# Alex Tobin

Alexander Hugh Tobin OAM (born 3 November 1965) is an Australian former professional soccer player who played as a centre-back. He is the fifth-most capped player for the Australia national team with 87 'A' appearances, including 30 as captain. He made his international debut on 9 March 1988 in an Olympic qualifying match against Chinese Taipei (3–2) in Adelaide.

## Club career

Tobin spent his entire club career playing in Australia. He played most of his club career as a defender with Adelaide City in the National Soccer League. Alex left Adelaide City in 2000, after sixteen years with the club, to join Parramatta Power. He finished his career with Northern Spirit. Tobin played a total of 522 senior club games in Australia.
Tobin worked for the Central Coast Mariners as assistant first team coach.

## The Alex Tobin Medal

In 2008, the PFA Alex Tobin OAM Medal was inaugurated by the Professional Footballers Australia (PFA). It is to be awarded annually by the PFA to a current, or a former, player based on four attributes demonstrated by Alex Tobin throughout his career and which reflect the philosophy of the PFA: Leadership, achievement as a player, commitment to ones fellow professionals and service and dedication to the game. The first two medals were conferred on Joe Marston and, posthumously, Johnny Warren.

## Career statistics
### Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | NSL Cup | NSL Cup | Oceania | Oceania | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Adelaide City | 1984 | National Soccer League | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 16 | 0 |
| Adelaide City | 1985 | National Soccer League | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 0 |
| Adelaide City | 1986 | National Soccer League | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 26 | 0 |
| Adelaide City | 1987 | National Soccer League | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 25 | 0 |
| Adelaide City | 1988 | National Soccer League | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 21 | 1 |
| Adelaide City | 1989 | National Soccer League | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 21 | 0 |
| Adelaide City | 1989–90 | National Soccer League | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 25 | 0 |
| Adelaide City | 1990–91 | National Soccer League | 27 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 29 | 1 |
| Adelaide City | 1991–92 | National Soccer League | 30 | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 33 | 3 |
| Adelaide City | 1992–93 | National Soccer League | 30 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 33 | 2 |
| Adelaide City | 1993–94 | National Soccer League | 31 | 4 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 34 | 4 |
| Adelaide City | 1994–95 | National Soccer League | 26 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 28 | 2 |
| Adelaide City | 1995–96 | National Soccer League | 34 | 5 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 37 | 5 |
| Adelaide City | 1996–97 | National Soccer League | 29 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 29 | 4 |
| Adelaide City | 1997–98 | National Soccer League | 25 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 25 | 2 |
| Adelaide City | 1998–99 | National Soccer League | 29 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 29 | 3 |
| Adelaide City | 1999–2000 | National Soccer League | 31 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 31 | 0 |
| Adelaide City | Total | Total | 436 | 27 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 454 | 27 |
| Parramatta Power | 2000–01 | National Soccer League | 26 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 26 | 2 |
| Parramatta Power | 2001–02 | National Soccer League | 22 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 22 | 2 |
| Parramatta Power | Total | Total | 48 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 48 | 4 |
| Northern Spirit | 2002–03 | National Soccer League | 32 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 32 | 0 |
| Northern Spirit | 2003–04 | National Soccer League | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 0 |
| Northern Spirit | Total | Total | 38 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 38 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 522 | 31 | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 540 | 31 |

### International

Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Australia | 1988 | 3 | 1 |
| Australia | 1989 | 0 | 0 |
| Australia | 1990 | 3 | 0 |
| Australia | 1991 | 6 | 0 |
| Australia | 1992 | 15 | 0 |
| Australia | 1993 | 10 | 0 |
| Australia | 1994 | 6 | 0 |
| Australia | 1995 | 9 | 0 |
| Australia | 1996 | 10 | 1 |
| Australia | 1997 | 16 | 0 |
| Australia | 1998 | 9 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 87 | 2 |
    Scores and results list Australia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Tobin goal.
List of international goals scored by Alex Tobin :
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 9 March 1988 | Hindmarsh Stadium, Adelaide, Australia | Chinese Taipei | 1–0 | 3–2 | 1988 Olympics qualification |
| 2 | 21 September 1996 | Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria, South Africa | Kenya | 4–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |

## Honours

Adelaide City:
* NSL Championship: 1986, 1991–92, 1993–94
* NSL Cup: 1989, 1991–92
* Oceania Club Championship: 1987
Australia
* FIFA Confederations Cup: runner-up, 1997
* OFC Nations Cup: 1996; runner-up, 1998
Individual
* FFA Hall of Champions Inductee – 2007
* Joe Marston Medal: 1991–92, 1993–94 with Adelaide City