Matt Simon
Encyclopedia
Matthew Simon is a football (soccer)
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...

 player. Simon currently plays as a striker for the Australian A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...

 club Central Coast Mariners
Central Coast Mariners FC
Central Coast Mariners Football Club is a professional football club based on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia. They participate in the A-League and are one of three teams from the state of New South Wales playing in the competition...

.

Club career

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
Nik Mrdja
Nik Mrdja is an Australian football player of Serbian ethnicity. He currently plays as a striker for the Australian A-League club the Central Coast Mariners.-Club career:...

 suffered a heel injury before the round 19 clash against Newcastle. He starred for the Central Coast Lightning
Central Coast Lightning
Central Coast FC, formerly known as Central Coast Lightning is a semi-professional association football club, based and located on the Central Coast of New South Wales. They are the main "feeder" club for the professional A-League club, the...

 during their 2006 NSW Winter Super League
New South Wales Winter Super League
The New South Wales Super League is the second-highest state level men's association football division in New South Wales, Australia behind the NSW Premier 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
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...

 club Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...

 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.

International career

Following a brilliant display for the Olyroos in the Intercontinental Cup, including a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...

 against the Republic of Ireland in the semi-finals, Simon received a call-up to the Australian National Team
Australia national football (soccer) team
The Australia national association football team represents Australia in international association football competitions. Its official nickname is the "Socceroos"...

 by manager Pim Verbeek for the World Cup Qualifiers against Iraq
Iraq national football team
The Iraqi national football team represents Iraq in international football and is controlled by the Iraq Football Association. They won the 2007 Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup tournament.-The Golden Generation:...

.
International appearances
# Date Opponent Score Result Competition Game time Match Report
1 29 January 2009 0-0 Draw 2011 AFC Asian Cup qualification
2011 AFC Asian Cup qualification
The 2011 AFC Asian Cup qualification saw various countries take part to determine 10 spots to the final tournament in Qatar under the new qualification system set by the Asian Football Confederation ....

 
Report
2 5 March 2009 0–1 Loss 2011 AFC Asian Cup qualification
2011 AFC Asian Cup qualification
The 2011 AFC Asian Cup qualification saw various countries take part to determine 10 spots to the final tournament in Qatar under the new qualification system set by the Asian Football Confederation ....

 
Full game Report

A-League career statistics

(Correct as of 23 January 2011)
Club Season League Cup Asia Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Central Coast Mariners
2006–07
A-League 2006-07
The 2006–07 A-League season was the second season of the Australian football competition, the A-League. Football Federation Australia hoped to build on the success of the first season and on the interest generated by the Socceroos competing in the 2006 FIFA World Cup...

3 0 0 0
3 0
2007–08
A-League 2007-08
The A-League 2007-08 season was the third season of the Australian A-League football competition, won by the Newcastle Jets. Football Federation Australia hoped to build on the success of the previous two seasons and on the interest generated by and playing in the 2007 AFC Champions League, and...

20 0 3 1
23 1
2008–09
A-League 2008-09
The 2008–09 A-League season was the fourth season of the Australasian A-League association football competition. Two new clubs, North Queensland Thunder and Gold Coast Galaxy had received tentative licences from the FFA but these were revoked for the 2008–09 season on 12 March 2008. Expansion...

21 11 4 1 3 2 25 14
2009–10 25 7
25 7
2010–11 31 11
31 11
2011–12 8 3
8 3
Total 108 32 7 2 3 2 118 36

Honours

With Central Coast Mariners: A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...

 Premiership: 2007-2008
A-League 2007-08
The A-League 2007-08 season was the third season of the Australian A-League football competition, won by the Newcastle Jets. Football Federation Australia hoped to build on the success of the previous two seasons and on the interest generated by and playing in the 2007 AFC Champions League, and...


Personal Honours:
  • Central Coast Mariners Mariners Medal: 2008-2009

External links

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