Bobby Despotovski

NSL Career: Heidelberg, Morwell, Perth Glory 246 (112) / 1994/95 - 03/04

Socceroos Career: 4 (5) A Internationals

One of Western Australia's greatest players, Slobodan "Bobby" Despotovski was one of the most damaging players during the late era of the NSL. Clever, skilful and deadly in front of goal - Despotovski helped build Perth Glory in to a powerhouse club that drew the best crowds in the league.

Playing alongside the NSL's greatest goal scorer in Damian Mori, the duo formed the greatest strike partnership in the history of the NSL - scoring a combined 139 goals over four seasons together at Perth. Despotovski was also known for his creativity - creating chances for team mates as Perth scored freely during his time at the club.

Born in Perth to Yugoslavian parents, Despotovski relocated to Serbia with his family before his first birthday. Growing up in Pančevo, Despotovski played handball and football in his youth before focusing on football, in which he played for Yugoslav giants Red Star Belgrade and local side Dinamo Pančevo at junior level.

Despotovski made his first team debut for Dinamo Pančevo in the Yugoslav Inter-Republic League as a 17 year old and played for the club until he was called up for national service in 1990, despite being an Australian citizen by birth. Despotovski found his way out of the army as the Yugoslav Wars devasted the region and relocated to Australia.

Looking to get his football career back together, Despotovski joined Floreat Athena in the Western Australian First Division and became one of the stars of the league before getting noticed by NSL clubs and joined Heidelberg in the 1994/95 NSL season. Despotovski scored nine goals in 18 games for Heidelberg before returning to Floreat Athena.

During the 1995/96 season, Despotovski received an offer to play for Morwell in the NSL, where he scored one goals in 6 games before returning to Heidelberg who were competing in the Victorian Premier League. Despotovski was the league's top scorer, scoring 25 goals in 23 games (including 12 in his first five games) and helped the side reach the grand final, losing in a penalty shoot-out to Altona Magic.

Following the failure to make franchise club Perth Kangaroos a NSL member, Perth Glory was formed and successfully gained a NSL license for the 1996/97 season. As a Western Australian, Despotovski was an ideal signing for the new club and quickly became a cult figure as Perth broke the NSL attendance average record, becoming the first club since Newcastle KB to average over 10,000 (11,900) in their inaugural season.

Despotovski was the club's first top scorer and scored a combined 26 goals with talented local product Vas Kalogeracos as the club narrowly missed out on a spot in the finals series. Coach Gary Marocchi failed to build upon Perth's strong first season despite the club averaging a NSL record attendance of 15,000 during the 1997/98 season.

For the 1998/99 season, Marocchi was replaced by German coach Bernd Stange, who had experience at club level in Europe and at international level with East Germany. Despotovski was joined up front by NSL stars John Markovski and Con Boutsianis, scoring a combined 33 goals as the club qualified for the finals series for the first time.

After the first leg of the elimination final in Adelaide finished nil-nil, Despotovski scored a late header to take Perth to the minor semi-final. Perth reached the preliminary final against Sydney United, losing two-one, but established themselves as one of the best teams in the league.

Perth became minor premiers in the 1999/00 season before defeating Wollongong in the two-legged major semi-final to progress to their first NSL Grand Final. Perth met Wollongong again in the grand final where Despotovski rounded Wollongong keeper Les Pogliacomi to score the opening goal.

Perth went in to the half-time break three-nil up and looked destined to win their first championship before a miraculous come-back by Wollongong levelled the scores and Perth lost in a penalty shoot-out. To remedy the losses of technically gifted midfielders Con Boutsianis, Troy Halpin and Ivan Ergić for the 2000/01 season - Perth signed Adelaide City goal machine Damian Mori and Marconi's goal scoring midfielder Brad Maloney. 

Together, Despotovski and Mori formed a formidable strike partnership, scoring a combined 36 goals during the season as Perth recorded the second highest regular season goals tally in NSL history (73 goals scored). Perth qualified for the finals series for the third consecutive season but were knocked out by Melbourne Knights in the two-legged elimination final. 

During the first leg, Despotovski reacted to abuse by Knights fans by signalling a Serbian Orthodox salute to the Croatian crowd that resulted in Despotovski, his coach, team mates and ground staff being physically attacked by Knights fans. The following Knights home fixture against Perth during the 2001/02 season was moved to Launceston to avoid a similar fate. 

Stange was replaced by South African-born assistant Mich d'Avray for the 2001/02 season, who changed Perth's tactical approach as they topped the ladder by 13 points - losing just one game during the season as the Despotovski-Mori partnership combined with 29 goals. Despotovski scored two goals in the first leg of the major semi-final against Newcastle as Perth progressed to their second grand final. 

Perth hosted the grand final in front of a bumper crowd of 42,735 where Despotovski captained the side against Sydney Olympic. Following Perth's grand final loss, Despotovski made his Socceroos debut during Australia's 2002 Oceania Nations Cup campaign, scoring five goals in four matches as Australia finished runners-up to New Zealand. 

Perth continued to score freely and win games during the 2002/03 season, with Mori winning the NSL Golden Boot for the fifth time and Despotovski, who scored just seven goals during the regular season, scoring 12 goals in the 10-round Championship Series - including four against Northern Spirit and a hat-trick against Parramatta Power. 

The Western Australian side progressed to a second consecutive grand final in which Despotovski captained the side to their first NSL Championship, defeating Sydney Olympic two-nil. In the final season of the NSL, the Despotovski-Mori partnership accounted for almost half of Perth's goals as they led the team to another grand final after both strikers scored a brace against Adelaide United in the preliminary final. 

Despotovski failed to score in the grand final and was subbed off for Nik Mrdja, who scored the golden goal in extra time. Despite playing in four grand finals for Perth, in which he won two (one as captain) and claimed three club champion awards, Despotovski's brilliance on the field went unrewarded in terms of NSL individual honours.

With the demise of the NSL, Despotovski continued his career with stints at Inglewood United and Bonnyrigg White Eagles in the Western Australian Premier League and the NSW Premier League respectively. The 34 year old striker rejoined Perth for the inaugural A-League season and was a joint-winner of the A-League Golden Boot (with Alex Brosque, Archie Thompson and Stewart Petrie), as well as claiming his first Johnny Warren Medal. 

Injuries kept Despotovski to limited game time during the 2006/07 season before the veteran retired from top flight football and returned to Inglewood as a player-coach. Despotovski hung up his boots at the age of 37 and continued his coaching career in Western Australia before taking charge of Perth Glory's NPL Youth and Women's sides - leading the women's side to two W-League Grand Finals and being named W-League Coach of the Year in the 2016/17 season.