Mike Marsh (footballer)

This article is about the English footballer. For others of the same name, see Mike Marsh (disambiguation)

Mike Marsh (born 21 July 1969 in Kirkby, Liverpool) was a footballer who came through the ranks at Liverpool and was part of their 1992 FA Cup-winning side.

Professional career

A midfield player or full back, he was spotted playing for his local amateur side Kirkby Town by, then, Liverpool reserve team coach, Phil Thompson who advised manager Kenny Dalglish to sign the talented youngster, he did so on the 21st August 1987. Marsh made his Reds debut on the 1st March 1989 in the 2-0 win over Charlton Athletic at Anfield, he came on as a 67th minute substitute for Jan Mølby. Marsh graduated from the reserves and established himself as a first-team regular in the 1991-92 season, his first goal also came during this season in one of the most memorable matches ever played at Anfield. It came on the 6th November 1991 in a UEFA Cup 2nd round 2nd leg tie against Auxerre, the game saw the Reds turn a 2-0 deficit from the first leg in France into a 3-2 aggregate win. Mølby gave the Reds early hope with a 4th minute penalty but it was Marsh's 29th equaliser that swung the game into Liverpool's favour. However, it wasn't until the 83rd minute that the Reds finally took the lead when Mark Walters hit, what turned out to be, the winner. Mike was an unused substitute in the 1992 FA Cup Final where he picked up a winners medal as Liverpool beat Sunderland 2-0. He continued to be a regular squad member in 1992-93, but Graeme Souness surprisingly allowed him to leave in September 1993, joining West Ham United as a makeweight (along with David Burrows) in the deal that took Julian Dicks to Anfield. Marsh had appeared 101 times for Liverpool in which he scored 6 goals. Marsh signed for West Ham on the 17th September '93 and made his debut the following day, the 18th, in the 2-0 win over Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park. Marsh's time at Upton Park was short-lived, spending just 15 months in the East End of London during which he made 61 appearances scoring just twice. Coventry City signed Marsh for £450,000 on the 30th December 1994 but was soon on the move again after just 19 games and 2 goals in his 6 months at Highfield Road. It was the manager who let him leave Liverpool, Graeme Souness, who wanted Marsh's signature and he got it for £500,000 on the 26th June 1995 taking Marsh to Turkish side Galatasaray. Marsh played just 3 times in just 2½ months for the team from Istanbul before he was on the move yet again. By this time Marsh must have been yearning for a club he could settle down at and it was Southend United newly installed manager, and ex-Liverpool team-mate, Ronnie Whelan who gave Mike this chance. He signed for the Shrimpers on the 3rd September 1995 when Whelan splashed out £500,000 to bring him back to England. Marshy, as he was known by his team-mates, made his debut on the 9th September '95 in the 1-0 defeat to Sunderland at Roker Park. Marsh had 2 good seasons at the Essex club appearing in 75 league games in which he scored 10 times. Unfortunately the second of these seasons saw Southend relegated to the 2nd Division, the 3rd tier of English football. Things got worse for Marsh as he picked up a knee injury which ultimately, prematurely, ended his professional career, he had played 97 times for Southend scoring 13 goals.

Semi-professional career

As part of his insurance deal, he was required not to play league football again, so he spent the remainder of his playing days in the non-league game. The first non-league side he signed for was Barrow where he stayed 6 months before moving to the ambitious Midlands club Kidderminster Harriers on the 19th November 1999, they were being managed by former Liverpool team-mate, and the man Marsh replaced on his debut, Jan Mølby. The Harriers were in the Conference looking to gain league status for the first time in the clubs history. They achieved their dream by the end of Marsh's first season for the club, however, due to the terms of the insurance claim, Marsh couldn't follow Mølby and his team-mates into league football and had to leave after just 24 league appearances in which he hit the net 4 times. Marsh joined Conference side Southport on a free transfer on the 18th May 2000 and spent just over a year there playing 37 times and scoring 7 times. On the 9th June 2001 he joined another ambitious Conference outfit, this time it was Boston United who wanted Marsh's signature and paid Southport £15,000 to gain it. Marsh's experience helped guide Boston to the Conference title but once again he had to leave as he wasn't allowed to follow his Boston team-mates into league football, he played 7 times for Boston scoring just once but was a major influence within the Boston camp. His last club was to be yet another ambitious club, Accrington Stanley who were hoping that Marsh's magic for taking sides from non-league to league would rub off on them, it did as Accrington won the Northern Premier League thus gaining promotion to the Conference. Marsh ended his career after just one season at the Crown Ground on the 2nd June 2003 and as for Accrington they eventually regained league status in 2006. After retiring from playing he was, until recently, on the coaching staff of Southport, a team he once represented.

Honours As Player

• 1991-92 FA Cup with Liverpool FC
• 1999-00 Football Conference with Kidderminster Harriers
• 2001-02 Football Conference with Boston United
• 2002-03 Northern Premier League with Accrington Stanley

External links

• Official Liverpool FC profile
• LFCHistory.net profile
• Mike Marsh career stats at Soccerbase
• Mike Marsh index at Sporting-heroes.net