John Anastasiadis

NSL Career: Heidelberg, South Melbourne 127 (32) / 1986 - 2000/01

Following a long and consistent career in the Greek top flight, Anastasiadis returned to Australia and became an important player in South's successful run during the late 1990s. Along with Andrew Marth, Anastasiadis was the "grand final specialist" of the NSL, scoring four goals in three grand finals.

Starting his junior career at Meadow Park with younger brother and future NSL keeper Dean, Anastasiadis moved to Footscray at the age of 14. After a few years in the junior ranks, Anastasiadis moved to the club he grew up supporting, Heidelberg, and made his NSL debut at the age of 17 while a member of their reserve side.

The following season, Anastasiadis became a regular in the first team and scored in the side's NSL Cup Quarter-Final victory over Melbourne Croatia, but was unable to score a league goal before the club were relegated at the end of the 1987 season. Determined to help the club return to the NSL, Anastasiadis knocked back offers from other NSL clubs and played the majority of the 1988 Victorian State League season before a scout from Greek club PAOK showed interest in the young attacker.

Anastasiadis signed for a transfer fee in the region of $50,000 and became a regular in the side over the next eight and half seasons, despite scoring just 24 league goals as a forward. Anastasiadis made six appearance in the UEFA Cup for PAOK, including two games against La Liga club Valencia in the first round of the 1990/91 edition.

Despite being one of the few Australians at the time to have maintained a career in Europe, Anastasiadis was overlooked for the national team along with fellow Australians in Greece: Jim Patikas, Chris Kalantzis and Louis Christodoulou. No longer a required player for PAOK, Anastasiadis joined Edessaikos midway through the 1996/97 season before returning to Australia to join South Melbourne.

During the 1997/98 NSL season, Anastasiadis found career-best goal scoring form, finishing the season as South's top scorer with 12 goals. Overlooked by Carlton upon returning to Australia, Anastasiadis scored against the side twice in the finals series (against his brother Dean) - firstly in South's major semi-final win against the club and secondly with the opening goal of the grand final as South went on to win two-one.

The 30 year old striker proved to be a super-sub for South in the 1998/99 season as the club fielded talented forwards such as Paul Trimboli, Vaughan Coveny, Michael Curcija and Jim Tsekinis. Scoring six goals and starting just seven times during the regular season, Anastasiadis came off the bench in the grand final as South were preparing to take a free kick and scored immediately as the reflex save by Sydney United keeper Mike Gibson allowed the unmarked striker to equalise in the 63rd minute.

In the 88th minute, a George Goutzioulis cross found Anastasiadis again unmarked as he flew through the air to head home the winner. As 1998/99 NSL champions, South competed in the 1999 Oceania Club Championship in which they conceded just two goals throughout the tournament and defeated Fiji Super Premier League champions Nadi five-one in the final.

Anastasiadis became a regular starter for South in Ange Postecoglou's last season as coach in the 1999/00 season. South qualified for the inaugural FIFA Club World Championship in January 2000 as Oceania champions and Anastasiadis scored the side's only goal in the tournament against Mexican side Necaxa. 

The veteran forward went on to score nine goals during the 1999/00 NSL season as the club fell down the ladder, finishing in 10th place. Anastasiadis was almost exclusively used off the bench during the 2000/01 season, making just three starts, and scored in a record third grand final (sharing the record with Andrew Marth). Again scoring against goalkeeper brother Dean, Anastasiadis scored a header in the 78th minute to cut the deficit to one goal, however it was too-little-too-late as Wollongong won back-to-back championships in Anastasiadis's final NSL appearance.

Anastasiadis became player-coach of Yarraville Glory in the Victorian State League Division Two before hanging up his boots at the age of 35. Anastasiadis became a successful state league coach in Victoria - winning three championships with two different clubs and took Bentleigh Greens to the semi-finals of the 2014 FFA Cup before becoming an assistant coach with A-League club Western United in 2019.