Matt Simon

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Matt Simon

| image = Matt Simon.jpg

| image_size = 150

| caption = Simon with Central Coast Mariners in 2008

| full_name = Matthew Blake Simon

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|1|22|df=y}}

| birth_place = Sydney, Australia

| height = {{height|m=1.88}}{{cite web |title=Matt Simon |url=http://www.sydneyfc.com/player/matt-simon/5tsu9itjveyo1gghcp0dwxeau |publisher=Sydney FC |access-date=30 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170703004437/http://www.sydneyfc.com/player/matt-simon/5tsu9itjveyo1gghcp0dwxeau |archive-date=3 July 2017 |url-status=dead }}

| position = Forward

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Wyoming

| youthyears2 =

| youthclubs2 = East Gosford

| years1 = 2005–2006

| clubs1 = Central Coast Lightning

| caps1 = 35

| goals1 = 8

| years2 = 2006–2012

| clubs2 = Central Coast Mariners

| caps2 = 114

| goals2 = 36

| years3 = 2012–2013

| clubs3 = Jeonnam Dragons

| caps3 = 6

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2013–2015

| clubs4 = Central Coast Mariners

| caps4 = 33

| goals4 = 5

| years5 = 2015–2018

| clubs5 = Sydney FC

| caps5 = 67

| goals5 = 5

| years6 = 2018–2022

| clubs6 = Central Coast Mariners

| caps6 = 70

| goals6 = 20

| totalcaps = 325

| totalgoals = 74

| nationalyears1 = 2008

| nationalteam1 = Australia U-23

| nationalcaps1 = 10

| nationalgoals1 = 5

| nationalyears2 = 2009

| nationalteam2 = Australia

| nationalcaps2 = 2

| nationalgoals2 = 0

}}

Matthew Blake Simon (born 22 January 1986) is a retired Australian international football (soccer) player who played as a striker. Simon attended St Edward's College, East Gosford, where he was influenced to play soccer.

Simon started his senior career with Central Coast Lightning before joining Central Coast Mariners in 2006. In 2012, Simon signed with K-League club Chunnam Dragons, however, his opportunities at the club were limited by persistent injuries. In 2013, Simon rejoined the Mariners. He moved to Sydney FC after being released by the Mariners in 2015, before again returning to the Mariners in 2018. Simon remains the Mariners' all-time leading goal scorer, as well as a 7-time Mariners’ Golden Boot winner, record holder for the most substitute appearances in Australian league history, and scorer of the latest goal recorded in an A-League regular season match.

Simon has made two appearances for the Australia national team. He also appeared for Australia U23 at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Club career

=Central Coast Mariners=

He was added to the Mariners' squad in the week leading up to their 2006 Pre-Season Cup play-off against Newcastle Jets. Simon was then brought back to the squad after Nik Mrdja suffered a heel injury before the round 19 clash against Newcastle. He starred for the Central Coast Lightning during their 2006 NSW Winter Super League campaign. Simon had a solid 07–08 season with the Mariners despite not scoring any goals. In the first league game for the 08–09 season Simon immediately broke his duck and scored off a header that would prove to be the start of his wonderful season.

After a successful 08–09 season, in January 2009, he was offered a 2-year contract by Major League Soccer club Colorado Rapids but turned it down citing his preference to remain in Australia with the possibility of playing in Europe in the future. Later in the year, he extended his contract with Central Coast Mariners, staying with the club until 2012.{{cite web|publisher=FourFourTwo Australia|date=2009-10-09|access-date=2009-10-09|url=http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/114429,simon-extends-mariners-deal.aspx|title=Simon Extends Mariners Deal|archive-date=20 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120920015305/http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/114429,simon-extends-mariners-deal.aspx|url-status=dead}}

=Move to South Korea=

On 30 December 2011 it was announced that he had signed a three-year contract worth $400,000 per year to play for K-League side Jeonnam Dragons.{{cite web|url=http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/centralcoastmariners/news-display/Matt-Simon-KLeague-Bound/43955|title=Central Coast Mariners Home}} It was later announced that Jeonnam Dragons paid a transfer fee of $170,000 to acquire the player.{{cite web|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/a-league/central-coast-mariners-set-for-financial-boon-with-russian-consortium-showing-interest-in-takeover/story-e6frf4gl-1226266443487|title=Central Coast Mariners set for financial boon with Russian consortium showing interest in takeover}}

=Return to Central Coast Mariners=

On 16 May 2013 it was announced that he had re-signed with the Mariners.{{cite news|url=http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/news-display/Simon-resigns-with-Mariners/67348|title=Simon re-signs with Mariners|date=16 May 2013|publisher=Football Federation Australia|access-date=23 May 2013}}

