Doug Hodgson: The ‘forgotten Aussie’ and the importance of a mature transfer system

Although they embody far more, at their very core, every football club is essentially a business entity. Countless variables makeup a club’s balance sheet including sponsorships, merchandising, broadcast deals and ticket sales, but one major income stream that Australia is yet to fully exploit is the one that draws the most public interest – player transfers.

The cash injection received from player transfers can do wonders for a club, regardless of their stature and size. In addition to allowing clubs to reinvest the funds into their facilities and development pathways, a mature transfer system also encourages coaches to develop their youth instead of relying on proven talent.

As one of Australia’s early international football exports, Doug Hodgson was one of a group of young guns who caught the eye of international scouts and paved the way for many others to follow. His story is one of frustration and overcoming challenges, but ultimately shows that young players need resilience to make it in what is one of the world’s most competitive industries.

“As a player you have a small window and opportunity, you have to take it with two hands and make sure you have the desire and passion to succeed,” Hodgson said.

In 1994, Hodgson moved from Heidelberg United to Sheffield United for an upfront fee of £30,000, a figure which rose to approximately £70,000 with add-ons based on appearances. He was also joined by fellow Aussie, current Adelaide United Head Coach Carl Veart (pictured in top photo) in a deal worth £250,000.

Doug Hodgson making headlines for scoring on his debut for Northampton Town.

But despite earning a dream move to England, Hodgson’s path to the top was far from easy.

Following a car accident as a teenager, Hodgson was told by doctors he may never play again. A few years and a lot of hard work later, as a 20-years old he won Heidelberg United’s Best and Fairest award, earning a loan move to Sunshine George Cross where he was managed by Hull City legend Kenny Wagstaff.

“Kenny organised a trial with Hull City and I worked and worked to be prepared for it. At the end of the trial I was offered a two-year contract worth £450 per week. The club offered Heidelberg £20,000 but there was a transfer break down as Heidelberg wanted £140,000,” Hodgson recalls.

“As you would imagine, there was anger, disappointment, and frustration. I thought, here is a club that paid nothing for me, and I had serviced them as best as I possibly could. I won the Best and Fairest only for them to slap a price tag on me that wasn’t realistic.”

“I understand business and maybe they thought that was a fair price, but as a young kid, there was a lot of bitterness as I knew these opportunities didn’t come up often.”

It would take another two years for Hodgson to get another chance at his dream move. While playing in Western Australia (although still under contract at Heidelberg), Sheffield United came down under for a post-season tour. After seeing him play, Blades manager Dave Bassett was so impressed with the young Aussie that he offered him to join his team for the remainder of the tour as a trial, resulting in a deal being struck.

Hodgson possessed the talent and mental steel to become a quality player in England, and although his career was heavily injury affected, he still managed to make almost 150 senior appearances, most of which with Sheffield United and Oldham Athletic.

One honour that eluded Hodgson, perhaps due to injuries, politics or just plain bad luck was earning a Socceroo’s cap. This has led to him being dubbed the ‘forgotten Aussie’ in some circles.

“At one stage, while playing for Sheffield United in England’s first division I played 14 games straight and I won player of the month. Similarly, at Oldham in the second division I was voted player of the month when I was 29 and probably playing the best football of my career,” Hodgson said.

“There was an Australian national team camp happening in London at the time. I’m not saying I should of played because that’s unfair on the other players, but I should have been given the opportunity to go to camp. Not being able to represent my country was the biggest disappointment in my career. I eventually walked away from the game in England with 12 months left on my contract due to injuries.”

Despite the injuries and frustrations he faced, Hodgson built strong relationships in England and maintains connections with many of his former teammates and coaches today.

This is an enormous factor in international transfers that is seldom mentioned. Players who venture overseas often get the opportunity to network and learn from the brightest football minds in the world, eventually bringing that knowledge back to Australia.

“I coached the U-15s at Northampton Town and the Sheffield United Reserves. Neil Warnock was grooming me to become the next manager of the club but mentally I found it hard to accept the way my career ended,” Hodgson said.

Since returning to Australia, Hodgson has brought back a raft of knowledge which he has used to teach the next generation. Some of his key accomplishments include coaching seniors and juniors at the NPL level, being involved with New South Wales’ youth program, and leading an U-14 youth team to the Victorian championship.

“I have contacts and will open a door for someone if I can if they are good enough. We need to remember though that different kids develop at different ages and its important to focus on education and make sure they are always moving forward,” Hodgson added.

Five of the 10 largest outbound transfers occurred during the NSL era.

On the flipside of the coin, for Heidelberg United, the windfall received from Hodgson’s sale meant covering debts and ensuring the club’s financial viability during a tumultuous time.

