Former Luton, Hull and Blackpool forward hangs his boots up

Former Luton Town striker and promotion winner Mark Cullen has retired from playing professional football.

The 34-year-old started out with his hometown club Newcastle United, before moving to Hull City’s academy in 2008. He made his first team debut for the Tigers when aged just 17, going on to become the club’s youngest scorer in the Premier League when he found the net during the 2-2 draw at Wigan Athletic in May 2010.

Having loan spells with Bradford, Bury and Stockport County, Cullen moved to the Hatters in the summer of 2013, as he spent two seasons in Bedfordshire, scoring 21 goals in 71 matches. He opened his account with a double in the 3-2 win over Lincoln City on his seventh appearance, immediately grabbing another brace in the 4-0 win at Woking.

Cullen scored eight goals during the campaign, but none more important than a last-gasp equaliser in the 1-1 draw at Cambridge United in March 2014 that virtually sealed Town’s position as Conference champions. The following year, with the Hatters back in League Two, the forward managed 14 goals in 47 outings, including Luton’s first goal of the campaign in their opening day 1-0 win at Carlisle, also bagging a hat-trick in the 3-1 victory over Dagenham Redbridge.

The striker was then sold to Blackpool for a fee of £180,000 in the summer of 2015, scoring a treble in a play-off semi-final against Town the following campaign as the Tangerines triumphed 6-5 on aggregate, then scoring at Wembley in the 2-1 success over Exeter as his side reached League One. Cullen stayed at Bloomfield Road for four years in total, then having stints at Port Vale, Hartlepool and AFC Fylde, before heading to Northern Premier League Premier Division side Bamber Bridge in 2023.

He made his final appearance in the 2-1 home defeat to Hebburn Town in front of 477 at Irongate a few weeks ago, as prior to the match, Cullen wrote on his X page: “Saturday 18th April - The last time I will play a competitive game of football before I hang the boots up and retire from playing. I've lived the dream. Been plenty of highs and lows but let's enjoy one last game! Be good to hopefully see some familiar faces down there.”

The club meanwhile added on their Facebook page: “We will also be bidding farewell to Mark Cullen who has decided to hang up his boots and retire from football. He will be greatly missed by everyone at Irongate. A fantastic presence both on and off the pitch.”