Mark Travers
{{short description|Irish footballer (born 1999)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
|name = Mark Travers
|image = Mark Travers 29122024 (2).jpg
|caption = Travers with AFC Bournemouth in 2024.
|full_name = Mark Travers{{cite web|url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/844127|title=2018/19 Premier League squads confirmed|date=3 September 2018|accessdate=7 March 2019|publisher=Premier League}}
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|5|18|df=y}}{{soccerway|mark-travers/421838|accessdate=7 March 2019}}
|birth_place = Maynooth, Ireland{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-ie/sport/premier-league/an-unbelievable-day-getting-to-know-irish-teen-mark-travers-after-superb-man-of-the-match-performance-on-debut/ar-AAATCpH|title='An unbelievable day' – Getting to know Irish teen Mark Travers after superb man of the match performance on debut|website=www.msn.com}}
|position = Goalkeeper
|currentclub = AFC Bournemouth
|clubnumber =
|youthyears1 =
|youthclubs1 = Confey
|youthyears2 =
|youthclubs2 = Lucan United
|youthyears3 = 2014–2015
|youthclubs3 = Cherry Orchard
|youthyears4 = 2015–2016
|youthclubs4 = Shamrock Rovers
|youthyears5 = 2016–2017
|youthclubs5 = AFC Bournemouth
|years1 = 2017–
|clubs1 = AFC Bournemouth
|caps1 = 70
|goals1 = 0
|years2 = 2017–2018
|clubs2 = → Weymouth (loan)
|caps2 = 23
|goals2 = 1
|years3 = 2021
|clubs3 = → Swindon Town (loan)
|caps3 = 8
|goals3 = 0
|years4 = 2023
|clubs4 = → Stoke City (loan)
|caps4 = 13
|goals4 = 0
|years5 = 2025
|clubs5 = → Middlesbrough (loan)
|caps5 = 17
|goals5 = 0
|nationalyears1 =
|nationalteam1 = Republic of Ireland U15
|nationalcaps1 =
|nationalgoals1 =
|nationalyears2 =
|nationalteam2 = Republic of Ireland U16
|nationalcaps2 =
|nationalgoals2 =
|nationalyears3 =
|nationalteam3 = Republic of Ireland U17
|nationalcaps3 =
|nationalgoals3 =
|nationalyears4 =
|nationalteam4 = Republic of Ireland U18
|nationalcaps4 =
|nationalgoals4 =
|nationalyears5 =
|nationalteam5 = Republic of Ireland U19
|nationalcaps5 =
|nationalgoals5 =
|nationalyears6 =
|nationalteam6 = Republic of Ireland U21
|nationalcaps6 =
|nationalgoals6 =
|nationalyears7 = 2019–
|nationalteam7 = Republic of Ireland
|nationalcaps7 = 4
|nationalgoals7 = 0
|club-update = 14:42, 4 May 2025 (UTC)
|ntupdate = 22:51, 21 November 2023 (UTC)
}}
Mark Travers (born 18 May 1999) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for {{English football updater|AFCBourn}} club AFC Bournemouth.
He has represented the Republic of Ireland at youth international level up until under-21 level as well as the Republic of Ireland senior team, earning his first cap in September 2019.
Club career
=Early career=
Travers' first youth club was Confey in Leixlip, he then moved on to Lucan United, before spending a season at Cherry Orchard and 6 months at Shamrock Rovers.
=AFC Bournemouth=
File:Mark Travers 2019.jpg in 2019.]]