“In those days, most clubs were running on overdrafts and volunteer work. We had small sponsorships but really relied on the community to raise funds. There weren’t many player transfers, but we had some success with guys like Doug Hodgson, John Anastasiadis, and before that, Yakka Banovic who joined Derby County,” said former Heidelberg President Peter Tsaklis.

“We were paying about $60,000 per year just for registration into Australia’s top league and there weren’t any grants or assistance from the government at the time. The transfer fees were much needed but we barely able to use the funds to improve facilities at the club, as most of it just went towards running costs,” Tsaklis added.

This was the norm at the time, where if a club was lucky enough to receive a large transfer fee, the funds were often used to balance the books. Or, if they were in a stronger financial position, used to make sorely needed investments and upgrades that they otherwise would not have been affordable.

One example of this occurring was the sale of Socceroos legend Mark Viduka, who was famously transferred to Dinamo Zagreb from the Melbourne Knights. The fee helped the club fund its stadium redevelopments and officially named its grandstand in his honour, a grandstand which today still houses one of the NPL’s most passionate fanbases.

Although Viduka’s exact transfer fee is unlisted, incredibly, five of the top 10 largest transfer fees ever received by Australian clubs occurred during that era.

To add to this, despite the mammoth deals regularly taking place around the globe, the $1.7 million Leicester City paid for Zeljko Kalac in 1995 still remains the largest transfer fee received by an Australian club.

These statistics are not emphasised to criticise the current league or administration, but they do highlight what an enormous opportunity exists in Australian football.

Australia’s transfer system has fallen far behind the rest of Asia’s key players.

Much of the rest of Asia seems to have evolved in their abilities to produce and sell talent. According to data gathered by Optus Sports, Australia’s outbound player sales in 2019 totalled $2.698 million, a number dwarfed by our rivals Japan ($49.39 million) and South Korea ($37.45 million).

If the game’s administrators can over time build an ecosystem that incentivises player transfers, the prospect of adequate financial reimbursement could lead to more clubs focusing on developing players rather than looking for short-term results, ultimately leading to more opportunities for youth and clubs tapping into one of the most lucrative income streams of all.

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CAFA and AFC push for child safeguarding in football

The Central Asian Football Association (CAFA), with backing from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), successfully hosted the CAFA Child Safeguarding Seminar 2025 recently in Tashkent, Uzbekistan — a key step in strengthening regional efforts to protect children involved in football.

The two-day event brought together safeguarding officers and youth competition managers from all six CAFA Member Associations (MAs), offering a valuable chance for participants to engage with the latest best-practice approaches to protecting children from harm, abuse, and exploitation within the game.

The seminar was led by AFC consultant Morgan Lander, who brought extensive experience and practical insights to the sessions. Structured to encourage meaningful discussion and active participation, the seminar covered a wide range of topics — from identifying signs of abuse and understanding children’s rights, to implementing strong safeguarding policies and creating safe, supportive environments for young players.

The seminar also served as a platform for Member Associations to highlight their own progress and initiatives, including integrating safeguarding principles into coaching accreditation programs, plans to launch digital safeguarding tools, and the rollout of large-scale national awareness campaigns and workshops.

Coinciding with the CAFA U-17 Championship 2025, the seminar included a practical session held at Do’stlik Stadium. This hands-on component gave participants real-world insight into competition-specific safeguarding protocols and improved understanding of risk management during youth tournaments.

At the conclusion of the seminar, certificates were presented by CAFA General Secretary Mr Ulugbek Karimov, who praised participants for their commitment and encouraged them to continue fostering a culture of safeguarding within their respective communities.

With representatives from across the Central Asian region in attendance, the seminar not only reinforced a shared regional commitment to safer football environments, but also reaffirmed the AFC’s broader pledge to ensure football is inclusive, positive, and secure for children and young people at every level of the game.

Building an inclusive sports future: Interview with No Limits Sports CEO Josh Clark

No Limits Sports is an organisation dedicated to fostering a lifelong love of sport in children by providing safe, inclusive, and engaging programs that build fundamental skills, promote fairness and sportsmanship and uphold strong safeguarding standards.

The company was founded 13 years ago, starting as a “one-man operation”, and has since expanded into a nationwide provider with over 750 coaches and a wide range of programs delivered across both metro and regional areas. 

Speaking to Soccerscene, CEO of No Limits Sports Josh Clark shares how he grew the company from a business ran by just one person into a national organisation focused on inclusive, accessible sports programs for children of all abilities and backgrounds—overcoming recruitment challenges, expanding into regional areas, and embracing Indigenous culture—while continuing to grow and eyeing international opportunities.

Can you tell us about your responsibilities as CEO and how No Limits Sports has grown and changed since it began?

Josh Clark: As CEO, I’m involved in nearly every part of the business. My responsibilities span from recruitment and managing staff to overseeing marketing, sales, bookings, and logistics, right down to handling payroll and invoicing. With a large team of coaches operating nationwide and a sizable office team, there’s always something that needs attention.

