Mark Sale
FullnameMark David Sale
Birth date27 February 1972 (age 54)
Birth placeBurton upon Trent, England
Height6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)[1]
PositionForward
Youthyears 11988–1990
Youthclubs 1Stoke City
Years 11990–1991
Clubs 1Stoke City
Caps 12
Goals 10
Years 21991–1992
Clubs 2Cambridge United
Caps 20
Goals 20
Years 31992
Clubs 3Rocester
Years 41992–1993
Clubs 4Birmingham City
Caps 421
Goals 40
Years 51993–1994
Clubs 5Torquay United
Caps 544
Goals 58
Years 61994–1995
Clubs 6Preston North End
Caps 613
Goals 67
Years 71995–1997
Clubs 7Mansfield Town
Caps 745
Goals 712
Years 81997–1999
Clubs 8Colchester United
Caps 880
Goals 812
Years 91999
Clubs 9→ Plymouth Argyle (loan)
Caps 98
Goals 91
Years 101999–2001
Clubs 10Rushden & Diamonds
Caps 1010
Goals 100
Years 112001–2002
Clubs 11Doncaster Rovers
Caps 1114
Goals 113
Years 122002–2003
Clubs 12Tamworth
Caps 1213
Goals 122
Years 132003
Clubs 13→ Hucknall Town (loan)
Caps 135
Goals 130
Years 142003–2005
Clubs 14Alfreton Town
Caps 1445
Goals 1410
Years 152005–2007
Clubs 15Northwich Victoria
Caps 1521
Goals 153
Years 162007
Clubs 16Hednesford Town
Caps 160
Goals 160
Totalcaps321
Totalgoals58

Mark David Sale (born 27 February 1972) is an English coach and former professional footballer who played as a forward. He was most recently Assistant Head Coach of Oxford United. He made more than 200 appearances in the Football League and many more in non-league football.

He was first-team coach of Birmingham City from October 2014 to December 2016. In March 2017 he was appointed first-team coach at Derby County. He joined Stoke City as the club's first-team coach in June 2018. On 26 December 2024 Sale was appointed as Gary Rowett's assistant at Oxford, leaving the role just under a year later on 23 December 2025 when Rowett was dismissed following a poor run of results.[2]

Playing career

Sale was born in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, and began his career as a trainee with Stoke City. He made his league debut away to Brighton & Hove Albion in May 1990 and played the following week in the home game against Swindon Town.

He was released by Stoke without playing any further first team games and joined non-league Rocester from where he joined Birmingham City in March 1992. He moved to Torquay United for a fee of £10,000 and had a successful forward partnership with Duane Darby. His form at Torquay led to a £20,000 move to Preston North End where he had limited success.

In July 1995 he joined Mansfield Town for a fee of £50,000 and immediately joined his new teammates in a pre-season tour of Cyprus. He was in and out of the side and in March 1997 was sold to Colchester United for a fee of £23,500. His first game for Colchester came in a 2–1 win against Mansfield. Later in the season he played at Wembley in the final of the Football League Trophy.

He left Colchester in July 1999, joining Rushden & Diamonds for a fee of £30,000.[3] He began the season as a regular in the side, but was soon diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease and underwent chemotherapy. He made a full recovery[4] and returned to Rushden's side in December 2000, though was to play only twice as Rushden won the Conference and with it promotion to the Football League.

Sale joined Doncaster Rovers in May 2001, played 15 times in the Conference, and was released at the end of the 2001–02 season.[5] He initially agreed terms with Conference side Forest Green Rovers, but that fell through and he joined Tamworth in August 2002. He had a loan spell with Hucknall Town in September 2003[6] before moving to Alfreton Town in October 2003.[7] In June 2005 he moved on to join Northwich Victoria, rejoining his former Hucknall manager Steve Burr,[8] and helped Northwich to promotion back to the Conference National.[9] Sale left Northwich in January 2007 to join Hednesford Town,[10] but did not appear for the first team.[11]

In January 2008 he was appointed youth-team manager at Burton Albion, a role which he combined with working as football development officer for East Staffordshire Borough Council.[12] When Burton manager Gary Rowett was appointed manager of Birmingham City in October 2014, Sale accompanied him as first-team coach.[13] Rowett and his staff, Sale included, were sacked in December 2016.[14] On 14 March 2017, he once again linked up with Rowett, this time as first-team coach of Derby County.[15]

Sale followed Rowett to Stoke City in June 2018.[16] He left Stoke on 8 January 2019.[17]

On 26 December 2024 Sale was appointed Assistant Head Coach of Oxford United linking up once again with Gary Rowett.

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[18]
ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOther[a]Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Stoke City1989–90Second Division2000000020
1990–91Third Division0000000000
Cambridge United1991–92Second Division0000000000
Birmingham City1991–92Third Division6000000060
1992–93First Division150002142213
Torquay United1992–93Third Division112000000112
1993–94Third Division336211040407
Preston North End1994–95Third Division137102040207
Mansfield Town1995–96Third Division277102110318
1996–97Third Division185102000215
Colchester United1996–97Third Division103000030133
1997–98Third Division397312040487
1998–99Second Division312102010352
Plymouth Argyle (loan)1998–99Third Division8100000081
Rushden & Diamonds1999–2000Conference National8000000080
2000–01Conference National2000000020
Doncaster Rovers2001–02Conference National143100000153
Northwich Victoria2006–07Conference National213100000223
Career total2584611213221230352
  1. ^ The "Other" column includes appearances and goals in the Anglo-Italian Cup, Football League Trophy and Football League play-offs

Honours

Colchester United

Northwich Victoria

References

  1. ^ "Mark Sale". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
  2. ^ "Club Statement: Gary Rowett". oufc.co.uk. 23 December 2025. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
  3. ^ "Colchester set to profit from Sale". Thurrock Gazette. 22 July 1999. Archived from the original on 1 December 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  4. ^ "Footballer's gratitutde to team who helped him to defeat cancer". Burton Mail. 2 February 2012. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  5. ^ "Doncaster release four". BBC Sport. 1 May 2002. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  6. ^ "Preston striker joins Tamworth". BBC Sport. 12 September 2003. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  7. ^ Miles, Kev (17 October 2003). "Reds swoop for Sale". Ripley & Heanor News. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  8. ^ "Northwich swoop for striker Sale". BBC Sport. 28 June 2005. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  9. ^ "Vics clinch title with joyous win over rivals". Liverpool Daily Post. 24 April 2006. Retrieved 1 December 2014. – via Newsbank.
  10. ^ "Hednesford boost strike force". Unibond League. 27 January 2007. Archived 12 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine.
  11. ^ "The Hednesford Town statistics site". hednesfordtown.com. Retrieved 1 December 2014. Select season(s) required via dropdown menu.
  12. ^ "New youth team manager appointed". Burton Albion F.C. 4 January 2008. Archived 15 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine.
  13. ^ "Gary Rowett: Birmingham City appoint Burton boss as manager". BBC Sport. 27 October 2014. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  14. ^ "Gary Rowett: Birmingham City manager sacked by Championship club". BBC Sport. 14 December 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  15. ^ "Gary Rowett: Derby County appoint ex-Birmingham City boss as manager". BBC Sport. 14 March 2017. Retrieved 16 March 2017.
  16. ^ "Gary on his backroom team". Stoke City F.C. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  17. ^ "Gary Rowett sacked by Stoke City". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
  18. ^
  19. ^ Riley, Catherine (23 May 1998). "Gregory's goal lifts Colchester". The Independent. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  20. ^ Haylett, Trevor (21 April 1997). "Happy ending for Carlisle". The Independent. Retrieved 1 December 2014.