Mark Bridge
{{Short description|Australian professional football player|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Mark Bridge
| image = Mark Bridge Western Sydney Wanderers 2019.jpg
| image_size = 200
| caption = Bridge with the Western Sydney Wanderers in 2019
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|11|7|df=y}}
| birth_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=11}}{{cite web|title=Mark Bridge|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/mark-bridge/17556/|publisher=Soccerway|access-date=11 November 2016}}
| position = Forward
| currentclub = Dean Morgan FC
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Parramatta Eagles
| years1 = 2003–2004
| clubs1 = Parramatta Power
| caps1 = 5
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2005–2008
| clubs2 = Newcastle Jets
| caps2 = 50
| goals2 = 13
| years3 = 2008–2012
| clubs3 = Sydney FC
| caps3 = 80
| goals3 = 17
| years4 = 2009
| clubs4 = → Tianjin Teda (loan)
| caps4 = 2
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2012–2016
| clubs5 = Western Sydney Wanderers
| caps5 = 95
| goals5 = 28
| years6 = 2016–2017
| clubs6 = Chiangrai United
| caps6 = 14
| goals6 = 7
| years7 = 2017–2019
| clubs7 = Western Sydney Wanderers
| caps7 = 26
| goals7 = 5
| years8 = 2019
| clubs8 = Mounties Wanderers
| caps8 = 7
| goals8 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2004–2005
| nationalteam1 = Australia U20
| nationalcaps1 = 9
| nationalgoals1 = 9
| nationalyears2 = 2006–2008
| nationalteam2 = Australia U23
| nationalcaps2 = 23
| nationalgoals2 = 3
| nationalyears3 = 2008
| nationalteam3 = Australia
| nationalcaps3 = 2
| nationalgoals3 = 0
| pcupdate = 26 September 2019
| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's football}}
{{MedalCountry|{{fb|AUS}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|OFC U-20 Championship}}
{{Medal|W|2005|}}
}}
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.[https://archive.today/20170126031456/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/football/western-sydneys-mark-bridge-racks-up-200-game-milestone/story-fn63e0vj-1227308604364 The Australian]
Club career
=Newcastle Jets=
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.{{cite news |url=http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/70724,jets-1-mariners-0--minute-by-minute.aspx |title=Jets 1 – Mariners 0: Minute by Minute |first=John |last=Ritson |publisher=AU FourFourTwo |date=24 February 2008 |access-date=12 April 2008 |archive-date=2 March 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080302012313/http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/70724,jets-1-mariners-0--minute-by-minute.aspx |url-status=dead }}
=Sydney FC=
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.[http://www.smh.com.au/news/a-league/star-trio-unveiled-for-sydney-fc/2008/03/03/1204402324074.html Star trio unveiled for Sydney FC] Sydney Morning Herald, 3 March 2008 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.{{Cite web|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25030730-23215,00.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121230145836/http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25030730-23215,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-12-30|title=Asian door opens for Bridge|accessdate=8 May 2023}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/202020,comeback-kings-seal-vital-win.aspx |title=Comeback Kings Sydney Seal Vital Win |date=19 April 2011 |publisher=Australian FourFourTwo |access-date=19 April 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004124135/http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/202020%2Ccomeback-kings-seal-vital-win.aspx |archive-date=4 October 2012 }}
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.{{cite web|url=http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/219640,thrilling-big-blue-ends-goalless.aspx|title=Thrilling Big Blue Ends Goalless|date=8 October 2011|publisher=FourFourTwo Australia|access-date=9 October 2011}}
Bridge asked for and received a mutual termination of his Sydney FC contract on 1 June 2012.{{cite web|url=http://www.sydneyfc.com/article/sydney-fc-grants-mark-bridge-a-release/5q7u73dn97081q1gdjlp5j1fm|title=Sydney FC grants Mark Bridge a release|publisher=Sydney FC|date=1 June 2012}}
=Western Sydney Wanderers=
On 30 June 2012 it was officially announced he had joined the newly formed Western Sydney Wanderers club.{{cite web|url=http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/news-display/wanderers-fc-reveal-latest-signings/47918 |title=Wanderers FC reveal latest signings - Football Australia 2013 |access-date=2012-11-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921141202/http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/news-display/Wanderers-FC-reveal-latest-signings/47918 |archive-date=21 September 2013 }}
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=
On 27 May 2016, after 4 seasons with the Western Sydney Wanderers, Bridge left the club to join Thai Premier League club Chiangrai United.{{cite news|url=http://www.chiangraitimes.com/its-official-western-sydney-wanderers-striker-mark-bridge-coming-to-chiang-rai-united.html|title=It's Official Western Sydney Wanderers Striker Mark Bridge Coming to Chiang Rai United|newspaper=Chiang Rai Times|first=Michael|last=Huguenin|date=26 May 2016}}{{cite web|url=http://www.espnfc.com/australian-a-league/story/2881029/ex-socceroo-mark-bridge-signs-with-chiang-rai-united-in-the-premier-league-of-thailand|title=Ex-Socceroo Mark Bridge signs with Chiang Rai United in Thai League|first=Paul|last=Murphy|publisher=ESPN FC|date=27 May 2016}} On 6 July 2017, Bridge terminated his contract with Chiangrai United.{{cite news|url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com.au/news/striker-bridge-back-on-the-market-467737|title=Striker Bridge back on the market|newspaper=FourFourTwo|date=6 July 2017}}
=Return to Western Sydney Wanderers=
=Mounties Wanderers FC=
On 12 March 2019, Bridge signed for National Premier Leagues NSW 2 side Mounties Wanderers FC.{{Cite web|url=https://www.a-league.com.au/news/retiring-wanderers-legend-signs-npl-club|title=Retiring Wanderers legend Bridge signs with NPL 2 club|website=Hyundai A-League|language=en|access-date=2019-03-12}} Bridge is set to join the club at the conclusion of the 2018–19 A-League season.
