Mark Shankland

Mark Shankland is a Scottish footballer who plays as a forward for Auchinleck Talbot. He began his career in the senior leagues with Ayr United.

Mark Shankland
Personal information
Date of birth (1995-07-11) 11 July 1995
Place of birth Mauchline, Scotland[1]
Position(s) Forward
Club information
Current team
 Auchinleck Talbot
Youth career
–2012 Ayr United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2014 Ayr United 27 (0)
2013 → Albion Rovers (loan) 3 (1)
2014– Auchinleck Talbot
National team
2012 Scotland U17 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20:16, 24 October 2014 (UTC)

Club career

In the final Scottish Second Division match of the 2010–11 season, Shankland came off the bench to become the youngest-ever player for Ayr United at just 15 years and 300 days old,[2][3][1] the record was previously held by Stewart Kean at 17 years and 56 days.[2] By then he had already been on trial at Liverpool[4] and subsequently also spent time at Burnley[5] and Birmingham City, but no offer from England materialised after Ayr requested a development fee from interested clubs.[4][1]

At the start of the 2012–13 season, Shankland broke another record held by Kean, becoming the youngest goalscorer at 17 years and 17 days old,[6] in a 3–1 away defeat at East Stirlingshire in the Challenge Cup.[6] (that record was broken by Alan Forrest the following season).[7]

In 2013, Shankland joined League Two side Albion Rovers on loan.[8] He scored in the final minute of his debut for Rovers.[9]

Shankland left Ayr at the end of the 2013–14 season after turning down a new contract;[10] however, the club held on to his registration, meaning he could not sign for a SPFL club without Ayr being owed a fee,[11][1] and could only play on amateur terms – a situation which did not change until the player turned 23 in July 2018.[12]

On 13 October 2014, Shankland signed for Junior club Auchinleck Talbot.[13] He went on to win several trophies with the East Ayrshire side[1] including two West Region League titles and two Scottish Junior Cups, and was still playing with them in January 2019 when they secured an unexpected 1–0 victory over his former club Ayr United in the fourth round of the 2018–19 Scottish Cup; Shankland came off the bench in what was the first win for Bot over a professional club and the furthest they had advanced in the competition.[14] He provided the cross for the goal headed in by another former Ayr player Craig McCracken,[12] just as the two had combined for a last-minute goal to win the 2017–18 Scottish Junior Cup for Auchinleck the previous year.[15]

International career

In February 2012, Shankland was called into Ricky Sbragia's Scotland Under-17[16] side for the match against Serbia at Somerset Park.[4]

Personal life

Shankland was raised in the Ayrshire town of Mauchline[4] and as a child supported Auchinleck Talbot, a team for which his father Kevin Biggart also played.[11][1] His elder brother Stephen is an amateur footballer who won the Scottish Amateur Cup with Shortlees in 2018.[15] They are not related to Lawrence Shankland who also played for Ayr United.[4]

References
  1. Ken McNab (29 December 2016). "Juniors: Mark Shankland's dream of return to the Senior game is on the backburner as he targets more glory with hometown team Auchinleck Talbot". Evening Times. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  2. "Ayr United Youngster Mark Shankland Makes Club History as Youngest Ever Player". Bleacher Report.com. 10 May 2011.
  3. "Youngest Ever Player to play for Ayr United". Ayr United Football Academy. 9 May 2011. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013.
  4. Lochlin Highet (18 January 2019). "Shankland v Shankland: Striker dreamed of being Liverpool hero and now hopes to dump out former club Ayr United". Daily Record. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  5. Chris Flanagan (20 December 2011). "Burnley hand trial to young Scottish star". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  6. "Mark Shankland Becomes Ayr United's Youngest Ever Goal Scorer". Ayrshire Post.net. 3 August 2012.
  7. "Sixteen-Year-Old Alan Forrest Becomes Ayr United's Youngest Ever Scorer". Ayrshire Post.net. 2 August 2013.
  8. "Albion Rovers v Annan Athletic Preview". AlbionRoversFC.com. 8 November 2013. Archived from the original on 4 December 2013.
  9. "Albion Rovers 2-0 Annan Athletic". BBC Sport.co.uk. 9 November 2013.
  10. "Roberts will bring in new talent". Ayr Advertiser. 19 July 2014. Archived from the original on 26 July 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
  11. Scott McDermott (7 June 2015). "Auchinleck Talbot star Mark Shankland desperate for Junior Cup glory but knows his future lies in senior ranks". Daily Record. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  12. Stewart Fisher (20 January 2018). "'Mystic' Mark Shankland's premonition comes true as Auchinleck savour Ayrshire cup glory". Evening Times. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  13. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-10-29. Retrieved 2014-10-29.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  14. Andy Campbell (19 January 2019). "Auchinleck Talbot 1–0 Ayr United". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  15. Matt Vallance (27 May 2018). "Auchinleck Talbot 3 - 2 Hurlford United: Late drama in Junior Cup final". The Scotsman. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  16. "Ayr United Youngster, Mark Shankland, Called into Scotland Squad". 90 Soccer. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
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