When Tony Cascarino brought his 12-year journey in English football to an end and signed for Marseille in 1994, his career had already been through more than a few unexpected turns.
The Republic of Ireland forward was 31 when he moved to France, and with Marseille going through a deeply unsettled phase in the club’s history, not many expected him to make a major impression.
Instead, Cascarino’s two-year stay revived his career, with the striker producing some of the finest football of his playing days and earning a lasting place in the memories of Marseille supporters.
Cascarino was available on a free transfer when he decided to leave Chelsea after an injury-plagued spell at Stamford Bridge, where he had scored only eight goals across two years.
That situation changed quickly. He struck 31 goals as Marseille surged to the Ligue 2 title in the 1994/95 season, only for the club to be refused promotion because of an ongoing investigation into financial irregularities and match-fixing scandals.
“If I said it was difficult that would be an understatement,” Cascarino told FourFourTwo when asked about the challenge of adjusting to life at Marseille.
“But it was also the most beautiful thing. Marseille had won the Champions League in 1993 but were relegated a year later in a match-fixing scandal, and that gave me a window to sign for them.
“By the grace of God, I got an opportunity to go to such a big club that I never thought I could have played for.”
Cascarino made sure he took full advantage of that chance, arriving in the best condition possible for his new club.
“I was in great shape there – six to eight pounds lighter than I ever was in England,” he continued. “People even told me I looked ill when they saw me. My cheekbones were like cyclists in the Tour de France.”
That improved fitness brought immediate rewards, and he made an instant impact for his new side. He then scored 30 goals the following season when the club were finally able to go up, before earning himself another transfer.
“I did amazingly at Marseille, but was even better at Nancy because it was playing for a smaller club in the top division. My goalscoring record was so good that I was even awarded the city’s Medaille d’Or.
“I’ve always said the biggest thing that I achieved during my career was to turn things around at 31, after suffering a lot of injuries at Chelsea, which let me have those glorious years in France and play until I was 38.”
