Mark Bower

Bradford City

Bower was born in Bradford, West Yorkshire and educated at St Bede's Grammar School, before he signed for Bradford City in August 1997 as a trainee. He signed professional forms on 28 March 1998 and made his first-team debut the following month against Norwich City in a 3–2 victory at Carrow Road on 4 April 1998 at the age of 18. He made two more appearances that season but none in the following season. After City won promotion to the Premier League in May 1999, Bower's first-team opportunities were restricted. Instead he spent a period on loan at York City in the 1999–2000 season, after he was signed by the club's new manager Terry Dolan, who had previously managed Bradford City. Dolan made a number of other defensive signings including Alan Fettis, Peter Swan and Peter Hawkins, and with Bower they helped to reduce the number of goals York conceded to help them avoid relegation. Bower made 15 appearances, scoring his first senior goal against Lincoln City during his spell. Bradford had initially refused Bower to return to York for a second loan spell, but he moved back to Bootham Crescent in November 2000 following a series of injuries for the rest of the 2000–01 season. York again struggled at the bottom of the Third Division, but Bower was praised by Dolan following a long unbeaten run, as the team eventually avoided relegation. Bower made just two cup appearances for Bradford City during that time and never appeared in the club's two-year spell in…

As a player

FC Halifax Town

Northern Premier League Premier Division: 2010–11