Mark Bonner arrived at Priestfield as First-Team Manager in May 2024, replacing Stephen Clemence who left the club in late April.

The 38-year-old signed a two-year contract with his most recent managerial spell before his appointment coming at Cambridge United, where he helped guide the club to League 1 after finishing as League 2 runners-up to Cheltenham in 2020-21.

After playing at a semi-professional level, Mark decided to go into coaching and began his journey in the academy at Cambridge in 2002 working in the club’s centre of excellence. However, when the club went into administration the academy was closed and Mark took on a coaching role in Southend’s academy.

In 2011 Mark returned to his hometown club and worked in a variety of roles, including as Manager of the reserve team. Joe Dunne took over as Interim Head Coach in February 2018 and Mark was given the role as assistant. These positions were later made permanent but, in December of the same year, Dunne left the club and was replaced by Colin Calderwood.

Mark reverted to his assistant role having been in temporary charge of first-team matters, and he found himself in that same position again when Calderwood left the Abbey Stadium in January of 2020.

Having clinched four straight victories, Bonner was named Head Coach in March 2020 on a deal that ran until the end of the 2021-22 season. In his first full season in charge, Mark guided Cambridge to promotion and he was rewarded in May of 2021 with a three-year deal.

Just over two years later he was offered another long-term deal, which was agreed, but in November 2023 he was relieved of his duties.

After six months out of the game, Bonner took the Gillingham hot seat on May 7, 2024.