Missed 7 of Bristol City's ~46 games this season through 7 injury absences (hip, inactive). He still appeared 38 times — a solid return given how little of the season he was available. His rating is judged mainly on the games he was fit to play.

Performance data · by competition

Competition	Apps	G	A	Min	Match
Championship	38	4	1	2144	6.79
League Cup	2	0	0	135	6.9
Friendliesat Rep. Of Ireland	2	0	0	38	6.8
FA Cup	1	0	0	26	6.3

Career

Full career & schedule →

Irish Cup×3Charity Shield×2

Sykes's current-season form is up 50% on last season (Season 18→27), while his Rating eased 59→42. His peak season for form remains 2023/24 (Season 38).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2025/26	Bristol City · 12th	38	4	1	6.79	42	27
2024/25	Bristol City · 6th	27	3	4	7.01	59	18
2024/25	Rep. Of Ireland	2	0	0	6.8	—	—
2023/24	Bristol City · 11th	40	5	4	6.84	68	38
2023/24	Rep. Of Ireland	1	0	0	6.2	—	—
2022/23	Bristol City · 14th	36	5	0	6.73	66	33
2021/22	Oxford United · 8th	40	8	5	6.97	53	32

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 8 earlier seasons in the full career.

Scout report

Squad depthCentral midfielder

M. Sykes is a 29-year-old central midfielder at Bristol City, rated 42.2 overall by Field Insider's model, ranking 362nd of 495 on scout potential in the Championship. An experienced operator, he has been a rotation option this season (51.8% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 2.18 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Sykes.

Judged on this season alone, Sykes graded 27 — a solid campaign that ranks top 39% of the 109 central midfielders in the Championship, on 4 goals, 1 assist and 2.183 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's a clear step up on last season (Season 18 → 27). Over the 6 seasons on record his form has trended upward, peaking in 2023/24.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 42, 81st of 109 of the 109 central midfielders in the Championship. At 29 Sykes is in his prime years, and a market index of 11.4 reflects that trajectory.

Read the appearance count in context: Sykes missed 7 games through injury (hip, inactive) out of roughly 46 this season. The 38 he did play is a solid return on the time he was fit, and his ratings are weighted toward those games rather than the ones he sat out injured.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Past his 2023/24 peak — the recent trend is downward, so buyers are paying for what's left, not what was.

Peak: 2023/24Trending downBreakout: 2021/22Stepped up 2022/23Injury-hit 2025/26

Current potential81st of 109 central midfielders · Championship Current seasonTop 39% central midfielders · Championship42nd-best central midfielder in the Championship362nd in the Championship · potential81st-highest potential central midfielder in the Championship

42.2

Ratingi

81st of 109 central midfielders

26.9

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

51.8%

Minutes

rotation minutes

2.18

Def. actions / 90

moderate defensive volume

Output in context · Bristol City finished 12th of 24 · a mid-table side

2.18

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

2.18 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 7 clean sheets across 38 appearances. Going forward he chipped in 4 goals and 1 assist — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

Attacking threat. Chips in from deep: 0.21 goal involvements per 90, useful for a central midfielder.

Watch points

Game time. Only 51.8% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 42.2, Sykes carries the 81st-highest potential of the central midfielders in the Championship of 109. Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (2.18 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Experienced and reliable, but the value curve is easing (1.1× now → 0.8× projected in three years).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %51.8%

Available fixtures46 of 46

Goals / 900.168

Assists / 900.042

Goal contribution / 900.21

Defensive actions / 902.183

Player flow

Goal involvements5

Shot conversion %66.7

Shot accuracy %54.5

Pass accuracy %73

Dribble success %47.1

Cards / 900.084

Foul involvement / 901.931

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~21), then tapers with age. At 29, Sykes sits on 11.4, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Sykes's projected Rating — 42.2 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among central midfielders in the Championship with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals4

Shots on target6

Shots11

Passing

Assists1

Chances created25

Passes803

Pass accuracy73%

Possession

Successful dribbles16

Dribble success47.1%

Duels won107

Duels won %52.2%

Fouls won28

Defending

Tackles38

Interceptions12

Blocks2

Fouls committed18

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards2

Red cards0

Transfer history

Millwall2026/27 – nowFree

Bristol Cityuntil 2026/27

Free agent2026/27 – 2026/27Free

Bristol City2022/23 – 2026/27Free

Oxford United2018/19 – 2022/23

Glenavon FCuntil 2018/19

About M. Sykes

Mark Sykes is a 29-year-old central midfielder who plays for Bristol City, born on August 4, 1997 in Belfast, standing 182 cm tall. He is from Republic of Ireland. Bristol City currently sit 12th of 24 in the Championship.

This season

In the current season, M. Sykes has made 38 appearances with 4 goals and 1 assist across 2,144 minutes, averaging a 6.75 match rating over his last 10 rated games, with 2 yellow cards. His season has spanned the Championship, the League Cup, the Friendlies and the FA Cup. Though primarily a central midfielder, he has also lined up in defence this season.

When M. Sykes plays, Bristol City's record this season is 15W-9D-17L — and his match ratings average 6.75 at home against 6.83 on the road.

Recent matches

May 2, 2026: 2-0 win at home vs Stoke City (16 minutes, 6.9 rating)
April 21, 2026: 2-2 draw away at Southampton (18 minutes, 6.3 rating)
April 18, 2026: 2-4 loss at home vs Norwich (65 minutes, 6.3 rating)
April 11, 2026: 0-0 draw away at QPR (76 minutes, 6.9 rating)
April 6, 2026: 1-0 win at home vs Sheffield Utd (82 minutes, 1 goal, 7.9 rating)
April 3, 2026: 2-1 win away at Charlton (90 minutes, 6.3 rating)
March 21, 2026: 0-1 loss at home vs West Brom (45 minutes, 6.5 rating)
March 14, 2026: 1-1 draw away at Middlesbrough (90 minutes, 6.9 rating)
March 10, 2026: 0-2 loss away at Leicester (45 minutes, 6.6 rating)
March 7, 2026: 0-2 loss at home vs Coventry (62 minutes, 6.9 rating)

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates M. Sykes at 42.2 with a Season form score of 26.9, ranking 362nd of 495 central midfielders in the Championship. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

Availability: M. Sykes has missed 7 matches this season through injury.

His honours include 5 career titles — among them the Charity Shield and the Irish Cup. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 13 recorded seasons, M. Sykes has totalled 370 club appearances with 43 goals and 18 assists for 4 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2021/22, with 40 appearances for Oxford United.

M. Sykes's career has also included time at Millwall, Oxford United and Glenavon FC.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Injury-affected season

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · Bristol City finished 12th of 24 · a mid-table side

Strengths

Watch points