WAYNE O'SULLIVAN

Full Name: Wayne St John O'Sullivan

Born: 25 February 1974

Came from: Cardiff City   Went to: Parramatta

First game: 07 August 1999   Last game: 28 April 2001

Appearances: 97 (95/2)   Goals: 3

O'Sullivan, a right-sided midfielder, was born in Akrotiri, in Cyprus, born abroad to parents serving or working at the British RAF base located there. Despite his place of birth he has Irish citizenship, inherited from his parents' side.

Post Cyprus, his parents then re-settled back in Wiltshire, and O'Sullivan spent his youth with Pewsey Vale before coming to the attention of Swindon Town and signing as a schoolboy in March 1988. After coming through the youth ranks, he signed as a trainee in July 1990 and then his first professional contract in May 1993. He went on to make 89 appearances, scoring three, which included the Robins' Second Division championship-winning season in 1995-96 under Steve McMahon. His performances also earned him a call-up to the Republic of Ireland's under-21 squad, for whom he won two caps in total after a debut in a win against Latvia in a 1996 UEFA European under-21 Championship qualification game.

In May 1997 he was invited for a trial with Stuttgarter Kickers in Germany. However, in August 1997 he moved to Cardiff City for £75.000. In two years at Ninian Park, he played a similar ratio of games to his time at Swindon, playing 85 times and scoring four goals.

At the end of July 1999, he moved again, signing on for Argyle under Kevin Hodges. After an initial season of mid-table mediocrity, Hodges was relieved of his duties and 'Sully' as he was often known, played under the caretaker-manager stewardship of Kevin Summerfield, before the arrival of Paul Sturrock and another mid-table finish. However he had impressed and won the 2000-01 Player of the Season Award at Home Park. He was then offered another contract and without being able to predict the future, and what was to happen the following season, under Sturrock, he declined it and elected to leave England for pastures new. He had made 97 appearances in green and scored three goals.

O'Sullivan took the bold move, to emigrate to Australia in 2001, where, he signed for west Sydney-based Parramatta Power in the National Soccer League (NSL) competition, the precursor the current Australian League (A-League). In two years he played 55 times, scoring twice.

He then moved to the north-western suburbs of Sydney to play for fellow NSL side Northern Spirit in 2002-03 playing 24 times without scoring. Later in 2004 he also had a brief spell with Geylang United based in Bedok, Singapore, playing in the Singaporean Premier League, known as the S-League.

He returned to Australia and following the replacement of the NSL with the A-League, he signed for Central Coast Mariners. He was a favourite among fans for his tenacity and energy on the field. However, after an inconsistent 2006-07 season with The Mariners, during which he was often deployed as a right-back, instead of his preferred right-midfield position, he was released. He had made 37 appearances, scoring once. He did spend several months trying to find another club but to no avail. However, he did have a brief playing comeback in 2011 with Lake Macquarie City FC, based near the city of Newcastle, in New South Wales, in State League football. He made 11 appearances but by that stage had already moved into coaching.

By May 2007 he had been appointed coach of Wellington Phoenix, the New Zealand side which plays in the A-League. In 2009 he moved to Newcastle Jets Ladies FC as coach, in the W-League, the female form of the A-League.

After he had his aforementioned brief return to playing with Lake Macquarie City, he returned to his old club, Central Coast Mariners in November 2013. He spent five years at the club as Assistant Coach, moving to Technical Director of Youth in September 2017, before a brief spell as caretaker Head Coach in March 2018.

By May 2019, he had moved to Bonyrigg White Eagles as Head Coach. Eagles were a semi-professional side based in Bonnyrigg, in Sydney, playing in the State League.

In September 2021 he moved to Central Coast United as Head Coach, another State League semi-professional side based in the Central Coast area of New South Wales, that acted as a feeder club for O'Sullivan's old club, Central Coast Mariners.

Those last two coaching roles were held in parallel to an appointment as Head of Coaching for Barkers College Boys' XI, an independent day and boarding school in the North Shore suburb of Sydney.

After completing his spells at both the two club roles, he then focused fully on Barker College and in 2021 was made Director of Football, a role he was still holding into 2026.

Sully holds the Qualified Asian Pro License (AFC/FFA) and studied an M.Ed in Coaching at Sydney University from 2006-08.