David Seal

NSL Career: Sydney Croatia, Marconi, Sydney Olympic, Northern Spirit 123 (64) / 1989 - 1999/00

One of the NSL's deadliest strikers during the late 1980s and early 1990s, David Seal was the youngest recipient of the NSL Golden Boot and was a two-time winner of the award. Blessed with pace, a brilliant shooting technique and fantastic positional sense - Seal was a regular scorer throughout his career in Australia and abroad.

Born in Penrith, New South Wales - Seal began his junior career at Penrith RSL where he was coached by his English father Roger before joining NSL club Marconi's youth ranks at the U-15 level. Following his time at Marconi, Seal joined Sydney Olympic where impressed in appearances for Australia's schoolboys team and was subsequently signed to Sydney Croatia's U-19 side.

Making an immediate impact, Seal was the National Youth League's Northern Division top scorer, which led to his NSL debut at the age of 17 in which he scored in a three-one win over Footscray. Seal scored a brace against APIA a fortnight later and finished his debut season with three goals in five league appearances. Seal became a regular the following season alongside star centre-forward Graham Arnold and scored 14 goals in 26 league games to become the youngest player to win the NSL Golden Boot at just 18 years of age.

As one of the most promising talents in the country, Seal joined Marconi the following season for a massive $35,000 transfer fee and continued to score on a regular basis alongside talented forwards John Markovski, David Lowe and Zlatko Nastevski, who left during the season. Seal won consecutive NSL Golden Boot awards after scoring 19 goals in 26 league games, before playing in the NSL Finals Series for the first time where Marconi lost one-nil to Adelaide City in the minor semi-final.

In his second season at the club, Seal was Marconi's top scorer for the second consecutive time as he scored a combined 23 goals with Markovski and new signing Andy Harper. Marconi failed to qualify for the finals series but reached the NSL Cup Final after Seal scored a brace in their four-one win over Brisbane United in the semi-finals.

Marconi lost two-one in the final to Adelaide City before Seal joined former youth club Sydney Olympic for the 1992/93 season. Prior to the start of the 1992/93 season, Seal played in every game of the Olyroos' Barcelona Olympics campaign besides the bronze medal play-off match against Ghana as Australia finished the tournament in fourth place. At Olympic, Seal linked up with fellow Olympian Zlatko Arambasic and finished the season as the club's top scorer but was unable to help them qualify for the finals series before making his first overseas move, joining Belgian Second Division side Eendracht Aalst.

Seal joined fellow Australian Eddie Krncevic at the club and together the Australian duo helped the club gain promotion to the Belgian First Division - with both strikers scoring in Eendracht Aalst's final promotion play-off match against Lokeren. Following an unsuccessful trial with English Premier League club Norwich, Seal joined English First Division side Bristol City, but was only able to make nine league appearances as the club suffered relegation.

Seal became a regular in the side during the 1995/96 English Second Division season and finished as their top scorer along with fellow Australian Paul Agostino, scoring 10 goals each. Seal made just 12 league appearances off the bench the following season before joining Northampton Town. Returning to form at Northampton, Seal finished the 1997/98 Second Division season as the club's top scorer and helped the side reach the promotion play-offs final, in which they lost one-nil to Grimsby Town. 

Seal made just six league appearances the following season as the club finished in the relegation zone and the striker was subsequently released. Seal returned to Australia and joined NSL club Northern Spirit for the 1999/00 season and won another club golden boot award before returning to England to join Southern Football League side Mangotsfield United.

In six seasons at the seventh-tier club, Seal became a goal machine and was the top scorer in the 2001/02 FA Cup qualifying rounds in which he scored 11 goals, but missed out on the prestigious tournament after Mangotsfield lost their qualifying play-off to Lewes. Seal helped the side win the 2004/05 SFL Western Division and gain promotion to the SFL Premier Division. Following the 2005/06 Premier Division season, Seal had a short stint at Yate Town (Premier Division) before returning to Mangotsfield.

The veteran striker finished out his career in the ninth-tier Western Football League, initially with Bitton, before becoming a player-coach at Melksham Town. Seal hung up his boots at the age of 38 and remained in England where he later became an assistant coach at former club Mangotsfield.