Born: Balham, 18 August 1964
Position: Central defender; right back; midfielder
Signed: 20 August 1982 (apprentice)
Fulham debut: Fulham 0-2 Portsmouth, 3 September 1983
Fulham appearances: 476
Fulham goals: 37
Sold: 31 May 1997 (retired)
A one-club man, Balham-born John Marshall spent a quarter of a century with Fulham firstly as a player, then as a coach and chief scout. He came through the Whites’ junior set up as an apprentice, making 476 first-team appearances in 25 years, coming out of retirement to help Micky Adams’ men win promotion from Division Three in 1997. Marshall started as a centre half when he joined Fulham as a schoolboy, but was deployed as a striker when he broke into the first-team in 1983/84 before operating as a right back and then on the right side of midfield for much of his career.
He scored several spectacular strikes but was a regular provider of goals for his team-mates. He quickly established himself in the side, holding the unfortunate distinction of starting every game as Fulham were relegated from the Second Division in 1985/86. He starred as Ray Lewington’s side reached the Third Division play-offs in 1988/89 and looked on course to set a new Fulham all-time appearance record before an untimely double leg break against Gillingham in 1995 restricted his first-team appearances. Marshall coached Fulham’s youth sides from the mid-nineties onwards and retired again after the Whites had won promotion under Adams, but continued to work at Craven Cottage – becoming Fulham’s chief scout. He worked for Leicester City, Nottingham Forest, the Football Association and Wolverhampton Wanderers in various scouting and recruitment positions and remains involved in the game as a highly-regarded consultant.
