Soccer: Marsh finding his feet with Harriers

Mike Marsh and non-league football may not be the easiest of combinations to comprehend, but the former Southend United midfielder is currently enjoying something of a renaissance with Kidderminster Harriers.

The vastly talented scouser, who graced soccer's highest stages with Liverpool, West Ham and Coventry City, raised more than a few eyebrows when he joined Blues for a record £500,000 fee from crack Turkish outfit Galatasaray in September 1995.

However, in little more than two years time Marsh's career was left in ruins, as an injured left knee forced the inspirational Shrimpers captain to quit the professional game at just 28 years of age.

The midfield schemer returned north to his Merseyside roots and turned out for Conference League sides Barrow and Southport, before packing up the game for a whole season.

But Marsh's old Anfield midfield mentor, Kidderminster's Danish boss Jan Molby, persuaded Marsh to put his boots back on last November, which has proved to be a masterstroke.

"I hadn't played for 12 months. I was just sitting at home and looking after the kids while the wife went out to work," said Marsh.

"But I've always had a lot of respect for Jan and I decided to give it a go with him and I'm just enjoying playing again.

"When I First joined Kidderminster it took some of the other lads time to adjust to my wavelength and read the passes I was making, but we've got good players here and are doing well."

Marsh has received rave reviews for his cultured displays in the centre of the park for Molby's surprise Conference League table-toppers, who are currently holding off the challenge of moneybags Rushden and Diamonds.

Kidderminster are seven points clear of their nearest rivals, in what has become virtually a two-horse race for promotion to the Football League, but Rushden have two games in hand.

"Rushden may be breathing down our necks, but I'd rather be top of the league and have the points in the bag because it puts pressure on them to catch us up," said the Kidderminster skipper.

"They've spent a lot of money on players and are the clear favourites to win promotion, but we've worked hard to get where we are and don't intend giving it up easily."

However, the Conference League title could be decided next month, on Saturday, April 8, when Rushden visit Kidderminster's Aggborough Stadium for what is sure to be a battle royal.

"This is the biggest game in Kidderminster's history and should settle the outcome of the championship race," Marsh said.

"But we're confident, we haven't lost a game at home since I've been here and we desperately want to get this club into the Football League, where Kidderminster can definitely hold their own."

However, Marsh, who only trains once a week to ease the pressure on his damaged knee, realises that he wouldn't be a part of Kidderminster's plans if they do win promotion.

"I wouldn't be allowed to play League football again unless Kidderminster repaid the insurance money I received when I retired at Southend," explained Marsh, whose settlement was worth an alleged £400,000.

"After I left Roots Hall I was given a lump sum to provide some security for me and my family which I don't think Kidderminster could afford to pay back."

Marsh, who made his Liverpool debut in the late 80s during the Anfield outfit's last top-flight championship-winning triumph, still has fond memories of his time at Southend.

The gifted schemer, who had played in both UEFA and Cup Winners Cup campaigns for the Merseysiders, made his Blues debut on a cold coastal night in a completely different European competition - the Anglo-Italian Cup.

But Marsh, now 30-years-old, says he has never looked back from his Shrimpers bow, a 0-0 Roots Hall draw with Serie B outfit Brescia in front of just 2,849 brave fans.

"I've never regretted moving to Southend as it was one of the happiest times of my career," said Marsh, who made 84 league appearances for Blues, scoring 11 goals.

"The people and fans were always very good to me and the Southend area was a nice place to live in.

"I never had trouble settling in the south and I made some great friends at Roots Hall, in particular Andy Thomson, who I have been back to Southend to visit, and Mike Lapper, who still keeps in contact from America."

Marsh, though, was honest enough to admit that he would never have joined Southend if it wasn't for another one of his former Liverpool colleagues, Ronnie Whelan, who was Blues' manager at the time.

"Southend aren't the biggest club in the world, even though they were a First Division side at the time, and it was Ronnie who persuaded me to move to Roots Hall," Marsh added.

"But we had some great players at Southend and came very close to getting in the play-offs and winning promotion to the Premiership, which would have been a massive achievement.

"Although, I must admit that I did get frustrated because the club kept selling all of its best players, people like Chris Powell and Mick Bodley, without replacing them, which made things very hard for us."

Marsh, who is undoubtedly one of the most accomplished players to pull on a Southend shirt, has some fond recollections of his all too brief stint with Blues.

"I'll never forget my last minute winner against Ipswich Town which I thumped in from about 25 yards, but I also remember some great team performances from the lads," said Marsh.

"Our 3-1 win at Filbert Street against Leicester City, when Julian Hails got a hat-trick, and a 5-2 victory over eventual First Division champions Bolton Wanderers at Roots Hall were two games I'll always cherish."

However, Marsh, who had been linked with a £750,000 move to Premiership Southampton and later Tranmere Rovers, was disappointed at the way in which his Southend career ended.

"We were relegated to the Second Division and Ronnie left the club, which spoilt things for me and I lost my head," said Marsh, who had a 100 per cent penalty-taking record for Southend.

"Alvin Martin, who I knew from my West Ham days, took over as manager, but he had a completely different style and personality to Ronnie, which I didn't like and was probably noticeable in some of my final performances for Blues."

But Marsh didn't have to put up with his new manager for long, as just 11 games into what would be another disastrous campaign, the midfield dynamo was forced to quit the game.

"I had a hole in my knee which was causing me a lot of problems during the start of the Second Division season and it took me about two days to decide it was time to call it a day," Marsh explained.

"I'd had an operation the previous year when we were still in Division One and I think I rushed back too soon, which made the problem worse and ultimately ended my career."

These days Marsh is completely focused on the task in hand at Kidderminster, but he wouldn't rule out a career in management one day.

"I'm just waiting for Alan Little to get the sack and then I'm going to apply for the Southend manager's job," he joked.

Marsh's League appearances and scoring record prior to joining Southend is: Liverpool - 69 games, two goals; West Ham - 49 matches, one goal; Coventry City - 15 appearances, two goals; and Galatasaray - three games, no goals.

Rising again - former Southend star Mike Marsh (left) is enjoying a new lease of life at Conference leaders Kidderminster Harriers

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