{{short description|English footballer (born 1990)}} {{use British English|date=July 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Mark Halstead | image = | fullname = Mark James Halstead<ref>{{cite news|title=Premier League clubs submit squad lists |url=http://www.premierleague.com/page/Headlines/0,,12306~2142220,00.html |work=premierleague.com |publisher=Premier League |date=1 September 2010 |access-date=1 September 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100904034333/http://www.premierleague.com/page/Headlines/0%2C%2C12306~2142220%2C00.html |archive-date=4 September 2010 }}</ref> | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1990|9|17|df=y}}<ref name="11v11"/> | birth_place = Blackpool, England | height = 1.91m<ref name="11v11">{{cite web |url=https://www.11v11.com/players/mark-halstead-229713/ |title=Mark Halstead |website=11v11.com |publisher=AFS Enterprises |access-date=22 August 2020}}</ref> | position = Goalkeeper | currentclub = Widnes | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = 2006–2009 | youthclubs1 = Blackpool | years1 = 2009–2014 | years2 = 2009 | years3 = 2010 | years4 = 2010 | years5 = 2011 | years6 = 2011 | years7 = 2014–2017 | years8 = 2017–2018 | years9 = 2018–2021 | years10 = 2021–2024 | years11 = 2024–2025 | years12 = 2025- | clubs1 = Blackpool | clubs2 = → Burscough (loan) | clubs3 = → Hyde (loan) | clubs4 = → Barrow (loan) | clubs5 = → Kettering Town (loan) | clubs6 = → Stockport County (loan) | clubs7= Shrewsbury Town | clubs8= Southport | clubs9= Morecambe | clubs10= Torquay United | clubs11 = Widnes | clubs12 = Radcliffe | caps1 = 3 | goals1 = 0 | caps2 = 6 | goals2 = 0 | caps3 = 8 | goals3 = 0 | caps4 = 1 | goals4 = 0 | caps5 = 3 | goals5 = 0 | caps6 = 4 | goals6 = 0 | caps7 = 20 | goals7 = 0 | caps8 = 16 | goals8 = 0 | caps9 = 47 | goals9 = 0 | caps10 = 91 | goals10 = 0 | caps11 = 34 | goals11 = 0 | club-update = 10:32, 11 March 2025 (UTC) }} '''Mark James Halstead''' (born 17 September 1990) is an English footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Radcliffe.
He began his career at Blackpool, and notably made a single appearance in the Premier League during the 2010–11 season.<ref name="Blackpool 1-3 Chelsea">{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/9411989.stm|title=Blackpool 1–3 Chelsea|publisher=BBC Sport|date=7 March 2011|access-date=6 September 2015}}</ref> After his release from the ''Tangerines'' he joined Shrewsbury Town in 2014.<ref name="Shrewsbury Town sign midfielder Wesolowski and keeper Halstead">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/27733847|title=Shrewsbury Town sign midfielder Wesolowski and keeper Halstead|publisher=BBC Sport|date=6 June 2014|access-date=6 September 2015}}</ref>
==Career==
===Blackpool=== Born in Blackpool, Halstead is a product of the Blackpool Centre of Excellence and Youth Department, and signed his first professional contract with the club in 2009.<ref name="Halstead signs new deal">{{cite web|url=http://www.blackpoolfc.co.uk/news/article/halstead-signs-new-deal-874030.aspx|title=Halstead signs new deal|publisher=Blackpool F.C.|date=20 June 2013|access-date=6 September 2015}}</ref> In his first season as a professional he spent loan spells at non-league sides Burscough and Hyde United.<ref name="Barrow close in on Blackpool keeper after Masters injury blow">{{cite web|url=http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/barrow-close-in-on-blackpool-keeper-after-masters-injury-blow-1.779792|title=Barrow close in on Blackpool keeper after Masters injury blow|publisher=News & Star|date=12 November 2010|access-date=6 September 2015}}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
On 21 August 2010, he was an unused substitute in Blackpool's 6–0 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in the club's second game of their debut season in the Premier League.<ref name="bbc8925678">{{cite web|last=Ornstein|first=David|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/8925678.stm|title=Arsenal 6–0 Blackpool|publisher=BBC Sport|date=21 August 2010|access-date=24 August 2010}}</ref> Three days later, he made his first-team debut in the second round of the 2010–11 League Cup, against MK Dons at Stadium MK.<ref name="bbc8932928">{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/league_cup/8932928.stm|title=MK Dons v Blackpool|publisher=BBC Sport|date=24 August 2010|access-date=24 August 2010}}</ref>
After further brief loan spells at Barrow,<ref name="Barrow close in on Blackpool keeper after Masters injury blow" /> and Kettering Town<ref>{{cite web | url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/k/kettering_town/9365327.stm | title=Kettering Town bring in Jon Challinor and Mark Halstead | access-date=19 January 2011 | date=18 January 2011 | publisher=BBC Sport}}</ref> in the Conference Premier, Halstead made his league debut for Blackpool, as a substitute for Richard Kingson in a 3–1 defeat to Chelsea at Bloomfield Road. The score was 3–0 when he came on in the 66th minute.<ref name="Blackpool 1-3 Chelsea" />
In November 2011, he went on loan to Stockport County.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/15694533|title=Blackpool keeper Mark Halstead joins Stockport County|publisher=BBC Sport|date=11 November 2011|access-date=6 September 2015}}</ref>
Halstead made his first league start for Blackpool on 9 February 2013, in a 2–1 victory over Millwall at Bloomfield Road.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/21311558|title=Blackpool 2–1 Millwall|publisher=BBC Sport|date=9 February 2013|access-date=6 September 2015}}</ref> It was ultimately also his last appearance for the club.
