Professional Documents
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Pioneer
spirit
as
M a rston w o
Joe t
t A us tralian l.
the firs a
n FA Cup fin l
a Hal
play in tt he w
Ma
He tells that special
about 1954
day in
RESTON NORTH End had rustled The Marstons had arrived in England in 1950, he did, he started 196 consecutive matches for which
up tickets for their star defender direct from Leichhardt, then a working class suburb he was paid £12 a week. In 1954, he became the first
Joe Marston and his wife Edith of Sydney. Preston North End, one of the biggest Australian to play in an FA Cup final.
to see the 1953 FA Cup final at teams in England at that time, had signed Marston, an Preston were favourites to beat West Bromwich
Wembley. Australian international, sight unseen. Albion that year. West Brom had finished the season
The Marstons were on their way back to Sydney Nicknamed “Digger” by teammate Tommy second to Wolverhampton but been called ‘the team
for an end-of-season break – Preston supporters had Docherty, a Scot who would go on to manage of the season’. Ravaged by injuries their season
raised the money to send them back home rather Manchester United and Sydney Olympic, it took had imploded.
than see the homesick Australians never return – and Marston 12 months to crack PNE’s first team but once Preston players travelled to London on the Tuesday
Wembley was a suitable pit stop. before the final. An official party of about 80 people –
Blackpool played Bolton Wanderers that year and directors, players’ wives, and supporters – followed
for the Marstons it was to be a prophetic day out. them on Friday. Everyone stayed at the famous Savoy
Their seats were opposite the Royal Box, just near the Hotel in the West End, where Edith met another
images DLR PHOTO + GETTY IMAGES
“At 2.45pm the bell sounded to call the whom Joe lovingly refers to as his “greatest trophy” as
the pair pose for photos in their living room.
other. Even Docherty, the comedian of the team, was
not his normal garrulous self. Billy Forbes was pacing
two teams into the tunnel. Up they walked, As the crowd burst into a frenzy of colour and
song, and the referee blew his whistle to get the game
up and down, going into the shower room, sitting on
the toilet and having a cigarette.
side by side, along the long incline towards underway, Edith took in a sharp breath.
“Wouldn’t it be great to play here next year?”
Marston with Preston
At 2.45pm the bell sounded to call the two teams
into the tunnel. Up they walked, side by side, along the
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FOOTBALL
“Joe sat on the wooden bench inside
the silent Preston dressing room.
DANISH DREAMING
Jesper Olsen was 24 when he won the 1985 FA Cup final with Manchester United. Now assistant
He thought back to his Sydney days, coach at Melbourne Heart, the former Denmark winger revisits the occasion with Jonathan Pippard
when he and his mates would kick AS A boy, Jesper Olsen tuned in along with winning team that doesn’t really matter,” says here early next season with a final mooted for
a ball until it got dark and the cops the rest of the world to watch the FA Cup on
television in a faraway land. Unlike millions of
Olsen. “The season had finished so we partied
well on into the night. The next day we travelled
Australia Day
“It would be a great thing to do for football