Simon Marsh
Encyclopedia
Simon Marsh is an English
former professional footballer who played in the Football League
for Oxford United
, Birmingham City
and Brentford
.
, London
. Primarily a left back
, he joined Oxford United
as a YTS trainee
when he left school in 1993. 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
. 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
; he started England's first group game, a 1–1 draw against France under-21
, but took no part in the remainder of the competition. Though that was his only cap
for the full under-21 side, he played for a representative Football League under-21 team which earned a 1–1 draw against their Italian Serie B
counterparts in November 1998.
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
. 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. 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. At the end of the 1999–2000 season, with no improvement in sight, he was told he should look for another club.
In September 2000 Marsh joined Brentford
on loan. Despite his giving away a penalty
on his debut, Brentford were interested on making the move permanent if a fee could be agreed. 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.
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. By the start of the 2002–03 season, his fitness had improved sufficiently for Tamworth to sign him. 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. In February 2003, Marsh had to finish playing on medical advice after sustaining a serious back injury; his club went on to win the Southern League title and reach the final of the FA Trophy
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former professional footballer who played in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
for Oxford United
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
, Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
and Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
.
Playing career
Marsh was born in EalingEaling
Ealing is a suburban area of west London, England and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Ealing. It is located west of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically a rural village...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Primarily a left back
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
, he joined Oxford United
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
as a YTS trainee
Youth Training Scheme
The Youth Training Scheme was the former name in the United Kingdom of an on-the-job training course for school leavers aged 16 and 17, managed by the Manpower Services Commission...
when he left school in 1993. He made his debut in the Football League Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
, the third tier of English football, on 17 September 1994 in a 1–1 draw at Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
. 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
England national under-21 football team
England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
as part of the squad for the Toulon Tournament
Toulon Tournament
The Toulon Tournament is a football tournament which traditionally features invited national teams composed of under-21 players, although the first tournament in 1967 featured club teams...
; he started England's first group game, a 1–1 draw against France under-21
France national under-21 football team
The France national under-21 football team , known in France as Les Espoirs , is the national under-21 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
, but took no part in the remainder of the competition. Though that was his only cap
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
for the full under-21 side, he played for a representative Football League under-21 team which earned a 1–1 draw against their Italian Serie B
Serie B
Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...
counterparts in November 1998.
The next month, with Oxford in severe financial difficulties, Marsh joined First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
(second tier) club Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
for a fee of £250,000, with additional amounts payable dependent on appearances and Birmingham's future promotion
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
. He had made 68 appearances for Oxford in all competitions. He made his debut against his former club, as a second-half substitute
Substitute (football)
In association football, a substitute is a player who is brought on to the pitch during a match in exchange for an existing player. Substitutions are generally made to replace a player who has become tired or injured, or who is not performing well; there may also be tactical reasons such as...
with Birmingham already 5–0 up on their way to inflicting Oxford's record home defeat, 7–1. 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. At the end of the 1999–2000 season, with no improvement in sight, he was told he should look for another club.
In September 2000 Marsh joined Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
on loan. Despite his giving away a penalty
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
on his debut, Brentford were interested on making the move permanent if a fee could be agreed. 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
Reserve team
Large professional sports clubs often have far more players under contract than could possibly play in a match. As a result, many of these clubs create second teams composed of players who need playing time, but have little hope of playing on the first team. The players on this second team are...
. In April 2001, with two years remaining on his contract, player and club agreed a severance package.
In 2002 Marsh trained with Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
team Tamworth
Tamworth F.C.
Tamworth Football Club are an English semi-professional football club based in the town of Tamworth, Staffordshire. Nicknamed 'The Lambs', they are currently members of the Conference National, the fifth highest tier in the English league system....
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. By the start of the 2002–03 season, his fitness had improved sufficiently for Tamworth to sign him. Minor injuries continued to disrupt Marsh's career, and a loan move to Moor Green
Moor Green F.C.
Moor Green F.C. was a non-league association football team originally from the Hall Green area of south Birmingham but later based in the town of Solihull, West Midlands, England...
was suggested, but this did not happen because Tamworth were short of fit players. In February 2003, Marsh had to finish playing on medical advice after sustaining a serious back injury; his club went on to win the Southern League title and reach the final of the FA Trophy
FA Trophy
The Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams...
.