Peter Katholos

NSL Career: St. George, Sydney Olympic, APIA, Marconi, Parramatta Eagles 330 (49) / 1979 - 1992/93

Socceroos Career: 14 (2) A Internationals / 8 (1) B Internationals

"Kat" was one of the few players who could keep the ball glued to his feet while playing on the rough and bumpy pitches of the NSL. An elegant midfielder who could change a game in one action - Katholos was a prime example of the respect an Australian immigrant could earn by entertaining crowds with the round ball.

Katholos turned players inside-out with his ball skills and brilliant first touch before creating chances for team mates with a killer through ball. Possessing a powerful shot, with many of his goals coming from outside the box, he also maintained a high work rate - constantly making recovery runs and wanting the ball as often as possible.

Remembered for having a highly successful NSL career, Katholos may have gone on to bigger things had he been selected for more Socceroos matches and chose his overseas move more wisely. Nevertheless, Katholos remains one of Australia's greatest players of the 1980s.

Immigrating to Australia at the age of nine, Katholos gravitated towards the game he grew up playing on the streets of Athens and made his first team debut at 17 years of age in the NSW Division One for Canterbury-Marrickville, after starting at the club as a junior.

Katholos signed for St. George in 1979 and made his NSL debut as an 18 year old where he spent two seasons before moving to Sydney Olympic where Scottish coach Tommy Docherty saw huge potential in the young midfielder.

At Olympic, Katholos developed in to a technically brilliant number 10, making his debut for the Socceroos at 20 years of age and won the 1982 NSL Player of the Year award at just 21 years of age. 

Over the next few seasons, Katholos was a key part of the Olympic side that found success during the first half of the 1980s - winning the NSL Cup in 1983 and 1985 and reaching the NSL Grand Final in 1984 in which the Socceroos midfielder was involved in the build-up play for most of Olympic's finals series goals. 

Prior to the 1985 NSL Finals Series, Katholos moved to Greece and had a short stint in the Alpha Ethniki with AE Larissa after turning down offers from Greece earlier in his career to focus on his international career. Katholos returned to Sydney Olympic during the 1986 season but missed out on Olympic's two-legged grand final against Adelaide City. 

Katholos moved to APIA for the 1987 season and helped the club finish first, winning their first NSL Championship before moving to the star-studded Marconi for the 1988 season. At Marconi, Katholos pulled the strings in a team that won back-to-back championships in 1988 and 1989 and reached the grand final again in the 1989/90 season. 

Katholos's career began to wind down as he moved back to Sydney Olympic for a season and a half before joining Parramatta Eagles, moving there during the second half of the 1992/93 season. Katholos missed out on Parramatta's NSL Cup Final against Heidelberg before hanging up his boots at the age of 32.