Travers signed for English club AFC Bournemouth in July 2016, aged 17.{{cite web|url=https://www.afcb.co.uk/teams/first-team/mark-travers|title=Profile|accessdate=7 March 2019|publisher=AFC Bournemouth}}{{cite web|url=http://theterras.com/index.php/first-team/pen-pics/201718-pen-pics/mark-travers/|title=Profile|date=4 January 2018|accessdate=7 March 2019|publisher=Weymouth F.C.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190128214822/http://theterras.com/index.php/first-team/pen-pics/201718-pen-pics/mark-travers/|archive-date=28 January 2019|url-status=dead}} He joined Weymouth on loan in August 2017, scoring on his debut.{{cite web|url=https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/15483893.watch-cherries-goalkeeper-mark-travers-scores-winner-on-senior-debut-for-loan-club-weymouth/|title=WATCH: Cherries goalkeeper Mark Travers scores winner on senior debut for loan club Weymouth|date=19 August 2017|accessdate=7 March 2019|author=Dan Rose|publisher=Bournemouth Echo}} The loan ended in January 2018.{{cite web|url=http://theterras.com/index.php/2018/01/04/mark-travers-returns-to-afc-bournemouth/|title=Mark Travers returns to AFC Bournemouth|date=4 January 2018|accessdate=7 March 2019|publisher=Weymouth F.C.}}
In July 2018 he signed a new "long-term" contract with Bournemouth.{{cite web|url=https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/16344134.goalkeeper-mark-travers-signs-new-long-term-cherries-deal/|title=Goalkeeper Mark Travers signs new long-term Cherries deal|date=10 July 2018|accessdate=7 March 2019|publisher=Bournemouth Echo}}
He made his debut for Bournemouth on 4 May 2019 in a 1–0 win over Tottenham Hotspur. Upon doing so, he became the first teenage goalkeeper since Joe Hart in 2006 to start a Premier League match, and made a number of saves to help the club record its first ever victory over Tottenham, with Travers keeping a clean sheet and receiving Man of the Match for his performance.{{cite web|url=https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/17619049.nathan-ake-heads-in-a-late-winner-as-afc-bournemouth-beat-tottenham/|title=Nathan Ake heads in a late winner as AFC Bournemouth beat Tottenham|author=Tom Crocker|date=4 May 2019|accessdate=4 May 2019|publisher=Bournemouth Echo}} He was later selected by BBC pundit Garth Crooks in his 'Team of the Week'.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48171718|title=Garth Crooks' team of the week: Travers, Van Dijk, Loftus-Cheek, Rondon|date=5 May 2019|accessdate=8 May 2019|author=Garth Crooks|publisher=BBC Sport}}
On 15 July 2019, Travers signed a new long-term contract at Bournemouth.{{cite web|url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11661/11763804/bournemouth-goalkeeper-mark-travers-signs-new-long-term-deal|title=Bournemouth goalkeeper Mark Travers signs new long-term deal|date=15 July 2019|accessdate=25 July 2019|publisher=Sky Sports}}
He moved on loan to Swindon Town in January 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/18991888.swindon-town-sign-afc-bournemouth-goalkeeper-mark-travers/|title=Town snap up Bournemouth 'keeper Travers on loan|website=Swindon Advertiser}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55566809|title=Swindon sign Bournemouth keeper Travers|work=BBC Sport }} He was recalled by Bournemouth on 11 February 2021, having made eight appearances.{{Cite web|url=https://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/news/2021/february/afc-bournemouth-re-call-goalkeeper-mark-travers/|title=AFC BOURNEMOUTH RE-CALL GOALKEEPER MARK TRAVERS|website=www.swindontownfc.co.uk}}
Following the departure of Asmir Begović, Travers began the 2021–22 season as Bournemouth's first choice goalkeeper, beginning with a 2–2 draw with West Brom on the opening day of the campaign.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58021521|title=AFC Bournemouth 2–2 West Bromwich Albion|date=6 August 2021|accessdate=23 October 2021|publisher=BBC Sport}} Travers started all but one of the Cherries' opening 14 games, an unbeaten run which included a club record-setting six away games in a row without conceding a goal.{{cite web|url=https://www.afcb.co.uk/news/first-team/cherries-clean-up-to-set-new-club-record|title=Cherries clean up to set new club record|date=20 October 2021|accessdate=23 October 2021|publisher=AFC Bournemouth}} For his performances in September 2021, Travers was nominated for the club's player of the month award, losing out to Gary Cahill.{{cite web|url=https://www.afcb.co.uk/news/first-team/cahill-named-september-potm|title=Cahill named September POTM|date=6 October 2021|accessdate=23 October 2021|publisher=AFC Bournemouth}} In June 2022 he signed a new five-year contract with Bournemouth.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/61968356|title=Travers signs new five-year deal at Bournemouth|work=BBC Sport }}
Travers joined Stoke City on loan for the 2023–24 season.{{cite web |title=Potters land goalkeeper Travers |url=https://www.stokecityfc.com/news/2023/july/27/potters-land-goalkeeper-travers/ |website=Stoke City |access-date=27 July 2023}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/66323759|title=Stoke sign Bournemouth goalkeeper Travers on loan|via=www.bbc.co.uk}} He made 14 appearances for Stoke before he was recalled by Bournemouth on 27 October 2023 after an injury sustained by Neto.{{cite web |title=Mark Travers recalled by AFC Bournemouth |url=https://www.stokecityfc.com/news/2023/october/27/mark-travers-recalled-by-afc-bournemouth/ |website=Stoke City |access-date=27 October 2023}}
On 29 January 2025, Travers signed on loan for Middlesbrough until the end of the 2024-25 season.{{cite web |title=Goalkeeper Mark Travers Joins In Loan Deal |url=https://www.mfc.co.uk/news/2025/january/29/goalkeeper-mark-travers-joins-in-loan-deal/ |website=Middlesbrough F.C. |access-date=29 January 2025}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c87d44n8xz5o|title=Middlesbrough: Goalkeeper Mark Travers joins on loan from Bournemouth|date=29 January 2025|website=BBC Sport}}
