[Blom Blom] Mark Anthony Fish (“Feeeeeesh!”) Retired South African footballer who played as a defender
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Blom Blom with Mark Fish
Mark Anthony Fish (“Feeeeeesh!”) is a retired South African footballer who played as a defender.
‘Feeeesh’ was probably the most popular white man in South Africa in 1996 – and is the best white player in South Africa’s recent history.
He was first capped for Bafana Bafana at 19, and just two years later helped them win the Africa Cup of Nations.
In 1993, as a teenager, Fish was part of the Jomo Cosmos squad, boasting Helman Mkhalele, Linda Buthelezi, Lawrence Siyangaphi, Thomas Madigage and Innocent Mncwango.
Despite all this talent, they defied belief by getting relegated, although they also reached the semi-finals of the African Cup Winners’ Cup.
So good were some of those players that three of them – Fish, Mkhalele and Buthelezi – starred for Orlando Pirates as they won the League just a year later.
Fish became youngest winner of the Players’ Player of the Year award in 1994.
He went on to play at South Africa’s first World Cup, France 98, by which time he was already established in Europe.
Fish played at Lazio in Serie A before becoming the highest paid player at Bolton Wanderers in England, then moving to Charlton Athletic and Ipswich Town before retiring at the relatively young age of 31.
But it is as a Pirates player that Fish made his name, as a vital member of the great side of 1994-1995 that won the League and the African Champions Cup.
He turned down a move to his boyhood club Manchester United in order to help Bucs win the title in 1994, and in so doing Fish earned the undying respect of club chairman Irvin Khoza, and of 'The Ghost'.
Mark Anthony Fish (“Feeeeeesh!”) is a retired South African footballer who played as a defender.
‘Feeeesh’ was probably the most popular white man in South Africa in 1996 – and is the best white player in South Africa’s recent history.
He was first capped for Bafana Bafana at 19, and just two years later helped them win the Africa Cup of Nations.
In 1993, as a teenager, Fish was part of the Jomo Cosmos squad, boasting Helman Mkhalele, Linda Buthelezi, Lawrence Siyangaphi, Thomas Madigage and Innocent Mncwango.
Despite all this talent, they defied belief by getting relegated, although they also reached the semi-finals of the African Cup Winners’ Cup.
So good were some of those players that three of them – Fish, Mkhalele and Buthelezi – starred for Orlando Pirates as they won the League just a year later.
Fish became youngest winner of the Players’ Player of the Year award in 1994.
He went on to play at South Africa’s first World Cup, France 98, by which time he was already established in Europe.
Fish played at Lazio in Serie A before becoming the highest paid player at Bolton Wanderers in England, then moving to Charlton Athletic and Ipswich Town before retiring at the relatively young age of 31.
But it is as a Pirates player that Fish made his name, as a vital member of the great side of 1994-1995 that won the League and the African Champions Cup.
He turned down a move to his boyhood club Manchester United in order to help Bucs win the title in 1994, and in so doing Fish earned the undying respect of club chairman Irvin Khoza, and of 'The Ghost'.
