With the first international break since the World Cup now upon us, let’s take a look back at the former players who represented their country whilst wearing the famous black and white.
We take immense pride in our history at Rossett Park, which includes five exceptional individuals who earned international call-ups during their time at the club.
IDWAL DAVIES – WALES
Our first international Mariner was Idwal Davies, a talented forward who lit up Rossett Park in the early 1920s. After arriving in Crosby in 1922, his sensational club form earned him a recall to the Welsh ‘amateur’ team, where he famously fired a hat-trick past the England ‘amateur’ team in January 1923. That standout performance propelled him into the full Wales national team for a clash against Scotland just two months later.
While Davies would ultimately go on to play for Liverpool and Bolton Wanderers, his breakthrough onto the senior international stage happened right here at Marine.
BRIAN ROSS – ENGLAND C
Another player to earn international honours while at the club is Brian Ross, who was a key figure during the 1990s and became a regular for the England Semi-Pro team (now known as England C).
Ross made a total of six appearances for the England C side between 1993 and 1995. His international journey included a 2-1 victory over Wales in March 1993 and matches against the Finland U21 side and the Highland League.
He continued to be selected for the national side in the following years, featuring in victories over Wales and starting in a 0-0 draw away against the Netherlands in Aalsmeer in April 1995.
LIAM WATSON – ENGLAND C
Our third case of a Marine player stepping onto the international stage is Liam Watson, who also represented the England Semi-Pro team alongside his club duties.
Watson joined Marine following a professional stint with Preston North End that was cut short by injury, returning to the non-league game and quickly proving his quality as a formidable striker.
His goalscoring prowess for Marine earned him a call-up to the England Semi-Pro squad in 1995, where he made two appearances alongside fellow Marine Striker Brian Ross. Both caps came during a tour of the Netherlands in April 1995, featuring in a 0-0 draw against the Dutch side in Aalsmeer. Watson, of course, would later go on to become a highly successful manager, but his international playing days began during his time at Marine.
NEIL HARVEY – BARBADOS
Taking a look further afield, striker Neil Harvey brought Caribbean international pedigree to Rossett Park.
Harvey signed for Marine in May 2010 from Macclesfield Town. An English-born forward, he qualified to play for Barbados and had already made his international debut back in 2007, scoring immediately against Trinidad & Tobago.
During his time with the Mariners, his goal scoring performances ensured he remained firmly in the international picture. In October 2011, Harvey earned two more caps for the “Bajan Tridents” during their CONCACAF qualifying campaign for the 2014 World Cup, featuring in clashes against Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago.
JOSH SOLOMON-DAVIES – SAINT LUCIA
Our final example of a Marine player featuring for their country is defender Josh Solomon-Davies, who enjoyed a memorable spell with the club and represented Saint Lucia.
Solomon-Davies signed for Marine in August 2019 and became a vital part of the squad that famously reached the Third Round of the FA Cup to face Tottenham Hotspur in the 20/21 season, as well as winning the Liverpool Senior Cup in 2023.
Already a full international before joining Marine, the pacey full-back earned an international call-up whilst with the club. In June 2022, he featured for Saint Lucia in a 2-0 victory over Anguilla during the CONCACAF Nations League, proudly flying the flag for Marine on the international stage.