One to Watch – Mark Duffy

Name: Mark Duffy

Date of Birth: 7/10/1985

Nationality: England

Former Clubs: Vauxhall Motors, Prescot Cables, Southport, Morecambe, Scunthorpe

League Appearances (Goals): 199 (19)

International Appearances (Goals): 0 (0)

Stat of the Day: Mark Duffy has delivered 64 crosses in total this season, at an average of 5 per game

Player Profile: Credit must be given to Mark Duffy, the midfielder who secured a six-figure transfer to newly promoted Doncaster having just been relegated from the same division with Scunthorpe. Given most players at QPR had to be forced out the door, shipped off to Turkey or are still sitting on their behinds picking up preposterous sums of money following the clubs` relegation, it shows how highly Mark Duffy was valued during Scunthorpe`s pitiable season. After a slow start to his career at the Keepmoat, in which manager Paul Dickov had to leave him on the bench before he developed a level of maturity fitting for the Championship, Duffy is now an invariable danger on the left of midfield for Doncaster.

The diminutive midfielder`s playing style would be best found in the extensive encyclopaedia of football clichés; ‘tricky winger` with ‘blistering pace` would pertinently describe the 28-year-old. Having started out in non-league football, Duffy`s rise to the second tier of English football has been impressive; he has been Doncaster`s pivotal player in the recent games and perhaps holds the key to his side`s attempts at staving off relegation back to League 1 this season.

Player History:

Mark Duffy was born in Liverpool and played for both his hometown club and Wrexham at youth level before dropping into non-league football where he starred for Vauxhall Motors and Prescot Cables. He made a name for himself at Conference Premier Side Southport where 13 goals in his first full season at Haig Avenue earned him the Fans` Player of the Season award.

In 2009 Duffy joined Morecambe initially on loan and having made his deal permanent he went on to make 68 appearances for The Shrimps, scoring 7 goals. This prompted interest from Scunthorpe United who signed the winger on a two-and-half-year deal for an undisclosed fee in January 2011.

Duffy went on to make 102 appearances for Scunthorpe, scoring 10 goals in all competitions. He came second only to now teammate David Cotterill in last season`s assists table; this despite his side`s relegation to League 2. Following their promotion to the Championship Doncaster moved to sign Duffy at the beginning of this season and having had two offers rejected for the winger they finally captured their man with an improved third bid.

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