CRYSTAL BALL: Mark Bright in action for Crystal Palace. Picture: PA Images
By David Richardson
By the time Mark Bright returned to the Football League, he was ready.
Tossed aside by Port Vale at 16, the striker was left working part-time in a hydraulics factory while playing Sunday League football for the Mason Arms with his friends.
But Non-League was the beginning of a career which led him to playing in the Premier League for Leicester City, Crystal Palace, Sheffield Wednesday and Charlton Athletic.
Spells at Kidsgrove Athletic and then Leek Town “shaped” him into the recognised goalscorer he became at Palace under Steve Coppell where he formed a partnership with another graduate from Non-League, a certain Ian Wright.
Football was a respite for Bright from a difficult childhood which saw him and his brother move homes as foster children and were bullied daily at school. Although Port Vale were reluctant to give him an apprenticeship, Non-League did.
“I had a couple of years at Leek to toughen up,” Bright told The NLP. “Playing in the North West Counties League was tough, brutal, against the likes of Chorley, Stalybridge Celtic all those teams and learning the trade.
“There was a manager at Leek called Alan Vickers, who I'm still in touch with now. He phoned me up and said, ‘Come down, I'm a former centre-forward, I'll teach you everything I know and I can tell you now you'll get back into League football.'
“I believed him, he used to pick me up and take me to training. I remember scoring a hat-trick against Chorley, I still have the newspaper clipping. Everybody plays a part in your backstory, there's hundreds of people who have something to do with you somewhere.”
Bright was eventually invited back to Port Vale on a part-time basis while still working in the factory. When he made his League debut in 1982 he was also still playing Sunday League.
“I felt ready, I'm sure a lot of people can say the same thing,” he added. “There's load of other people who have come through. From my era, there's Les Ferdinand, Vinnie Jones, Wrighty (Ian Wright), Andy Gray, Tony Finnigan, Steve Claridge, Stan Collymore, you could name loads. There's a part of me that loves Non-League football because it gave me a chance, it developed me.”
A tough spell at Leicester City followed but it was at Palace where Bright played some of his best football, winning the Second Division play-offs and finishing as runners-up in the 1990 FA Cup.
He now works closely with Palace owner Steve Parish as the club's head of U23 development, overseeing the link between the first team and their production line of talent.
It means he also searches for some gems in the lower levels and manages the loan system to give their younger players a taste of senior football. Goalkeepers Dion Henry and Joe Tupper had both been playing regularly for Hampton & Richmond and Margate this season.
“I've been to Margate more than any other ground this season apart from Palace,” the 57-year-old said. “Jay [Saunders, Margate manager] is excellent. We've also had Jiovanni McGregor out at Dartford and Josh Ajayi at Tonbridge Angels. The ones that go on loan I tell them to call the other players at the club and explain to them how hard it is
“We are grateful for Non-League clubs taking a chance on them, blooding them, because if a manager loses games he gets the sack. I respect these guys who play them, teach them and help them.
“I speak to loads of managers, Gavin Rose at Dulwich Hamlet has done an amazing job there, we play them in pre-season. John Still has a network, not much gets past him. I remember phoning him and saying there's a kid, not for us, but I think he can do something. I mentioned his name and John told me the club he was playing for!
“Steve King has had a lot of players through, I talk to him. He'll tell you straight whether a guy can cope or not. These guys work just as hard as full-time. They're genuine, honest and will give you honest feedback on a player.”
Loan spells in men's football gives Bright an idea as to whether a player could make the grade, but it's not a requirement for everyone.
He tells the story of a young right-back at Palace who once asked for a loan move to gain experience. Bright took it to manager Roy Hodgson, who said he wanted to keep him around the first team, training with the likes of Wilfried Zaha and receiving the best coaching advice from Ray Lewington.
Six weeks later, Aaron Wan-Bissaka made his debut in the Premier League and the following summer signed for Manchester United in a £50m deal. Timing is everything.
“When you go and watch the loan players play, it definitely gives you an idea whether they can cope in the League,” added Bright, and he knows what it takes to survive in Non-League.
