Mark Milligan

Mark Milligan

Personal information
Full name	Mark Daniel Milligan
Date of birth	4 August 1985 (1985-08-04)
Place of birth	Sydney, Australia
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Playing position	Centre Back / Right Back / Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Melbourne Victory on loan from (JEF United Chiba)
Number	5
Youth career
2002	AIS
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2002–2004	Northern Spirit	16	(1)
2004	Blacktown City	9	(5)
2005–2008	Sydney FC	52	(1)
2008–2009	Newcastle Jets	11	(1)
2009–2010	Shanghai Shenhua	25	(1)
2010–	JEF United Chiba	30	(2)
2012–	→ Melbourne Victory (loan)	6	(0)
National team‡
2003–2005	Australia U-20	11	(0)
2006–2008	Australia U-23	25	(7)
2006–	Australia	12	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14:56, 24 January 2012 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 17:30, 7 September 2011 (UTC)

Mark Daniel Milligan (born 4 August 1985 in Sydney, Australia) is an Australian football (soccer) player who is currently playing for Melbourne Victory in the A-League, on loan from JEF United Ichihara Chiba. He was also the regular captain of the Australian Under 23 football team and has been capped for the junior Australian National team. He is a utility defender, originally known as a right-back, but more recently playing in both central defence and central midfield.

Club career

Sydney FC

After being schooled in the fullback trade by Niall Smith while on a loan spell with Castle Villa, Milligan played for Northern Spirit FC in the National Soccer League. He joined Sydney FC prior to the commencement of the inaugural A-League season in 2005–06, but due to injury did not debut until the round 14 match away to Perth Glory. He was one of Sydney FC's best performers of the season. He played consistently until being suspended after the major semi final victory over Adelaide United and missed the Grand Final victory over Central Coast.

Overseas ambitions

FourFourTwo magazine revealed on 28 July 2007 that after the Asian Cup Milligan had gone without his club's permission to trial for teams in Europe. Milligan was linked with French sides FC Metz and RC Lens. The following day Milligan reportedly walked out on Metz just before a scheduled trial game appearance against Standard Liege, allegedly out of frustration at the right-back position he would be trialled in. The following day it was reported that Milligan would return home to play for Sydney FC after all.

He has since been linked with a move to English Premier League clubs Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City and Arsenal, as well as RC Lens in France's Ligue 1, and more recently with FC Porto in the Portuguese Liga and Bundesliga side Werder Bremen, during the summer of 2008 despite obvious issues of his eligibility to play in Europe due to his non-EU status.

Back to Australia

On 21 October 2008, The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Milligan signed a guest contract with Newcastle United Jets for seven weeks. He made his debut on 24 October 2008, against Central Coast Mariners at Bluetongue Stadium, Gosford, where his team lost 1–0. During this time he was also sent off in a match against the Wellington Phoenix.

Playing in China

Milligan joined Chinese Super League outfit Shanghai Shenhua in January 2009, signing a three-year contract.

On 19 May, Milligan scored his first goal for Shanghai Shenhua in their 1–1 draw in the AFC Champions League group stage match against Kashima Antlers.

Playing in Japan

Milligan finalised his switch from Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua to Japanese side JEF United Chiba, who were relegated to the second division.

When the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami struck Japan, Milligan decided to flee the country, fearing for the safety of not only himself, but his wife and child. With the J-League and J. League Division 2 suspended until further notice, JEF United Chiba gave permission for Milligan to train in a bid to keep his fitness up with his former A-League club Sydney FC.

Melbourne Victory

On 23 January 2012 it was reported that Melbourne Victory was to secure Milligan on loan until the end of the regular season. It was confirmed on 24 January that Milligan has signed the contract for a loan deal to Melbourne Victory until the end of the 2011-12 A-League season. He becomes the first Sydney FC player to switch to Melbourne Victory

International career

Milligan represented Australia at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship in the Netherlands. In May 2006, he was the youngest player selected in the Australian 2006 FIFA World Cup squad, being one of only two players chosen from the A-League - the other being Michael Beauchamp. Milligan had impressed coaches Graham Arnold and Johan Neeskens at a recent camp in Vietnam, while Guus Hiddink also recalled watching Milligan at the World Youth Championship.

Milligan made his senior international debut against Liechtenstein on 7 June 2006, coming off the bench in the 85th minute of Australia's last warm-up game before the World Cup. He did not play in any of Australia's four World Cup games in Germany. His first start came against Kuwait in an Asian Cup qualifier on 16 August 2006. His next appearance was on 7 October 2006 in a friendly against Paraguay as a late substitute.

In February 2007, Milligan was named as captain of the Australian U-23 side, the 'Olyroos', for two Olympic qualifying games against Chinese Taipei. He sustained a broken nose in an 'off-the-ball' incident during the second qualifier.

Throughout 2007, Milligan led the Olyroos to Olympic qualification and was the key influential figure in their final games against Iraq and North Korea, scoring in each game and taking the man of the match award in both.

On 3 March 2010, Milligan scored his first international goal for the Socceroos against Indonesia in a 2011 Asian Cup Qualifiers played at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. This being the only goal in the match with Australia winning 1-0 and then qualifying for the 2011 competition.

On 11 March 2010, Milligan was named in the 31 man squad named by Pim Verbeek for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

2007 Asian Cup

Milligan was selected in the Australian squad for the 2007 Asian Cup. During the tournament, Milligan was selected to play in the starting line-up for Australia against co-host nation Thailand in the final game of the group matches. Australia won 4–0 and advanced to the quarter finals of the competition with Milligan putting in what was widely regarded as a Man of the Match performance in the centre of a three man defence.

On 21 July 2007, in the quarter-final against Japan, Milligan was unfortunate in failing to clear a ball from the penalty area that saw striker Naohiro Takahara pounce and score an equaliser. The game ended 1–1 and Australia was eliminated from the Cup on penalties.

In February 2008, he was selected for the first World Cup Qualifier against Qatar but pulled out of the squad with a broken nose that he accidentally sustained in training.

Career statistics

All-Time Club Performance

Club	Season	League		Cup		Continental		Total
		App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals
Northern Spirit	2002	3	0	-	-	-	-	3	0
	2003	13	1	-	-	-	-	13	1
Total		16	1	-	-	-	-	16	1
Blacktown City Demons	2004	9	5	-	-	-	-	9	5
Total		9	5	-	-	-	-	9	5
Sydney FC	05-06	19	1	3	0	-	-	22	1
	06-07	21	0	3	1	5	0	29	1
	07-08	12	0	2	0	-	-	14	0
Total		52	1	8	1	5	0	65	2
Newcastle Jets	08-09	11	1	0	0	-	-	11	1
Total		11	1	-	-	-	-	11	1
Shanghai Shenhua	2009	25	1	0	0	5	1	30	2
Total		25	1	0	0	5	1	30	2
Career Totals		117	9	8	1	10	1	135	12

Honours

Sydney FC

• A-League Championship: 2005–06
• Oceania Club Championship: 2004–05

External links

• Melbourne Victory profile
• FFA - Olyroo profile