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Motherwell have had several players down the years following in the footsteps of their fathers' by carving out a career for themselves in professional football. One such player was Mark Archdeacon, whose father Owen had successful career with clubs including Celtic.
Mark however was unable to replicate the successes of his father and was very much on the fringes of the Motherwell first team, after graduating through the youth set up.
The restructuring of the club, in the post-administration days, saw new faces arrive, one of them being U15's coach Graham Ogg who was charged with the task of building a competitive U15 team with virtually no resources at his disposal.
Existing players themselves were asked to put "feelers" out as Ogg looked to build a side and it was reccomendation from a friend and schoolmate of Archdeacon's which saw Archie invited to the club for a trial.
Impressed by what he had to offer Archdeacon was swiftly signed up.
Despite being somewhat cobbled together, the team proved to be a big success and would provide several players who would go on to impress throughout the youth grades such as Ross Forbes and Jamie Murphy with whom Mark would go on to develop a lethal partnership at youth level.
At the age just seventeen in addtional to turning out for the Motherwell U19 side, Archdeacon began to be introduced to the 'Well reserves and he would soon be called up for the Scotland U19 squad.
With such promise it was only a matter of time before Mark followed his strike partner of several years, Jamie Murphy, into the first team squad and despite failing to get on the pitch for the top-team he was an unused substitute for Mark McGhee's side on numerous occasions throughout the 2007'08 campaign.
In February 2008 Archdeacon was given a contract extension to the summer of 2011, signed on the Fir Park pitch before the club's 3-1 win over Inverness, confirming the high hopes the club had for him.
The opening half of the 2008'09 season saw Mark restricted to turning out for the 'Well U19's and reserves but an opportunity for first team football presented itself in January 2009 when he was allowed to move to Albion Rovers on loan until the end of the season.
It was difficult time at the Wee Rovers for Archie however with injury cutting short a loan spell that saw him make three starts, and seven substitute appearances for the Coatbridge side.
The arrival of Jim Gannon presented an opportunity for those remaining on the Fir Park payroll as Gannon assessed each player at his disposal and Archdeacon was at last able to make a senior appearance for the club, as a substitute in the 3-0 Europa League win over Llanelli.
Once again injury was to hamper Archie and he was unavailable for the opening three months of the 09'10 league campaign.
Upon returning to fitness Mark was allowed to go out on loan once again and enjoyed a more successful spell this time with Division Two promotion hopefuls Brechin City. In his three months at Glebe Park he scored three times and helped City to the Play-Off Finals.
Whilst returning to Fir Park at the close of his time with Brechin, Mark had departed by the time the club kicked off the new 10'11 league campaign have left the Steelmen by mutual consent.
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D.O.B:
09/10/1989
Born:
Greenock
Height:
6' 1'
Weight:
10st 8Ibs
Signed From:
MFC Youth
Sold to:
Released
Position:
Striker
International Caps:
 0
International Goals:
0
2010/11 Squad No:
28
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