Best Ever Foreign Players to Play for NZ Clubs

How about the best-ever foreign full-time professional players to play for any NZ club team ever (National League, A-League or regional league)?

I nominate:

Paul Mariner- ex-Ipswich and England international (an Auckland club in the national League in the 1980's); 

Sir Trevor Brooking- ex-West Ham and England ("University" (of Auckland) in the National League in the mid-1980s);

John Fashanu- later of Wimbledon, Aston Villa and England (Mirimar in 1982- played in televised Chatham cup Final);

Peter Mendham- of Norwich City (Two spells with NZ clubs in late 70s and early 80s);

Ricky Hill-went on to play for Watford when they were a top team in the old First Division (Christchurch United 1983);

Jonathan Gould- new Phoenix assistant, prev. of Celtic and Scotland fame (played as a teenage centreback early in his career at Napier city Rovers and was one of the team's top-scorers in the mid-1980s);

Brian McAllister- ex-Wimbledon, Aston Villa and Scotland 1998 World Cup squad (Napier City Rovers centreback mid-1980s);

Patricio Almendra- ex-Chilean First Division and Chile international 2002 World Cup qualifiers (Hutt City, National League 1998 and Football Kingz 2002);

Aaron Silva- ex-Chilean age group international and First Div. player (Football Kingz 1999-2002);

Dennis Ibrahim- ex-German Second Div. and later Austrian First Div. (Football Kingz 2001-2002);

Ian Porteous- ex-Aberdeen under Sir Alex, winner of Euro Cup Winners' Cup 1982 (Hutt City and Wellington United, National League late 1990s)

 

Others of course, did very well (and many still reside here) who came here from pro football in Britain (mostly) and went on to play for NZ, such as Steve Sumner, Steve Woodin, Bobby Almond and Paul Halford. But they weren't full-time pros when they played here (most had day jobs).

Kevin Keegan played a series of exhibition games for regional selections against the All Whites in 1985 but those sorts of games don't count either.

 

Others can probably name their favourite overseas imports they remember playing for their own or contemporary clubs??????????

Originally posted by uptheeverton

Originally posted by james dean

I always thought Dustin Wells was a decent player, what happened to him?



Justin Fashanu is that who you are talking about? He was at Mirimar Rangers late 90's before he committed suicide and didnt his brother play there too years before?

Yes I think it was Justin Fashanu at Miramar Rangers in 97. 18 appearances and 12 Goals. However, he had a problematic life which saw him estranged from his brother John in 1990 when he came out as gay and later in 98 was accused of sexual assault by a 17 year old. He hanged himself in a garage believing that he was presumed guilty by media (there was no warrant or evidence) and not wanting to "further" shame his family and friends.

I remember him the sports news, where the club had no problems with his lifestyle.

John, his brother did played with Miramar Rangers in 1982 apparently. And he was playing on the old Big League Soccer show with Wimbledons famous crazy gang a few years later. Top notch player.

The lucky guy got to co-host Gladiators with Ulrika Jonsson . . . .