Mark O'Hara
{{short description|Scottish footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Mark O'Hara
| image =
| fullname = Mark Ryan O'Hara[https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/record-results?search_type=people&dl_cat=statutory&dl_rec=statutory-births&surname=O'Hara&surname_so=exact&forename=Mark&forename_so=starts&sex=M&from_year=1995&to_year=1996&county=RENFREW&record_type=stat_births Statutory registers - Births - Search results], ScotlandsPeople
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1995|12|12}}
| birth_place = Barrhead, Scotland{{cite web|url=http://www.kilmarnockfc.co.uk/TeamsPlayer?sPlayer=464&sTeam=398 |title=Mark O'Hara Kilmarnock Profile |publisher=Kilmarnock FC |work=kilmarnockfc.co.uk |accessdate=24 January 2017 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150629173955/http://www.kilmarnockfc.co.uk/TeamsPlayer?sPlayer=464&sTeam=398 |archivedate=29 June 2015 |url-status=dead }}
| height = 1.91m
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub = St Mirren
| clubnumber = 6
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Barrhead Boys Club
| youthyears2 =
| youthclubs2 = Kilmarnock
| years1 = 2012–2016
| clubs1 = Kilmarnock
| caps1 = 78
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2016–2018
| clubs2 = Dundee
| caps2 = 60
| goals2 = 9
| years3 = 2018–2020
| clubs3 = Peterborough United
| caps3 = 22
| goals3 = 4
| years4 = 2019
| clubs4 = → Lincoln City (loan)
| caps4 = 17
| goals4 = 1
| years5 = 2019–2020
| clubs5 = → Motherwell (loan)
| caps5 = 17
| goals5 = 1
| years6 = 2020–2022
| clubs6 = Motherwell
| caps6 = 46
| goals6 = 6
| clubs7 = St Mirren
| years7 = 2022–
| caps7 = 95
| goals7 = 20
| nationalyears1 = 2013
| nationalteam1 = Scotland U19
| nationalcaps1 = 9
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2015–2016
| nationalteam2 = Scotland U21
| nationalcaps2 = 2
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| club-update = 11 June 2025
| ntupdate =
}}
Mark Ryan O'Hara (born 12 December 1995){{cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/shared/bsp/hi/football/statistics/players/o/o'hara_494745.stm | title=Mark O'Hara | publisher=BBC | work=BBC Sport | accessdate=27 October 2012}} is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for {{Scottish football updater|StMirren}} club St Mirren. He has previously played for Kilmarnock, Dundee, Peterborough United, Lincoln City and Motherwell.
Club career
=Kilmarnock=
A member of Kilmarnock's under-20 squad O'Hara made his first team debut on 28 August 2012, coming on as a 13th-minute substitute in a Scottish League Cup match against Stenhousemuir, replacing the injured Jeroen Tesselaar in a 2–1 defeat.{{cite web | url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-match-reports/scottish-league-cup-match-report-1284940 | title=Killie give up the League Cup with a whimper as Stenny triumph at Rugby Park | publisher=Daily Record | work=dailyrecord.co.uk | date=29 August 2012 | accessdate=27 October 2012}} Aged just 16 on his debut, O'Hara became the fifth youngest person to play competitively for Kilmarnock and only the second youngest in that competition.{{cite web | url=http://www.kilmarnockstandard.co.uk/kilmarnock-sport/kilmarnock-football/kilmarnock-fc/2012/09/14/kilmarnock-fc-killie-under-20s-lose-to-hearts-at-rugby-park-81430-31825073/ | title=Kilmarnock FC: Killie Under-20s lose to Hearts at Rugby Park | publisher=Kilmarnock Standard | work=kilmarnockstandard.co.uk | date=14 September 2012 | accessdate=27 October 2012}} On 27 October 2012, he made his first start and league debut{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20110500 | title=Kilmarnock: Kenny Shiels pays tribute to Liam Kelly | publisher=BBC | work=BBC Sport | date=27 October 2012 | accessdate=27 October 2012}} in a 2–0 win over Celtic at Celtic Park, Kilmarnock's first win at the venue since 1955.{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20014085 | title=Celtic 0 Kilmarnock 2 | publisher=BBC | work=BBC Sport | date=27 October 2012 | accessdate=27 October 2012}}
=Dundee=
O'Hara signed for Dundee in June 2016.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36480312 |title=Mark O'Hara: Dundee sign defender from Kilmarnock |work=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |date=8 June 2016 |accessdate=8 June 2016}} Upon signing for Dundee, he was moved into an attacking midfield position by manager Paul Hartley, who said he didn't know why O'Hara had previously been playing as a defender.{{cite web|title=Dundee kid Mark O'Hara starting to show his true potential after change of position, says Paul Hartley|url=http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/dundee-kid-mark-ohara-starting-8659273|publisher=Daily Record|date=18 August 2016|accessdate=21 August 2016}} On 13 August 2016, he scored his first career goal, in Dundee's 2–1 defeat against Rangers.{{cite web|title=Dundee 1–2 Rangers|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36994357|publisher=BBC Sport|date=13 August 2016|accessdate=21 August 2016}} He then scored again in the following match, getting the equaliser in a 1–1 draw against Hamilton Academical.{{cite web|title=Dundee 1–1 Hamilton Academical|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37055377|publisher=BBC Sport|last=Davie|first=Scott|date=19 August 2016|accessdate=21 August 2016}}
On the 19th of February 2017, he scored the opening goal as Dundee won 2–1 against Rangers, the first time since 1992 that Dundee had beaten them at home in the league.{{cite web|title=Dundee 2–1 Rangers|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/38947544|publisher=BBC Sport|date=19 February 2017|accessdate=20 February 2017}} Following Paul Hartley's departure from Dundee, O'Hara scored in new manager Neil McCann's first match in charge, a 3–2 win against Motherwell.
