Graham Jennings

NSL Career: Sydney Olympic, Sydney Croatia, APIA, Newcastle Breakers 350 (15) / 1979 - 1993/94

Socceroos Career: 44 (0) A Internationals / 34 (0) B Internationals

Graham "Flash" Jennings was the number one left-back in Australian football during the 1980s, who evolved the role of an attacking full-back in Australia that was established by former Socceroos such as Col Curran, Harry Williams and Steve Perry.

 Jennings utilised his lightning pace and stamina to continuously attack and defend and consistently whipped in dangerous crosses when making overlapping runs. After being converted from a left winger to a left full-back, Jennings became a mainstay in the Socceroos defence during the 1980s.

A Newcastle native, Jennings started his junior career with Hamilton Azzurri before joining major Hunter Region club Adamstown Rosebud as a teenager. Jennings made his senior debut for Adamstown during their 1976 Northern New South Wales First Division-winning season as a 16 year old. 

Jennings developed his game at Adamstown before earning a contract with NSL club Sydney Olympic in 1979. Jennings worked his way in to the side but couldn't help the team avoid relegation to the NSW Division One. Jennings remained with Olympic as they finished second in the 1980 Division One season before defeating minor-premiers Melita four-nil in the finals series to gain promotion back to the PSL.

 Jennings didn't miss a game during the 1981 and 1982 seasons but struggled on the wing as Olympic's regular rotation of coaches, and their formations, worked against Jennings' style of play. Ljubo Gojković took over from Doug Collins at the end of the 1982 season and tried Jennings at full-back to great effect.

In 1983, former Manchester United coach Tommy Docherty returned to the club and repositioned Jennings on the wing, but eventually moved left-back Martyn Rogers to the right hand side to allow Jennings to become a permanent left-back. Jennings made his full international debut in 1983, becoming a regular thereafter and helped Olympic win the 1983 NSL Cup. 

Under new coach Manfred Schaefer, Olympic became a top side in 1984 after a number of disappointing seasons in the league and reached the grand final - with Jennings playing in both legs of Olympic's loss to South Melbourne. Jennings continued to develop in to a top defender in 1985 as Olympic reached the NSL Northern Conference Semi-Finals and won their second NSL Cup.

Jennings joined Sydney Croatia for the 1986 season where they finished minor premiers of the Northern Conference and reached the preliminary final. In a squad that included Socceroos team mates such as Wally Savor, Žarko Odžakov and Graham Arnold - Jennings was part of the Croatia side that won the 1987 NSL Cup. 

The Socceroos left-back remained with Croatia for the 1988 and 1989 seasons, playing in Croatia's losing grand final to Marconi and played in the last of his 44 Socceroos A appearances during Australia's 1990 World Cup qualifying campaign. Jennings moved to APIA for the 1989/90 season, rejoining former coach Manfred Schaefer. APIA struggled to compete with the best teams in the league before being relegated to the NSW Division One at the end of the 1991/92 season despite the experienced full-back remaining a consistent performer.

Jennings career went full-circle, returning to Adamstown for the 1992/93 season before playing a final season in the NSL with Newcastle Breakers, where he became player-coach at end of the season following the sacking of former Adamstown team mate Jim Foley. Following the 1993/94 NSL season, Jennings returned to Adamstown before hanging up his boots at the age of 34. Jennings was selected at left-back in FFA's Socceroos Team of the 1980s.