Dual Chatham Cup winner Allan Gilgrist — a goalkeeper who played more than 300 games for North Shore United — has died, aged 65.
Friends and family will gather on Tuesday August 15 for a celebration of his life.
England-born Gilgrist played football for more than 40 years at all levels, from schoolboy rep teams in the Waikato to a single game for the full New Zealand team in 1986.
He took up goalkeeping when seven and was last registered as a player (with East Coast Bays) in 2009, after turning out for Hamilton, Glenfield Rovers, Mount Maunganui, Takapuna and Mt Wellington.
While playing Northern League for Hamilton and Glenfield Rovers in the 1970s, it was with North Shore United that he enjoyed his greatest successes, in the National League and Chatham Cup.
With Gilgrist anchoring the defence, Shore won the Chatham Cup in 1979 and 1986, and was a Chatham Cup finalist with the club in 1985.
Main photo: Allan Gilgrist (with scarf) joins the celebrations as North Shore’s Duncan Cole raises the Chatham Cup.
In 1979, Gilgrist was part of the Shore team that won the pre-season Air New Zealand Tournament.
In representative football, Gilgrist played for Waikato at U-12, U-14 and U-16 levels, and for the North Island U-14 and U-16.
At senior level, he represented Auckland between 1983 and 1988, playing opponents as diverse as New Caledonia and English first division club Everton.
He played for the full New Zealand team against Fiji in Lautoka in September 1986, his only game for the national side.
After his playing career, he coached Takapuna for two years with co-coach Terry Emms, and then spent a third year as sole coach for the team.
‘We will all miss him like crazy’
Gilgrist’s daughter Tania Wojtowicz said via social media: “To many, he was a fun-loving, red wine-drinking, generous to a fault, stubborn as all hell kinda guy. To me, he was just Dad. To my boys, Grandad. He drove me mad at times, but we will all miss him like crazy.”
Many of Gilgrist’s former teammates at North Shore have shared memories of a man who was much-loved.
Friend Andy Darlington said: “I’ll always remember Allan as a loyal and supportive friend who would be there for anyone who needed his help.”
Acknowledgement
Friends of Football thanks football historian Barry Smith for providing most of Allan Gilgrist’s career statistics.
Allan David Gilgrist (October 26, 1957 — August 8, 2023)
The following notice has appeared in the NZ Herald:
GILGRIST, Allan David. Passed away on Tuesday 8 August 2023, aged 65 years. Son of the late Jean Gilgrist and Harry Gilgrist. Father to Tania Wojtowicz (nee Gilgrist). Father-in-law to Michael Wojtowicz. Grandad to Alexander and Ryan. Brother to Harry. A celebration of Allan’s life will take place at the North Harbour Chapel of Dils Funeral Services, 185 Schnapper Rock Road, Albany on Tuesday 15 August at 10.30 am. Further celebrations to be held at New Brew Bar & Restaurant, 49 A William Pickering Drive, Albany following the service.
Obituaries
Through the publication of obituaries, Friends of Football tries to recognise the loss of those who have significantly contributed to our game.
