Paul Wade

Paul Wade Template:Post-nominals (born 20 March 1962) is an Australian retired soccer player, who is best known for his long-term role as captain of the national team.

Club career

Born in Cheshire, England, Wade moved to Australia with his parents at age 11. By 1984, he had attained Australian citizenship and represented his adopted country for the first time, playing for Australia's "B" side against Tasmania. That same year, he made his debut in the National Soccer League with the Green Gully Cavaliers.

Wade played just one season with Green Gully before joining Brunswick Juventus the following season and helping them win the 1985 NSL Championship.

South Melbourne FC

He played two seasons with Brunswick before joining South Melbourne FC. Wade would become a key player in the Hellas midfield and become a fan favourite known for his intense work rate and tackling. He would spend eight seasons at the club, winning another NSL title in 1991 under the guidance of Ferenc Puskás. He would also win the NSL Cup in 1990 and a minor premiership (first overall at the end of the regular season) in 1993. Wade's performances for Hellas also led to him being named the NSL Player of the Year in 1988.

Later career

He joined the Canberra Cosmos in 1995 for what would be his final two seasons, but was unable to help the team from the bottom of the standings in either campaign. He announced his retirement from competitive football in 1997 at the end of the NSL season.

Wade's club career was spent entirely in Australia, a rarity for players from that country who often go to Europe on the lure of a better quality of football, more passionate fan support and higher salaries. Wade played a total of 345 games in the NSL.

International career

Wade would become known as Mr Socceroo for his longevity and performances for the national side.

Wade's 84 "A" international appearances for Australia make him the second most capped player in the country's history (only Alex Tobin, with 87, had more). In total, Wade played 118 games for Australia between 1986 and 1996. He represented the Socceroos at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea and in two FIFA World Cup qualifying campaigns (1990 and 1994).

One of his most famous moments came in 1993, during qualifying for the 1994 World Cup when Australia faced Argentina. Faced with the dubious honour of marking star Diego Maradona, Wade was valiant in helping Australia stay in the two games, although they would eventually lose 2–1 on aggregate goals following a 1–0 defeat in Buenos Aires.

His final international game was on 1 November 1996 in Canberra against Tahiti in the 1996 OFC Nations Cup final, which Australia won.

