Joe Mullen

NSL Career: Adelaide City 332 (75) / 1983 - 1995/96

Socceroos Career: 2 (0) B Internationals

One of Adelaide City's greatest servants - Joe Mullen was a consistent performer for the club over a long period of time and was part of a core group of City players that brought the club success during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Skilful, clinical in front of goals and a good team player - Mullen was the club's second all-time goal scorer in the NSL behind three-time NSL Golden Boot winner Damian Mori and one of five City players to have won three NSL Championships, two NSL Cups and the Oceania Club Championship.

Born in England, Mullen moved to Australia at the age of seven and began his junior career with his school side St Augustine's Parish, which was registered as a club in the Elizabeth Districts Junior Soccer Association. Mullen played for the school side until the age of 14 when he joined Salisbury United.

Following his stint at Salisbury, Mullen joined Para Hills and quickly progressed through the ranks before making his first team debut in the South Australian Division One at the age of 16. Mullen became a regular in the side over the next two years and finished the 1982 season as the league's top scorer before getting signed by NSL club Adelaide City. Mullen joined City along with teenaged striker Steve Maxwell, who would become his main strike partner over the next decade, and made an immediate impact by finishing his debut season as the club's leading scorer.

Over the next two seasons, Mullen didn't miss a game and continued to develop as City's inexperienced forward line struggled to finish off opposition sides. Former City player Zoran Matić was appointed coach for the 1986 season and continued to develop the young talent that former coaches John Perin, Bobby Ferguson and Edmund Kreft had brought to the club while implementing his unique style of play. 

Under Matić, Mullen regained his goalscoring touch, finishing just behind Maxwell and star attacking midfielder Charlie Villani in the club's goalscoring charts. A constant attacking threat, Mullen made a run that set-up the winner for Villani in the second-leg of the grand final against Sydney Olympic as City were crowned NSL champions for the first time. The following season, Mullen scored the opening goal as City claimed the inaugural Oceania Club Championship (pre-cursor to the OFC Champions League), defeating New Zealand champions Mount Wellington in a penalty shoot-out.

 Mullen played alongside brother Tim during the 1987 season and continued to score goals and create opportunities for his team mates and won the club's golden boot award. Following the 1987 season, Mullen made his national team debut in a B international against Swedish club Göteborg before playing in a one-all draw against Croatian club Dinamo Zagreb. 

The Socceroos striker continued to build a strong attacking partnership with Maxwell during the 1988 and 1989 seasons as Adelaide City narrowly missed out on finals action, but was involved in the build up to Maxwell's opening goal in the 1989 NSL Cup Final in which City beat Sydney Olympic two-nil. 

City began their rise to the top in the 1989/90 season, finishing fourth and qualifying for the finals series where they lost their elimination semi-final to Sydney Olympic. City qualified for the finals series again in the 1990/91 season where Mullen scored a late winner against Marconi to set-up a preliminary final clash with South Melbourne, who beat City one-nil. 

Matić's style of play began to pay dividends in the 1991/92 season as City won their third NSL Cup by defeating Marconi two-one in which Mullen scored the opening goal. Following their cup success, City progressed to the NSL Grand Final which ended in a penalty shoot-out against Melbourne Croatia after a goalless draw. 

With City up three-two in the shoot-out, Mullen stepped up to convert the side's fifth and final penalty, securing the club's second NSL Championship. City's forward line was strengthened in the 1992/93 season when the club saw potential in young Victorian forward Damian Mori. The experienced Mullen and Maxwell became more involved in the build-up play as they helped talented Socceroos strikers Mori and Carl Veart flourish in front of goals. City progressed to their third NSL Grand Final after reaching the semi-finals of the NSL Cup. 

After tracking back to fulfil his defensive duties during the match, Mullen controversially gave away a penalty after the referee adjudged the City forward to have held back young Marconi star Steve Corica following a fair tackle. Marconi's Andy Harper converted the penalty, denying City back-to-back grand final victories.

Mullen continued to perform during the 1993/94 season in which he scored nine goals before playing in his fourth NSL Grand Final. In the second half of the grand final, Mullen ran on to a loose ball and knocked it on to Damian Mori at the halfway line who ran forward and scored arguably the goal of the season to earn City their third NSL Championship. With Maxwell retiring from top flight football and Veart moving on to England, Mullen partnered Mori up front during the 1994/95 season with the assistance of attacking midfielders Craig Foster and Brad Hassell.

 After the club achieved their highest-ever finish in the NSL (second), City progressed to a fourth consecutive grand final against Melbourne Knights (formerly Croatia), losing two-nil at home. In semi-retirement, Mullen made 10 league appearances for City during the 1995/96 season, including an appearance off the bench in the side's preliminary final loss to Marconi before hanging up his boots at the age of 32.

Following his playing career, Mullen remained at the club for the next three years where he began his coaching journey, initially as reserve team coach before serving as an assistant to John Nyskohus and Zoran Matić in the NSL. Mullen has maintained a consistent coaching career since leaving Adelaide City - winning championships in both the NPL Victoria and NPL South Australia, having stints as a youth team coach at state league and A-League level, was an assistant at A-League club Melbourne Heart and has been a caretaker coach and women's team assistant at Adelaide United.