Marcus Bignot

Bignot was born in Birmingham and served his apprenticeship with Birmingham City. Having been released in 1992 by the club, he joined Telford United in the Football Conference league. After three seasons, a switch to fellow Football Conference side Kidderminster Harriers for a small fee was made in 1996. While with Kidderminster, the team finished the 1996–97 season as Runners-up in second place narrowly missing out on promotion by five points. The team that year won the Conference League Cup, beating Macclesfield Town in the final. Bignot made 56 appearances for the club in total. He was capped once for the England C squad in May 1997 against the Scottish Highland Football League at Cove Rangers FC's former ground, Allan Park, near Aberdeen.

Crewe Alexandra

His performances didn't go unnoticed, Bignot moved on to newly promoted First Division side Crewe Alexandra in August 1997 for £100,000 – a record fee for Kidderminster Harriers at the time. At Gresty Road he was the supporters' player of the season 1997–98. After falling into dispute in June 2000 with the club over his contract, Bignot was free to leave under the Bosman ruling.

Bristol Rovers

Bignot signed a two-year deal at Bristol Rovers in the Second Division on a free transfer in August 2000. At Bristol Rovers he played a key part in his team beating Premier League side Everton in the League Cup. It was Bignot's equaliser in the second leg that took the match to penalties, which Rovers…

Whilst at Kidderminster Harriers, Bignot played once for the England semi-pro (now England C) Team in May 1997, against the Scottish Highland Football League at Cove Rangers, the Highland Football League Team whose Allan Park ground is six miles south of Aberdeen, his side won 5–0 that Saturday afternoon, with strikers Barry Hayles, Lee Hughes, and goalkeeper Billy Stewart in the England team, all three players who subsequently went on to play at high levels in the English Football League.

Birmingham City Ladies

Bignot at the age of 24 became manager of Birmingham City Ladies in 1998, and immediately revamped the entire youth structure at the club. He continued his own playing career in the Football League while managing the side in the newly created Midland Combination League and in their first season won the league, gaining automatic promotion into the FA Women's Premier League Northern Division in 2002. Also in 2001–02 Bignots team upset Doncaster Belles 4–3 in the FA Women's Premier League Cup semi-final. Having reached the final at Adams Park, Wycombe, Birmingham were thrashed 7–1 by full-time professional Fulham Ladies. After two seasons, Bignot clinched promotion to the top flight of women's football, joining the FA Women's Premier League National Division. He left his post with Birmingham in the 2005 close season after the club ran into financial difficulties. For the 2011 FA WSL season Bignot returned to Birmingham Ladies as a Football Consultant.

Solihull Moors

Bignot initially joined Conference North club Solihull Moors as assistant manager towards the end of the 2010–11 season. On 27 June 2011, following the resignation of Micky Moore for the 2011–12 season, Bignot was appointed manager. Bignot's team won an impressive 60% of their games during the 2015–16 season. This clinched the National League North title and secured promotion in that season with three games still left to play. It was the very first time Solihull Moors had…

Bignot has been a fan of Birmingham City football club since boyhood, having been brought up supporting them. Bignot's younger brother Paul Bignot was also a professional footballer. In June 2013 Bignot married Arsenal Ladies and Ireland goalkeeper Emma Byrne. They have since divorced.