Life after professional career
=Blacktown Premier Spurs and Camden Tigers=
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
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
{{updated|12 December 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://aus.worldfootball.net/player_summary/mark-bridge/2/|title=Mark Bridge Player Summary|work=aus.worldfootball.net|date=3 June 2014 |access-date=18 December 2018}}
| class="wikitable" border="1" style="text-align: center;"
!rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National Cup !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
| Division
!Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parramatta Power
| 2003–04 | National Soccer League | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 5 | 0 | |
| rowspan="4" valign="center"|Newcastle Jets | A-League
|6 | 0 | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | colspan=2|— | 6 | 0 | |||
| 2006–07 | A-League
|24 | 8 | colspan=2|— | colspan="2"|— | 6{{efn|6 appearances in A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup}} | 1 | 30 | 9 | ||
| 2007–08 | A-League
|20 | 5 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 4{{efn|4 appearances in A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup}} | 0 | 24 | 5 | ||
| colspan=2|Total
! 50 | 13 | colspan=2|— | colspan="2"|— | 10 | 1 | 60 | 14 | |||
| rowspan="5" valign="center"|Sydney FC | A-League
|21 | 4 | colspan=2|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan=2|— | 21 | 4 | |||
| 2009–10 | A-League
|23 | 9 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 23 | 9 | |||
| 2010–11 | A-League
|18 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | 5 | 1 | colspan=2|— | 23 | 2 | ||
| 2011–12 | A-League
|18 | 3 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan=2|— | 18 | 3 | |||
| colspan=2|Total
! 80 | 17 | colspan=2|— | 5 | 1 | colspan=2|— | 85 | 18 | |||
| Tianjin Teda (loan)
| 2009 | Chinese Super League
| 2 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 4 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 6 | 0 | ||
| rowspan="6" valign="center"|Western Sydney Wanderers | A-League
|27 | 11 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan=2|— | 27 | 11 | |||
| 2013–14 | A-League
|26 | 5 | colspan="2"|— | 9 | 2 | colspan=2|— | 35 | 7 | ||
| 2014–15 | A-League
|18 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 1{{efn|1 appearance in the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup}} | 0 | 24 | 5 |
| 2015–16 | A-League
|24 | 9 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan=2|— | 26 | 9 | ||
| 2017–18 | A-League
|21 | 4 | 3 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | colspan=2|— | 24 | 5 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
! 116 | 32 | 6 | 1 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 136 | 37 | |
| colspan="3"|Career total
! 248 | 62 | 6 | 1 | 23 | 5 | 11 | 1 | 288 | 69 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
Australia U20
- OFC U-20 Championship: 2005{{cite news|url=http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=2-2989-0-0-0&sID=29150&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=106005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010143119/http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=2-2989-0-0-0&sID=29150&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=106005|website=Oceania Football Confederation|date=31 January 2005|archive-date=10 October 2012|title=Australia win OFC U20 Qualifiers}}
Individual
- Western Sydney Wanderers Player of the Year: 2012–13, 2015–16
- A-League All Star: 2013{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/jul/20/manchester-united-aleague-all-stars-win|title=Manchester United thrash A-League All Stars to give David Moyes first win|first=Jamie|last=Jackson|date=20 July 2013|location=Sydney|access-date=7 September 2020|website=The Guardian}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{soccerway|mark-bridge/17556}}
- {{FIFA player|229017}}
{{Western Sydney Wanderers FC Player of the Year}}
{{Australia Squad 2008 Summer Olympics}}
{{Western Sydney Wanderers FC squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bridge, Mark}}
Category:Australia men's international soccer players
Category:Australia men's under-20 international soccer players
Category:Olympic soccer players for Australia
Category:Footballers at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Category:A-League Men All-Stars
Category:Parramatta Power SC players
Category:Newcastle Jets FC players
Category:Western Sydney Wanderers FC players
Category:Tianjin Jinmen Tiger F.C. players
Category:National Soccer League (Australia) players
Category:Parramatta FC players
Category:Australian expatriate men's soccer players
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in China
Category:Australian expatriate sportspeople in China
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Thailand
Category:Australian expatriate sportspeople in Thailand
Category:Soccer players from Sydney
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Mounties Wanderers FC players
Category:AFC Champions League Elite–winning players