Mark Jackson (footballer, born 1977)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Mark Jackson

| image =

| fullname = Mark Graham Jackson

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|9|30|df=y}}

| birth_place = Leeds, England

| position = Defender

| currentclub = Central Coast Mariners (manager)

| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–1995

| youthclubs1 = Leeds United

| years1 = 1995–2000

| clubs1 = Leeds United

| caps1 = 19

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 1998

| clubs2 = → Huddersfield Town (loan)

| caps2 = 5

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2000

| clubs3 = → Barnsley (loan)

| caps3 = 1

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2000–2005

| clubs4 = Scunthorpe United

| caps4 = 136

| goals4 = 4

| years5 = 2005–2006

| clubs5 = Kidderminster Harriers

| caps5 = 39

| goals5 = 3

| years6 = 2006–2007

| clubs6 = Rochdale

| caps6 = 24

| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2007–2010

| clubs7 = Farsley Celtic

| caps7 = 31

| goals7 = 1

| years8 = 2010–2015

| clubs8 = Farsley

| caps8 =

| goals8 =

| nationalyears1 = 1997

| nationalteam1 = England U20

| nationalcaps1 = 4

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| manageryears1 = 2020–2023

| managerclubs1 = Milton Keynes Dons

| manageryears2 = 2023–

| managerclubs2 = Central Coast Mariners

}}

Mark Graham Jackson (born 30 September 1977) is an English football manager and former player who is the head coach of Australian A-League Men's team Central Coast Mariners.{{Cite web |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8366579/englishman-jackson-named-new-mariners-alm-boss/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=27 September 2023 |archive-date=27 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230927101334/https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8366579/englishman-jackson-named-new-mariners-alm-boss/ |url-status=live }} A former defender, he notably played for Scunthorpe United. At international level, he made four appearances for the England U20 national team.

Playing career

As a player Jackson started his career at Leeds United. He turned professional in July 1995 and soon earned a Premiership debut. He last played for reformed Farsley, after his last club Farsley Celtic was wound-up by its administrators on 12 March 2010.

Coaching career

=Leeds United=

On 10 November 2015, Jackson rejoined his hometown club Leeds United as the under 15/16s coach, rejoining his then former Leeds academy manager Paul Hart at the club.{{cite web| url=http://www.scunthorpetelegraph.co.uk/leeds-united-coaching-role-scunthorpe-united/story-28148082-detail/story.html| title=Leeds United coaching role for former Scunthorpe United captain Mark Jackson| publisher=Scunthorpe Telegraph| accessdate=10 November 2015}}{{Dead link|date=March 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

On 24 June 2016, Jackson was promoted to under-18s co-manager alongside Andy Gray as part of Leeds' academy structure before taking the helm as the sole manager for the 2017–18 season.{{cite web| url=http://www.leedsunited.com/news/article/lec42uqb38lc1mj3xwc16s3fz/title/academy-201617-structure-confirmed| title=ACADEMY: 2016/17 STRUCTURE CONFIRMED| date=24 June 2016| publisher=Leeds United Official Site| accessdate=24 June 2016| archive-date=28 September 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160928075621/http://www.leedsunited.com/news/article/lec42uqb38lc1mj3xwc16s3fz/title/academy-201617-structure-confirmed| url-status=live}}

In April 2018, his Leeds under-18 side finished the 2017–18 season in first place, thus winning the Professional Development Northern League title.{{cite web| url=https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/inside-thorp-arch-these-lads-need-to-feel-what-it-s-like-to-win-something-for-leeds-united-1-9142241| title=Inside Thorp Arch: 'These lads need to feel what it's like to win something for Leeds United'| date=30 April 2018| publisher=Yorkshire Evening Post| accessdate=30 April 2018| archive-date=23 June 2018| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623193843/https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/inside-thorp-arch-these-lads-need-to-feel-what-it-s-like-to-win-something-for-leeds-united-1-9142241| url-status=live}}

On 14 September 2020, he was promoted to under-23s head coach, replacing Carlos Corberan who had left the role in the summer to take up a position as head coach at Huddersfield Town.{{cite web| url=https://www.leedsunited.com/news/academy/27041/mark-jackson-to-lead-under-23s| title=MARK JACKSON TO LEAD UNDER-23S| date=14 September 2020| publisher=Leeds United Official Site| accessdate=14 September 2020| archive-date=17 September 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917124221/https://www.leedsunited.com/news/academy/27041/mark-jackson-to-lead-under-23s| url-status=live}}

In May 2021, his under-23s team won the Premier League 2 Division 2, earning promotion to Division 1, in both his first season managing this age group and the team's first season of playing in that division. The team remained unbeaten at home throughout the entire season.{{Cite web|date=3 May 2021|title=U23 Report: Leeds United 5-2 Burnley|url=https://www.leedsunited.com/news/team-news/28053/u23s-preview-leeds-united-vs-burnley|access-date=4 May 2021|website=www.leedsunited.com|language=en|archive-date=3 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503084840/https://www.leedsunited.com/news/team-news/28053/u23s-preview-leeds-united-vs-burnley|url-status=live}}

On 3 March 2022, Jackson was promoted to first team coach under new Leeds United head coach Jesse Marsch.{{Cite web|date=3 March 2022|title=Leeds United announce Jesse Marsch's backroom team including new Mark Jackson role|url=https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/leeds-announce-jesse-marschs-backroom-team-including-new-mark-jackson-role-3594839|access-date=25 March 2022|website=www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk|archive-date=9 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309215543/https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/leeds-announce-jesse-marschs-backroom-team-including-new-mark-jackson-role-3594839|url-status=live}}

=Milton Keynes Dons=

On 23 December 2022, Jackson was appointed head coach of League One club Milton Keynes Dons.{{cite web|url=https://www.mkdons.com/news/2022/december/mark-jackson-appointed-mk-dons-head-coach/|title=Mark Jackson appointed MK Dons Head Coach|website=www.mkdons.com|date=23 December 2022|accessdate=23 December 2022|archive-date=23 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221223134329/https://www.mkdons.com/news/2022/december/mark-jackson-appointed-mk-dons-head-coach|url-status=live}} At the time of his appointment, the club were sitting in 22nd position, three points from safety. His first game in charge came three days later where his side won 1–0, a first home league win for the Dons in over four months.

