Mark Paston
{{short description|New Zealand footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2013}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Mark Paston
| image = Paston1.jpg
| full_name = Mark Nelson Paston
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|12|13|df=y}}
| birth_place = Hastings, New Zealand
| height = 1.95 m
| currentclub =
| position = Goalkeeper
| years1 = 1997–2003 |clubs1 = Napier City Rovers |caps1 = 135 |goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2003–2004 |clubs2 = Bradford City |caps2 = 13 |goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2004–2005 |clubs3 = Walsall |caps3 = 9 |goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2005–2006 |clubs4 = St Johnstone |caps4 = 2 |goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2006–2007 |clubs5 = New Zealand Knights |caps5 = 10 |goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2007–2013 |clubs6 = Wellington Phoenix |caps6 = 72 |goals6 = 0
| totalcaps = 241 | totalgoals = 0
| nationalyears1 = 1997–2013
| nationalteam1 = New Zealand
| nationalcaps1 = 36
| nationalgoals1 = 0
}}
Mark Nelson Paston (born 13 December 1976){{ cite web | url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/mark-paston/17633/ | title=Mark Nelson Paston | website=Soccerway | access-date=11 October 2013}} is a New Zealand former professional football goalkeeper. He played for the Wellington Phoenix in the A-League from 2007 to 2013 before he retired from professional football. Paston represented New Zealand at Under-23 level and made his full All Whites debut against Indonesia in 1997, but did not feature in another full international until 2003.
Paston was named in the New Zealand 2009 Confederations Cup squad to travel to South Africa, In 2009, he played in the World Cup Qualification playoff against Bahrain, saving a penalty and helping to secure New Zealand's qualification for the World Cup for only the second time in its history and he went all to play goalkeeper for the team in all of New Zealand's matches, including against Slovakia, Italy, and Paraguay.
Club career
=Early career=
Paston's senior career began with Napier City Rovers before he moved to the United Kingdom in 2003 to join Bradford City. He followed this with a season at Walsall and then St Johnstone, before returning to New Zealand with the New Zealand Knights.
=Wellington Phoenix=
Paston signed for A-League club Wellington Phoenix in 2007 from the New Zealand Knights. Paston made his debut for the Phoenix against Adelaide United where they lost 4–1. Paston was often the Phoenix second choice goalkeeper but when Glen Moss left to Melbourne Victory, Paston became Phoenix's first-choice goalkeeper.
Paston signed a new one-year contract at the beginning of the 2009, keeping him at the Phoenix until the end of the 2009–10 season. Paston played a large part in the Phoenix's undefeated home streak A-League record by keeping clean sheets against Central Coast Mariners and Gold Coast United.
On 10 December 2009 Paston suffered a tibia fracture that kept him sidelined for the rest of the season.{{cite news |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/3150058/Mark-Pastons-dead-leg-proves-to-fractured-leg |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120912135724/http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/3150058/Mark-Pastons-dead-leg-proves-to-fractured-leg |url-status=dead |archive-date=12 September 2012 |title=Mark Paston's dead leg proves to be fractured leg |author=Woodcock, Fred |date=11 December 2009 |work=The Dominion Post |access-date=20 October 2011 }}
On 19 January 2010, Paston along with teammates Reece Crowther and Troy Hearfield signed contract extensions with the Phoenix. Paston is contracted until the conclusion of the 2011–12 season.
In a repeat of history, he suffered another tibial fracture below the right knee on 11 December 2010 after a collision in the loss to Gold Coast United, sidelining him for the second half of the 2010–2011 season.{{cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10694174|title=Paston's season probably over|work=The New Zealand Herald|date=14 December 2010}}
On 31 March 2013, Paston announced his retirement from Wellington Phoenix and all professional football following the final 2012–13 regular season game in Round 27 against Melbourne Victory at Westpac Stadium.
International career
Paston, having represented New Zealand at Under-23 level, made his full All Whites debut at the age of 20 in a 5–0 loss to Indonesia on 21 September 1997, but did not feature in another full international until 2003, Jason Batty, Michael Utting and later Ross Nicholson being preferred choices.{{cite web|url=http://www.ultimatenzsoccer.com/NZRepSoccer/id1559.htm|title=A-International Lineups|publisher=The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website|access-date=30 March 2009}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ultimatenzsoccer.com/NZRepSoccer/id1708.htm |title=A-International Appearances – Overall |publisher=The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website |access-date=30 March 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007054503/http://www.ultimatenzsoccer.com/NZRepSoccer/id1708.htm |archive-date=7 October 2008 }} Since returning to the international side in 2003, Paston has competed with former Wellington Phoenix teammate Glen Moss for the goalkeeper position. Since 2003 New Zealand has played 59 matches and between Paston (35) and Moss (21) they have played 56 matches between them.
