NUAFC 1968-2018

1983
We are 15!
What a great 15 years we have had as a Club! From our
inaugural year in 1969 when we fielded one team in the Waikato 2nd
Division, through to the end of 1983 and a place in the Northern League
1st Division!
A man with vision was responsible for our successes on the
way through the seasons - Joe Templeton, our Founder and
Patron. He well remembers those in 1968 who said soccer would have
no future in Ngaruawahia! Joe started it all off as he filled the positions of
Coach, Manager, Trainer and Transport Officer!
Early in the Club's history we were approached by Affco
Rangers to amalgamate. We accepted their moving in with us and
gained Northern league status painlessly. Dave Hall entered the scene
shortly afterwards and was the driving force behind our rise from 4th to
1st Division in five short seasons.
The Club's weekly bulletin (started in 1979) continues to
provide interesting reading of happenings, personalities and match
reports, and is read as widely as England, Canada, South America,
Australia and many parts of New Zealand. We have had many a laugh
at ourselves through this instrument. My thanks go to John McDermid
and Armstrong & Springhall Social Club for making this Bulletin
possible.
We were saddened in June by the loss of Georgean Miller, a
staunch supporter of our Club. Her passing away left a void that will he
felt for a long time.
Wasn't that a great day when our Senior Team paraded in
their travelling uniform! Ripples flowed out around the district and
there were many envious opponents - especially in the Hamilton
Clubrooms after our 0-2 loss to City. Here we were beaten but not
defeated!
A sneaky rumour went around the Club that it was Glen Gray
who had paid for me to take my family to Canada so that he could get
control of the Weekly Bulletin!!! Thanks Glen and Liz for continuing
in my absence - it's appreciated. I was not too impressed with
Canadian Professional Football, and from the sketch done of me in
Calgary, they weren't too impressed with mine!
Being our second Yearbook, there was much to be learned
from our first (hurried) effort in 1982. I hope this edition meets with a
more interesting response. All teams were approached to submit
reports for inclusion, and it is a bit disappointing that several squads
had nothing to report. However we have ended up with a partial record of
1983, better than no record at all.
Some of the highlights of 1983???
Collapse of the Unicol 5-a-side pre-season tournament
Not being accepted for the Rotorua pre-season tournament
Advancing to the second days play of the Cambridge tournament #
Nacho Reye's 12-day suspension
9th & 11th Grade teams won their Divisions
Glenys Fraser represents NZ at the World Womens Body-building
Competition
We are invited to apply for Super League status
Council commences new field development
Elliot Cathro and Keith Mackrell were selected as Waikato reps
Regan MacDonald invited to Canadian Soccer Clinic
Senior team equipped with travelling blazers
the sponsorship gained from Affco, Hertz and Radio Waikato.
The Club has now moved out of its fledgling stage and has started
to spread its wings. Those in the administration are prepared to move with it -
are you?
THE GREEN MACHINE — ITS GOT TO BE GOOD FOR YOU !!!
Excitement, disappointment, Triumph, failure, fantastic goals,
miserable misses — these were the ingredients experienced by all
supporters of the Green Machine during the 1983 season. Familiar faces
from the previous year plus some exciting new prospects augured well
for the Club and, in retrospect, the Club should be well pleased with the
result. Although not quite the triumph expected it was by no means a failure.
We can look forward to 1st Division Status in 1984. At our disposal
we have two 'tried and true' coaches in Dave Hall and Bernie Carmody
who will be great assets in our future plans. Add to that the experience
behind the scenes of Mary, Charlie Senior, Charlie Junior, Liz Gorman, George
Sunnex, Eddie Callaghan Senior and Sandy MacDonald, which will ensure an
enviable backup.
The Youth team was thrown in at the deep end and, although
they never won a game, the experience was invaluable. We must remember
that these lads, the bulk of whom were around 15, were playing against
teams comprising lads at least two years their senior, and who had
played together before. Their inauspicious beginnings wasn't helped by
mismanagement but, they stuck together, and if they do that for another
couple of seasons, they will undoubtedly be a force to be reckoned with (and
take the Youth Team Title).
Like the Youth Team, the 2nd Division had a hard row to hoe.
Coached by who-ever happened to be there on the night, some­times
overloaded, sometimes shorthanded with players, they never had a
cohesive force throughout the season. Capable of good play they often
slipped into mediocrity, mainly because of the team changes and poor
coaching (and a lack of interest didn't help their cause at all.
With a fair balance of youth and experience there are plenty of
indications that all problems can be overcome, although, unfortunately the
present 1983 Coach Graham (Pom) Howard is about to be transferred South
by the Army. However, if the right person takes hold of the reins you can be
sure they will have the support of the team and the Club.
The 1st Division, in many ways, has proved to be the most
disappointing team in the Club. Well Coached and Managed by Bernie
Carmody and Eddie Callaghan, with a wealth of talent knocking on the
Northern League door, when the chips were down they were found wanting.
At times during the season the teams played brilliantly - at other
times they were abysmal! Old heads George Sunnex, Rod Hill and
Bruce McIntosh were supplemented by the youthful exuberance of Chris
Spray, Grant Carlson, Elliot Cathro, Peter Magee and Eddie Callaghan Jnr;
but still, for some unaccountable reason, the results were not forthcoming
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