# Mark Shelton (footballer)
**Mark John Shelton** (born 1996 in [Nottingham](https://www.edgepedia.org/nottingham)) is an English professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Grimsby Town of League Two, on loan from York City.[1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/mark-shelton/profil/spieler/357225) • [2](https://www.sofascore.com/football/player/mark-shelton/789191) A right-footed midfielder who has also been used in defensive and attacking midfield roles, he is a three-time winner of promotion out of the [National League](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-league), with Salford City, Hartlepool United, and Barnet.[3](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/616011/mark-shelton) • [4](https://www.yorkcityfootballclub.co.uk/teams/mens-first-team/markshelton)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name / born | Mark John Shelton, 1996, Nottingham, England[1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/mark-shelton/profil/spieler/357225) |
| Position | Central midfield; right-footed[1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/mark-shelton/profil/spieler/357225) • [3](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/616011/mark-shelton) |
| Current club | Grimsby Town (League Two), on loan from York City until 31 May 2027; shirt number 29[2](https://www.sofascore.com/football/player/mark-shelton/789191) |
| York City deal | Joined 1 July 2026 on a free transfer; contract runs to 30 June 2029[1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/mark-shelton/profil/spieler/357225) • [4](https://www.yorkcityfootballclub.co.uk/teams/mens-first-team/markshelton) |
| Promotions | Three promotions from the National League: with Salford City, with Hartlepool United via the 2021 play-offs, and as 2024-25 champions with Barnet[4](https://www.yorkcityfootballclub.co.uk/teams/mens-first-team/markshelton) • [5](https://barnetfc.com/first-team/mark-shelton) |
| Barnet record | 79 appearances (67 starts) and 20 goals between 2024 and 2026[6](https://www.downhillsecondhalf.co.uk/Football/ViewPerson.aspx?PersonID=2224) |
| 2025-26 season | 40 League Two appearances and 2,935 minutes for Barnet, who finished 8th[7](https://theanalyst.com/players/12335/mark-shelton/career) • [4](https://www.yorkcityfootballclub.co.uk/teams/mens-first-team/markshelton) |
## Early career and Salford City
Shelton began his career through the youth setups at Nottingham Forest and Burton Albion.[4](https://www.yorkcityfootballclub.co.uk/teams/mens-first-team/markshelton) FBref's records place him in Burton Albion's squad for the 2014-15 League Two season, which the club finished first, though he made no league appearances that year.[8](https://fbref.com/en/players/1fa3806b/Mark-Shelton) In 2016 he made his first permanent move, to Ilkeston, and joined Alfreton Town shortly after.[4](https://www.yorkcityfootballclub.co.uk/teams/mens-first-team/markshelton)
His first professional highlight came at Salford City, where he played a key part in the club's promotion to the Football League for the first time in its history.[4](https://www.yorkcityfootballclub.co.uk/teams/mens-first-team/markshelton) Barnet's club biography describes him as playing a crucial role in Salford's back-to-back promotions from the National League North to the Football League.[5](https://barnetfc.com/first-team/mark-shelton) In league play, FBref credits him with 14 appearances and 2 goals in the [2018-19 National League](https://www.edgepedia.org/2018-19-national-league) season and 5 appearances and 1 goal in the 2019-20 League Two season.[8](https://fbref.com/en/players/1fa3806b/Mark-Shelton) Sofascore's transfer history records his Salford spell as a loan that ended on 31 May 2020.[2](https://www.sofascore.com/football/player/mark-shelton/789191)
## Hartlepool United and Oldham Athletic
Shelton moved to Hartlepool United in August 2020.[2](https://www.sofascore.com/football/player/mark-shelton/789191) He featured over 90 times for the club and repeated the promotion feat, as [Hartlepool](https://www.edgepedia.org/hartlepool) reached the [English Football League](https://www.edgepedia.org/english-football-league) through the play-offs in 2021, defeating Torquay United in the play-off final.[4](https://www.yorkcityfootballclub.co.uk/teams/mens-first-team/markshelton) • [5](https://barnetfc.com/first-team/mark-shelton) His Hartlepool spell ended in January 2023, when he joined Oldham Athletic on a free transfer on 20 January 2023.[2](https://www.sofascore.com/football/player/mark-shelton/789191)
At Oldham he spent two seasons, making 35 appearances and scoring twice.[5](https://barnetfc.com/first-team/mark-shelton)
