Rodney Marsh, like George Best, Peter Osgood, Tony Currie, Ian Baker and Stan Bowles was one of a generation of highly talented "maverick" playes that emerged in English football during the 1960s and 1970s. He began his career with Fulham, for whom he made his debut in 1963, but his future there was hampered by injuries - a collision with a goal post and an opposing defender cost him the hearing in his left ear - and a dispute with manager Vic Buckingham.

This despute ultimately saw him move across West London to join QUEENS PARK RANGERS, then in the Third Division, for £15,000 in March 1966. His first full season with Rangers was his most successful. He scored 44 goals in 53 games as the club became Third Division champions and also won the League Cup, coming back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 in the final, with Rodney scoring the equaliser. The following year, QPR were promoted again to reach the top flight in English soccer, though they were relegated after one seasson.

In 1972, he was signed for Manchester City by Malcolm Allison for a then club record £200,000 and became one of City"s star players, scoring 19 goals in 1972-73 and often dazzling the croud with his skills. Rodney led the club to a League Cup Final in 1974, though this time ne was on the losing side as City were beaten by Wolverhampton Wanderers. He left the club shortly into the 1974-75 season after disagreements with new manager Tony Book.

His career with the national team was ended prematurely after he made a sarcastic comment to the then manager, Alf Ramsey. In a 2005 interview, Rodney stated that Ramsey told him "I will be watching you for the first 45 minutes and if you do not work harder I will pull you off at halftime", to which he replied: "Crikey Alf, at Manchester City we only get an orange or a cup of tea". He was never selected for the England team again.

Rodney revived his career with the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the NASL, where he made over 100 appearences. He briefly returned to Fuham during the 1976-77 season, where he linked up with old friends George Best and Bobby Moore before returning to Tampa Bay in 1977. He played from 1976 to 1979, and was a first-team all star selection in 1978.

CAREER RECORD

1962-66.. FULHAM......................63 app / 22goals

1966-72..QUEENS PARK RANGERS...211 app / 106 goals

1972-75.. MANCHESTER CITY............118 app / 36 goals

1976....... TAMPA BAY ROWDIES........23 app / 12 goals

1976-77.. FULHAM...............................16 app / 5 goals

1977-79..TAMPA BAY ROWDIES........87 app / 41 goals

1986-87..TAMPA BAY R. (indoor)......20 app / 13 goals

NATIONAL TEAM

1971-73..ENGLAND.............................9 app / 1 goal

TEAMS MANAGED

1980.......................NEW YORK UNITED

1981-83................CAROLINA LIGHTNIN"

1984-86..............TAMPA BAY ROWDIES

www.rodneymarsh.net