Mark Briggs

Mark Jonathan Briggs (born 16 February 1982) is an English football coach and former player who is currently the head coach of Sacramento Republic in the USL Championship.[1]

For the New Zealand politician, see Mark Briggs (politician).

Mark Briggs
Personal information
Full name Mark Jonathan Briggs
Date of birth (1982-02-16) 16 February 1982
Place of birth Wolverhampton, England
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Sacramento Republic (head coach)
Youth career
West Bromwich Albion
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2003 West Bromwich Albion 0 (0)
2003–2004 Herfølge 1 (0)
2004 Notts County 0 (0)
2004 Tipton Town 3 (0)
2004 AFC Telford United 6 (0)
2004–2005 Shrewsbury Town 0 (0)
2005 Northwich Victoria 3 (0)
2005 Redditch United 8 (0)
2005 The New Saints 0 (0)
2005 Welshpool Town 4 (0)
2005–2006 Hednesford Town 18 (0)
2006 Willenhall Town
2007 Chasetown 2 (0)
2008 Kalamazoo Outrage 14 (6)
2008–2009 Hednesford Town
2009 Wilmington Hammerheads
2009–2011 Mosta
2010 → Charleston Battery (loan) 0 (0)
2011 Tooting & Mitcham United
2011–2012 Rushall Olympic
2012–2013 Wilmington Hammerheads
Managerial career
2015 Wilmington Hammerheads (assistant)
2015–2016 Wilmington Hammerheads
2016–2017 Real Monarchs (assistant)
2017–2018 Real Monarchs
2019 Sacramento Republic (academy director)
2019– Sacramento Republic
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

England and Denmark

Briggs began his career with West Bromwich Albion, joining them on leaving Sedgley's Dormston School in the summer of 1995. Briggs captained the youth team to a cup win at Wembley Stadium in 1999 and was Youth Team Player of the Year the same season. In 1999 he also signed his first professional contract. He made his first team debut in the 2000–01 season. After making 12 first team and 150 reserve team appearances for the Baggies, he moved to Danish football for two seasons with Herfølge in 2002, where they were the Danish 1st Division Champions and won promotion to Supa Liga.

Briggs then proceeded to bounce around the English and Welsh lower leagues, playing briefly for a multitude of clubs including Notts County FC, Shrewsbury Town FC, Hednesford Town FC. He then crossed the pond and played for Kalamazoo Outrage before returning for a second stint at Hednesford Town FC. Briggs then went back to America and spent the 2009 season with the Wilmington Hammerheads before signing with Mosta FC in Malta, where he was Player of the Year in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Briggs then returned to Wilmington where he finished his career and transitioned into coaching with the Wilmington Hammerheads.

United States and Malta

In May 2008 Briggs was convinced to cross the Atlantic by former New Zealand international Stu Riddle to play for Kalamazoo Outrage in the USL Premier Development League as an over-age player.[2] He played the PDL season in Kalamazoo, helping the team reach the PDL playoffs.

After a brief stint back in England with Hednesford in the US offseason, Briggs signed with the Wilmington Hammerheads in the USL Second Division in 2009. The Hammerheads won the USL 2 title and Briggs was the team's Player of the Year.

Following the end of the American season, Briggs signed for Mosta of the Maltese First Division on a two-year contract on 1 October 2009.[3]

On 25 February 2010, Charleston Battery announced the signing of Briggs on loan then for remaining season.[4]

A spell with Tooting & Mitcham United, whom he joined for the 2011–12 season, was followed in December 2011 by a move to Rushall Olympic.[5]

In February 2012, he rejoined Wilmington Hammerheads for a second spell in the USL Pro Division. After the 2012 season, Briggs was named the Hammerheads Player of the Year.

Managerial career

In November 2016, Briggs joined Mike Petke's staff at Real Monarchs as an assistant. Upon Petke's promotion to the Real Salt Lake senior team in March 2017, Briggs was elevated to head coach for Real Monarchs. On 20 November 2017, Briggs was named USL coach of the year after leading the Monarchs to the playoffs for the first time in their history.[6]

In 2019, Briggs joined USL Championship club Sacramento Republic FC as Academy Director. Briggs was promoted to head coach for the 2020 season. On 7 December 2021, the Republic announced that Briggs had agreed to a new contract to bring him back for the 2022 season.[7] On 13 July 2022, Briggs was named USL Championship coach of the month for June 2022 after leading the club to victory in all four of their league games and reaching the semifinals of the 2022 U.S. Open Cup for the first time.[8]

Honours

As player

Wilmington Hammerheads

As manager

Real Monarchs SLC

Individual

  • USL Championship Coach of the Year: 2017

References
  1. 2017 USL Coach of the Year Mark Briggs on his time playing and coaching abroad englishplayersabroad.com
  2. Outrage Roster Complete
  3. "Hammerheads pair in Malta". USL Soccer. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
  4. "Charleston signs three additions". USLsoccer.com. Archived from the original on 1 March 2010. Retrieved 4 March 2010.
  5. "Hammerheads bring back Mark Briggs". Wilmington Hammerheads. Archived from the original on 3 April 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  6. "Mark Briggs earns USL Coach of the Year honor". rsl.com. 20 November 2017. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  7. "Mark Briggs to Return as Republic FC Head Coach for 2022 Season". sacrepublicfc.com. 7 December 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  8. "Sacramento Republic FC's Mark Briggs Voted Championship's Coach of the Month". uslchampionship.com. 13 July 2022. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
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