## Barnet, 2024 to 2026
Barnet signed Shelton on 13 June 2024, and he immediately became a regular in the heart of the midfield; the club later described him as known for his work rate, tactical intelligence, and an eye for goal.[5](https://barnetfc.com/first-team/mark-shelton) • [9](https://barnetfc.com/four-champions-so-many-memories) His first season brought the club's National League title: Barnet amassed 102 points in a 2024-25 campaign the club called historic, and Shelton gained his third National League promotion, this time as a champion.[9](https://barnetfc.com/four-champions-so-many-memories) • [4](https://www.yorkcityfootballclub.co.uk/teams/mens-first-team/markshelton) The Barnet Post recorded his contribution in the run-in, two penalties by Shelton putting the leaders on the way to a 3-1 win at Sutton United on [Easter Monday](https://www.edgepedia.org/easter-monday) 2025.[10](https://barnetpost.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Barnet-Post-June-2025.pdf) The Downhill Second Half archive credits him with 12 league goals that season from 27 starts.[6](https://www.downhillsecondhalf.co.uk/Football/ViewPerson.aspx?PersonID=2224)
In League Two in 2025-26, Shelton featured 40 times for the Bees, helping them to an 8th-place finish in their first Football League season since 2017-18.[4](https://www.yorkcityfootballclub.co.uk/teams/mens-first-team/markshelton) Opta's career history records 2,935 league minutes across those 40 appearances, and the archive credits 8 league goals, including strikes against Crawley Town and Barrow AFC that the club singled out as vital.[7](https://theanalyst.com/players/12335/mark-shelton/career) • [6](https://www.downhillsecondhalf.co.uk/Football/ViewPerson.aspx?PersonID=2224) • [9](https://barnetfc.com/four-champions-so-many-memories) Across his two seasons at Barnet he made 79 appearances, starting 67 and coming on as a substitute 12 times, and scored 20 goals, all in league play.[6](https://www.downhillsecondhalf.co.uk/Football/ViewPerson.aspx?PersonID=2224) He left the club in May 2026 when his contract expired.[9](https://barnetfc.com/four-champions-so-many-memories)
## York City and loan to Grimsby Town
Shelton joined York City on a free transfer on 1 July 2026, upon the expiry of his Barnet contract, and signed a contract running to 30 June 2029.[4](https://www.yorkcityfootballclub.co.uk/teams/mens-first-team/markshelton) • [1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/mark-shelton/profil/spieler/357225) On 1 September 2026 he moved on loan to fellow League Two club Grimsby Town, with the loan set to run until 31 May 2027, and he took the number 29 shirt.[2](https://www.sofascore.com/football/player/mark-shelton/789191)
His early Grimsby appearances came in September 2026. FBref records 4 League Two appearances, 221 minutes, and 1 goal; FotMob's match log places the goal in a 2-2 draw away at Cheltenham Town on 5 September 2026, a 45-minute outing with a 7.7 FotMob rating, and gives a season average rating of 6.99 over 224 minutes.[8](https://fbref.com/en/players/1fa3806b/Mark-Shelton) • [3](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/616011/mark-shelton)
## Playing profile
Shelton plays primarily as a central midfielder and is right-footed; FotMob also lists defensive midfield and attacking midfield among his positions.[1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/mark-shelton/profil/spieler/357225) • [3](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/616011/mark-shelton) Sources disagree on his height: Transfermarkt lists 1.83 m, while Sofascore lists 178 cm.[1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/mark-shelton/profil/spieler/357225) • [2](https://www.sofascore.com/football/player/mark-shelton/789191) FotMob's percentile comparison against League Two midfielders in the 2026-27 sample puts him high on aerial duels won (95th percentile), shot attempts (92nd), and goals (90th), with chances created at the 77th percentile.[3](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/616011/mark-shelton) His goal record at Barnet reflects that threat: of his 20 goals for the club, 9 were penalties and 7 came from outside the box, according to the Downhill Second Half goal map.[6](https://www.downhillsecondhalf.co.uk/Football/ViewPerson.aspx?PersonID=2224)
## References
1. [Mark Shelton, Player profile 26/27, Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/mark-shelton/profil/spieler/357225)
2. [Mark Shelton stats and ratings, Sofascore](https://www.sofascore.com/football/player/mark-shelton/789191)
3. [Mark Shelton, stats, career and market value, FotMob](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/616011/mark-shelton)
4. [Mark Shelton, first-team profile, York City FC](https://www.yorkcityfootballclub.co.uk/teams/mens-first-team/markshelton)
5. [Mark Shelton, first-team profile, Barnet Football Club](https://barnetfc.com/first-team/mark-shelton)
6. [Mark SHELTON Stats (Barnet FC), Downhill Second Half archive](https://www.downhillsecondhalf.co.uk/Football/ViewPerson.aspx?PersonID=2224)
7. [Mark Shelton Career History, Opta Analyst](https://theanalyst.com/players/12335/mark-shelton/career)
8. [Mark Shelton Stats, Goals, Records, Assists, Cups and more, FBref.com](https://fbref.com/en/players/1fa3806b/Mark-Shelton)
9. [Four Champions & So Many Memories, Barnet Football Club](https://barnetfc.com/four-champions-so-many-memories)
10. [Barnet Post, June 2025 edition](https://barnetpost.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Barnet-Post-June-2025.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of the British Isles (modern era) › English footballers 2015–present › Central and defensive midfielders*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license