===Shrewsbury Town===
Following his release from Blackpool, Halstead joined Shrewsbury Town in League Two on a free transfer on 5 June 2014.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.shrewsburytown.com/news/article/5jun14-mark-halstead-nets-town-move-1612495.aspx| work=Shrewsweb | title=Mark Halstead Nets Town Move | date=5 June 2014}}</ref> He made his debut as a substitute in a first-round FA Cup tie away at Walsall on 8 November,<ref>{{cite web|title=Walsall 2–2 Shrewsbury Town | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/29907329 | publisher=BBC Sport | date= 8 November 2014 | access-date=8 November 2014}}</ref> and made one subsequent appearance that season in a league match against Cambridge United, as a half-time substitute for first-choice goalkeeper Jayson Leutwiler in a 0–0 draw.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/30358149|title=Cambridge United 0–0 Shrewsbury Town|publisher=BBC Sport|date=13 December 2014|access-date=6 January 2015}}</ref>
The following season, now in League One, Halstead made his first start for Shrewsbury against his former club Blackpool on 26 September 2015, keeping a clean sheet in a 2–0 win for the club's first home victory of the season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/34299241|title=Shrewsbury Town 2–0 Blackpool|publisher=BBC Sport|date=26 September 2015|access-date=26 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/34394837|title=Shrewsbury Town: Mark Halstead hopes for run as first team keeper|publisher=BBC Sport|date=30 September 2015|access-date=2 October 2015}}</ref>
Although Leutwiler was reinstated immediately after recovering from a back injury, Halstead had another run in the first-team when Leutwiler suffered a serious facial injury in an FA Cup second-round tie away at Grimsby Town. Coming on as a substitute, he helped Shrewsbury keep a clean sheet to set up a replay back at New Meadow,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35039905|title=Jayson Leutwiler: Shrewsbury keeper suffers bad facial injury|publisher=BBC Sport|date=8 December 2015|access-date=16 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/34960766|title=Grimsby 0–0 Shrewsbury|publisher=BBC Sport|date=7 December 2015|access-date=16 December 2015}}</ref> where he featured again in a 1–0 victory, to confirm a third-round tie away at Cardiff City.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35035862|title=Shrewsbury 1–0 Grimsby|publisher=BBC Sport|date=15 December 2015|access-date=16 December 2015}}</ref> After conceding ten goals in two league games,<ref>{{Cite web|title = Mark Halstead {{!}} Football Stats {{!}} Shrewsbury Town {{!}} Age 25 {{!}} Soccer Base|url = http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=51073|website = soccerbase.com|accessdate = 2016-01-25}}</ref> he lost his place once again to Leutwiler for an away match at Burton Albion,<ref>{{Cite news|title = Burton Albion 1–2 Shrewsbury Town|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35330788|publisher = BBC|access-date = 2016-01-25}}</ref> but returned to the side for a further consecutive six matches during March and April, including one win and three draws, before being sent-off late on in a 3–1 defeat against Millwall.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35948863|title=Millwall 3–1 Shrewsbury Town|publisher=BBC Sport|date=9 April 2016|access-date=4 September 2016}}</ref> Halstead made one final appearance that season in the penultimate match, where despite losing 4–3 to Peterborough United, same day defeats for Blackpool and Doncaster Rovers ensured another season of League One football with one game to spare.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36118321|title=Shrewsbury Town 3–4 Peterborough United|publisher=BBC Sport|date=30 April 2016|access-date=4 September 2016}}</ref>
Halstead signed a new one-year contract extension in August 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36991159|title=Mark Halstead: Shrewsbury Town goalkeeper signs new one-year contract|publisher=BBC Sport|date=5 August 2016|access-date=5 August 2016}}</ref> Starting the season again as second-choice, he returned to the starting line-up under new manager Paul Hurst following Leutwilers first call-up to the Canada national team.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.shrewsburytown.com/news/article/2016-17/mark-halstead-oxford-united-shrewsbury-town-3412198.aspx|title=Mark Halstead pre Oxford|publisher=Shrewsweb|date=11 November 2016|access-date=12 November 2016}}</ref> It was announced Halstead was to be released by the club at the end of his contract in May 2017.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shrewsburytown.com/news/article/2016-17/town-announce-retain-list-3702762.aspx|title=Town announce retain list|publisher=Shrewsweb|date=2 May 2017|access-date=2 May 2017}}</ref>
