Joe Marston
{{Short description|Australian soccer player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Joe Marston
| image = Joe Marston 1964.jpg
| caption = Marston in 1964
| fullname = James Edward Marston
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1926|01|07}}
| birth_place = Leichhardt, New South Wales, Australia
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|2015|11|29|1926|1|7}}
| death_place =
| height =
| position = Defender
| currentclub =
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| years1 = 1943–1949
| years2 = 1950–1955
| years3 = 1955–1958
| years4 = 1959–1964
| years5 = 1969
| clubs1 = Leichhardt-Annandale
| clubs2 = Preston North End
| clubs3 = Leichhardt-Annandale
| clubs4 = APIA Leichhardt
| clubs5 = Western Suburbs
| caps1 =
| caps2 = 185
| goals1 =
| goals2 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 1947–1958
| nationalteam1 = Australia
| nationalcaps1 = 13
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| manageryears1 = 1958
| manageryears2 = 1965
| manageryears3 = 1966
| manageryears4 = 1966
| manageryears5 = 1967–1969
| manageryears6 = 1972–1973
| manageryears7 = 1974–1977
| manageryears8 = 1978–1979
| managerclubs1 = Australia (Player-Coach)
| managerclubs2 = APIA Leichhardt
| managerclubs3 = Australia
| managerclubs4 = APIA Leichhardt
| managerclubs5 = Western Suburbs
| managerclubs6 = APIA Leichhardt
| managerclubs7 = Auburn
| managerclubs8 = Sydney Olympic
}}
James Edward "Joe" Marston {{post-nominals|country=AUS|MBE}} (7 January 1926 – 29 November 2015) was an Australian association footballer who played as a defender. He became the first Australian to appear in a FA Cup Final when he turned out for Preston North End in their 1954 defeat to West Bromwich Albion.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/from-sydney-to-wembley--marstons-long-haul-to-cup-final-563897.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220609/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/from-sydney-to-wembley--marstons-long-haul-to-cup-final-563897.html |archive-date=9 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=From Sydney to Wembley - Marston's long haul to Cup final|date=10 October 2011|work=The Independent}}
Biography
Marston was 28 when he played at Wembley Stadium alongside Tom Finney and Tommy Docherty. After the War, Marston had played for Leichhardt-Annandale in Division 1 of the New South Wales State League, supplementing his income by working as a painter and life-guard.
In December 1949, Marston received correspondence from a scout in England who had watched him play, informing him that Preston wished to offer him a trial. Their interest was such that they paid for Marston's wife, Edith, to join him on the journey to England.
Marston spent time in the reserves, until an injury to Harry Mattinson enabled him to get a run in the first team during the Second Division title season in 1951 and losing out to Arsenal for the 1952–53 season on goal average; remaining at centre-half at Deepdale as an ever-present until 1954, making 154 appearances and being selected for the Football League side against the Scottish Football League XI. Marston eventually returned to Australia in 1956 because of homesickness, despite pleas from Preston to stay. Marston was also the target of a purported 80,000 pound transfer offer made by Arsenal.
=International career=
Marston was an Australian football international appearing for the Socceroos during Blackpool's 1958 tour of Australia in which Stanley Matthews appeared; and appearing and coaching the national side during Hearts tour of the country in 1959.
=Retirement=
Joe Marston and his wife Edith retired on the New South Wales Central Coast and maintained their passionate interest in association football.
Recognition
Marston was awarded an MBE (1980){{cite web|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1084639|title=MARSTON, James Edward (Joe), MBE|publisher=It's an Honour|access-date=31 October 2013}} and an Australian Sports Medal (2000) for services to his sport.{{cite web|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/972595|title=Marston, Joe: Australian Sports Medal|publisher=It's an Honour|access-date=31 October 2013}} He was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1988.{{cite web|url=https://sahof.org.au/hall-of-fame-member/joe-marston/|title=Joe Marston|publisher=Sport Australia Hall of Fame|access-date=25 September 2020}}
Marston is an inductee into the NSW Hall of Champions. In September 2008, he was a recipient of one of the two inaugural Alex Tobin Medals awarded by the Australian Professional Footballers Association.{{cite web|url=http://www.pfa.net.au/index.php?id=103&aid=131|title=Professional Footballers Australia|date=3 June 2023 }} The Joe Marston Medal, awarded to the man of the match in the A-League and National Soccer League grand finals, was named in his honour. In January 2012, Marston was featured on a postage stamp issued by Australia Post in a series commemorating notable Australian footballers from several codes.{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/a-league/stamp-of-approval-as-living-legend-marston-becomes-a-man-of-letters-20120126-1qjsp.html|title=Stamp of approval as living legend Marston becomes a man of letters|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=26 January 2012 }}
Death
On 29 November 2015, it was announced that Marston had died of natural causes after having been in frail health for a while.[http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/socceroos-legend-joe-marston-dead-aged-89-20151129-glaoc5.html Socceroos legend Joe Marston dead, aged 89] Sydney Morning Herald 29 November 2015
Honours
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Players/M/MAR.html Oz Football profile]
- [http://www.smh.com.au/comment/obituaries/obituary-joe-marston-bradman-of-soccer-blazed-the-trail-for-australian-players-20151217-glq00m.html Sydney Morning Herald obituary]
{{Australia national football team managers}}
{{Football Federation Australia Hall of Fame}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Marston, Joe}}
Category:Australia men's international soccer players
Category:Australia men's national soccer team managers
Category:Australian expatriate men's soccer players
Category:Australian expatriate sportspeople in England
Category:Australian Members of the Order of the British Empire
Category:Australian soccer managers
Category:Australian men's soccer players
Category:Preston North End F.C. players
Category:Recipients of the Australian Sports Medal
Category:Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductees
Category:Sydney Olympic FC managers
Category:English Football League players
Category:English Football League representative players
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Soccer players from Sydney