Andrew Marth

NSL Career: Sunshine, Melbourne Croatia/Knights, Carlton 394 (69) / 1986 - 2003/04

Socceroos Career: 16 (1) A Internationals / 5 (0) B Internationals

One of the great enforcers of the NSL, "Stabba" was a powerful and uncompromising but effective goal scoring defender/midfielder who contributed greatly to his team in any position. A strong leader who possessed a thunderous shot, Marth was a grand final specialist - scoring in three of the five he played in.

Andrew Marth was the son of a no-nonsense centre-half, Franz, who moved to Australia from Europe as a teenager in the 1950s and played in the first and second divisions of the Victorian State League until the mid 1970s. Starting his junior career at Altona Central and then Sunshine Heights, Marth moved to Sunshine George Cross (amalgamated with Sunshine City in 1982) as a 14 year old.

Tutored by John Gardiner, who played in the Scottish Second Division for East Fife and was a two-time Rothmans Medal winner in the Victorian State League, Marth developed his game and eventually made his NSL debut under Gardiner as a 17 year old during the 1986 season.

Sunshine qualified for the finals series for the first time in 1986 but struggled to compete with the bigger clubs over the next three seasons as they remained in the bottom half of the ladder while producing prodigious talent such as John Markovski and Paul Trimboli. Marth joined Melbourne Croatia for the 1989/90 season, providing some grunt to a side full of technically gifted players and helped the club reach the preliminary final.

Croatia became the top team in the 1990/91 season, finishing minor premiers before reaching the grand final for the first time where Marth came out of defence to open the scoring with a scorching low drive from 25m out, albeit a slight deflection from South Melbourne captain Ange Postecoglou. South went on to defeat Croatia, winning a penalty shoot-out where Marth missed the chance to put Croatia in front by three goals to one.

Marth's strong form for Croatia led to his full international debut in the first leg of the 1991 Trans-Tasman Cup against New Zealand. Marth missed large parts of the 1991/92 season through injury but returned for the major semi-final against South Melbourne where he made up for his missed penalty in the previous grand final by smashing in Croatia's second penalty as they won five-three in a penalty shoot-out and met Adelaide City in the grand final.

The powerful defender would however relive the nightmare of the 1991 NSL Grand Final after the match ended in a draw, resulting in another penalty shoot-out where Marth sprayed Croatia's second penalty wide as Adelaide City went on to win the shoot-out four-two. Marth missed the early stages of the 1992/93 season, however, Croatia began a run of inconsistency upon Marth's return and achieved their equal-lowest finish in the NSL (10th). 

Croatia, who were now known as Knights, completely turned their form around under new coach Mirko Bazić during the 1993/94 season. Marth found more freedom in a midfield role as promising defenders such Fausto De Amicis, David Cervinski and Steve Horvat found their feet - with the Socceroo scoring nine goals during the season. 

Knights reached the grand final for the third time in four seasons, but unfortunately for the Victorian side, the hotly-contested match was decided by a wonder strike from Adelaide City striker and former Knights player Damian Mori. Knights had begun building something special under Bazić however and became back-to-back minor premiers in the 1994/95 season.

Marth scored four goals in nine games during the regular season and was determined to help Knights win the elusive grand final. Defending a 53rd minute Mark Viduka hat-trick against South Melbourne in the preliminary final, Knights held on for a three-two victory before facing Adelaide City for the third time in a grand final. In the 36th minute of the grand final, Marth (who captained the side) controlled a clearing header from 30m out and thumped a half-volley across City keeper Jason Petkovic to open the scoring.

Knights were no longer bridesmaids, winning the grand final two-nil and completing the NSL Double, having won the NSL Cup in which Marth missed the final. Bazić was replaced by former Knights player Ian Dobson during the 1995/96 season and Marth led the side to a third consecutive grand final against Marconi. 

In a Joe Marston Medal-winning performance, Marth opened the scoring by poking the ball past Marconi keeper Bob Catlin and inspired the team to a second consecutive grand final victory. Knights again reached the finals series in the 1996/97 season but were defeated seven-one on aggregate by South Melbourne in the elimination final. 

Knights dropped form in the 1997/98 season and failed to qualify for the finals series for the first time since the 1993/94 season. Marth joined 1997/98 NSL Grand Finalists Carlton as captain for the 1998/99 season. Carlton struggled with the loss of key players such as John Markovski and Krešimir Marušić and failed to qualify for the finals series. 

Under new coach Stuart Munro, Carlton returned to form in the 1999/00 season and reached the preliminary final as Marth scored a personal best 14 goals during the season. Carlton folded eight games in to the 2000/01 season and Marth returned to Knights where he became player-coach towards the end of the season and led the side to the minor semi-final. 

Staying on as player-coach, Marth guided Knights to the finals series for the last time in the NSL, scoring in the second leg of the elimination final as Knights lost six-two on aggregate to Sydney Olympic. Marth was finally relieved of the pressures of player-coaching in a league that had become more professional during the 2002/03 season as Knights finished ninth. 

The veteran finished his top-flight career with Knights in the last season of the NSL, narrowly missing out on reaching the 400-game mark. The 35 year old spent a season in the Victorian Premier League with Fawkner before moving to Green Gully where he helped the side defeat Heidelberg in the grand final. Marth spent one more season at Green Gully where he became player-coach before hanging up his boots at the age of 37. Marth was selected at right-back in Melbourne Knights' Greatest Team.