Simon Marsh
{{short description|English footballer}}
{{other people}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Simon Marsh
| image =
| fullname = Simon Thomas Peter Marsh{{Hugman|13185|accessdate=17 November 2019}}
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=11}}{{cite book |title=Playfair Football Annual 1999–2000 |editor1-last=Rollin |editor1-first=Glenda |date=1999 |publisher=Headline |isbn=978-0-7472-5975-6 |page=24}}
| position = Defender
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|1|29|df=y}}
| birth_place = Ealing, England
| death_date =
| youthyears1 = 1993–1994 | youthclubs1 = Oxford United
| years1 = 1994–1998 | clubs1 = Oxford United | caps1 = 56 | goals1 = 3
| years2 = 1998–2001 | clubs2 = Birmingham City | caps2 = 7 | goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2000 | clubs3 = → Brentford (loan) | caps3 = 4 | goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2002–2003 | clubs4 = Tamworth | caps4 = | goals4 =
| nationalyears1 = 1998 | nationalteam1 = England U21 | nationalcaps1 = 1 | nationalgoals1 = 0
}}
Simon Thomas Peter Marsh (born 29 January 1977) is an English former professional footballer who played in the Football League for Oxford United, Birmingham City and Brentford.
Playing career
Marsh was born in Ealing, London. Primarily a left back, he joined Oxford United as a YTS trainee when he left school in 1993.{{cite web |url=http://www.oufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Youth/0,,10342~1056482,00.html |title=Alumni |publisher=Oxford United F.C. |date=22 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004145020/http://www.oufc.co.uk/page/Youth/0,,10342~1056482,00.html |archive-date=4 October 2011}} He made his debut in the Football League Second Division, the third tier of English football, on 17 September 1994 in a 1–1 draw at Brighton & Hove Albion.{{cite web |url=http://www.rageonline.co.uk/mainpage/player/158/#apps |title=Simon Marsh |website=Rage Online |access-date=24 September 2013}} This was the first of 13 first-team appearances in 1994–95, his second season as a trainee, and he signed professional forms at the end of that season.
In May 1998 he received his first call-up to the England under-21 team as part of the squad for the Toulon Tournament;{{cite news |url=http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/6640063.Marsh_makes_final_squad/ |title=Marsh makes final squad |newspaper=Oxford Mail |date=13 May 1998 |access-date=11 August 2015}} he started England's first group game, a 1–1 draw with France under-21, but took no part in the remainder of the competition.{{cite book |title=Playfair Football Annual 1998–99 |editor1-first=Glenda |editor1-last=Rollin |publisher=Headline |isbn=978-0-7472-5917-6 |page=253 |date=1998 |edition=51st}} Though that was his only cap for the full under-21 side, he played for a representative Football League under-21 team which drew 1–1 with their Italian Serie B counterparts in November 1998.{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-evers-keeps-nationwide-flag-flying-1187459.html |title=Football: Evers keeps Nationwide flag flying |newspaper=The Independent |location=London |date=26 November 1998 |access-date=15 April 2009}}
The next month, with Oxford in severe financial difficulties, Marsh joined First Division (second-tier) club Birmingham City for a fee of £250,000, with additional amounts payable dependent on appearances and Birmingham's future promotion.{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-bruce-is-a-nogo-area-united-told-1190691.html |title=Football: Bruce is a no-go area, United told |first=Nick |last=Harris |newspaper=The Independent |location=London |date=11 December 1998 |access-date=15 April 2009}} He had made 68 appearances for Oxford in all competitions. He made his debut against his former club, as a second-half substitute with Birmingham already 5–0 up on their way to inflicting Oxford's record home defeat, 7–1.{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-oxfords-record-defeat-1191052.html |title=Football: Oxford's record defeat |first=Mark |last=Burton |newspaper=The Independent |location=London |date=13 December 1998 |access-date=15 April 2009}}{{soccerbase season|4831|1998|access-date=24 September 2013}} After less than two months with Birmingham, Marsh developed back trouble. He underwent a variety of treatments, including surgery, but ten months later was still unable to play.{{cite news |url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:BPOC1&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0F7230875627AD4B&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D0CB57AB53DF815 |title=Injury casts shadow on Marsh future |first=Adrian |last=Milledge |newspaper=Birmingham Post |page=30 |date=17 December 1999 |accessdate=24 September 2013 |via=NewsBank}} At the end of the 1999–2000 season, with no improvement in sight, he was told he should look for another club.{{cite news |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A62256874/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=163191d1 |title=Blues axe falls on strikers |first=Brian |last=Halford |newspaper=Birmingham Post |page=28 |date=23 May 2000 |access-date=22 July 2021 |via=Gale OneFile: News |url-access=subscription}}