International goals

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	27 March 1988	Auckland, New Zealand	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Taiwan	flag alias = Flag of the Republic of China.svg	flag alias-army = Flag of the Republic of China Army.svg	link alias-army = Republic of China Army	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Republic of China Air Force.svg	link alias-air force = Republic of China Air Force	link alias-naval = Republic of China Navy	flag alias-civil = Civil Ensign of the Republic of China.svg	flag alias-japan = Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg	link alias-japan = Taiwan under Japanese rule	flag alias-navy = Naval Jack of the Republic of China.svg	link alias-navy = Republic of China Navy	flag alias-marines = Flag of the Republic of China Marine Corps.svg	link alias-marines = Republic of China Marine Corps	flag alias-coast guard = Flag of the Coast Guard Administration of the Republic of China.svg	link alias-coast guard = Coast Guard Administration	link alias-football = Chinese Taipei national football team	link alias-basketball = Chinese Taipei {{{mw}}} national basketball team	link alias-rugby union = Chinese Taipei national rugby union team	size =	name =	variant =	altlink = national football team	altvar = football }} || align=center|3–0 || align=center| 3–0 || 1988 OFC Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament
2.	14 July 1988	Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney, Australia	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Argentina	flag alias = Flag of Argentina.svg	flag alias-alt = Flag of Argentina (civil).svg	flag alias-1812 = Flag of Belgrano (1812).svg	flag alias-1816 = Flag of Argentina (civil).svg	flag alias-1818 = Flag of Argentina.svg	flag alias-1819 = Flag of Argentina (1818).svg	flag alias-1820 = Flag of Argentina.svg	flag alias-1829 = Flag of Liga Federal.svg	flag alias-1835 = Flag of Argentina (1840).svg	flag alias-1850 = Flag of the Argentine Confederation.svg	flag alias-1861 = Flag of Argentina (1818–1819, 1820–1829, 1861–2010).svg	link alias-naval = Argentine Navy	link alias-coast guard = Argentine Naval Prefecture	flag alias-marines = Naval Jack of Argentina.svg	link alias-marines = Argentine Naval Infantry Command	link alias-air force = Argentine Air Force	flag alias-army = Flag of Argentina (3-2).svg	link alias-army = Argentine Army	flag alias-navy = Flag of Argentina.svg	link alias-navy = Argentine Navy	empty = Argentina XV national rugby union team	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	altvar = football	variant = }} || align=center|1–0 || align=center| 4–1 || Friendly
3.	25 October 1990	Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta, Indonesia	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Indonesia	flag alias = Flag of Indonesia.svg	link alias-naval = Indonesian Navy	flag alias-naval = Flag of Indonesia.svg	link alias-navy = Indonesian Navy	flag alias-navy = Flag of the Indonesian Navy.svg	link alias-marines= Indonesian Marine Corps	flag alias-marines = Flag of the Indonesian Marine Corps.png	link alias-air force = Indonesian Air Force	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Indonesian Air Force.svg	link alias-army = Indonesian Army	flag alias-army = Flag of the Indonesian Army.svg	flag alias-military = Flag of the Indonesian National Armed Forces.svg	link alias-military = Indonesian National Armed Forces	flag alias-sanctionedFB = Indonesia coat of arms with name.svg	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || align=center|1–0 || rowspan=2 align=center| 3–0 || rowspan=2| 1990 Indonesian Independence Cup
4.				3–0
5.	2 February 1992	Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne, Australia	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Sweden	flag alias = Flag of Sweden.svg	flag alias-army = Naval Ensign of Sweden.svg	flag alias-air force =Naval Ensign of Sweden.svg	flag alias-1818 = Swedish and Norwegian merchant flag 1818-1844.svg	flag alias-1844 = Swedish civil ensign (1844–1905).svg	flag alias-1905 = Flag of Sweden (pre-1906).svg	flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Sweden.svg	flag alias-naval-1844 = Naval Ensign of Sweden (1844-1905).svg	flag alias-naval-1815 = Ensign of Sweden and Norway (1815–1844).svg	link alias-army = Swedish Army	link alias-air force = Swedish Air Force	link alias-naval = Swedish Navy	flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Sweden.svg	link alias-navy = Swedish Navy	link alias-football = Sweden men's national football team	border-army =	border-air force =	border-naval =	border-navy =	border-naval-1815 =	border-naval-1844 =	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	altvar = football	variant = }} || align=center|1–0 || align=center| 1–0 || Friendly
6.	14 August 1992	Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta, Indonesia	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Indonesia	flag alias = Flag of Indonesia.svg	link alias-naval = Indonesian Navy	flag alias-naval = Flag of Indonesia.svg	link alias-navy = Indonesian Navy	flag alias-navy = Flag of the Indonesian Navy.svg	link alias-marines= Indonesian Marine Corps	flag alias-marines = Flag of the Indonesian Marine Corps.png	link alias-air force = Indonesian Air Force	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Indonesian Air Force.svg	link alias-army = Indonesian Army	flag alias-army = Flag of the Indonesian Army.svg	flag alias-military = Flag of the Indonesian National Armed Forces.svg	link alias-military = Indonesian National Armed Forces	flag alias-sanctionedFB = Indonesia coat of arms with name.svg	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || align=center|3–0 || align=center| 3–0 || Friendly
7.	11 September 1992	Papeete, French Polynesia	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = French Polynesia	flag alias = Flag of French Polynesia.svg	flag alias-1946 = Flag of France.svg	name alias-basketball = Tahiti	link alias-basketball = Tahiti national basketball team	name alias-beach soccer = Tahiti	link alias-beach soccer = Tahiti national beach soccer team	name alias-football = Tahiti	link alias-football = Tahiti national football team	name alias-futsal = Tahiti	link alias-futsal = Tahiti national futsal team	name alias-rugby union = Tahiti	link alias-rugby union = Tahiti national rugby union team	name alias-rugby sevens = Tahiti	link alias-rugby sevens = Tahiti national rugby sevens team	size =	name =	variant =	altlink = national football team	altvar = football }} || align=center|3–0 || align=center| 3–0 || rowspan=2| 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification
8.	26 September 1992	Newcastle, Australia	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Solomon Islands	flag alias = Flag of the Solomon Islands.svg	flag alias-1893 = Flag of the United Kingdom (1-2).svg	flag alias-1906 = Flag of the Solomon Islands (1906–1947).svg	flag alias-1947 = Flag of the Solomon Islands (1947–1956).svg	flag alias-1956 = Flag of the Solomon Islands (1956–1966).svg	flag alias-1966 = Flag of the Solomon Islands (1966–1977).svg	flag alias-civil = Civil Ensign of the Solomon Islands.svg	flag alias-government = Government Ensign of the Solomon Islands.svg	flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of the Solomon Islands.svg	flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of the Solomon Islands.svg	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || align=center|3–1 || align=center| 6–1
9.	19 April 1993	National Stadium, Kallang, Singapore	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Kuwait	flag alias = Flag of Kuwait.svg	flag alias-1844 = Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844–1922).svg	flag alias-1914 = Flag of Kuwait (1914-1921).svg	flag alias-1921 = Flag of Kuwait (1921-1940).svg	flag alias-1940 = Flag of Kuwait (1940-1961).svg	flag alias-naval-1956 = Maritime Ensign of Kuwait 1956-1961.svg	flag alias-republic-1990 = Flag of Kuwait.svg	size =	name =	altvar = football	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || align=center|1–0 || align=center| 1–3 || Friendly
10.	15 November 1995	Breakers Stadium, Newcastle, Australia	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = New Zealand	flag alias = Flag of New Zealand.svg	flag alias-1834 = Flag of the United Tribes of New Zealand.svg	flag alias-civil-1867 = Flag of New Zealand Government Ships 1867.svg	flag alias-civil = Civil Ensign of New Zealand.svg	flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of New Zealand.svg	flag alias-naval-1941 = Naval ensign of the United Kingdom.svg	link alias-naval = Royal New Zealand Navy	flag alias-air force = Air Force Ensign of New Zealand.svg	link alias-air force = Royal New Zealand Air Force	flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of New Zealand.svg	link alias-navy = Royal New Zealand Navy	empty = Junior All Blacks	link alias-football = New Zealand men's national football team	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	altvar = football	variant = }} || align=center|2–0 || align=center| 3–0 || 1995 Trans-Tasman Cup

After retirement

In 1995 Wade released his autobiography, Captain Socceroo: The Paul Wade story.

External links

• Australian Honours profile
• Oz Football profile
• Paul Wade Soccer Schools