Mark Farren

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Mark Farren

| image = Farrenmark.JPG

| image_size =

| caption = Farren embarking on a mazy run.

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1982|5|1|df=y}}

| birth_place = Donegal, Ireland

| death_date = {{death date and age|2016|2|3|1982|5|1|df=y}}

| death_place = Moville, Ireland

| height =

| position = Forward

| youthyears1 = 1998–1999 | youthclubs1 = Tranmere Rovers

| youthyears2 = 1999–2000 | youthclubs2 = Huddersfield Town

| years1 = 2000–2001 | clubs1 = Finn Harps | caps1 = 1 | goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2001–2003 | clubs2 = Monaghan United | caps2 = 7 | goals2 = 1

| years3 = 2003–2012 | clubs3 = Derry City | caps3 = 209 | goals3 = 114

| years4 = 2013–2014 | clubs4 = Glenavon | caps4 = 15 | goals4 = 10

| totalcaps = 232 | totalgoals = 125

}}

Mark Farren (1 May 1982 – 3 February 2016) was an Irish footballer who played as a forward for Derry City in his prime.[http://www.derrycityfc.net/players/current/mfarren.php Player Profile – Official Derry City site] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080717112025/http://www.derrycityfc.net/players/current/mfarren.php |date=17 July 2008 }} Retrieved 23 August 2008

Career

Farren began his football career with a largely unsuccessful period, throughout which he was dogged by injury, in the youth setup at Tranmere Rovers. Following this and a spell at Huddersfield Town, he returned to his home county to play for Finn Harps. After only one substitute League appearance in the 2000–01 League of Ireland season and a lack of first-team opportunities Farren moved south to fellow League of Ireland First Division side Monaghan United. He became a regular in the Monaghan team and quickly gained a reputation as a promising, pacy striker with much potential. He earned a move to Derry City in 2003 with a free transfer.[http://www.abcgoal.com/news.php?type=transfer&no=12976]{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Farren stayed clear of injury in the 2005 season to produce some magnificent displays. He finished the season as second top scorer with 18 league goals in 31 appearances and 22 goals in all competitions. It was this excellent form that saw him named PFAI Player of the Year.[http://www.rte.ie/sport/2005/1128/derry.html Derry duo take Player of the Year honours] RTÉ Sport, 28 November 2005. Retrieved 23 August 2008. With the signing of Kevin McHugh and the establishment of Gary Beckett as a top forward in League of Ireland football, Farren's starting place was placed under threat for the 2006 season. However, he returned to the form he showed in 2005 and did manage to hold down a regular spot in the team, with an especially strong finish to the season, which helped Derry win the FAI Cup.[http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/farren-to-fore-137870.html Farren To Fore] Independent.ie. 10 December 2006. Retrieved 23 August 2008. His efforts also helped keep Derry in the league title race up until the very last day of the season, only to see his club lose the title to Dublin rivals, Shelbourne, on goal difference. In all, Farren finished the 2006 season with 18 goals to his name.

In 2010 Farren was instrumental in Derry gaining promotion from the First Division scoring 20 goals in the season.{{cite news|title=Farren to plot more Derry City heroics|newspaper=Belfasttelegraph|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/local/farren-to-plot-more-derry-city-heroics-14991930.html|publisher=BBC|accessdate=1 November 2010}} Farren, who scored in the 1–0 victory in the last game over Monagahan United to give Derry the championship, may however be forced to put his playing career on hold due to a brain tumour.

{{cquote|Twenty goals (in the season) and he's had to deal with so much going through his mind about his future health, never mind his footballing career.

He's been unbelievably courageous, I don't think people realise how brave he's been, although certainly all the players do.|200px||Derry City manager Stephen Kenny.{{cite web|title=Star striker Mark Farren awaits brain tumour news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-11664158|publisher=BBC News|accessdate=1 November 2010|date=1 November 2010}}}}

He was named in the squad travelling to Sligo to play in a crucial league match at the start of September 2011.{{cite web|last=Duffy|first=Arthur|title=Kenny's delight as Farren completes 'miracle' recovery|url=http://www.derryjournal.com/sport/football/kenny_s_delight_as_farren_completes_miracle_recovery_1_3009315|publisher=Derry Journal|accessdate=3 September 2011}}

Commenting on Farren attempting to surpass Liam Coyle's goal tally, Kenny stated:

{{cquote|It's a challenge for him once he's back playing. Liam is recognised as one of the all-time greats at Derry City and while Mark played with him for a short spell, I think they have great respect for each other and I've no doubt that Liam will be willing Mark to score the six goals he needs to beat the record of 112.|200px||Derry City manager Stephen Kenny}}

