Profiling another one of these 1970’s long haired ruffian football players, this time it is Rodney Marsh under the spotlight…
A quick bio, selected text from Wikipedia:
Rodney William Marsh was born on the 11th October 1944 in Hatfield, Hertfordshire. His father named him after the battleship HMS Rodney, on which he served.
Like George Best, Stan Bowles, Peter Osgood and Frank Worthington – Marsh was one of a generation of highly talented “maverick” players that emerged in English football during the 1960s and 1970s and never quite fulfilled their potential.
…Began his career with Fulham but after a dispute with manager Vic Buckingham, he moved to rival QPR.
… In 1972, he signed for Manchester City and at the time of signing City were top of the table and four point clear, but by the end of the season had slipped to 4th. Marsh himself has since claimed that it was he who cost the club the league title that year, with his style simply not suiting that of the team. He nevertheless became one of City’s star players. He left the club shortly into the 1975-76 season after disagreements with new manager Tony Book.
After this Marsh went to play for the Tampa Bay Rowdies, which was an enjoyable time for him… Florida became a second home… There was a move back to Blighty and a one-season spell back at Fulham, playing alongside Georgie Best and Sir Bobby Moore before he returned to Tampa for two more years.
Never short of an opinion, never far from controversy is our Rodders.
Upon retirement…
Upon retiring Marsh became a pundit, earning a reputation for his outspoken views on the game.
– He was involved in a long-running banter with Bradford City and its supporters in the 1999-00 season, in which he flippantly dismissed their chances of survival in the FA Premier League. Confident as he was in his prediction of their relegation he offered to shave all of his hair off if they stayed up, which they subsequently managed. Marsh honoured his bet and had his hair removed in the centre circle of Valley Parade.
– Marsh was one of the pundits/commentators on $ky Sports Saturday but was sacked after he used a very mistimed pun, not long after the Asian Tsunami.
Quote: “‘David Beckham has turned down a move to Newcastle United because of trouble with the “Toon Army in Asia”.
– He took a job at Talksport but this too didn’t last very long and he got the old football managers heave-ho:
“Rodney Marsh parts company with talkSPORT by “mutual consent” and leaves his role as co-presenter of Drive with Adrian Durham. It is understood that Marsh wants to spend more time in Florida with his family. “
– In 2007 he took part in “I’m A Celebrity…” and was disliked by the other contestants before having to leave with an injury.
– In January 2008 Marsh threatened to return his nine international caps in protest at the Football Association’s appointment of an Italian, Fabio Capello as the manager of the England national football team rather than appoint an English coach.
More quotes:
* “You mumphead!”
* “That’s a nonsense!”
* “I wasn’t the white Pelé, he was the black Rodney Marsh”
* “This gong was given to me by Phil Collins.”
* “If I wanted it licking,I would’ve asked Biggins!!”
* “Christopher Biggins could take us to the World Cup.” (When asked whether Fabio Capello could lead England to the World Cup.)
* “I like it salty………but this is too salty!”
* “To all those who voted me to do this…….bollocks” (During a bushtucker trial on I’m a Celebrity…)
* “He’ll struggle to score six goals…” (On Kevin Phillips preceding the 1999-2000 season, in which Phillips scored 30 goals and gained the European golden boot.)
The Music…
Have this ’70’s freakout – Don’t know who is having the freakout though:
» Unknown – We Want Rodney Marsh
Extra Time:
As they mention in the comments on Freaky Trigger about this song – some people used to sing: “Ohhh, Rodney, Rodney, Rodney Marsh…”
Additional Links:
– A mini-interview with the Guardian’s Small Talk.
– I’ve skimmed over his time with the Tampa Bay Rowdies, but there’s an excellent in-depth look at Marsh and the team themselves, all by somebody in the UK – get yourself over to the Tampa Bay Rowdies Appreciation Blog.