When I first launched No Limits Sports, it was just me — a one-person operation. Since then, we’ve grown into a national organisation. That growth has brought more complexity and diversity to what we do, which has naturally changed the nature of my role. I began in a hands-on coaching capacity, but this quickly changed. I’ve transitioned into more of a strategic leadership position, focused on long-term development and guiding the broader direction and growth of the company.

Were there any initial challenges you faced when expanding No Limits Sports and if so how did you overcome them?

Josh Clark: One of the biggest challenges we faced—both in the early days and still to some extent today—has been recruiting the right staff. We’re always looking for experienced and qualified coaches, but we also believe in investing in emerging talent. We often bring on younger, less experienced individuals who show potential and offer them training and upskilling opportunities to help them grow into the role.

In recent years, we’ve implemented a robust recruitment and HR software system, which has significantly streamlined our hiring and onboarding processes. It’s made it much easier to manage applications, track coach development, and stay organised, especially as we’ve expanded into regional areas beyond the metro centres. That investment in technology has been a key part of overcoming the recruitment challenge and supporting our continued growth.

How does No Limits Sports ensure that its programs remain inclusive and accessible to children of all abilities and backgrounds?

Josh Clark: I’ve been deeply passionate about ensuring our programs are inclusive and accessible to children of all abilities and backgrounds. We’ve proudly partnered with the Special Olympics for over 10 years, and we work closely with numerous special schools and support units across the country to deliver tailored sports programs for students with additional needs.

We’ve developed our own inclusive programs, as well as using The Special Olympics’ programs to ensure that all children can participate regardless of their ability. A key part of this commitment has been investing in our coaching team, providing them with specialist training and qualifications so they feel confident and capable of delivering inclusive sessions.

Another priority for us is reaching students in regional and remote communities. Many other sports providers don’t have the capacity to operate in these areas, but we’ve made it a core part of our mission. We deliver programs in places like Alice Springs, Port Lincoln, Devonport, Lismore, Gladstone, and so many other regional towns.

Inclusivity, both in terms of ability and geography, is central to what we do. Whether it’s special schools, regional communities, or mainstream metro programs, we’re committed to making quality sports experiences available to every child, no matter where they live or what their needs may be.

Image credit: No Limits Sports

Can you tell us a bit about the Traditional Indigenous Games (TIG) the significance of incorporating it into your curriculum and the impact it has on participants?

Josh Clark: Our Traditional Indigenous Games (TIG) program is based on the Yulunga: Traditional Indigenous Games resource developed by the Australian Sports Commission. This collection features over 140 games from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures across Australia. We’ve carefully selected the most engaging and popular games that really resonate with students and work well in a school or community setting.

The program is rooted in extensive research and documentation of traditional games from diverse Indigenous communities. We make a point to honour the cultural origins of each game by sharing its traditional name, the region it comes from, and the original materials used. For example, some games were originally played with kangaroo skin balls—while we now use modern equipment, we ensure students still understand the historical context and cultural significance.

The TIG program is especially popular around NAIDOC Week, with many schools and OOSH & vacation care services incorporating it into their celebrations. Beyond the cultural learning, the games themselves are incredibly fun and active—many involve teamwork, ball handling, and evasion skills, which translate well to a variety of other sports. Most importantly, the program gives students a meaningful way to engage with and appreciate Indigenous culture through physical activity, often playing games they’ve never experienced before.

What feedback have you received regarding the impact of No Limits Sports programs on children’s development?

Josh Clark: Our goal as a business is to help children develop a lifelong love of sport by giving them access to try lots of different sports and activities, making sure it’s done in a really inclusive and fun environment. We regularly receive positive feedback from schools, parents, OOSH services, and the clubs we collaborate with, which reassures us that we’re making an impact.

The most meaningful feedback, however, often comes from two key areas. First, from regional schools where students may not have previously had access to quality coaching or diverse sports programs. Second, from our inclusive sports programs, particularly those designed for children with additional needs. Hearing directly from students, parents, and schools in these spaces about the positive difference we’ve made is incredibly rewarding and reinforces why we do what we do.

Image credit: No Limits Sports

How is No Limits Sports currently tracking and what does the future hold for the company?

Josh Clark: We are growing rapidly, both in terms of the number of customers we work with and the size of our coaching team. We’ve seen consistent year-on-year growth and currently operate across all States and Territories in Australia. We’re also exploring opportunities to expand internationally, with New Zealand being a potential next step.

Looking ahead, the upcoming Brisbane Olympics in seven years adds an exciting layer of opportunity for the Australian sports industry. There’s been a renewed national focus on grassroots participation and talent development, which aligns perfectly with our mission. It’s an exciting time to be in this space, and our goal is to continue expanding our reach and increasing the number of quality coaches we provide across all communities.

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