Peter Sharne

NSL Career: Marconi, APIA 185 (48) / 1977 - 1988

Socceroos Career: 23 (8) A Internationals / 17 (2) B Internationals

Peter 'Rocket' Sharne was a winger/striker who terrorised opposition defences with his incredible pace and excelled when Marconi playmaker Roberto Vieri gave the attacker time and space to bring the ball in to the penalty area. Sharne was the first Australian-born footballer to make his mark in an Asian league during the early 1980s and set up many goals for his Marconi forward partners during a successful period for the club.

Sharne began his junior career with Lansvale before spending time with Liverpool City where he played representative football for Southern Districts. Sharne joined Marconi in 1973 and made his first team debut at the age of 19 in the NSW Division One before the club became a foundation club of the Phillips Soccer League in 1977. Sharne's impressive first season in the NSL, where he linked-up with Berti Mariani and former Socceroo Ernie Campbell, resulted in a full international debut against Iran after playing in two B internationals against Arsenal and Red Star Belgrade during the season.

Marconi finished runners-up to Eastern Suburbs Hakoah in the inaugural PSL season before Sharne scored in the NSL Cup Final in which Brisbane City won five-three in a penalty shoot-out. Electric St. George forward Mark Jankovics joined Sharne in attack for the 1978 season, which would become a successful attacking partnership for Marconi over the next few seasons.

Socceroos striker Peter Ollerton joined the club from South Melbourne mid-season to form a dangerous attacking trio which helped Marconi finish fourth in the league and reach the grand final of the inaugural Play-Off Series, in which they lost four-two to Hakoah. Sharne became a Socceroos regular during the 1979 season as he scored 10 NSL goals and provided a number of assists from the left wing as NSL Golden Boot winner Jankovics and highly promising youngster Eddie Krncevic combined with Sharne for 41 league goals and helped Marconi win their first NSL Championship.

The attacking trio continued to perform well together in the 1980 season, scoring a combined 37 league goals as Marconi finished fourth in the league before winning the NSL Cup in which Sharne scored the third goal in Marconi's three-nil victory over Heidelberg in the final.

The pacy forward put in some exceptional performances for the Socceroos during 1980, particularly against England and Northern Ireland, however Marconi struggled to capitalise on their squad being full of national team players and finished the 1981 season third-to-last.

At the end of the season, Marconi looked to capitalise on overseas offers made for their star players - with Krncevic moving to Dinamo Zagreb in Yugoslavia and Sharne breaking the Australian transfer record with a $47,000 move to Hong Kong First Division side Eastern.

In his first season, Sharne became one of the stars of the league that included a number of players from the UK such as former Tottenham keeper Barry Daines and former Manchester United star George Best. Sharne helped the side win the 1981/82 Hong Kong Senior Shield before returning to Australia during the off-season and made four guest appearances for Marconi. 

In a less successful second season in Hong Kong where he suffered injury setbacks and was more closely marked by opposition defenders, the exciting forward managed to help the side finish third, playing alongside English World Cup winner Alan Ball and former West Ham midfielder Graham Paddon.

Sharne was loaned to APIA for the second half of the 1983 NSL season before Marconi signed the star forward back from Eastern for the 1984 season. Sharne spent two injury-interrupted seasons with Marconi before a knee injury forced him to retire at just 29 years of age. 

Determined to overcome his injuries, Sharne played for West United in the NSW Third Division before getting another chance at Marconi in the 1988 NSL season. Sharne made just two appearances for the club before hanging up his boots at the age of 32. Sharne was selected alongside Jankovics in Marconi's Greatest XI.