Latest news from Friends of Football
Emerging All White star Joe Bell is confident the national squad will continue to develop “more of an identity” despite the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In an interview with Sky Sport’s Football Fix, the young midfielder says coach … Read More
All White Winston Reid has given his first interview since joining English Championship club Brentford on loan from West Ham United. The 32-year-old defender – whose six-year contract with West Ham runs till mid-2023 – says he is looking forward … Read More
Auckland Anniversary Day holds a special link with an historic match played under floodlights more than half a century ago. On January 27, 1964, Swiss Cup champions FC Basel came to Auckland’s Blandford Park to play a New Zealand team … Read More
Wellington Phoenix have secured their first win of the Hyundai A-League season, thanks to a late Jaushua Sotirio goal against Central Coast Mariners. Sotirio (25) came off the bench to strike in the 88th minute, helping Phoenix take the three … Read More
Aucklanders face a feast of Waitangi weekend football as the city hosts two crucial games in this season’s ISPS Handa Premiership. The weekend has two fixtures that promise plenty of action in games that may well play a crucial part … Read More
For Auckland-based neutrals, the standout football match this weekend is at Kiwitea Street on Sunday when Auckland City host play-off chasing Canterbury United. The Valentine’s Day match kicks off at 2pm with the Navy Blues sitting six points clear at … Read More
All White striker Chris Wood has regained his goalscoring touch in dramatic fashion, scoring the winner for Burnley in a crucial English Premier League clash with Aston Villa. Wood’s 79th-minute header gave Burnley a 3-2 win and lifted the club … Read More
New Zealand’s eight national league clubs are closing in on the business end of this summer’s ISPS Handa Men’s Premiership. The semi-finals of the competition will be staged over the weekend of March 6-7 with the Grand Final scheduled for … Read More
The recent death of former Manchester United and Scotland manager Tommy ‘The Doc’ Docherty has jogged memories of his connections with New Zealand. He died on New Year’s Eve, aged 92, after a long illness. ‘The Doc’ visits New Zealand … Read More
Former national coach Allan Jones has thanked the football community for supporting the charity Macular Degeneration New Zealand to help combat a condition that threatens the sight of one in seven people over 50. Jones attended the recent ISPS Handa … Read More
It’s not often a goalkeeper will celebrate conceding a goal but Auckland City’s Enaut Zubikarai is making an exception, thanks to Barcelona great Lionel Messi. Eight years ago, Messi scored for Barcelona against Real Sociedad despite Zubikarai almost managing to … Read More
Membership of Friends of Football is open to anyone who supports our group’s goals and objectives. We have a $40 joining fee which entitles you to perpetual membership unless you die, resign, are declared bankrupt, are convicted of a serious … Read More
Congratulations to Canterbury United Pride who have become New Zealand’s national women’s league champions for the sixth time in the past decade. The Pride beat Capital 4-0 in the ISPS Handa Women’s Premiership Grand Final at English Park in Christchurch … Read More
Friends of Football has inducted long-time administrator, football writer and publisher Terry Hobin to its roll of Medal of Excellence holders. Hobin was surprised with the presentation of his medal at his retirement function in Auckland, after relinquishing his role … Read More
Dual Chatham Cup winner Eddie Gavigan has died after a short illness in Auckland, aged 57. Scottish-born Gavigan emigrated to New Zealand as a 19-year-old, joining Mount Wellington in 1983 and helping the club to a Chatham Cup victory against … Read More
Born in 1947, Barbara Cox grew up learning that a woman’s role was to cook and clean and take care of her husband. So when her husband, Roy, signed her up to a local football team in 1973, Cox’s life … Read More
The Centre Circle, a Canterbury-based football supporter group, had its origins when former players met to chew the fat as the world approached a new millennium. On the evening of August 17, 1998, they decided there was more to football … Read More
Legendary All Whites skipper Steve Sumner helped inspire the rejuvenation of Canterbury football supporter group, The Centre Circle. Sumner, who died in 2017 after a long battle with prostate cancer, was a key figure in the formation of The Centre … Read More