Sport
Who are the greatest English players in A-League history?
Even though they are on opposite sides of the planet, England and Australia share one of sport’s greatest ongoing rivalries. Even in football, where the two rarely contest, there have been lots of interesting clashes between both sides. It’s funny then to see many English players make the trip across the world to compete in Australia’s top flight, the A-League. Whilst the quality in the A-League is several levels below the Premier League, many top English stars have made a few appearances to see what the fuss is about. Out of the 41 Englishman that have appeared in the competition, some have had glittering careers winning top individual and team awards. So who are the greatest English players in A-League history?
Who are the greatest English players in A-League history?
Robbie Fowler (North Queensland Fury, Perth Glory)
One of the stars of the Premier League in the 1990s, Robbie Fowler caused major headlines when he announced he was moving to Australia in 2009. His first appearance came for the short-lived North Queensland Fury where he was their inaugural captain and big money signing. Despite not having the pace of his youth, Fowler had the finishing skills as he scored 9 goals in 26 games to be named Fury’s top scorer and Player of the Year in 2010.
Just one year later, Fowler left the financially-stricken club and moved to the other side of the country signing for Perth Glory. Once again, Fowler was deadly in the area scoring 9 goals in 28 games and top scoring for the club. After these cameo appearances, Fowler left Australia and headed to Thailand for one season before retiring from the game once and for all.
Emile Heskey (Newcastle Jets)
Often lampooned for his falling over when scoring, Emile Heskey was still one of the top English scorers of the early 2000s. It’s why his move to Australia with the Newcastle Jets in 2012 caused a lot of excitement as he was seen as a big signing for the league. Heskey didn’t disappoint either as he scored 7 goals during his first season showing that he was still able to finish on a regular occasion.
He didn’t enjoy such a strong second season scoring just once in 17 games. He wouldn’t remain much longer in the A-League as he left Newcastle in 2014 and returned to England with Bolton Wanderers for the rest of his career but remains one of the best English players to feature in the A-League.
Steven Taylor (Wellington Phoenix)
The A-League is one of the few leagues that spans two countries and Steven Taylor was one who has experienced this well. The former Newcastle skipper spent 4 seasons with New Zealand’s Wellington Phoenix after he signed for them in 2018.
Still retaining his excellent tackling and aerial skills, Taylor proved to be a popular player in the New Zealand capital and helped them to return to the finals series in 2020 after several seasons of failing to qualify. This excellent form earned him a spot in the 2019-20 A-League Team of the Year and proved that he was able to shine at the top level after many seasons of struggling for form.
Adam Le Fondre (Sydney FC)
Adam Le Fondre made a name for himself in the lower levels of English football starring in the second and third-tiers of the English system. When he switched across to Australia in 2018 with Sydney FC, Le Fondre kicked into a higher gear. His physical stature mixed with a thirst for goals gave Sydney an outlet for taking chances. He proved this with ruthless abundance scoring 16 goals as Sydney won the 2018-19 season.
He would take things even further in the 2019-20 season scoring 20 goals as he helped his side retain their A-League crown. Striking with such consistency earned Le Fondre a place in the A-League Team of the Season in both 2019 and 2020 making him a headline attraction in the league. After this, he would leave Sydney in 2021 to join Mumbai City on loan in the Indian Super League and terrorize more defences across Asian football. He is still remembered as one of the best English players in A-League history.
Craig Noone (Melbourne City, Macarthur FC)
For many seasons, Craig Noone floundered in England’s lower leagues as a winger who struggled to get the most out of his skillset. It’s why he jumped at the opportunity to move to Australia in 2019 when he was signed by Melbourne City. City’s quick attacking style suited Noone’s game and five goals in his seasons proved that it was the right move to make.
He followed that up in the 2020-21 season where he notched up five goals in 15 games helping City claim their first ever A-League title. Noone’s regular contributions also earned him a spot in the 2021 A-League Team of the Season. After this triumph, Noone caught the eye of Sydney-based Macarthur FC and joined the new club in 2021 in their quest to solidify their presence in Australian football.
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