He was named in the New Zealand 2009 Confederations Cup squad to travel to South Africa,{{cite web|url=http://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofcnewsdetails/new-zealand---all-whites-name-squad-for-fifa-confederations-cup |title=New Zealand – All Whites name Confederations Cup squad |publisher=Oceania Football confederation |date=7 May 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090624071249/http://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofcnewsdetails/new-zealand---all-whites-name-squad-for-fifa-confederations-cup |archive-date=24 June 2009 }} where he was second choice as Moss played in all three games. However, Moss' suspension from international football for improper conduct{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/soccer/melbourne-victory-goalkeeper-glen-moss-world-cup-with-new-zealance-dream-has-been-clouded-by-suspension/story-e6frfg8x-1225794429447|title=Moss Sees Red|author=Grantley Bernard|publisher=Herald Sun|date=5 November 2009|access-date=10 November 2009}} meant that Paston played in the World Cup Qualification playoff against Bahrain. On 10 October 2009, Paston kept a clean sheet in the first leg in Riffa, and in the return leg on 14 November 2009 he was Man of the Match, saving a penalty from Sayed Mohamed Adnan in the 51st minute which was enough to secure New Zealand a 1–0 win in Wellington, enabling them to qualify for the World Cup for only the second time in their history.{{Cite web |last=Hyslop |first=Liam |date=2017-11-03 |title=Mark Paston reflects on 'that' penalty save which sent New Zealand to the 2010 World Cup |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/nz-teams/98550243/mark-paston-reflects-on-that-penalty-save-which-sent-new-zealand-to-the-2010-world-cup |access-date=2022-09-11 |website=Stuff |language=en}}
Paston's fractured leg had threatened to harm his World Cup chances, but the goalkeeper made a good recovery and was named in New Zealand's final 23-man squad to compete at the World Cup on 10 May 2010.{{cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/world-cup/3676399/All-Whites-World-Cup-squad-named|title=All Whites World Cup squad named|publisher=Stuff.co.nz|date=10 May 2010|access-date=10 May 2010}} With Moss' suspension running into the first two games of the World Cup, Paston went on to play all of New Zealand's matches as Ricki Herbert's first-choice goalkeeper.
On 15 June 2010, Paston started against Slovakia and played an important role in helping New Zealand secure their first ever World Cup point with a 1–1 draw, however in the first half he went to clear the ball but completely missed it in his attempted kick, luckily Slovakia could not convert the chance. Five days later he was instrumental in ensuring the All Whites drew 1–1 with reigning champions Italy, making several acrobatic saves. His good form meant that he started the final group game against Paraguay on 24 June, but despite pulling off more excellent saves and keeping a clean sheet in a 0–0 draw, the All Whites were unable to reach the last 16.
Following the retirement from Wellington Phoenix at the end of the 2012–13 A-League season, Paston did not make his retirement from international football official until 8 August 2013.{{Cite web |title=NZ Football |url=https://www.nzfootball.co.nz/nzfootball |access-date=2022-09-11 |website=www.nzfootball.co.nz}}{{Cite web |date=2013-08-08 |title=Keeper Mark Paston retires from All Whites |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/ipad-editors-picks/9017436/Keeper-Mark-Paston-retires-from-All-Whites |access-date=2022-09-11 |website=Stuff |language=en}}
Career statistics
=Club=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup{{efn|Includes FA Cup, Scottish Cup.}} !colspan="2"|League cup{{efn|Includes Football League Cup, Scottish League Cup.}} !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Bradford City
|13 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 1 | colspan="2"|— | 14 | 0 | ||||
| Walsall
|10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 12 | 0 | ||
| St Johnstone
|2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 3 | 0 | |||
| New Zealand Knights
|10 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 10 | 0 | ||||
| rowspan="7"|Wellington Phoenix
|rowspan="6"|A-League |1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | ||||
| 2008–09
|9 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 9 | 0 | ||||
| 2009–10
|13 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 13 | 0 | ||||
| 2010–11
|15 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 15 | 0 | ||||
| 2011–12
|14 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 14 | 0 | ||||
| 2012–13
|8 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 8 | 0 | ||||
| colspan="2"|Total
!60 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 0 | |
| colspan="3"|Career total
!95 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 99 | 0 |
{{notelist}}
=International=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year{{NFT player|4736|accessdate=}} | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="16"|New Zealand
|1997 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1998 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1999 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2000 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2001 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2002 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2003 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2004 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2005 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2006 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2007 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2008 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 7 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total | 36 | 0 |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10610364 Mark Paston Interview]
- {{FIFA player|157045}}
- {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718025313/http://www.wellingtonphoenix.com/default.aspx?s=wellfc_playerprofile_item&pid=737 |date=18 July 2011 |title=Profile Wellington Phoenix }}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20120508211022/http://www.nzfootball.co.nz/index.php?id=319 Profile] at nzfootball.co.nz (archived)
- {{Soccerbase}}
{{Navboxes
| title = New Zealand Squads
| bg = white
| fg = black
| list1 =
{{New Zealand squad 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup}}
{{New Zealand squad 2004 OFC Nations Cup}}
{{New Zealand squad 2008 OFC Nations Cup}}
{{New Zealand squad 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup}}
{{New Zealand squad 2010 FIFA World Cup}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Paston, Mark}}
Category:Sportspeople from Hastings, New Zealand
Category:New Zealand men's association footballers
Category:Men's association football goalkeepers
Category:New Zealand men's international footballers
Category:OFC Nations Cup–winning players
Category:2003 FIFA Confederations Cup players
Category:2004 OFC Nations Cup players
Category:2008 OFC Nations Cup players
Category:2009 FIFA Confederations Cup players
Category:2010 FIFA World Cup players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Napier City Rovers FC players
Category:Bradford City A.F.C. players
Category:St Johnstone F.C. players
Category:New Zealand Knights FC players
Category:Wellington Phoenix FC players
Category:New Zealand expatriate men's association footballers