Australian football has lost one of its greatest trailblazers and icons of the game after Joe Marston passed away peacefully on Sunday morning at the age of 89.

The path of Australian players moving abroad to play in the top tiers of European football was set by Marston who became the first to play in the FA Cup final.

Pioneer: Joe Marston with Socceroos star Bailey Wright in 2014. Credit:Sahlan Hayes

The tireless defender put Australia on the map of the world game when he made the remarkable move in 1950 to join English club Preston North End.