Stories and information that contribute to protecting the heritage of football in New Zealand
As Melville United prepare for their 2023 Chatham Cup campaign, former players recall the Waikato club’s march to the final 20 years ago. Melville’s improbable 2003 Chatham Cup campaign — featuring an unfancied, slightly shambolic, but uncommonly gregarious team — … Read More
By Max Fletcher It’s become one of New Zealand football’s best trivia questions — who played 63 full internationals for England but only played once for Claudelands Rovers? The answer? Former Liverpool, Newcastle United and Southampton star Kevin Keegan. No, … Read More
The mystery disappearance of the long-lost ANZAC Soccer Ashes has been solved with the discovery of the trophy in the clean-out of a family’s garage during the COVID pandemic. The trophy was created in 1923 and was to be contested … Read More
Napier City Rovers have named a number of former All Whites in their all-star teams to play in the club’s 50th Anniversary Legends match at Easter Weekend. Members of the 2010 World Cup qualifiers goalkeeper Mark Paston and defender Ben … Read More
Cambridge FC have celebrated the club’s 75th Jubilee with a weekend of activities and a dinner beside the nearby Lake Karapiro. Over the weekend of March 24-25, 2023, members past and present gathered to renew friendships and share memories of … Read More
The New Zealand squad that faced China in a three-match series in 1975 contained only five players born in this country — an indication of how far the game has developed since. The series, played in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, … Read More
English broadcaster ITV is making a drama series about footballer Justin Fashanu — the first top-flight professional footballer to come out as gay — who ended his career with Wellington club Miramar Rangers. Fashanu became Britain’s first £1m black player … Read More
Here’s a photo to test the memory banks of some of our long-time football followers. Friends of Football have been loaned a copy of this team photo of the 1962 U-12 Auckland boys’ representative team. The names and spellings are … Read More
Fifty years ago, New Zealand faced a crucial hurdle in their efforts to reach the 1974 FIFA World Cup in West Germany when they hosted Australia in a qualifying game at Auckland’s Newmarket Park. Australia were favourites to win a … Read More
Forty years ago this week, New Zealand’s All Whites achieved a double success against their arch-rivals, the Australian Socceroos. In a two-match series, New Zealand beat the Australians 2-1 in Auckland and then 2-0 in the return fixture in Melbourne. … Read More
Friends of Football have been building an online archive of classic match programmes and football publications of interest to New Zealand fans of the game. We’re converting printed publications to a digital format, enabling fans of all ages to appreciate … Read More
Cambridge FC will celebrate their 75th jubilee with a weekend of activities, on and off the pitch, starting on Friday March 24, 2023. The club will kick off their festivities with an informal catch-up at their John Kerkhof Park clubrooms … Read More
In early 1973, one of New Zealand’s leading sports commentators, Geoff Sinclair, provided a ‘state of the nation’ review of football, or ‘soccer’ as the sport was widely known at the time. Sinclair, the sports editor of Sunday News, and … Read More
New Zealand’s television newsrooms have broadcast tributes to the late Brazilian superstar Pelé, including his meetings with All Whites. 1News screened a five-minute story including recollections from former All Whites head coach John Adshead and former internationals Frank van Hattum … Read More
New Zealand football legends are joining the global community with their tributes to Brazilian star Pelé, considered by many to be the greatest footballer of all time. Pelé has died in Sao Paolo, from cancer, at the age of 82. … Read More
Ron Ripley, a player who served four North Harbour clubs with more than 170 first-team appearances in the 1970s and 1980s, has died in Auckland, aged 73. Ripley turned out for Takapuna, North Shore United, East Coast Bays and Forrest … Read More
One of football’s longest-serving club secretaries, Fencibles United Life Member Danna Mandry, has died in Auckland, aged 79. She was the foundation secretary of Fencibles United when the club was formed through the merger of Howick AFC and Pakuranga Town … Read More
“Coaching has only a little to do with beating the other team …” So wrote larger-than-life North Shore United coach Don Jones in 1980. Jones’ thoughts on the lot of the club coach in the amateur New Zealand environment were … Read More