=Sydney FC=

On 3 August 2015 it was announced that Matt Simon had signed with Sydney FC, reuniting with his former coach Graham Arnold after he penned a one-year deal with the club.{{cite web|publisher=SBS The World Game Australia|url=http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2015/08/03/simon-signs-sydney-fc|title=Simon signs on at Sydney FC|date=3 August 2015 }} Arnold said the capture of Simon would add a new dimension to his squad.{{cite news

| newspaper= Sydney Morning Herald

| url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/sydney-fc/sydney-fc-sign-striker-matt-simon-for-aleague-campaign-20150803-giqmkl.html

| title = Sydney FC sign striker Matt Simon for A-League campaign

| date = 3 August 2015

}} In Round 4 of the 2015–16 A-League, Simon scored twice as they beat his old club 3–1, after coming on as a substitute.

On 20 July 2016, Simon signed a one-year extension to his contract.{{cite web|title=Simon signs new Sydney FC deal|url=http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2016/07/20/simon-signs-new-sydney-fc-deal|website=The World Game|date=20 July 2016 |publisher=Special Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=23 July 2016}}

Despite coming off the bench for all of his 25 league games of the 2016–2017 season, Simon signed a one-year contract extension with the Sky Blue until the end of the 2017–2018 season. Simon was part of the title winning squad, winning the double in 2016–17.{{cite web |url=http://www.a-league.com.au/article/transfer-news-veteran-striker-matt-simon-re-signs-with-sydney-fc/124togo3jskac11e3wuci0jzvr |title = News - A Leagues {{!}} KEEPUP}}

On 24 March 2018, Simon came off the bench for Sydney FC in a match against his former club, and scored the winning goal in 90+3, which ultimately would set Sydney FC up to winning the A-League Premiership for the 2017–2018 season.{{cite web |url=https://www.sydneyfc.com/news/sky-blues-within-history-after-late-win |title = Sky Blues Within History After Late Win - Sydney FC| date=24 March 2018 }}

=Second return to Central Coast Mariners=

On 10 May 2018, Simon left Sydney FC and signed once again with the Central Coast Mariners, on a two-year contract.{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/sport/football/a-league/sydney-fc-sign-trent-buhagiar-from-central-coast-mariners-with-matt-simon-going-the-other-way/news-story/b019c8390ea58da0891eedb6d6cf969a|title=Sydney FC sign Trent Buhagiar from Central Coast Mariners with Matt Simon going the other way|first=Carly|last=Adno|newspaper=news.com.au|date=10 May 2018}} On 26 October 2018, he was announced as the Mariners new club captain.{{cite news|url=https://www.ccmariners.com.au/news/matt-simon-named-mariners-club-captain|title=Matt Simon named Mariners club captain|website=Central Coast Mariners FC|access-date=28 April 2020|date=26 October 2018}}

On 3 October 2022, Simon announced his retirement from football, following a neck injury sustained in the 2021 FFA Cup, which had ruled him out of the entire 2021–22 A-League Men season.{{cite news|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/mariners-marksman-matt-simon-to-retire-after-a-decorated-aleague-career/news-story/dfbe7cadfc09e7182c96bc4685dc9745|title=A-League: Mariners legend Matt Simon to retire after a decorated A-League career|date=3 October 2022|access-date=3 October 2022|first=Marco|last=Monteverde|website=The Australian}}

International career

Simon played frequently for Australia under-23 (the Olyroos) in 2008. In May of that year he scored a hat-trick for the side in a 3–1 win over Republic of Ireland in Malaysia.{{cite news|url=http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2008/05/24/simon-stars-olyroos|title=Simon stars for Olyroos|publisher=The World Game|date=24 May 2008|access-date=16 November 2016}} Simon was originally named as an alternate player for the Olyroos at the 2008 Olympic Games in China. However, when Archie Thompson was injured mid-tournament, Simon was added to the playing squad. He played as a second-half substitute in the team's final match, a loss to Ivory Coast.{{cite news|url=http://www.espnfc.com/story/568914/matts-mission-for-more-goals|title=Matt's mission for more goals|publisher=ESPN FC|date=2 September 2008|author=Dasey, Jason|access-date=16 November 2016}}

