PERS. INFORMATION

CLUB HISTORY

• Greenock Morton FC | 2013 – 2018
• Falkirk FC | 2018 – 2019
• Finn Harps FC | 2019 – 2021
• Greenock Morton FC | 2021 – 2022
• Galway United FC | 2022
• Portadown FC | 2022 – 2024
• Stranraer FC | 2024 – …

INTERVIEW

Introduce yourself…

My name’s Mark Russell I’m 29 and have played over 300 professional games so far in my career and have played nearly every position on the pitch from left back to striker.

How do you mentally and physically prepare for big matches?

I’m quite relaxed going into big games or any games for that matter just try to enjoy it as much as I can.

You made your debut at Greenock Morton FC in 2013. Can you take us back to that moment—what did it mean to you, and how did it feel stepping onto the pitch?

It was a brilliant feeling, I think it was only 5/10 mins at the end of a game but meant the world as I had worked so hard for it.

In June 2014, you signed a new two-year contract with Greenock Morton FC. How important was that moment? 

Yeah it was brilliant for me. It meant that I was doing something right to be rewarded with a two year contract at such a young age.

Being included in the PFA Scotland League One Team of the Year in 2014–15 was a big recognition. What do you think contributed most to your standout performances that season?

I think it was just my confidence and as soon as I got into the team I knew I had to play well every week or I would have been back out of the starting 11, so it made me play my best football as I wanted to play every week.

At Finn Harps, you were deployed not just in defence but also as a support striker—finishing as the club’s top league scorer in 2020. How did you adapt to that positional change, and what did it teach you?

Yeah I went over as a left back but had already played couple of different positions such as right back and centre mid, we needed a bit of creativity so manager decided to play me further up as a number 10 and a striker took me a few weeks to get used to it but was brilliant.

After leaving Morton in 2018, your time at Falkirk was brief. How did you handle that period, and what did you take from the experience?

My time at Falkirk I would say was hardest in my career, played the first 3 leagues games and then after that the manager who signed me got sacked unfortunately then a new manager came in and from day one I knew I wasn’t going to play for no reason at all and never made an appearance under him, that manager got Falkirk relegated he was clueless.

After Galway United and Portadown, you’ve returned to Scotland with Stranraer. What made now the right time to come back to Scottish football?

Went to Galway only for 4 weeks or so but wasn’t for me and then moved to Portadown which was brilliant won the N. Ireland championship and got to cup final in my time there, was perfect time to come home still had year left on my deal but I decided it was time to move back home after 2 years there, I loved it at Portadown.

You’ve played under a wide range of managers and systems. Who has had the biggest influence on your career, and why?

I played under loads of managers all very different in their own ways, I would say Jim Duffy probably didn’t realise how good he was for me at the time but looking back I realise how good and how much he did for me. Great guy and good to see him back in football.

What are your personal and professional goals for the next season? 

Just to play as many games as I can and to enjoy it. Hopefully win as many games as we can and push up the league table this season