 — — 10 1 60 14
Sydney FC 2008–09 A-League 21 4 — — — 21 4
2009–10 A-League 23 9 — — — 23 9
2010–11 A-League 18 1 — 5 1 — 23 2
2011–12 A-League 18 3 — — — 18 3
Total 80 17 — 5 1 — 85 18
Tianjin Teda (loan) 2009 Chinese Super League 2 0 — 4 0 — 6 0
Western Sydney Wanderers 2012–13 A-League 27 11 — — — 27 11
2013–14 A-League 26 5 — 9 2 — 35 7
2014–15 A-League 18 3 1 0 5 2 1[c] 0 24 5
2015–16 A-League 24 9 2 0 — — 26 9
2017–18 A-League 21 4 3 1 — — 24 5
Total 116 32 6 1 14 4 1 0 136 37
Career total 248 62 6 1 23 5 11 1 288 69
  1. ^ 6 appearances in A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup
  2. ^ 4 appearances in A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup
  3. ^ 1 appearance in the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup

Honours

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Newcastle Jets:

Sydney FC:

Western Sydney Wanderers:

Australia U20

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2014: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 15 December 2014. p. 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 July 2015.
  2. ^ "Mark Bridge". Soccerway. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  3. ^ The Australian [dead link]
  4. ^ Ritson, John (24 February 2008). "Jets 1 – Mariners 0: Minute by Minute". AU FourFourTwo. Archived from the original on 2 March 2008. Retrieved 12 April 2008.
  5. ^ Star trio unveiled for Sydney FC Sydney Morning Herald, 3 March 2008
  6. ^ "Asian door opens for Bridge". Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  7. ^ "Comeback Kings Sydney Seal Vital Win". Australian FourFourTwo. 19 April 2011. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 19 April 2011.
  8. ^ "Thrilling Big Blue Ends Goalless". FourFourTwo Australia. 8 October 2011. Retrieved 9 October 2011.
  9. ^ "Sydney FC grants Mark Bridge a release". Sydney FC. 1 June 2012.
  10. ^ "Wanderers FC reveal latest signings - Football Australia 2013". Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  11. ^ Huguenin, Michael (26 May 2016). "It's Official Western Sydney Wanderers Striker Mark Bridge Coming to Chiang Rai United". Chiang Rai Times.
  12. ^ Murphy, Paul (27 May 2016). "Ex-Socceroo Mark Bridge signs with Chiang Rai United in Thai League". ESPN FC.
  13. ^ "Striker Bridge back on the market". FourFourTwo. 6 July 2017.
  14. ^ "Bridge makes Wanderers return". FourFourTwo. 18 July 2017.
  15. ^ "Retiring Wanderers legend Bridge signs with NPL 2 club". Hyundai A-League. Retrieved 12 March 2019.
  16. ^ "Mark Bridge Player Summary". aus.worldfootball.net. 3 June 2014. Retrieved 18 December 2018.
  17. ^ "Australia win OFC U20 Qualifiers". Oceania Football Confederation. 31 January 2005. Archived from the original on 10 October 2012.
  18. ^ Jackson, Jamie (20 July 2013). "Manchester United thrash A-League All Stars to give David Moyes first win". The Guardian. Sydney. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
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