View source for Matt Simon

{{Short description|Australian soccer player}}
{{other people}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Matt Simon
| image = Matt Simon.jpg
| image_size = 150
| caption = Simon with [[Central Coast Mariners FC|Central Coast Mariners]] in 2008
| full_name = Matthew Blake Simon
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|1|22|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Sydney]], Australia
| height = {{height|m=1.88}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Matt Simon |url=http://www.sydneyfc.com/player/matt-simon/5tsu9itjveyo1gghcp0dwxeau |publisher=Sydney FC |access-date=30 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170703004437/http://www.sydneyfc.com/player/matt-simon/5tsu9itjveyo1gghcp0dwxeau |archive-date=3 July 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| position = [[Forward (association football)|Forward]]
| currentclub = 
| clubnumber = 
| youthyears1 = 
| youthclubs1 = Wyoming
| youthyears2 = 
| youthclubs2 = East Gosford
| years1 = 2005–2006
| clubs1 = [[Central Coast Lightning]]
| caps1 = 35
| goals1 = 8
| years2 = 2006–2012
| clubs2 = [[Central Coast Mariners FC|Central Coast Mariners]]
| caps2 = 114
| goals2 = 36
| years3 = 2012–2013
| clubs3 = [[Jeonnam Dragons]]
| caps3 = 6
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2013–2015
| clubs4 = [[Central Coast Mariners FC|Central Coast Mariners]]
| caps4 = 33
| goals4 = 5
| years5 = 2015–2018
| clubs5 = [[Sydney FC]]
| caps5 = 67
| goals5 = 5
| years6 = 2018–2022
| clubs6 = [[Central Coast Mariners FC|Central Coast Mariners]]
| caps6 = 70
| goals6 = 20
| totalcaps = 325
| totalgoals = 74
| nationalyears1 = 2008
| nationalteam1 = [[Australia men's national under-23 soccer team|Australia U-23]]
| nationalcaps1 = 10
| nationalgoals1 = 5
| nationalyears2 = 2009
| nationalteam2 = [[Australia men's national soccer team|Australia]]
| nationalcaps2 = 2
| nationalgoals2 = 0
}}

'''Matthew Blake Simon''' (born 22 January 1986) is a retired Australian international [[Association football|football (soccer)]] player who played as a [[Striker (football)|striker]]. Simon attended [[St Edward's College, East Gosford]], where he was influenced to play soccer.

Simon started his senior career with [[Central Coast Lightning]] before joining [[Central Coast Mariners FC|Central Coast Mariners]] in 2006. In 2012, Simon signed with [[K-League]] club [[Jeonnam Dragons|Chunnam Dragons]], however, his opportunities at the club were limited by persistent injuries. In 2013, Simon rejoined the Mariners. He moved to [[Sydney FC]] after being released by the Mariners in 2015, before again returning to the Mariners in 2018. Simon remains the Mariners' all-time leading goal scorer, as well as a 7-time Mariners’ Golden Boot winner, record holder for the most substitute appearances in Australian league history, and scorer of the latest goal recorded in an A-League regular season match.

Simon has made two appearances for the [[Australia men's national soccer team|Australia national team]]. He also appeared for [[Australia men's national under-23 soccer team|Australia U23]] at the [[2008 Summer Olympics]].

==Club career==
===Central Coast Mariners===
He was added to the Mariners' squad in the week leading up to their 2006 Pre-Season Cup play-off against [[Newcastle Jets FC|Newcastle Jets]].  Simon was then brought back to the squad after [[Nik Mrdja]] suffered a heel injury before the round 19 clash against Newcastle. He starred for the [[Central Coast Lightning]] during their 2006 [[New South Wales Winter Super League|NSW Winter Super League]] campaign. Simon had a solid 07–08 season with the Mariners despite not scoring any goals. In the first league game for the 08–09 season Simon immediately broke his duck and scored off a header that would prove to be the start of his wonderful season.