===Southport=== After leaving Shrewsbury, Halstead joined National League North side Southport.<ref>{{cite news|title=Southport FC announce signing of ex-Premier League goalkeeper|url=http://www.southportvisiter.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/southport-fc-announce-signing-ex-13277781|access-date=5 July 2017|publisher=Southport Visiter|date=4 July 2017}}</ref>
===Morecambe=== Despite Halstead being named on Southport's retained list at the end of the 2017–18 season,<ref>{{cite news|title=Southport FC announce retained list|url=https://southportfc.net/southport-fc-announce-retained-list/|access-date=9 July 2018|publisher=Southport F.C. Official Website|date=1 May 2018|archive-date=23 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211023120945/https://southportfc.net/southport-fc-announce-retained-list/|url-status=dead}}</ref> he signed for Morecambe on 9 July 2018. Halstead, in an interview on the club's official website, said his move to Morecambe "was an opportunity to resurrect [his] career and one [he] couldn't turn down" and he was "delighted" to make the move back into the Football League. Morecambe manager Jim Bentley described Halstead as "experienced," "a decent all round goalkeeper" and "hungry to prove he can be number one."<ref>{{cite news|title=MARK HALSTEAD SIGNS|url=https://www.morecambefc.com/news/2018/july/mark-halstead-signs/|access-date=9 July 2018|publisher=Morecambe F.C. Official Website|date=9 July 2018}}</ref> He signed a new two-year contract with the club in June 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48668210|title=Mark Halstead: Morecambe keeper signs new two-year deal|date=17 June 2019|publisher=BBC Sport}}</ref> He was released at the end of the 2020–21 season.
===Torquay United=== Halstead was announced as a new signing for Torquay United under manager Gary Johnson on 19 July 2021.{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}
===Part-time football=== Halstead signed for Widnes for the 2024/25 season in the Northern Premier League West Division, making 47 appearances and keeping 23 clean sheets, as well as winning their Supporters' Player of the Season award and featuring in the league's 2024/25 Team of the Season. Following Widnes' withdrawal from the league after winning the title, he signed for Radcliffe for 2025/26.<ref>{{cite web|title=Halstead has a new home |url=https://radcliffefc.com/halstead-has-a-new-home/|access-date=11 July 2025|publisher=Radcliffe F.C. Official Website|date=9 July 2025}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {{updated|match played 15 May 2022}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" |+Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|FA Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="6"|Blackpool |2009–10 |Championship |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0 |- |2010–11<ref name="Mark Halstead Football Stats 2010/2011">{{Soccerbase season|51073|2010|access-date=6 September 2015}}</ref> |Premier League |1||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||2||0 |- |2011–12<ref name="Mark Halstead Football Stats 2011/2012">{{Soccerbase season|51073|2011|access-date=6 September 2015}}</ref> |Championship |0||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||1||0 |- |2012–13<ref name="Mark Halstead Football Stats 2012/2013">{{Soccerbase season|51073|2012|access-date=6 September 2015}}</ref> |Championship |2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||2||0 |- |2013–14<ref name="Mark Halstead Football Stats 2013/2014">{{Soccerbase season|51073|2013|access-date=6 September 2015}}</ref> |Championship |0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !3!!0!!0!!0!!2!!0!!0!!0!!5!!0 |- |Burscough (loan) |2009–10<ref name="Mark Halstead Eurorivals Stats">{{Cite web | title = Mark Halstead (Blackpool) | url = http://eurorivals.net/players/mark-halstead:blackpool.html | publisher = Eurorivals | accessdate = 9 July 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140714150010/http://eurorivals.net/players/mark-halstead:blackpool.html | archive-date = 14 July 2014 | url-status = dead }}</ref> |N.P.L. Division One North |6||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||6||0 |- |Hyde (loan) |2009–10<ref name="Mark Halstead Eurorivals Stats"/> |Conference North |8||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||8||0 |- |Barrow (loan) |2010–11<ref name="Mark Halstead Football Stats 2010/2011" /> |Conference Premier |1||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||1||0 |- |Kettering Town (loan) |2010–11<ref name="Mark Halstead Football Stats 2010/2011" /> |Conference Premier |3||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||3||0 |- |Stockport County (loan) |2011–12<ref name="Mark Halstead Football Stats 2011/2012" /> |Conference Premier |4||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||4||0 |- |rowspan="4"|Shrewsbury Town |2014–15<ref name="Mark Halstead Football Stats 2014/2015">{{Soccerbase season|51073|2014|access-date=6 September 2015}}</ref> |League Two |1||0||1||0||0||0||0||0||2||0 |- |2015–16<ref name="Mark Halstead Football Stats 2015/2016">{{Soccerbase season|51073|2015|access-date=5 August 2016}}</ref> |League One |16||0||3||0||0||0||0||0||19||0 |- |2016–17<ref name="Mark Halstead Football Stats 2016/2017">{{Soccerbase season|51073|2016|access-date=5 August 2016}}</ref> |League One |3||0||0||0||0||0||2<ref group=lower-alpha name="FLT">Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy</ref>||0||5||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !20!!0!!4!!0!!0!!0!!2!!0!!26!!0 |- |Southport |2017–18<ref name="sw">{{soccerway|mark-halstead/76194|Mark Halstead|access-date=14 March 2021}}</ref> |National League North |16||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0||16||0 |- |rowspan="4"|Morecambe |2018–19<ref name="Mark Halstead Football Stats 2018/2019">{{Soccerbase season|51073|2018|access-date=14 March 2021}}</ref> |League Two |26||0||2||0||0||0||3<ref group=lower-alpha name="FLT"></ref>||0||31||0 |- |2019–20<ref name="Mark Halstead Football Stats 2019/2020">{{Soccerbase season|51073|2019|access-date=14 March 2021}}</ref> |League Two |12||0||1||0||2||0||3<ref group=lower-alpha name="FLT"></ref>||0||18||0 |- |2020–21<ref name="Mark Halstead Football Stats 2020/2021">{{Soccerbase season|51073|2020|access-date=14 March 2021}}</ref> |League Two |9||0||2||0||2||0||3<ref group=lower-alpha name="FLT"></ref>||0||16||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !47!!0!!5!!0!!4!!0!!9!!0!!65!!0 |- |Torquay United |2021–22<ref name="Mark Halstead Football Stats 2021/2022">{{Soccerbase season|51073|2021|access-date=14 March 2021}}</ref> |National League |8||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||1<ref group=lower-alpha name="FAT">Appearance(s) in the FA Trophy</ref>||0||9||0 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !116!!0!!9!!0!!6!!0!!12!!0!!143!!0 |}
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
==Honours== '''Morecambe''' *EFL League Two play-offs: 2021<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57224523|title=League Two play-off final: Morecambe 1–0 Newport County – Shrimps Win Promotion|publisher=BBC Sport|date=31 May 2021|access-date=11 October 2021}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Soccerbase}} *[http://www.shrewsburytown.com/team/player-profile/mark-halstead/21 Mark Halstead player profile] at shrewsburytown.com
{{Torquay United F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Halstead, Mark}} Category:1990 births Category:Living people Category:English men's footballers Category:Men's association football goalkeepers Category:Blackpool F.C. players Category:Burscough F.C. players Category:Hyde United F.C. players Category:Barrow A.F.C. players Category:Kettering Town F.C. players Category:Stockport County F.C. players Category:Morecambe F.C. players Category:Northern Premier League players Category:National League (English football) players Category:Premier League players Category:English Football League players Category:Footballers from Blackpool Category:Shrewsbury Town F.C. players Category:Southport F.C. players Category:Torquay United F.C. players Category:21st-century English sportsmen