Warren Spink

NSL Career: Preston, Footscray, Newcastle Breakers, Morwell, South Melbourne 272 (103) / 1985 - 1996/97

Socceroos Career: 30 (6) A Internationals / 8 (3) B Internationals

One of the NSL's greatest underachievers, Warren 'Sid' Spink was a highly skilled and prolific goalscorer whose greatest achievements happened at the lower end of the table, helping struggling sides avoid relegation. Spink was one of 17 NSL players to reach the 100-goal mark and was the league's 13th highest goalscorer.

Born in Luton, England - Spink moved to Melbourne at a young age and began playing junior football for Doveton at the age of 12. Spink quickly progressed to the first team, making his Victorian State League debut at just 15 years of age before being accepted in to the AIS Soccer Program a year later. 

Following his time at the AIS, Spink spent a year in England where he turned out for lower league side Hitchin Town in the Isthmian League Premier Division while trialling with English First Division side Luton. Spink returned to Australia and joined NSL club Preston where he made an immediate impact - helping the side reach the NSL Finals Series and NSL Cup Final for the first time, but missed out on selection in the deciding matches.

The young striker scored two goals in the first four games of the 1986 season for Preston before moving to Footscray, who would have their greatest season in the NSL with Yugoslavian football icon Dragoslav Šekularac taking the reigns and future Yugoslavia international Vlada Stošić commanding the midfield. 

Spink scored five goals in 15 appearances for the club as they reached the Southern Conference Grand Final, losing to eventual champions Adelaide City. Footscray failed to compete for a spot in the finals series in the following two seasons but were able to avoid relegation as Spink scored 17 goals in 50 games to help the club stay afloat. 

Spink's goal scoring form in the 1988 season, which saw him score 13 goals in 26 games, earned him a Socceroos call-up where he scored a brace in his second international appearance to secure the 1988 Trans-Tasman Cup for Australia against New Zealand. The striker returned to Preston for the 1989 season, helping the club qualify for the finals series before an injury-riddled 1989/90 season saw him make just six appearances. Back in form during the 1990/91 season, Spink scored the equaliser in Preston's NSL Cup Semi-Final before the side narrowly lost the final to Melita.

Following a successful season for Australian forwards Abbas Saad and Alistair Edwards in Malaysia's top division, Spink joined Sunshine midfielder Craig Foster at Malaysian club Singapore Lions for the 1991 Liga Semi-Pro Divisyen 1 season. Spink returned to Preston for the 1991/92 season, scoring nine goals in 22 league appearances as the club finished last, but avoided relegation as APIA was dropped from the league due to financial constraints.

Following stints in Victoria and New South Wales with Westgate and Avala respectively, Spink joined NSL club Newcastle Breakers for the 1992/93 season where he went through a purple patch - scoring 28 goals in 45 games over two seasons despite the club failing to qualify for the finals series. 

Spink joined midfielder Ernie Tapai at Morwell for the 1994/95 season and the Socceroos duo helped the club qualify for the finals series for the first time. Spink scored 12 goals in 47 games over two seasons for the club before heading to his last NSL club, South Melbourne, for the 1996/97 season.

Used mostly off the bench, Spink scored six goals in 19 appearances for South, including his 100th NSL goal in a four-nil win over Collingwood before signing for Singapore S.League club Geylang United where he spent two seasons. 

Spink returned to Australia and joined former club Preston, who were then competing in the Victorian Premier League, scoring 14 goals in 24 games. Following his stint at Preston, Spink moved to Bulleen Zebras, scoring 18 goals in 42 games over two seasons before hanging up his boots at the age of 34.