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Where Are They Now? Part XVII
I got my first season ticket at St Andrews back in the 1999/2000 season, and this guy was one of Blues signings that season. I’m willing to admit he’s not the first name many will think of when they think of Brazilian strikers, or even signings Trevor Francis made but he had a decent goalscoring record. I’m referring of course to Marcelo Cipriano.
Marcelo Cipriano
courtesy BBC
Signed by TF for £500,000 from Sheffield United in October 1999, Marcelo is the first Brazilian I can think of to play for the Blues – and probably the most successful. He came to the club with a better than 1 in 3 record for Sheffield United and was brought into bolster the frontline. It was a rough season for Blues that year; I remember at one stage Blues ended up with Bryan Hughes and Darren Purse up front due to some of the injuries suffered to the forwards.
Marcelo wasn’t too great statistically for Blues that year with just five goals in 24 appearances and my standout memory of his season was him getting chinned by Clint Hill of Tranmere Rovers in an incredibly stormy game. Marcelo was lucky to stay on the pitch in fairness and he compounded that by scoring eleven minutes later. However, despite being massively on top we couldn’t bury them – Marcelo and Christopher Wreh – remember him – being particularly culpable. That being said we did win 3-1 although John McCarthy went on to miss a massive part of the season having had his leg broken in the challenge that sparked the brawl between Marcelo and Hill.
Despite having his most successful season in 2001-2, with 12 in 22 appearances Marcelo was moved on to Walsall by new boss Steve Bruce. In hindsight, Brucey made the right choice – Marcelo’s replacement was Stern John, signed the next day from Nottingham Forest and the Trinidadian got 8 in 15 to help propel Blues into the playoff final and promotion.
Marcelo only lasted until the end of the season at Walsall, and then moved back to Portugal to play for Academica in the top flight, where he made thirty league appearances scoring five goals prior to retiring.
After a year or two out of the game whilst he completed his degree in Civil Engineering, Marcelo went into business with fellow former Portuguese top-flight player Paulo Cabral, founding sports agency CCA Sports Management. Representing such players as former WBA midfielder Felipe Teixeira, they have built a client list of predominately Portuguese players across the Liga ZON Sagres and beyond. Judging by his facebook pics, he’s doing very well for himself.
Tags: Marcelo
19 Responses to “Where Are They Now? Part XVII”
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Strange one this, had bags of talent but didn’t stay long
No pace, scored a late winner against Gillingham I remember. One to forget.
I loved this guy, had his name on the back of my shirt. Got to admit, there wasn’t many other 10 year olds wearing Marcelo shirts, so at least I got to be him when playing over the park haha.
QPR away in a midweek game – he came on and scored a couple if I remember rightly?
That was his debut wasn’t it? I seem to remember thinking we’d signed the new Ronaldo.
He sure did- was there.
“When the ball hits the goal it’s not Shearer or Cole, It’s Marcelo!”
You beat me too it! I liked that song, although it never really caught on!
Marcelo & Lazaridis were proberley my favourite players at the time. (Although Stan is up there in my all time favourites)
You forogt to menion in this article that he scored a hattrick in the home game v Bradford in which Mick Mills & Jim Barron were in caretakeer charge just before Brucie came.
The Mail also did an interview and had a recent pic of him before the Braga home game.
Forsell spotted at wast hills training with darren carter and the 27 year old Scotland international god knows what naylor was doing
FEED THE FORSS AND HE WILL SCORE!
Guys I cant see Mikael making much impression at this stage of his career, he couldnt break into the Leeds team last year!!. Loved the guy but a 20 goal a year man nowadays he is not….not in the championship anyway.
The season Marcelo left us he scored a goal a game over a nine game period in the first half of the season – then Brucey came in and he was off. Clearly Stern John made the difference that gained us promotion but if you watch that season’s video, Marcelo scores some vital goals early on.
Totally agree, I thought he was the forgotten man and unsung hero of that promotion season. It’s true John’s goals were vital, but you’re right in what you say that without this guys fine form duting the caretaker management of Barron and Mills – we would not have made it into the play-offs anyway.
Wasn’t Marcelo a “David Sullivan” video signing from some smooth operating agent ?
From memory TF wasn’t over impressed at the begining….
Forsell didnt get into the leeds sqaude because its run by aload of idots he would of been the championships highest scorer last year if they played him hes still world class in my opinon fantastic striker hope we sign him from the shi*** leeds… also jimmy carr and christopher duggary was seen having a run around at the traning ground new developments in the core of bcfc
Ignoring last part- what evidence is there in the past 5 years to say Forsell is anything but NO GOOD?!?!?!?? He has done nothing at all in that time- except be moved on.
The fact tht your called Pete??
I think it might have been his debut but if not then very soon after but Blues were trailing 2-0 in a night game at QPR and Marcelo changed the game with a near post flick from a corner, I think, and then a cracking dipping volley into the bottom corner from just outside of the box. I think it was October 99. Cracking performance. Both goals came after half time and were badly needed as Blues are awful in the first half. We held on for a 2-2 draw. Great night as both goals were in fron t of the Blues fans and the whole end went bananas. Good memories. KRO.