Paul Wade OAM

Born in England in 1962, Paul Wade arrived in Australia at the age of 11 with a strong passion for football.

He moved into the senior ranks with Melbourne clubs Croydon, Green Gully, Brunswick and then South Melbourne, going on to win his first representative honours against Tasmania in 1984.

Wade broke into the Australian team in 1985, playing his first full international against Czechoslovakia in 1986.

He took over as captain from 1990-96.

During his playing career, Wade made 345 national league appearances, 119 matches for Australia, 84 full internationals, and played in the Olympic Games and two World Cup qualifying campaigns.

Named the 1988 NSL Player of the Year, Wade was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 1995 for services to the sport and the community, and the FIFA International Fair Play Award.

Following his retirement as a player, Wade turned his focus to other areas of the sport, including coaching clinics for children and TV commentary.

He is also a respected ambassador for Australian football.