In September 2000 Marsh joined Brentford on loan. Despite his giving away a penalty on his debut,{{cite news |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A69812952/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=108a2a79 |title=Black spot for Brown |first=Bob |last=Sayer |newspaper=News of the World |location=London |page=73 |date=3 September 2000 |access-date=22 July 2021 |via=Gale OneFile: News |url-access=subscription}} Brentford were interested on making the move permanent if a fee could be agreed.{{cite news |url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:ESTC&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0F28994161DDCA61&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D0CB57AB53DF815 |title=Earle 'drained' but on the way back for Wimbledon |newspaper=Evening Standard |location=London |date=8 September 2000 |access-date=22 July 2021 |via=NewsBank}} No agreement was reached, and Marsh returned to Birmingham at the end of the month. He never played for the first team again, though appeared regularly for the reserves. In April 2001, with two years remaining on his contract, player and club agreed a severance package.{{cite news |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A73106410/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=756630e2 |title=Trev vows: We'll battle back |first=Colin |last=Tattum |newspaper=Birmingham Evening Mail |page=56 |date=11 April 2001 |access-date=22 July 2021 |via=Gale OneFile: News |url-access=subscription}}
In 2002 Marsh trained with Southern League team Tamworth in an attempt to regain fitness. He played half a reserve game for the club on a trial basis, but was shown to be still far from match-fit.{{cite news |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A83440923/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=13c43939 |title=Non-League Football: Tamworth rule out deal for Blues old boy Marsh |newspaper=Birmingham Post |page=32 |date=2 March 2002 |access-date=22 July 2021 |via=Gale OneFile: News |url-access=subscription}} By the start of the 2002–03 season, his fitness had improved sufficiently for Tamworth to sign him.{{cite news |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A90905771/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=6e779626 |title=Football: Lambs boss Gee lures Marsh back to game |newspaper=Birmingham Post |page=30 |date=30 August 2002 |access-date=22 July 2021 |via=Gale OneFile: News |url-access=subscription}} Minor injuries continued to disrupt Marsh's career, and a loan move to Moor Green was suggested, but this did not happen because Tamworth were short of fit players.{{cite news |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A94322898/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=2fcee2fe |title=Football: Tamworth ready to let Marsh become a Moor in fitness bid |newspaper=Birmingham Post |page=32 |date=16 November 2002 |access-date=22 July 2021 |via=Gale OneFile: News |url-access=subscription}} In February 2003, Marsh had to finish playing on medical advice after sustaining a serious back injury;{{cite news |url=https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A97289006/STND?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=c30ebccc |title=Football: Marsh forced to finish playing |first=Nick |last=Pullen |newspaper=Birmingham Evening Mail |page=59 |date=5 February 2003 |access-date=22 July 2021 |via=Gale OneFile: News |url-access=subscription}} his club went on to win the Southern League title and reach the final of the FA Trophy.{{cite web |url=https://www.fchd.info/TAMWORTH.HTM |title=Tamworth |website=Football Club History Database |publisher=Richard Rundle |access-date=15 April 2009}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerbase}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Marsh, Simon}}
Category:Footballers from the London Borough of Ealing
Category:English men's footballers
Category:England men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Oxford United F.C. players
Category:Birmingham City F.C. players
Category:Brentford F.C. players
Category:Tamworth F.C. players