Mark Fish

Born in Cape Town, Fish started his career in his native South Africa under the guidance of renowned coach Steve Coetsee, playing for Arcadia Shepherds, an amateur team based at the Caledonian Stadium in Pretoria. He was spotted by then Jomo Cosmos coach Roy Matthews and turned professional as a striker. It was at Cosmos that he was converted into a left-back and went on to become one of the most promising defenders in South Africa at the time. In 1994, Fish was signed by Orlando Pirates after Cosmos were relegated. At Pirates he arguably played the best football of his career under the tutelage of Mike Makaab. He also won the league championship at Pirates, as well as the BP Top 8 cup in 1994, the 1995 1995 African Champions League and the 1995 Bob Save Super Bowl (then the premier cup in South Africa). He captained The Buccaneers when they beat JS Kabylie in the 1996 CAF Super Cup. Soon foreign scouts came knocking and he was signed by Lazio of Italy, after he turned down an opportunity to play for his boyhood club, Manchester United. However, he did move to England after just one season at Lazio to become the highest paid player at Bolton Wanderers. Fish was a mainstay in Bolton's back four for much of their first season back in the Premiership, he received praise from both teammates and those whom he played against, most notably Manchester United forward Andy Cole. Despite Fish's efforts Bolton were relegated on the last day of the season despite having accumulated 40…

Internationally, Fish is best remembered as being a crucial part of South Africa's victorious national soccer squad when they won the 1996 African Cup of Nations. He scored one of the goals in the quarter final against Algeria. He was named to the Team of the Tournament in both the 1996 and 1998 African Cup of Nations. In total he won 62 caps for the South African national team, scoring twice. Mark Fish made his international debut for South Africa on 6 October 1993 in a friendly match against Mexico, which South Africa lost 4–0. Age 19 years, six months and 22 days, he became the youngest player to represent the national team at the time. Fish returned to the national team in early 1994 following the appointment of Clive Barker as head coach. He soon established himself as an important member of the side that qualified automatically for the 1996 African Cup of Nations as hosts. The youngest member of South Africa's squad at the tournament, Fish appeared in all six matches as the team went on to win the title. South Africa conceded only two goals before the final and kept three cleansheets during the tournament. Fish scored his first international goal in the quarter-final victory over Algeria and also started in the final against Tunisia, which South Africa won 2-0 to claim their first continental title. Following the tournament, Fish was named in the CAF Team of the Tournament alongside teammate Mark Williams. His performances attracted interest from clubs across…

International

Scores and results list South Africa's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Fish goal.

In August 2008, Fish's wife and his son were at their Pretoria home with friends when five armed men robbed their house.