At the beginning of 2005, Hearts had a new majority shareholder in Vladimir Romanov and then manager John Robertson, Hearts legendary record goalscorer was keen to add to the club’s strike power. He turned to former Celtic and Scotland striker Mark Burchill who had been released from Portsmouth.
Burchill’s early career saw him emerge as a prolific teenager and he scored 20 goals for Celtic at the end of the 1990s. Such form inevitably resulted in a Scotland call-up, the Broxburn born player making his Scotland debut against Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1999. However, money spoke volumes in Scottish football at that time and he faded from the first team picture at Celtic with the arrival of big money signing Chris Sutton. Burchill then spent loan spells at Birmingham City and Ipswich before signing for Portsmouth for £600,000 in 2001.
When Harry Redknapp took over at Fratton Park, Burchill was once again left out of the first team plans and after loan spells at Dundee, Wigan, Sheffield Wednesday and Rotherham, signed for Hearts on a short-term deal. He made his debut at the end of January 2005 coming on as a substitute in a 1-0 win over Aberdeen at Tynecastle. In keeping with his career, Burchill’s time in Gorgie was brief. Six months and four goals later he signed for Dunfermline Athletic. A further spell at Rotherham followed before Jim Jefferies took him to Kilmarnock in 2009. However, the nomadic striker struggled to make an impact in Ayrshire and faded from the first team when Jimmy Calderwood became interim manager early in 2010.
Today, Mark Burchill plays for Cypriot First Division side Enosis Neon Paralimni.
Cyprus sounds his level, but will he finish the season?
ReplyDelete