John Norman Warren, MBE, OAM (17 May 1943 – 6 November 2004) was an Australian soccer player, coach, administrator, writer and broadcaster.
[5] After playing junior football for Botany Methodists and Earlwood Wanderers Warren joined Canterbury-Marrickville as a fifteen-year-old in 1959.
It was at SBS where he made his mark, appearing on a number of football analysis shows including On the Ball and The World Game.
[3][10] During the 1980s and early 1990s, numerous international visitors including members of Brazil's Under 19s football team travelled to Gold Creek to get their first taste of Australian country life.
From 1986 to 2022, the OFC champion could only feature in an intercontinental play-off series against a team from either CONMEBOL, CONCACAF or the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to achieve a World Cup berth.
The title refers to alleged sexist, racist and homophobic attitudes towards soccer exhibited frequently by many Australians and especially the major city media in Australia through this period.
[16][17] Warren died of respiratory complications related to his cancer on 6 November 2004, at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney.
on air in the immediate aftermath of Australia's victory, and shortly before the end of the SBS broadcast, the journalist and his longtime colleague and friend Les Murray said "They've done it, Johnny!".
He is survived by his only child Shannon Lee Warren (daughter of Donna Gilberston) and his four grandchildren Riley, Natasha, Tayla and Rhianna.
[19][20] In the documentary, Warren's long-time colleague at SBS, Les Murray, wished that Johnny's prophecy for Australian football would ring true.
At the ceremony, Warren used the opportunity to declare his love for Australian football and its future: "I want Australia to embrace this fabulous game.
[22][23] The NSL's eventual demise laid bare the foundations for the new A-Leagues competitions, which feature no ethnic affiliations in any team to appeal to the mainstream Australian sporting landscape.
When Australia ended a 31 year wait to qualify for a FIFA World Cup, defeating Uruguay on penalties, Les Murray paid homage to Warren's legacy on the SBS broadcast.
At the commencement of the post-match analysis, Murray joyously opened the segment, claiming that the match was "one of the most epic games that I've had the opportunity to witness, and I've seen a few as you may be able to guess, and of course one in which we were all emotionally involved.
In the second leg of Australia's intercontinental play-off match against Honduras, the Green and Gold Army created a tifo honouring both Warren and Les Murray.
When Australia qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup against Peru, supporters were seen in the stadium bearing 'I told you so' banners in Warren's honour.
Warren was included in the venue's 'Ring of Champions' along with Arthur Beetson, Ron Coote, Betty Cuthbert and Nicholas Shehadie.
[26][27] Warren was also recognised by the SCG Trust with a permanent statue outside the stadium in honour of his captaincy of the 1974 Socceroos and his advocacy for the development of association football in Australia.