Peter Marinello
Encyclopedia
Peter Marinello is a Scottish
former football
player.
Marinello started his career at Hibernian
, and could play either as a forward
or right winger
. He was regarded as being talented enough there that he was dubbed "the next George Best
" by the British press. In January 1970 he joined Arsenal
for £100,000 (a club record fee and the first time Arsenal
had paid a six-figure sum for a player) and he scored on his debut, against Manchester United
at Old Trafford
on 10 January 1970.
However after that his career quickly took a downturn, a combination of homesickness, his celebrity lifestyle and heavy drinking and a knee
injury led to a dip in form which meant he was left out of Arsenal's first team; he did not take part in Arsenal's Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
triumph of 1970 and only played three matches in their 1970-71
Double
-winning campaign. Unable to break into the first team consistently in his Arsenal career, he only played eight league matches in 1971-72
and thirteen in 1972-73
; he eventually left Arsenal in July 1973 for Portsmouth
after failing to agree a new contract. In total he played 51 matches for Arsenal, scoring five goals.
He later played for Motherwell
, Fulham
, Phoenix Inferno
, Heart of Midlothian
and Partick Thistle
. Though he retired a wealthy man, a failed business venture left him bankrupt in 1994, and he suffered a nervous breakdown
. He now lives in Bournemouth
, Dorset
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
former football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player.
Marinello started his career at Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
, and could play either as a forward
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
or right winger
Winger (sport)
In certain sports, such as football, field hockey, ice hockey, handball, rugby union, lacrosse and rugby league, the term winger is the name of a position. It refers to positions on the extreme left and right sides of the pitch . In American football and Canadian football, the analogous position...
. He was regarded as being talented enough there that he was dubbed "the next George Best
George Best
George Best was a professional footballer from Northern Ireland, who played for Manchester United and the Northern Ireland national team. He was a winger whose game combined pace, acceleration, balance, two-footedness, goalscoring and the ability to beat defenders...
" by the British press. In January 1970 he joined Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
for £100,000 (a club record fee and the first time Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
had paid a six-figure sum for a player) and he scored on his debut, against Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
at Old Trafford
Old Trafford (football)
Old Trafford is a football stadium in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England, and the home of Manchester United. With a capacity of 75,811, Old Trafford is the second-largest football stadium in England after Wembley, the third-largest in the United Kingdom and the eleventh-largest in Europe...
on 10 January 1970.
However after that his career quickly took a downturn, a combination of homesickness, his celebrity lifestyle and heavy drinking and a knee
Knee
The knee joint joins the thigh with the leg and consists of two articulations: one between the fibula and tibia, and one between the femur and patella. It is the largest joint in the human body and is very complicated. The knee is a mobile trocho-ginglymus , which permits flexion and extension as...
injury led to a dip in form which meant he was left out of Arsenal's first team; he did not take part in Arsenal's Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
The Inter-Cities Fairs Cup was a European football competition played between 1955 and 1971. The competition was the idea of Swiss pools supremo Ernst Thommen, Ottorino Barassi from Italy, and the English Football Association general secretary Stanley Rous, all of whom later became senior officials...
triumph of 1970 and only played three matches in their 1970-71
1970-71 in English football
The 1970–71 season was the 91st season of competitive football in England.-First Division:Arsenal won the league championship at the end of a season which would soon be followed by their FA Cup final tie with Liverpool. Arsenal secured the league title at White Hart Lane, the home of bitter rivals...
Double
The Double
The Double is a term in association football which refers to winning a country's top tier division and its primary cup competition in the same season...
-winning campaign. Unable to break into the first team consistently in his Arsenal career, he only played eight league matches in 1971-72
1971-72 in English football
The 1971–72 season was the 92nd season of competitive football in England.-FA Cup:Leeds United overcame holders Arsenal to win the 1972 FA Cup Final...
and thirteen in 1972-73
1972-73 in English football
The 1972–73 season was the 93rd season of competitive football in England.-Overview:The Football League announced that a three-up, three-down system would operate between the top two divisions from the following season, rather than the traditional two-up, two-down system...
; he eventually left Arsenal in July 1973 for Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
after failing to agree a new contract. In total he played 51 matches for Arsenal, scoring five goals.
He later played for Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
, Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
, Phoenix Inferno
Phoenix Inferno
The Phoenix Inferno was an American indoor soccer team based out of Phoenix, United States, that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League from 1980 to 1983. In 1983 new ownership renamed the team the Phoenix Pride. The Pride folded at the end of the 1983-1984 season...
, Heart of Midlothian
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
and Partick Thistle
Partick Thistle F.C.
Partick Thistle Football Club are a professional association football club from Glasgow. Despite their name, the club are based in the Maryhill area of the city, and have not played in Partick since 1908...
. Though he retired a wealthy man, a failed business venture left him bankrupt in 1994, and he suffered a nervous breakdown
Nervous breakdown
Mental breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe an acute, time-limited phase of a specific disorder that presents primarily with features of depression or anxiety.-Definition:...
. He now lives in Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
.