In May 2008, following strong form for the Olyroos, Simon was called up by Pim Verbeek to the Australian senior side for the first time for a 2010 World Cup qualifier against Iraq.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.fourfourtwo.com.au/news/mckinna-thrilled-for-roo-simon-112221|title=McKinna thrilled for 'Roo Simon|magazine=FourFourTwo|date=26 May 2008|access-date=16 November 2016|author=Ritson, Jon}} He eventually made his Socceroos debut in January 2009 in a 2011 Asian Cup qualifier against Indonesia in Jakarta, in an Australian team of primarily A-League players. The game finished as a scoreless draw, although Simon did have a goal ruled out for offside.{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/sport/soccer/game-aussies-hold-indonesia/2009/01/29/1232818546376.html|title=Game Aussies hold Indonesia|newspaper=The Age|date=29 January 2009|access-date=16 November 2016|author=Lynch, Michael}} He made a second appearance for Australia in the same competition five weeks later against Kuwait. In what was Simon's first and only start for the side, the Socceroos lost 1–0 in Canberra.{{cite news|url=http://www.espnfc.com/story/624846/kuwait-stun-a-league-socceroos|title=Kuwait stun A-League Socceroos|date=5 March 2009|publisher=ESPN FC|access-date=16 November 2016}}

Professional career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|Cup !colspan="2"\|Continental !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition{{cite web\|url=https://us.soccerway.com/players/matt-simon/17525/\|title=M. Simon\|website=Soccerway\|access-date=12 January 2020}}
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="8" valign="center"\|Central Coast Mariners
2006–07 \|rowspan="6"\|A-League \|3	0	1	0	0	0	4	0
2007–08 \|20	0	1	1	0	0	21	1
2008–09 \|21	11	0	0	4	2	25	13
2009–10 \|25	7	0	0	0	0	25	7
2010–11 \|31	11	0	0	0	0	31	11
2011–12 \|14	7	0	0	0	0	14	7
colspan=2\|Total !114	36	2	1	4	2	120	39
rowspan="3"\|Jeonnam Dragons \|2012 \|rowspan="2"\|K-League \|6	0	1	0	0	0	7	0
2013 \|0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
colspan=2\|Total !6	0	1	0	0	0	7	0
rowspan="3"\|Central Coast Mariners \|2013–14 \|rowspan="2"\|A-League \|26	2	0	0	4	0	30	2
2014–15 \|11	3	1	1	0	0	12	4
colspan=2\|Total !37	5	1	1	4	0	42	6
rowspan=4\|Sydney FC \|2015–16 \|rowspan=3\|A-League \|20	3	2	0	5	0	27	3
2016–17 \|25	0	4	2	0	0	29	2
2017–18 \|22	2	5	2	4	1	31	5
colspan=2\|Total !67	5	11	4	9	1	87	10
rowspan=5\|Central Coast Mariners \|2018–19 \|rowspan=4\|A-League \|22	7	1	0	colspan="2"\|—	23	7
2019–20 \|21	3	4	1	colspan="2"\|—	25	4
2020–21 \|27	10	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	27	10
2021–22 \|0	0	1	0	colspan=2\|—	1	0
colspan=2\|Total !70	20	6	1	colspan="2"\|—	76	21
colspan="3"\|Career total !294	66	21	7	17	3	331	76

Honours

Central Coast Mariners

A-League Premiership: 2007–08

Sydney FC

Individual

Mariners Medal (Player of the Year): 2008–09
PFA A-League Team of the Season: 2020–21{{cite news|url=https://pfa.net.au/news/pfa-reveals-lucrf-super-a-league-team-of-the-season/|title=PFA reveals LUCRF Super A-League Team of the Season|date=23 June 2021|access-date=8 October 2022|website=Professional Footballers Australia}}
Number 19 retired by Central Coast Mariners: 2022{{cite news|url=https://keepup.com.au/news/i-love-everyone-and-ill-see-you-soon-simons-emotional-mariners-farewell-as-club-retires-kit-19|title='I love everyone, and I'll see you soon': Simon's emotional Mariners farewell as club retires kit #19|website=keepup.com.au|date=8 October 2022|access-date=8 October 2022|first=Matt|last=Comito}}

Records

Top goalscorer in Central Coast Mariners history: 59 goals{{cite web|url=http://aleaguestats.com/ALeagueStats_6CentralCoastMariners.html|title=Central Coast Mariners|publisher=ALeagueStats.com|access-date=16 November 2016}}

References

External links

{{soccerway|matt-simon/17525}}
{{FIFA player|297689}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20150923220335/http://www.dragons.co.kr/team/pro_ply_content.asp?idx=205 Jeonnam Dragons profile]
{{K League player}}

{{Central Coast Mariners FC Player of the Year |state=collapsed}}

Category:1986 births

Category:Living people

Category:Sportsmen from New South Wales

Category:Men's association football forwards

Category:Central Coast Mariners FC players

Category:Jeonnam Dragons players

Category:Sydney FC players

Category:A-League Men players

Category:K League 1 players

Category:Footballers at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Category:Olympic soccer players for Australia