Marcus Bignot

Marcus Bignot (born 22 August 1974) is an English football manager and former professional player.

Bignot's playing career spanned nearly 20 years, primarily as a right back, but he has also been used in a midfield role.

He began his career at Telford United in 1992 where he spent four years in the Football Conference there.

Having been released in 1992 by the club, he joined Telford United in the Football Conference league.

He then joined Kidderminster Harriers, he was part of the team that won the Conference League Cup, also in the 1996–97 season the Harriers came runners-up in the Football Conference.

After three seasons, a switch to fellow Football Conference side Kidderminster Harriers for a small fee was made in 1996.

While with Kidderminster, the team finished the 1996–97 season as Runners-up in second place narrowly missing out on promotion by five points.

The team that year won the Conference League Cup, beating Macclesfield Town in the final.

Bignot made 56 appearances for the club in total.

First Division side Crewe Alexandra paid £100K for him in the summer of 1997, he went on to be the player of the year in the 1997–98 season.

A former England semi-pro international, he was capped in May 1997 for the England C national football team against the Scottish Highland Football League at Cove Rangers FC, near Aberdeen, where the England C Team won 5–0, with Lee Hughes, a team mate of Bignot's with Kidderminster at that time, and Barry Hayles of Stevenage, both to go on to play in the Premier League, in the England C team that Saturday afternoon in the North of Scotland.

He was capped once for the England C squad in May 1997 against the Scottish Highland Football League at Cove Rangers FC's former ground, Allan Park, near Aberdeen.

His performances didn't go unnoticed, Bignot moved on to newly promoted First Division side Crewe Alexandra in August 1997 for £100,000 – a record fee for Kidderminster Harriers at the time.

At Gresty Road he was the supporters' player of the season 1997–98.

Bignot enjoyed a successful seven-year management career, when he took over at Birmingham City Ladies from 1998, winning the Midland Combination League, AXA Northern Premier League and Runners-up of the FA Women's Premier League Cup.

Contractual disputes ended with a switch to Second Division side Bristol Rovers taking him on a free transfer for the 2000–2001 season.

After falling into dispute in June 2000 with the club over his contract, Bignot was free to leave under the Bosman ruling.

Bignot signed a two-year deal at Bristol Rovers in the Second Division on a free transfer in August 2000.

At Bristol Rovers he played a key part in his team beating Premier League side Everton in the League Cup.

It was Bignot's equaliser in the second leg that took the match to penalties, which Rovers subsequently won.

He had scored his first goal for the club in the previous round against Plymouth Argyle.

Bignot also scored a memorable goal in the league against rivals Bristol City after just 28 seconds, but he could not prevent his team losing 3–2.

Management change made way for a move to First Division side Queens Park Rangers in March 2001 under his previous manager.

A change of management prompted a move to First Division side Queens Park Rangers in March 2001 to rejoin his old manager, Ian Holloway.

Bignot scored his first goal for QPR in the 2–1 away defeat to Burnley, Peter Crouch chipping the ball into the box sub Andy Thomson to head down into the path of Bignot who shot home from close range after skillfully controlling the ball.

Bignot turned down a new contract at QPR at the end of the 2001–02 season, Holloway stating this was due to QPR working on a reduced wage structure and only offering him 50 per cent of what he earned that year.

A successful two-year spell at Rushden & Diamonds where he helped them gain promotion to the Second Division in the 2002–03 season as Champions.

Bignot signed for Rushden & Diamonds in the Third Division on a short-term deal at the start of 2002–03 season, however, having played on the opening day of the season at Swansea City, three days later he sustained a medial knee ligaments only 11 minutes into his home debut against Torquay United.

He returned to training in the second week in September and extended his stay at Nene Park for another month.

He extended his stay by agreeing a new month's contract in November having taken over the right-back slot for the past couple of games.

He turned down a move to an unnamed Second Division side and signed an 18-month contract with Rushden & Diamonds.

Bignot played a key role to keep Diamonds in the third division's automatic promotion places, completing the last 16 games since October and earned the official Diamonds player of the month award for his impressive form in December 2002.

A month later his team were crowned champions of the Third Division in the 2002–03 season.

In April 2003, his side beat Carlisle 1–2 at Brunton Park, having set up one of the goals to seal promotion.

QPR finished the 2003–04 season in second place, Bignot being part of the team that clinched promotion to the Championship.

A move back to QPR in March 2004 where he helped them gain promotion to the Championship.

Due to a consequence of the financial meltdown at Rushden & Diamonds, Bignot was sold back to QPR in March 2004.

Further spells at Millwall, Oldham Athletic before ending his playing career in 2012 at Solihull Moors.

Bignot having managed Solihull Moors for five years, he got them promoted as champions of the National League North and the Birmingham Senior Cup champions in 2016, for the first time in their entire history.

Bignot was born in Birmingham and served his apprenticeship with Birmingham City.