After a successful 08–09 season, in January 2009, he was offered a 2-year contract by [[Major League Soccer]] club [[Colorado Rapids]] but turned it down citing his preference to remain in Australia with the possibility of playing in Europe in the future. Later in the year, he extended his contract with [[Central Coast Mariners FC|Central Coast Mariners]], staying with the club until 2012.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=FourFourTwo Australia|date=2009-10-09|access-date=2009-10-09|url=http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/114429,simon-extends-mariners-deal.aspx|title=Simon Extends Mariners Deal|archive-date=20 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120920015305/http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/114429,simon-extends-mariners-deal.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Move to South Korea===
On 30 December 2011 it was announced that he had signed a three-year contract worth $400,000 per year to play for [[K-League]] side [[Jeonnam Dragons]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/centralcoastmariners/news-display/Matt-Simon-KLeague-Bound/43955|title=Central Coast Mariners Home}}</ref> It was later announced that [[Jeonnam Dragons]] paid a transfer fee of $170,000 to acquire the player.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/a-league/central-coast-mariners-set-for-financial-boon-with-russian-consortium-showing-interest-in-takeover/story-e6frf4gl-1226266443487|title=Central Coast Mariners set for financial boon with Russian consortium showing interest in takeover}}</ref>

===Return to Central Coast Mariners===
On 16 May 2013 it was announced that he had re-signed with the Mariners.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/news-display/Simon-resigns-with-Mariners/67348|title=Simon re-signs with Mariners|date=16 May 2013|publisher=[[Football Federation Australia]]|access-date=23 May 2013}}</ref>

===Sydney FC===
On 3 August 2015 it was announced that Matt Simon had signed with Sydney FC, reuniting with his former coach Graham Arnold after he penned a one-year deal with the club.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=SBS The World Game Australia|url=http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2015/08/03/simon-signs-sydney-fc|title=Simon signs on at Sydney FC|date=3 August 2015 }}</ref> Arnold said the capture of Simon would add a new dimension to his squad.<ref>{{cite news
| newspaper= Sydney Morning Herald
| url=http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/sydney-fc/sydney-fc-sign-striker-matt-simon-for-aleague-campaign-20150803-giqmkl.html
| title = Sydney FC sign striker Matt Simon for A-League campaign
| date = 3 August 2015
}}</ref> In Round 4 of the [[2015–16 A-League]], Simon scored twice as they beat his old club 3–1, after coming on as a substitute.

On 20 July 2016, Simon signed a one-year extension to his contract.<ref>{{cite web|title=Simon signs new Sydney FC deal|url=http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2016/07/20/simon-signs-new-sydney-fc-deal|website=The World Game|date=20 July 2016 |publisher=Special Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=23 July 2016}}</ref>

Despite coming off the bench for all of his 25 league games of the 2016–2017 season, Simon signed a one-year contract extension with the Sky Blue until the end of the 2017–2018 season. Simon was part of the title winning squad, winning the double in 2016–17.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.a-league.com.au/article/transfer-news-veteran-striker-matt-simon-re-signs-with-sydney-fc/124togo3jskac11e3wuci0jzvr |title = News - A Leagues {{!}} KEEPUP}}</ref>

On 24 March 2018, Simon came off the bench for Sydney FC in a match against his former club, and scored the winning goal in 90+3, which ultimately would set Sydney FC up to winning the A-League Premiership for the 2017–2018 season.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sydneyfc.com/news/sky-blues-within-history-after-late-win |title = Sky Blues Within History After Late Win - Sydney FC| date=24 March 2018 }}</ref>

===Second return to Central Coast Mariners===
On 10 May 2018, Simon left [[Sydney FC]] and signed once again with the [[Central Coast Mariners FC|Central Coast Mariners]], on a two-year contract.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.news.com.au/sport/football/a-league/sydney-fc-sign-trent-buhagiar-from-central-coast-mariners-with-matt-simon-going-the-other-way/news-story/b019c8390ea58da0891eedb6d6cf969a|title=Sydney FC sign Trent Buhagiar from Central Coast Mariners with Matt Simon going the other way|first=Carly|last=Adno|newspaper=[[news.com.au]]|date=10 May 2018}}</ref> On 26 October 2018, he was announced as the Mariners new club captain.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ccmariners.com.au/news/matt-simon-named-mariners-club-captain|title=Matt Simon named Mariners club captain|website=[[Central Coast Mariners FC]]|access-date=28 April 2020|date=26 October 2018}}</ref>

On 3 October 2022, Simon announced his retirement from football, following a neck injury sustained in the [[2021 FFA Cup]], which had ruled him out of the entire [[2021–22 A-League Men]] season.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/mariners-marksman-matt-simon-to-retire-after-a-decorated-aleague-career/news-story/dfbe7cadfc09e7182c96bc4685dc9745|title=A-League: Mariners legend Matt Simon to retire after a decorated A-League career|date=3 October 2022|access-date=3 October 2022|first=Marco|last=Monteverde|website=[[The Australian]]}}</ref>

