It was the manager who had allowed him to leave Liverpool, Graeme Souness, who wanted Marsh's signature. He got it for £500,000 on 26 June 1995, taking Marsh to Turkish side Galatasaray. Marsh played just three times in two and a half months for the team from Istanbul before he was on the move yet again to Southend United whose newly installed manager was Marsh's ex-Liverpool teammate Ronnie Whelan. He signed for the Shrimpers on 3 September 1995 for £500,000. Marshy, as he was known by his teammates, made his debut on 9 September 1995 in the 1–0 defeat to Sunderland at Roker Park. Marsh had two good seasons at the Essex club, appearing in seventy-five league games in which he scored ten times. The second of these seasons saw Southend relegated to the Second Division, the third tier of English football. Things got worse for Marsh as he picked up a knee injury which ultimately and prematurely ended his professional career. He had played ninety seven times for Southend, scoring thirteen goals.