International career
Travers has played for Ireland from under-15 to under-19 youth levels, and whilst a member of the under-21 team received his first call-up to the senior national team in March 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47482661|title=Euro 2020 qualifiers: Republic of Ireland boss McCarthy hands three players first call-ups|date=7 March 2019|accessdate=7 March 2019|publisher=BBC Sport}} He was called up again to the Republic of Ireland national football team senior squad in May 2019, for Ireland's 2020 European Qualifiers against Denmark and Gibraltar.{{cite web|url=https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/17622898.afc-bournemouth-goalkeeper-mark-travers-named-in-provisional-republic-of-ireland-senior-squad/|title=AFC Bournemouth goalkeeper Mark Travers named in provisional Republic of Ireland senior squad|date=7 May 2019|accessdate=25 July 2019|publisher=Bournemouth Echo}}
Travers made his senior international debut on 10 September 2019, starting in a 3–1 win over Bulgaria at the Aviva Stadium.{{cite web|url= https://www.the42.ie/republic-of-ireland-bulgaria-4803876-Sep2019/|title =Fresh faces make the difference as Ireland eventually see off Bulgaria|date=10 September 2019|work=The 42|accessdate=11 September 2019}}
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|match played 3 May 2025}}
| 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"|FA Cup !colspan="2"|EFL Cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="9"|AFC Bournemouth
|2017–18{{soccerbase season|115448|2017|accessdate=7 May 2019}} |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2018–19{{soccerbase season|115448|2018|accessdate=7 May 2019}}
|Premier League |2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2019–20{{soccerbase season|115448|2019|accessdate=4 January 2019}}
|Premier League |1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 5 | 0 | ||
| 2020–21{{soccerbase season|115448|2020|accessdate=12 September 2020}}
|1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2021–22{{soccerbase season|115448|2021|accessdate=1 August 2021}}
|Championship |45 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 46 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23{{soccerbase season|115448|2022|accessdate=6 August 2022}}
|Premier League |12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 15 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24{{soccerbase season|115448|2023}}
|Premier League |4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 7 | 0 | ||
| 2024–25{{soccerbase season|115448|2024|accessdate=17 August 2024}}
|Premier League |5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 5 | 0 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!70 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 82 | 0 | |
| Weymouth (loan)
|2017–18{{Cite web|url=http://www.aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk/players/mark-travers|title=Profile|accessdate=4 May 2019|publisher=Aylesbury United F.C.}} |Southern League Premier Division |23 | 1 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 1{{efn|Appearance(s) in FA Trophy}} | 0 | 26 | 1 | ||
| Swindon Town (loan)
|8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 8 | 0 | |||
| Stoke City (loan)
|Championship |13 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 14 | 0 | |||
| Middlesbrough (loan)
|Championship |17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 17 | 0 | |||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!131 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 147 | 1 |
{{notelist}}
=International=
{{updated|match played 21 November 2023}}{{cite web |title=Mark Travers |url=https://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=30755 |website=EU-Football.info |access-date=24 March 2021}}{{NFT player|pid=75532|access-date=13 November 2020}}
| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="5"|Republic of Ireland
|2019 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total||4||0 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
AFC Bournemouth
- Championship runner-up: 2021–22{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60342935|title=AFC Bournemouth 1-0 Nottingham Forest|website=BBC Sport |date=3 May 2022 |access-date=6 June 2022}}
Individual
- EFL Championship Golden Glove: 2021–22{{cite web|url= https://www.afcb.co.uk/news/first-team/travers-wins-golden-glove/ |title= Travers Wins Golden Glove|website=AFC Bournemouth|date=7 May 2022|accessdate=15 May 2022}}
- AFC Bournemouth Player of the Year: 2021–22{{cite web|url=https://www.afcb.co.uk/news/club-news/player-of-the-season-awards-handed-out|title= Player Of The Season Awards Handed Out|website=AFC Bournemouth|date=8 May 2022|accessdate=15 May 2022}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.afcb.co.uk/teams/First%20Team/mark-travers Mark Travers] at AFC Bournemouth
- {{Premier League player}}
{{AFC Bournemouth squad}}
{{AFC Bournemouth Player of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Travers, Mark}}
Category:Sportspeople from County Kildare
Category:Republic of Ireland men's association footballers
Category:Men's association football goalkeepers
Category:Cherry Orchard F.C. players
Category:Shamrock Rovers F.C. players
Category:AFC Bournemouth players
Category:Weymouth F.C. players
Category:Swindon Town F.C. players
Category:Stoke City F.C. players
Category:Middlesbrough F.C. players
Category:Southern Football League players
Category:Premier League players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Republic of Ireland men's youth international footballers
Category:Republic of Ireland men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Republic of Ireland men's international footballers