Joe Marston MBE

Born in Leichhardt in 1926, Joe Marston joined Leichhardt Annandale in the NSW League at the age of 16. He made the first grade team in 1943, playing right full-back. Between 1944 and 1949 Marston represented Sydney and Australia, before going to England to join first division club Preston North End. He stayed with Preston from 1950 to 1955 and played in the 1954 FA Cup Final, losing 3-2 to West Bromwich Albion. In 1955 Marston represented the English League against Scotland in Glasgow. Marston returned to Australia later that year to rejoin Leichhardt, again gaining selection in the national team. He notched up 25 appearances, 24 of them as captain, before retiring in 1964. After a time in coaching, Marston was awarded the MBE in 1981. Later he was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame and in 1990 Soccer Australia introduced the Joe Marston Medal for the best player of the National Soccer League Grand Final.