On 9 May 2023, Jackson was sacked by MK Dons after relegation to League Two, having registered six wins in 25 games.{{cite news |title=Mark Jackson: MK Dons sack head coach after relegation to League Two |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65532665 |access-date=9 May 2023 |work=BBC Sport |date=9 May 2023 |archive-date=16 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230516130048/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65532665 |url-status=live }}

=Central Coast Mariners=

On 27 September 2023, Jackson was announced as the new coach of reigning A-League champions, Central Coast Mariners, ahead of their title defence.{{cite web|url=https://ccmariners.com.au/news/mark-jackson-joins-the-central-coast-mariners|title=Mark Jackson joins the Central Coast Mariners|website=Central Coast Mariners FC|date=27 September 2023|accessdate=8 November 2023|archive-date=3 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231003004854/https://ccmariners.com.au/news/mark-jackson-joins-the-central-coast-mariners|url-status=live}} In his first season at the helm, Jackson won the 2023-24 AFC Cup and 2023-24 A-League premiership for finishing top of the table during the regular season.{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-06/central-coast-mariners-win-afc-cup/103808036|title=Central Coast Mariners become first Australian club to win AFC Cup|website=ABC News (Australia)|date=6 May 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-02/central-coast-mariners-secure-a-league-men-premiers-plate/103793606|title=Central Coast Mariners secure A-league Men's premier's plate with win over Adelaide United|website=ABC News (Australia)|date=2 February 2024}}

On 25 May 2024, Jackson's squad defeated Melbourne Victory FC 3-1 at extra time in the 2024 A-League Men Grand Final to become back-to-back champions.{{cite news |last1=Rugari |first1=Vince |title=Mariners fans celebrate fairytale treble after beating Victory in thrilling grand final |url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/a-league-grand-final-live-central-coast-mariners-v-melbourne-victory-20240525-p5jgl9.html |access-date=26 May 2024 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=25 May 2024 |language=en}} Before the game, Jackson was also awarded the Isuzu UTE A-League Coach of the Year award.{{cite web |title=Mariners boss caps stellar debut season with Isuzu UTE A-League Coach of the Year award |url=https://aleagues.com.au/news/mark-jackson-coach-of-the-year-central-coast-mariners-a-league-men-details/ |website=A-Leagues |access-date=26 May 2024 |language=en-AU |date=25 May 2024}}

Career statistics

=Managerial record=

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" \|+ Managerial record by team and tenure
rowspan="2"\|Team !rowspan="2"\|Nat !rowspan="2"\|From !rowspan="2"\|To !colspan="8"\|Record !rowspan=2\|{{abbr\|Ref\|Reference}}
{{Tooltip\|G\|Games managed}} !{{Tooltip\|W\|Games won}} !{{Tooltip\|D\|Games drawn}} !{{Tooltip\|L\|Games lost}} !{{Tooltip\|GF\|Goals for}} !{{Tooltip\|GA\|Goals against}} !{{Tooltip\|GD\|Goal difference}} !{{Tooltip\|Win %\|Winning percentage}}
align="left" \|Milton Keynes Dons \|{{flagicon\|England}} \|align=left\|23 December 2022 \|align=left\|9 May 2023 {{WDL\|25\|6\|9\|10\|for=23\|against=35\|diff=yes}} \|{{Cite web \|url=https://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=2812&teamTabs=results \|title=MK Dons Results \|work=Soccerbase \|access-date=18 August 2021 \|publisher=CenturyComm \|archive-date=2 August 2018 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180802042603/http://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=2812&teamTabs=results \|url-status=dead }}
align="left" \|Central Coast Mariners \|{{flagicon\|Australia}} \|align=left\|27 September 2023 \|align=left\|Present {{WDL\|77\|33\|19\|25\|for=130\|against=114\|diff=yes}} \|
colspan="4"\|Total {{WDLtot\|102\|39\|28\|35\|for=153\|against=149\|diff=yes}} !

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

|+ Managerial record by team and tenure

rowspan="2"|Team

!rowspan="2"|Nat

!rowspan="2"|From

!rowspan="2"|To

!colspan="8"|Record

!rowspan=2|{{abbr|Ref|Reference}}

!{{Tooltip|W|Games won}}

!{{Tooltip|D|Games drawn}}

!{{Tooltip|L|Games lost}}

!{{Tooltip|GF|Goals for}}

!{{Tooltip|GA|Goals against}}

!{{Tooltip|GD|Goal difference}}

!{{Tooltip|Win %|Winning percentage}}

align="left" |Milton Keynes Dons

|{{flagicon|England}}

|align=left|23 December 2022

|align=left|9 May 2023

|{{Cite web |url=https://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=2812&teamTabs=results |title=MK Dons Results |work=Soccerbase |access-date=18 August 2021 |publisher=CenturyComm |archive-date=2 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180802042603/http://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=2812&teamTabs=results |url-status=dead }}

align="left" |Central Coast Mariners

|{{flagicon|Australia}}

|align=left|27 September 2023

|align=left|Present

colspan="4"|Total