MARK  THURSTAN

Height  6' 2"

Weight 11 8lbs

Midfield / Defence

League Appearances 4 (2 subs)

Mark Thurstan was born in Carlisle on the 10th of February, 1980. He signed as a trainee for United on the 1st of August 1997.

He made his league debut, coming on as a sub at the Torquay away game on the 21st of October 2001. Inglis took a knock in the ribs and had to come off, Whitehead who had been playing in midfield moved back into defence and Thurstan took up a midfield role. Despite the result of the game being a 4-2 defeat Thurstan impressed enough to get a start in the next game, away at Blackpool.  He was subbed in the 58th minute for the in form David Lee and the game ended in another defeat, this time  2-3. In the following match, Scunthorpe at home on the 28th of October, Thurstan again came on for Inglis, a 2-1 defeat for the blues. On the 4th of November United travelled to high flying Brighton on the 4th November and, despite losing 4-1, Thurstan put in an excellent performance that earned him the Carlisle Man of the Match award in his first full game. The following game, Southend at home, was to be Marks last league game of the season, a 3-1 win. Mark lost his place when Winstanley came back from injury, although he did get to play in the first and second rounds of the FA Cup and the LDV Trophy game against  Kidderminster.  A nasty injury kept him out for the last part of the season but he has been able to take part in the pre season friendlies.

Mark  started the first game of the 2001/02 season against Luton Town at home, playing for 84 minutes until replaced by Scott Willis in the 84th minute to try and introduce a more attacking option.  This was his only game of the season for Carlisle and after a spell in the reserves he went on loan to Gretna on the 3rd of March 2002, where  he immediately became a  favourite with the fans.

Mark was retained for the 2002/03 season. However with  the return of Roddy Collins Mark's first team opportunities were going to be limited and in August he left United by mutual agreement. 

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