Biography
Experienced attacking wide man Pugh joined Hull City in January 2019 for a loan spell spanning the remainder of the season. Signed to maintain the upward momentum of Nigel Adkins’ play-off push, Pugh was greeted with much warmth for his professional attitude and good-guy reputation, as well as his footballing ability. After a handful of substitute appearances he made his first start at the end of February 2019 and scored the winning goal against Millwall. He had a positive influence on the closing months of City’s season, though his loan was cut short in late-April 2019 when he broke a toe.
Marc Anthony Pugh was born and raised in the Rossendale Valley town of Bacup and began his footballing career in the early 2000s at nearby Burnley. Pugh signed an apprentice professional contract in July 2003 and made a good impression in the Clarets’ Reserves team, but never progressed further than an unused substitute role for the first team. In November 2005 he joined Conference National side Kidderminster Harriers on a month’s loan, making 6 appearances and scoring one goal against Dagenham & Redbridge. After a brief return to Burnley Pugh was again loaned to Kidderminster in January 2006 and added 3 further appearances.
Pugh left Burnley in March 2006 when it became apparent that Burnley were not willing to offer him a new contract and he joined League Two side Bury on a short term deal until the end of the season. He made his senior debut in March 2006 against Rochdale and scored his first senior goal three weeks later against Lincoln City. His form was sufficient to earn him a one year contract at Gigg Lane, which he signed in July 2006. Pugh was a regular first team choice and took his Bury tally to five goals in 47 appearances by the end of the 2006/07 season.
In May 2007 Pugh joined League Two rivals Shrewsbury Town, having rejected a renewed contract offer from Bury. He was a regular first team player during the 2007/08 season but fell out of favour in the 2008/09 season, having loan spells at League Two side Luton Town (4 appearances during September and October 2008) and League One side Hereford United (one goal in 9 appearances between March and May 2009). Pugh left Shrewsbury Town in the 2009 close season having scored four goals in 46 appearances. In June 2009 he rejoined Hereford United, now relegated to League Two, and scored an impressive 13 goals in 46 appearances during the 2009/10 season.
In June 2010 Pugh transferred to League One side Bournemouth for a £100,000 fee and commenced an association with the Cherries that would last nine years and span the transformation of the club from lower league makeweights to established Premier League contenders. Pugh scored a further 13 goals in the 2010/11 season as Bournemouth reached the end of season play-offs only to lose to Huddersfield Town at the semi-final stage. He remained a key part of the Cherries’ first team as they won promotion to the Championship at the end of the 2012/13 season, then lifted the Championship title at the end of the 2014/15 season and reached the top flight – in October 2014 he scored the first hattrick of his senior career in an 8-0 demolition of Birmingham City.
In August 2015 Marc made his Premier League debut against Aston Villa and was an important part of manager Eddie Howe’s first team squad as the South Coast side finished in the top six of the top flight. He remained at Bournemouth in a supporting role until his departure to Hull City on loan in January 2019 and his subsequent release in the 2019 close season – in nine years Pugh scored 56 goals in 312 appearances for Bournemouth.
In July 2019 Marc left Bournemouth and signed for Championship side Queens Park Rangers, after starting the 2019/20 season in the R’s first team Pugh was given less gametime in the second half of the season and agreed a mutual termination of his contract in June 2020 ahead of the behind-closed-doors return of football to complete the season delayed by the COVID19 pandemic – he scored two goals in 31 appearances for QPR. In October 2020 he returned to Shrewsbury Town, now in League One, on a short term deal and added one goal in 10 appearances to his Shrews tally before hanging up his boots in January 2021.
On ending his playing days Marc commenced a second career as a nutrition specialist for football clubs. In March 2023 he briefly returned to playing football, signing for Northern Premier League side Clitheroe Town and making 3 appearances.
Details
Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 2 April 1987, Bacup
Hull City First Game: 26 January 2019, Blackburn Rovers A (Championship), 31 years, 299 days old
Hull City Final Game: 22 April 2019, Sheffield United H (Championship), 32 years, 20 days old
Clubs
Burnley (2004-2006), Kidderminster Harriers (2005, loan), Kidderminster Harriers (2006, loan), Bury (2006-2007), Shrewsbury Town (2007-2009), Luton Town (2008, loan), Hereford United (2009, loan), Hereford United (2009-2010), Bournemouth (2010-2019), Hull City (2019, loan), Queens Park Rangers (2019-2020), Shrewsbury Town (2020-2021), Clitheroe Town (2023)
Hull City Record
Career: 14 apps, 3 goals
Marc PughSeason | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2018/19 | 10 (4) | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |