Mark Swainston
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Swainston playing for Eastern | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mark Francis Mercenes Swainston | |||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 13 November 1999 | |||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Tacloban City, Philippines | |||||||||||||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) | |||||||||||||
| Position | Midfielder | |||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||
Current team | Crowborough Athletic | |||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | KCC | |||||||||||||
| 2014–2016 | Kitchee | |||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||
| 2016–2021 | Kitchee | 10 | (0) | |||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | → Hoi King (loan) | 13 | (0) | |||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | Eastern | 7 | (1) | |||||||||||
| 2023–2025 | Kaya F.C.–Iloilo | 11 | (1) | |||||||||||
| 2025 | Lewes | 3 | (0) | |||||||||||
| 2025 | Hastings United | 8 | (0) | |||||||||||
| 2025– | Crowborough Athletic | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||
| International career‡ | ||||||||||||||
| 2017 | Philippines U18 | 4 | (0) | |||||||||||
| 2024– | Philippines | 2 | (0) | |||||||||||
Medal record
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* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 24 December 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 24 December 2025 | ||||||||||||||
Mark Francis Mercenes Swainston (Chinese: 史雲斯頓; born 13 November 1999) is a Filipino professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Isthmian League South East Division club Crowborough Athletic and the Philippines national team.
Early life
Mark moved to Hong Kong before his first birthday.[1] He studied in Island School along with now-professional Rory Lonergan and Barak Braunshtain.[2]
Club career
Kitchee
He joined Kitchee in 2014 and was promoted to their senior squad in July 2016.[1][3] However, in December 2016 FIFA enforced a ban on numerous foreign players in Hong Kong, including Swainston, as he did not have a Hong Kong passport, thus making him a foreign player.[4] This ruling was eventually overturned, and Swainston made his professional debut on 7 April 2017, coming on as a 69th-minute substitute for Hélio in a 10–0 victory against HKFC.[5]
Loan to Hoi King
On 24 July 2018, following a preseason friendly, Hoi King confirmed that they had acquired Swainston on loan.[6]
On 25 August 2021, Swainston left Kitchee.
Eastern
On 24 November 2022, Swainston joined Eastern. Mark would make his debut in the 3-0 victory over HKFC in the Hong Kong FA Cup quarter-finals, coming on as a substitute for Leon Jones.[7]
Move to England
Ahead of the 2025–26 season, Swainston moved to England, joining Isthmian League Premier Division club Lewes before signing for Hastings United in September 2025.[8] In December 2025, he joined fellow Isthmian League South East Division side Crowborough Athletic.[9]
International career
Swainston made his debut for the senior Philippines national team on 26 March 2024 in a World Cup qualifier against Iraq.[10]
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | Other Cups | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Kitchee | 2016–17 | Hong Kong Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017–18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2018–19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2019–20 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | ||
| Total | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 0 | ||
| Hoi King (loan) | 2018–19 | Hong Kong Premier League | 13 | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Career total | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 0 | ||
- Notes
- ^ a b Appearances in the Sapling Cup
- ^ Appearances in the Hong Kong Community Cup
- ^ Appearances in the Hong Kong FA Cup
- ^ Appearances in the Hong Kong Senior Shield
Honours
Club
Kitchee
Kaya–Iloilo
References
- ^ a b "傑志簽下銳兵 放眼亞洲 誓要重奪聯賽冠軍". Kitchee SC (in Chinese). July 12, 2016. Archived from the original on August 27, 2016. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
- ^ "Alumni and Students Make Premier League Debut". Island School. November 3, 2017. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
- ^ "【港超】傑志改朝換代 新季簽三援升四小將". 香港01 (in Chinese). July 12, 2016. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
- ^ "Hong Kong youth system crippled after 49 'foreign' youngsters are sidelined by Fifa ruling on minors". South China Morning Post. December 30, 2016. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
- ^ "港超聯 天堂與地獄！傑志10蛋贈港會". Oriental Daily News (in Chinese). April 7, 2017. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
- ^ Hseung, Ka Man. "組軍進度遜預期 凱景將洽商借用外援". Apple Daily. Archived from the original on July 25, 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2018. (in Chinese)
- ^ "香港足球總會". www.hkfa.com. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
- ^ @hastingsufc (September 13, 2025). "𝗢𝗙𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝑴𝑨𝑹𝑲 The 'U's welcome Philippines international Mark Swainston to The Pilot Field The midfielder joins from @LewesFCMen #COYU" (Tweet). Retrieved December 24, 2025 – via X (formerly Twitter).
- ^ @CrowboroughAFC (December 16, 2025). "We're pleased to welcome Mark Swainston to the club Mark brings experience from spells at Hastings Utd & Lewes FC, alongside an impressive international career with Kaya FC-Iloilo and Kitchee SC Great to have you with us! @IsthmianLeague" (Tweet). Retrieved December 24, 2025 – via X (formerly Twitter).
- ^ "Philippines v Iraq game report". ESPN. March 26, 2024.
- ^ Mark Swainston at Soccerway. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
- ^ "Mark Swainston". HKFA. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
External links
- Mark Swainston at Soccerway
- Mark Swainston on Instagram