Simon, who made over 150 appearances for the Mariners, will return to the club at which he is still the record goalscorer next season on a two-year contract. 

Simon moved to Sydney FC in 2015, making 67 A-League appearances for the club, scoring five goals and winning two A-League Premierships and a Championship. 

Simon's signing is an early signal of a change in emphasis under Mike Mulvey, with Simon renowned for his overtly physical style of play.

Sydney FC announced that former Mariners youngster Trent Buhagiar will sign for the Sky Blues in response. 

“It’s great to be coming back to the Mariners,” Simon said. “As soon as Mike rang me to talk about bringing me back – speaking to him and hearing the vision he has for the club, I’m really excited to play a big part in that.

“I’ve really enjoyed my time at Sydney but it’s great now that I’ve been given this opportunity to come back to the Mariners where it all started, so I am really looking forward to being a part of Mike’s plans for the club and I can’t wait to get stuck in.

“This is my hometown, all of my family are on the Central Coast, so that’s something that really excites me – I am really looking forward to the next couple of years ahead."