Them and us – Chris Makin (Sunderland and Wigan Athletic)

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The trip to the North East on Saturday gives TNS the opportunity to look back at the career of a former Latic and Mackem.  Step forward Chris Makin…

Chris, who was born in Prestwich on 8th May 1973, was a loan signing from Oldham Athletic and he arrived at Springfield Park on 28th August 1992. He made his Latics League debut, which was in fact his first ever Footnall League game, the following day against Swansea City in a home encounter which the Blues lost 2-3. He made 14+1 League appearances during which he scored 2 League goals before returning to Boundary Park on 22nd November 1992 after both clubs failed to reach an agreement with regards to a permanent deal.

He went on to star for the other Latics, along with another future Latics loanee Norman Kelly,  in what turned out to be three seasons in top flight football.  He made his Oldham Athletic debut against Arsenal at Boundary Park on 23rd October 1993.  In what was a fairy tale spell at Boundary Park he also helped the club to reach the semi finals of the FA Cup in 1994.   He went on to make 93+1 League appearances during which he netted four times.

He then moved on to France in the summer of 1996, plying his trade at Marseille after leaving Boundary Park on a free transfer.  After just one season in France and after making 29 appearances for the French outfit without scoring, he was on his way back to England.  In July 1997 Sunderland manager Peter Reid paid a fee of £660.000 for his services and he embarked on his best spell in the game.

After making his League debut for the Mackems on 10th August 1977 against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane, a game that resulted in a 2-0 defeat, he spent four seasons at Roker Park and the highlight was no doubt when the club regained their top flight status at the end of season 1997/98.  In total he made  115+5 League appearances during which he netted once.

His next port of call was Ipswich Town, whose manager George Burley, paid a fee of  £1.400.000 for the by now accomplished right back.  His debut for the Tractor Boys came on the 10th March 2001 in a 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa at Villa Park.  He went on to make 78 League appearances without scoring and then in August 2004 he joined Leicester City on a free transfer.

His Foxes debut put an end to his jinx of losing all of his English debuts when a game against West Ham United at Filbert Street on 7th August 2004 ended in a 0-0 draw!  His single season with the Foxes also saw him loaned to Derby County for whom he made 13 League appearances without scoring.  After making 21 League appearances, without scoring for the Foxes he then  joined Reading.

He arrived at the Madejski Stadium in August 2005 along with Welsh international John Oster, as manager Steve Coppell secured his seventh and eight pre season signings.  Twelve League appearances and no goals later, his first being against Burnley in a 2-1 victory at the Mad Stad on 28th August 2005, he signed for his final professional club, Southampton on 16th August 2006.

His Saints League debut came against Barnsley at Oakwell on 19th August 2006, a game that resulted in a 2-2 draw.  However it was whilst on the South Coast that his career came to an end due to injury and following a 1-1 home draw against Colchester United on 19th September 2007, he hung up his boots.

He resurfaced at Radcliffe Borough the following summer and he is now no longer in the game and has his own property development business.

 

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