==International career==
Simon played frequently for [[Australia men's national under-23 soccer team|Australia under-23]] (the Olyroos) in 2008. In May of that year he scored a hat-trick for the side in a 3–1 win over [[Republic of Ireland national under-23 football team|Republic of Ireland]] in Malaysia.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2008/05/24/simon-stars-olyroos|title=Simon stars for Olyroos|publisher=[[The World Game]]|date=24 May 2008|access-date=16 November 2016}}</ref> Simon was originally named as an alternate player for the Olyroos at the [[Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|2008 Olympic Games]] in China. However, when [[Archie Thompson]] was injured mid-tournament, Simon was added to the playing squad. He played as a second-half substitute in the team's final match, a loss to [[Ivory Coast national under-23 football team|Ivory Coast]].<ref name=espnfc>{{cite news|url=http://www.espnfc.com/story/568914/matts-mission-for-more-goals|title=Matt's mission for more goals|publisher=[[ESPN FC]]|date=2 September 2008|author=Dasey, Jason|access-date=16 November 2016}}</ref>

In May 2008, following strong form for the Olyroos, Simon was called up by [[Pim Verbeek]] to the [[Australia men's national soccer team|Australian senior side]] for the first time for a [[2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)|2010 World Cup qualifier]] against [[Iraq national football team|Iraq]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.fourfourtwo.com.au/news/mckinna-thrilled-for-roo-simon-112221|title=McKinna thrilled for 'Roo Simon|magazine=[[FourFourTwo]]|date=26 May 2008|access-date=16 November 2016|author=Ritson, Jon}}</ref> He eventually made his Socceroos debut in January 2009 in a [[2011 AFC Asian Cup qualification|2011 Asian Cup qualifier]] against [[Indonesia national football team|Indonesia]] in [[Jakarta]], in an Australian team of primarily [[A-League]] players. The game finished as a scoreless draw, although Simon did have a goal ruled out for offside.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/sport/soccer/game-aussies-hold-indonesia/2009/01/29/1232818546376.html|title=Game Aussies hold Indonesia|newspaper=[[The Age]]|date=29 January 2009|access-date=16 November 2016|author=Lynch, Michael}}</ref> He made a second appearance for Australia in the same competition five weeks later against [[Kuwait national football team|Kuwait]]. In what was Simon's first and only start for the side, the Socceroos lost 1–0 in [[Canberra]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.espnfc.com/story/624846/kuwait-stun-a-league-socceroos|title=Kuwait stun A-League Socceroos|date=5 March 2009|publisher=[[ESPN FC]]|access-date=16 November 2016}}</ref>

==Professional career statistics==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition<ref>{{cite web|url=https://us.soccerway.com/players/matt-simon/17525/|title=M. Simon|website=Soccerway|access-date=12 January 2020}}</ref>

|-
!rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season
!colspan="3"|League
!colspan="2"|Cup
!colspan="2"|Continental
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="8" valign="center"|[[Central Coast Mariners FC|Central Coast Mariners]]
|-
|[[2006–07 Central Coast Mariners FC season|2006–07]]
|rowspan="6"|[[A-League]]
|3||0||1||0||0||0||4||0
|-
|[[2007–08 Central Coast Mariners FC season|2007–08]]
|20||0||1||1||0||0||21||1
|-
|[[2008–09 Central Coast Mariners FC season|2008–09]]
|21||11||0||0||4||2||25||13
|-
|[[2009–10 Central Coast Mariners FC season|2009–10]]
|25||7||0||0||0||0||25||7
|-
|[[2010–11 Central Coast Mariners FC season|2010–11]]
|31||11||0||0||0||0||31||11
|-
|[[2011–12 Central Coast Mariners FC season|2011–12]]
|14||7||0||0||0||0||14||7
|-
!colspan=2|Total
!114!!36!!2!!1!!4!!2!!120!!39
|-
|rowspan="3"|[[Jeonnam Dragons]]
|[[2012 K-League|2012]]
|rowspan="2"|[[K-League]]
|6||0||1||0||0||0||7||0
|-
|[[2013 K League Classic|2013]]
|0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
!colspan=2|Total
!6!!0!!1!!0!!0!!0!!7!!0
|-
|rowspan="3"|Central Coast Mariners
|[[2013–14 Central Coast Mariners FC season|2013–14]]
|rowspan="2"|A-League
|26||2||0||0||4||0||30||2
|-
|[[2014–15 Central Coast Mariners FC season|2014–15]]
|11||3||1||1||0||0||12||4
|-
!colspan=2|Total
!37!!5!!1!!1!!4!!0!!42!!6
|-
|rowspan=4|[[Sydney FC]]
|[[2015–16 Sydney FC season|2015–16]]
|rowspan=3|A-League
|20||3||2||0||5||0||27||3
|-
|[[2016–17 Sydney FC season|2016–17]]
|25||0||4||2||0||0||29||2
|-
|[[2017–18 Sydney FC season|2017–18]]
|22||2||5||2||4||1||31||5
|-
!colspan=2|Total
!67!!5!!11!!4!!9!!1!!87!!10
|-
|rowspan=5|Central Coast Mariners
|[[2018–19 Central Coast Mariners FC season|2018–19]]
|rowspan=4|A-League
|22||7||1||0||colspan="2"|—||23||7
|-
|[[2019–20 Central Coast Mariners FC season|2019–20]]
|21||3||4||1||colspan="2"|—||25||4
|-
|[[2020–21 Central Coast Mariners FC season|2020–21]]
|27||10||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||27||10
|-
|[[2021–22 Central Coast Mariners FC season|2021–22]]
|0||0||1||0||colspan=2|—||1||0
|-
!colspan=2|Total
!70!!20!!6!!1!!colspan="2"|—!!76!!21
|-
!colspan="3"|Career total
!294!!66!!21!!7!!17!!3!!331!!76
|}

==Honours==
'''Central Coast Mariners'''
* [[A-League]] Premiership: [[2007–08 A-League|2007–08]]

'''Sydney FC'''
*A-League Premiership: [[2016–17 A-League|2016–17]], [[2017–18 A-League|2017–18]]
*[[List of A-League champions|A-League Championship]]: [[2016–17 A-League|2016–17]]
*[[FFA Cup]]: [[2017 FFA Cup|2017]]

'''Individual'''
* [[Central Coast Mariners FC|Mariners]] Medal (Player of the Year): [[2008–09 Central Coast Mariners FC season|2008–09]]
* [[PFA Footballer of the Year Awards#A-League Team of the Season|PFA A-League Team of the Season]]: [[2020–21 A-League|2020–21]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://pfa.net.au/news/pfa-reveals-lucrf-super-a-league-team-of-the-season/|title=PFA reveals LUCRF Super A-League Team of the Season|date=23 June 2021|access-date=8 October 2022|website=[[Professional Footballers Australia]]}}</ref>
* Number '''19''' retired by [[Central Coast Mariners FC|Central Coast Mariners]]: 2022<ref>{{cite news|url=https://keepup.com.au/news/i-love-everyone-and-ill-see-you-soon-simons-emotional-mariners-farewell-as-club-retires-kit-19|title='I love everyone, and I'll see you soon': Simon's emotional Mariners farewell as club retires kit #19|website=keepup.com.au|date=8 October 2022|access-date=8 October 2022|first=Matt|last=Comito}}</ref>

'''Records'''
*Top goalscorer in [[Central Coast Mariners FC|Central Coast Mariners]] history: 59 goals<ref>{{cite web|url=http://aleaguestats.com/ALeagueStats_6CentralCoastMariners.html|title=Central Coast Mariners|publisher=ALeagueStats.com|access-date=16 November 2016}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of Central Coast Mariners FC players]]
*[[List of foreign K League 1 players]]
*[[List of retired numbers in association football]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{soccerway|matt-simon/17525}}
* {{FIFA player|297689}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150923220335/http://www.dragons.co.kr/team/pro_ply_content.asp?idx=205 Jeonnam Dragons profile]
* {{K League player}}

{{Central Coast Mariners FC Player of the Year |state=collapsed}}
{{2020–21 A-League PFA Team of the Season}}
{{Australia Squad 2008 Summer Olympics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simon, Matt}}
[[Category:1986 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Sportsmen from New South Wales]]
[[Category:Men's association football forwards]]
[[Category:Central Coast Mariners FC players]]
[[Category:Jeonnam Dragons players]]
[[Category:Sydney FC players]]
[[Category:A-League Men players]]
[[Category:K League 1 players]]
[[Category:Footballers at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic soccer players for Australia]]
[[Category:Australia men's international soccer players]]
[[Category:Australian expatriate men's soccer players]]
[[Category:Australian expatriate sportspeople in South Korea]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in South Korea]]
[[Category:Soccer players from Sydney]]
[[Category:Australian men's soccer players]]
[[Category:Central Coast Mariners FC non-playing staff]]
[[Category:Association football players with retired numbers]]
[[Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen]]
[[Category:Soccer players from Gosford]]
[[Category:People from Gosford]]