O'Hara scored an equalising goal in a 1–1 draw in the Dundee derby against Dundee United in the Scottish league cup group stage. He scored again against Rangers, getting both goals in a 2–1 home win on 24 November 2017, this was O'Hara's fourth goal against Rangers in his third home game against them.{{cite web|title=Dundee 2–1 Rangers|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42021165|publisher=BBC Sport|last=English|first=Tom|date=24 November 2017|accessdate=27 November 2017}}
=Peterborough United=
O'Hara moved to Peterborough United in May 2018 under freedom of contract, with Dundee receiving a compensation fee.{{cite web |url=https://dundeefc.co.uk/news/ohara-leaves-the-club/ |title=O'Hara leaves the club |publisher=Dundee FC |date=25 May 2018 |accessdate=25 May 2018}}
He started his career at London Road in goalscoring form, netting three goals in his first two games in League One against Bristol Rovers and Rochdale.{{cite web |url=https://www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/news/2018/august/report-peterboroughunited_home_110818/ |title=Peterborough United 4-1 Rochdale |publisher=Peterborough United FC |date=11 August 2018 |accessdate=11 August 2018}} Fourteen starts and eight sub appearances followed in the first half of the 2018–19 season, but the end of manager Steve Evans' tenure at the club coincided with a loan move to League Two side Lincoln City.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/46990548 |title=Mark O'Hara: Lincoln City sign Peterborough United midfielder on loan |publisher=BBC Sport |date=24 January 2019 |accessdate=24 January 2019}}
His aggressive and tenacious midfield style saw him make an instant impact with the Imps, making 17 appearances as Danny Cowley's side won the league title by six points over Bury and MK Dons.{{cite web |url=https://thelincolnite.co.uk/2019/04/imps-win-league-two-title-after-goalless-draw/ |title=Imps win League Two title after goalless draw |publisher=The Lincolnite |date=22 April 2019 |accessdate=22 April 2019}}
He was transfer-listed by Peterborough United at the end of the 2018–19 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48191969|title=Peterborough United: Aaron Chapman among five transfer-listed as four released|date=7 May 2019|accessdate=8 May 2019|publisher=BBC Sport}}
On 2 September 2019, O'Hara joined Motherwell on loan for the remainder of the 2019–20 season.{{cite web|title=Motherwell: Mark O'Hara signs season loan deal at Fir Park|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49558514|publisher=BBC Sport|last=Mullen|first=Scott|date=2 September 2019|accessdate=2 September 2019}}
=Motherwell=
On 24 June 2020, Motherwell announced the signing of O'Hara on a permanent deal from Peterborough United for a nominal fee, signing a two-year contract.{{cite web |title=MARK O'HARA SIGNS FOR MOTHERWELL |url=https://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2020/06/24/mark-ohara-signs-for-motherwell-2/ |website=motherwellfc.co.uk/ |publisher=Motherwell F.C. |accessdate=24 June 2020 |date=24 June 2020}}
= St Mirren =
In May 2022 following the expiry of his Motherwell contract, O'Hara signed for fellow Scottish Premiership side St Mirren on a two-year deal, having previously signed a pre-contract agreement with the Buddies in March.{{Cite web |last=Burns |first=Scott |date=2022-03-21 |title=Mark O'Hara agrees St Mirren contract to seal Stephen Robinson reunion |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-transfer-news/mark-ohara-agrees-st-mirren-26522364 |access-date=2022-05-20 |website=Daily Record |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Mark O'Hara becomes first summer signing |url=https://www.stmirren.com/all-news/4443-mark-o-hara-becomes-first-summer-signing |access-date=2022-05-20 |website=www.stmirren.com}}
In March 2023, O'Hara extended his contract until the summer of 2026 after establishing himself as a regular in the Saints team.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/c4n9ww3jpvgo|title=O'Hara pens St Mirren contract extension|date=17 March 2023|accessdate=9 May 2024|publisher=BBC Sport}}
International career
O'Hara represented Scotland at the under-19 and under-21 levels.{{SFA Profile|id=96078}}
Career statistics
{{updated|4 May 2024}}{{soccerway|mark--ohara/261364|accessdate=17 November 2017}}
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
Honours
Lincoln City
- EFL League Two: 2018–19{{cite web |url=https://www.soccerbase.com/tournaments/tournament.sd?tourn_id=1646 |title=League Two: 2018/19: Current table |website=Soccerbase |publisher=Centurycomm |accessdate=5 May 2019}}
{{cite web |url=https://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=1559&teamTabs=stats&season_id=151 |title=Lincoln: Squad details: 2018/19 |website=Soccerbase |publisher=Centurycomm |accessdate=5 May 2019}}
References
{{Reflist}}{{St Mirren F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:OHara, Mark}}
Category:Scottish men's footballers
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Kilmarnock F.C. players
Category:Scottish Premier League players
Category:Scottish Professional Football League players
Category:Scotland men's youth international footballers
Category:Scotland men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Peterborough United F.C. players
Category:Lincoln City F.C. players
Category:Motherwell F.C. players
Category:St Mirren F.C. players
Category:People educated at St Luke's High School
Category:Footballers from Barrhead
Category:English Football League players