Mark William Peters (born 4 October 1983) is an English retired footballer who played as a forward. He began his career as a youth at Southampton, before transferring to Brentford, where he made appearances in the Football League. Following his departure in 2004, Peters embarked on a nomadic career in non-League football. He was capped by England C at international level in 2006.
Playing career
Southampton
Peters began his career with Premier League club Southampton at the age of 11 and signed his first professional contract in October 2000.[3][4] He scored 32 goals for the youth team during the 2000–01 season.[4] Despite earning comparisons to Alan Shearer,[5] Peters never made an appearance for the first team and a broken ankle suffered in 2001 hindered his progress.[6] Peters departed the club in February 2002.[7]
Brentford
Peters joined Second Division promotion challengers Brentford in February 2002 and signed a 2+1⁄2-year contract.[7] He was not picked for the first team under Steve Coppell during the 2001–02 season and instead played for the reserves.[8] Peters made his professional debut when he came on as a substitute for Mark McCammon after 77 minutes of a 1–1 draw with Port Vale on 19 October 2022.[9] He christened his maiden start for the club with his first goal, in a 2–1 West London derby defeat versus Queens Park Rangers on 19 April 2003.[9] Peters finished the 2002–03 season having made 12 appearances and scored one goal.[9]
Peters had a transfer request granted in October 2003, after expressing frustration at his lack of first team opportunities and the non-materialisation of a loan move to Conference club Aldershot Town one month earlier.[10] After the sacking of Wally Downes and the arrival of new manager Martin Allen, Peters was released in March 2004.[11] He made only 12 first team appearances during the 2003–04 season,[12] though he was the top scorer for the reserve team.[13] During his two years with the Bees, Peters made 24 appearances and scored one goal.[14]
Non-League football
Peters transferred to Conference club Farnborough Town in March 2004.[15][16] He made just three appearances for the club.[12] Peters began the 2004–05 season with hometown Combined Counties League Premier Division club Frimley Green, for whom he scored six goals in seven games before,[17] following a trial with Woking,[18] he joined Conference South club Hornchurch on 8 November 2004.[19] After making just one appearance,[20] Peters returned to Frimley Green in mid-November 2004 and made seven appearances, scoring eight goals,[17] before finishing the 2004–05 season with Carshalton Athletic, for whom he made 10 appearances and scored one goal.[20]
Peters joined Conference South club Basingstoke Town, on non-contract terms, in July 2005.[21][22] A falling out with manager Ernie Howe saw Peters leave the club in November 2005,[22] after making 14 appearances and scoring 8 goals.[23] Following four appearances and one goal while with Conference South club Eastleigh on a trial basis,[24][25] Peters joined Isthmian League Premier Division club AFC Wimbledon, for whom he made six appearances for the club without scoring, before departing on 2 February 2006.[26] Peters finished the 2005–06 season with Frimley Green, for whom he scored 14 goals in 12 appearances.[27]
Peters re-signed for Basingstoke Town in July 2006.[28] He made eight appearances and scored two goals,[29][30] before joining Wessex League Premier Division club Gosport Borough on a dual-registration on 11 October 2006.[31] Peters scored four goals in his four appearances for the club.[32]
Peters played the first half of the 2007–08 season with Walton & Hersham, scoring five goals in 11 appearances,[33] before playing the second half of the season for Frimley Green.[34] In his fourth spell with the club, Peters remained until the end of the 2008–09 season, by which time he scored 23 goals in 45 appearances.[34][35]
Peters' form for Basingstoke Town won him a call up to the England C team in a friendly versus Conference club Forest Green Rovers on 5 September 2006.[39] Peters began the match as a substitute and came on for Yemi Odubade after 65 minutes of the 1–0 defeat.[39]
Career statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
^"Mark Peters". Basingstoke Town FC Online – The Original 100% Unofficial BTFC Fan Site. Archived from the original on 1 October 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
^ ab"2005/06 appearances". Basingstoke Town FC Online – The Original 100% Unofficial BTFC Fan Site. Archived from the original on 2 October 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
^ ab"2006/07 appearances". Basingstoke Town FC Online – The Original 100% Unofficial BTFC Fan Site. Archived from the original on 2 October 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2017.