Paul Wade

NSL Career: Green Gully, Brunswick, South Melbourne, Heidelberg, Canberra Cosmos 329 (54) / 1984 - 1996/97

Socceroos Career: 84 (10) A Internationals / 31 (1) B Internationals

The third longest serving captain and equal-sixth most capped Socceroo of all time, Paul Wade was the ultimate team player. Not blessed with lightning pace or technical ability like many of his contemporaries - Wade used his massive engine and determination to keep his midfield in control of games.

Determined to put in the hard yards to allow his team mates the time and space to create goal scoring opportunities - Wade was an exceptional man-marker who had a strong short passing game, never shirked a challenge and got forward to score a number of goals.

Spending his formative years in England, Wade moved to Australia at the age of 11 and quickly joined Dandenong City (his first ever football club experience). From Dandenong, Wade moved to Doveton and then Peninsula Soccer Club, who were linked with Victorian State League club Prahran Slavia. 

When Slavia's senior team went on strike during 1978, the club's reserve players were promoted to the senior team, which gave Wade the opportunity to play at reserve level. Wade made his first team debut during the 1979 season at the age of 16, playing alongside Scottish players Jamie Paton and Alex McPherson, who would go on to have successful careers in the NSL.

Wade remained with Slavia until they were relegated at the end of the 1980 season before joining Croydon City, where he became a key player during their 1981 Victorian State League season. During the 1982 and 1983 seasons, Wade played alongside Socceroos legend Jimmy Rooney, who had retired from the NSL, and joined Rooney at NSL club Green Gully for the 1984 season where the former Socceroos star was the club's inaugural NSL coach.

Wade made his NSL debut just 16 days shy of his 22nd birthday and played in every game of the season as Green Gully failed to qualify for the finals series. Wade moved to Brunswick in 1985 and became a key member in the club's championship season, scoring a brilliant late winner in the Southern Conference Final against Preston to reach the grand final in which Brunswick defeated Sydney City two-nil on aggregate.

At seasons end, Wade won his first official Socceroos B cap, scoring in Australia's two-nil defeat of China. Under new coach Len McKendry, Brunswick finished top of the Southern Conference in 1986 and reached the preliminary final where Wade scored the opening goal with a header before going down to Footscray two-one in extra time. 

Wade made his full international debut for Australia in a friendly draw against Czechoslovakia, becoming an ever-present member thereafter. Wade moved to South Melbourne for the 1987 season and became one of the best midfielders in the league despite an inconsistent season for the club under new coach Brian Garvey. In 1988, Wade scored his first international goal in Australia's last Olympics qualifying match before scoring in Australia's four-one victory over Argentina in the Bicentennial Gold Cup where Australia finished runners-up to Brazil, losing two-nil in the final.

In the NSL, Wade won the NSL Player of the Year award (referee-voted) and helped the young South side reach the minor semi-final. Wade was part of the Australian side that reached the quarter-finals of the 1988 Seoul Olympics football tournament, and the failed 1990 World Cup qualifying campaign, before a injury-riddled season saw the midfielder make just five NSL appearances in 1989.

Football icon Ferenc Puskás took over as coach of South for the 1989/90 season and Wade returned to form: playing every game of the season as South won the NSL Cup, reached the NSL Minor Semi-Final and scored a brace in his debut as captain of the Socceroos. Puskas's team came together in the 1990/91 season and went on to win the championship, defeating Melbourne Croatia in a penalty shoot-out (five-three). 

Club champion Ange Postecoglou suffered a serious knee injury early in the 1991/92 season and passed the captaincy on to Wade who led the team to the preliminary final. In the 1992/93 season, Wade led South to the minor premiership before reaching consecutive preliminary finals. Wade's career defining moment came during the beginning of the 1993/94 season when Australia reached the two-legged OFC-CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying play-off against Argentina.

As Socceroos captain, Wade was tasked with marking arguably the greatest footballer of all time in Diego Maradona - working over-time to harass and tackle the Argentine genius every time he went near the ball. Wade stopped Maradona from having a major influence over the two legs, however, the genius midfielder created Argentina's only goal in the first leg. 

Wade played all but one game for South during the 1993/94 season as the club reached a third consecutive preliminary final. Halfway through the 1994/95 season, Wade moved to Heidelberg on a loan deal after the experienced midfielder was restricted to appearances off the bench under new South coach Frank Arok.

The 33 year old joined new franchise club Canberra Cosmos as captain for their inaugural 1995/96 season, scoring 11 goals in 28 games to finish as the club's top scorer. Wade stayed on at Cosmos for another season when he played the last of his 115 caps for Australia - captaining the Socceroos' 1996 Oceania Nations Cup Final-winning team.

Wade hung up his boots at the end of the 1996/97 season, creating an assist for Peter Buljan in a three-one loss to former club South Melbourne with his last ever kick at the age of 35. Wade was selected in South Melbourne's Team of the Century and later embarked on a media career as a commentator and analyst.