In August 2012, it was announced that he would be moving to Glenavon in January 2013 after signing a pre-contract agreement.{{cite news|title=Derry City's Mark Farren agrees pre-contract deal with Glenavon|publisher=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19311370|accessdate=25 August 2012|date=19 August 2012}} In September 2012 he overtook Liam Coyle as Derry's top scorer with 113 goals.{{cite web|url=http://www.derrycityfc.net/2012/09/city-cruise-into-the-last-four-as-farren-the-hero/ |title=City cruise into the last four as Farren the hero – |accessdate=2012-09-17 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305005615/http://www.derrycityfc.net/2012/09/city-cruise-into-the-last-four-as-farren-the-hero/ |archivedate= 5 March 2016 }} He made his IFA Premiership debut for Glenavon on 5 January 2013{{cite web|url=http://glenavonfc.com/blog/?p=17241|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411012937/http://glenavonfc.com/blog/?p=17241|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-04-11|title=FT: Glenavon 2-3 Crusaders|work=Glenavon FC News}} and scored his first goal at Dungannon Swifts.

Farren died of cancer on 3 February 2016.{{cite news|url=http://www.donegalnow.com/news/devastating-news-as-derry-city-legend-mark-farren-passes-away/71830|title=Devastating news as Derry City legend Mark Farren passes away|newspaper=Donegal Now|date=3 February 2016|access-date=3 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160204092218/http://www.donegalnow.com/news/devastating-news-as-derry-city-legend-mark-farren-passes-away/71830|archive-date=4 February 2016|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35481068|title=Mark Farren: Derry City record goalscorer dies, aged 33|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=3 February 2016|date=3 February 2016}} In his honour, Derry City retired the number 18 jersey, which he wore during his time at the club.{{Cite web |url=https://www.derryjournal.com/news/derry-city-to-retire-mark-farren-s-number-18-jersey-1-7197068 |title=Derry City to retire Mark Farren's number 18 jersey – Derry Journal |access-date=13 December 2019 |archive-date=13 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191213183901/https://www.derryjournal.com/news/derry-city-to-retire-mark-farren-s-number-18-jersey-1-7197068 |url-status=dead }}

Honours

=Club=

FAI Cup (2): 2006{{cite web|url = http://extratime.ie/newsdesk/articles/11341/2006-cup-final-voted-greatest-ever-fai-cup-final/|title= 2006 Cup Final voted Greatest Ever FAI Cup Final|date=28 October 2013|work= Extra Time|accessdate=3 February 2016}} and 2012.{{cite web|url=http://www.extratime.ie/fixtures/detail/18833/0/|title=Derry City -v- St Patrick's Athletic|date=3 November 2012|publisher=Extra Time|accessdate=3 February 2016}}
League of Ireland Cup (5): 2005,{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/ier05.html|title=Ireland 2005|date=14 March 2006|publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation|accessdate=3 February 2016}} 2006,{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/ier06.html|title=Ireland 2006|date=4 January 2013|publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation|accessdate=3 February 2016}} 2007,{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/ierleagcup07.html|title=Ireland League Cup 2007|date=2 November 2007|publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation|accessdate=3 February 2016}} 2008{{cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/irish/2008/0927/238734-wexford_derry/|title=Wexford Youths 1-6 Derry City|publisher=RTÉ Sport|date=28 September 2008|accessdate=3 February 2016}} and 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.extratime.ie/newsdesk/articles/6741/derry-win-ea-sports-cup|title=Derry City win EA Sports Cup|publisher=Extra Time|date=24 September 2011|accessdate=3 February 2016}}
League of Ireland First Division (1): 2010.{{cite web|url=http://inform.fai.ie/Statsportal/CompetitionDetails.aspx?compID=2|title=2010 SSE Airtricity First Division|publisher=Football Association of Ireland|accessdate=3 February 2016|archive-date=24 November 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101124063621/http://inform.fai.ie/Statsportal/CompetitionDetails.aspx?compID=2|url-status=dead}}

=Individual=

League of Ireland Premier Division Top Scorer (1): 2008 (16 goals).
League of Ireland First Division Top Scorer (1): 2010 (18 goals).

{{small|Source:{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/iertops.html |title=Ireland – List of Topscorers |publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation |accessdate=6 July 2016 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406093820/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/iertops.html |archivedate= 6 April 2012 }}}}