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Macclesfield
Release Ex-Imp
19th April 2006
Macclesfield Town have today parted company with former
Lincoln City right-back Mark Bailey.
Bailey, who was a huge fans' favourite at Lincoln, will
be immediately linked to a return to Sincil Bank. Whether
the 29-year-old will make a summer return is unknown but
it is likely that Lincoln will require another right-back
if, as expected, Gareth McAuley leaves The Imps in June.
Bailey made 111 appearances for Lincoln City between
October 2001 and May 2004. It would have been quite a few
more but for an injury hit first season at Sincil Bank.
Once again, Bailey's bad luck with injuries has
resurfaced, and this is the reason for his departure from
Macclesfield Town via mutual consent. He has made 33
appearances for Macclesfield but his last came at Grimsby
Town on November 11th 2005.
Bailey began his career as a trainee at Stoke City,
although he left without making a first team appearance.
Rochdale signed him from Stoke in 1996 on a free
transfer, where he went on to make 75 appearances in
three years for the Greater Manchester club before they
too released him.
Three non-league clubs in six months followed as he first
joined Witton Albion then Lancaster City; finally, he
returned to Cheshire to sign for Conference side
Northwich in January 2000. He struggled to gain a first
team spot for quite awhile until Keith Alexander - now
Lincoln City's manager - took charge of Northwich in
November 2000. Bailey was recalled almost immediately to
the first team where he remained an ever present until
leaving for Lincoln in October 2001. As he was a
non-contract player at Northwich he was able to join
Lincoln on a free transfer.
His first full season back in the Football League saw a
marked improvement in his form and he was an important
player in Lincoln's 2002/03 campaign. During the 2003/04
season, he was undoubtedly one of Lincoln City's most
consistent and outstanding players; always committed to
the cause and his loss to Macclesfield due to an
insufficient contract offer seemed a huge blow.
Almost two years later, Lincoln City's supporters will be
discussing whether Alexander should re-sign Bailey. The
correct answer will largely depend on whether Bailey can
regain and maintain his fitness throughout next season.
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Town, Lincoln
City, Macclesfield
Town, Rochdale or Stoke City football merchandise.
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