Wirral wheelchair tennis legend Mark Eccleston is leaving to take up new post in Halton

Nov 12 2008 by Sue McCann, Birkenhead News

WIRRAL bids farewell to one of its favourite sporting sons this week when wheelchair tennis legend Mark Eccleston leaves to take up a new post in Halton.

Mark has been involved with wheelchair tennis in Wirral for 12 years, first as a player where he developed from beginner to Britain’s first world number one and Paralympic medallist in the space of just a few years, then as a coach overseeing the development of current and future Paralympians at Wirral Tennis and Sports Centre.

Mark leaves tomorrow to take up the post of disability sports officer at Halton Council.

He said: “It has been my best achievement as a coach to help set up the biggest and best wheelchair tennis programme in the country without any assistance from the governing body, and also overseeing the rapid rise and improvement of the Great Britain players we have, especially Antony Cotterill.”

Wirral’s tennis development officer, Chris Thelwall, said: “Mark is a remarkable, inspirational person who was a professional wheelchair rugby player before he turned to tennis.

“With fellow coach David McIndoe he has increased the numbers on the squads to include upwards of 10 nationally and internationally competing wheelchair players, three of whom are in the current Great Britain squad.