Mark Edwards
Name: Mark Edwards Age: 34 Nickname: Wardz and Marky Mark

Joined club:
1994

Other clubs I have played for:
None.

Position:
Defender. I started out as goalkeeper, but somehow ended up playing outfield.

Football career highlights (with club or other club):
Playing in goal for Great Britain in an International Tournament in Rome, where we finished as Runners-up.

Successes with club:
Winning promotion in our first season in 1994/95.and being voted Player of the Year.
Playing in the final of the 7-a-side competition in 1997, and being voted Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year 1996/97.
Second division champions 1999/2000 and being voted Players' Player of the Year.
Premiership runners-up in the Durham FA Ability Counts league in 2005 and 2006.

My favourite goal/save for the club:
My favourite goal(s) would have to be against Scutlers Utd at the South Shields tournament 1994/95. We had a free kick on the half way line, and the ball was rolled back to me, I ran on to it and hit it with my right foot and it flew into the bottom left hand corner, then I repeated the feat (no pun intended) with my left foot.

My favourite save(s) was in Hereford in 1996 against Metro. We were 2-0 up at half time, but the game turned in the second half. They pulled it back to 2-2. Metro broke and it was 1 on 1 with me, the striker shot and I dove to my left and tipped the ball on to the post, the ball rebounded to another of there players who shot first time, I dove down to my right and parried the ball out only to find that my parry landed at the feet of another Metro player. Again he shot first time and I made a finger tip save and the ball went over the bar to safety. We got the point, and Metro went on to become Division 1 Champions that season, and they also voted for me as the Division 1 Player of the Year.

My favourite game with the club:
The 7-a-side Semi-Final in 1997, we were 1-0 up and I was taken to hospital with a knee injury. When I returned from hospital it was 1-1. As Captain of the team I took the desicion to go back in goal. It finished 1-1 after extra time, and went to penalties. I saved three of there penalties and we won 3-2 and made it to our first cup final.

Professional football:
Football Team(s) I support and why:
I suport Sunderland, have done all my life. I suppose it was because when I was born, Boldon was classed as Wearside

My favourite football player(s) and why:
Paul Scholes, I just think he is consistently one of the best players to have blessed the Premiership, wihout being arrogant or wanting to be in the spotlight - model Professional.

My favourite game(s) and why:
It has to be the Play Off Final of 1998 Chalton v Sunderland. It finished 3-3 after normal time, 4-4 after extra time, and sad to say Sunderland lost 7-6 on penalties. Possibly the best game at Wembely and I was there.

My favourite goal/save and why:
My favourite save has to be Jimmy Montgomerys' save in the 1973 FA Cup Final. Best save ever in a Cup Final - and we went on to lift the cup. My favourite goal has to be Roberto Carlos's free kick v France in Le Tournoi in 1997.

My ambitions as a player:
I've already achieved my ambitions, playing football for Great Britain.

Other sports and hobbies I am interested in:
Other sports include working out at the gym. One day I'll work out how to use the equipment there. Hobbies include photography. I display some of my photographs on the internet at www.marks-photos.co.uk

Other comments:
I would like to go on and do my coaching badges and help with the coaching aspect of the game.

www.mark-edwards.info