NUAFC 1968-2018

BEN HENCKEL
Known locally as the Danish Cheese,. he was born in
Esbjerg where he played for the local school champions (but not
immediately after his birth!). He arrived in the Land of the Long
White Soccer Pitch in 1958 and became a sheepherder but gave
it away when he found himself baa-ing back at them. The tendency
stayed with him and can be heard whenever he sings!
He played soccer for Otorohanga (1958) and then
Wanderers (1959-61) when he had his own restaurant in Frankton.
In 1970 he arrive in Narra and opened up the old 24-flour
takeaway on the main road.
He played for our 3rd Division in 1977 and was voted
the most Valuable player. Moved on to coach the Thirds in 1978
when they won the Ronnie Johnson Memorial Trophy (a local pre
-season tournament). The following year he lead the team to a
2nd Division title.
Ben still has a goal of playing Northern League on
his 60th birthday so he can add to his personal compilation of
"The Henckel Footballing Crapbook".
DAVE BLACKETT
Known as Dipstick Basher or Abdul the Bull-Bull he
had played soccer since his schooldays (apart from one season
as an A Grade Rugby player). He soon went back to soccer when he
found the forwards were using him as an air cushion in the
scrum.
B o r n i n W a r k w o r t h ( s o u t h o f Afghanistan
and north of Bluff) he played f or North Shore and for
Takapuna when they were Northern L e agu e winne rs. H e
c apt ain ed Northland for two years where they were the
only team to draw with Auckland (the other teams all beat
Auckland!).
Seven years with Whangarei were followed by
Wanderers, then Narra, then Wanderers and finally common
sense prevailed (he ran short of petrol) and he stayed with
Narra.
H e m a d e h i s m a r k h e r e e a r l y becoming the
Horizontal Champion, winning the Golden Blanket Trophy
through having the loudest snore. We found out later that
this was the r e a s o n h e w a s a s k e d t o l e a v e
W a r k w o r t h - h i s s n o r i n g w a s i n t e r f e r i n g with the
Warkworth Tracking station.
SEAN CROWE
EDDIE CALLAGHAN (Snr)
Eddie
was born at Boldon Colliery, County Durham starting his life as a
pit pony and his sporting career as a hockey goalkeeper (as
evidenced by his declining hairline a result of trying to head
the hockey ball clear). In the early '50s he served as a medic in
the Royal Army Medical Corp (RAMC) which backwards reads
Can't Manage A Rifle. Came to NZ in 1971 as a leg splint on the
new Auckland Zoo giraffe and settled in Dunedin as cheer-leader
for Dick Plume's PomPom Squad.
He spent his time as a supervisor in the parcel sorting
office of NZ Post where he was known as Colonel Klink of the
Lost & Lost Again Dept. His football management career started
with Claudlands Rovers where he managed his son's junior side
for two years.
Joined Narra in '82 as manager of Bernie
Carmakahzee's Samurai Squadron bringing with him a
remarkable memory knowing 26 verses of the Bladen
Races (backwards).
Sean was born just a short distance north of
Ngaruawahia in a place called Manchester where he claimed
a playing aquaintance with the Salford Under-16s as well as
Manchester United.
Arriving in NZ as a tail-gunner in a Tiger Moth he
pulled on the Hamilton 1st Division strip and warmed
the bench for their national league on several occasions.
His transfer to Narra in 1980 cost the Club two left
football boots and was well justified as he kept goal well
against all players except Steve Williams backpasses.
His adoration for Mickey Mouse commenced
when he realised that Mickey had ears just like his own.
Although mellowed by the years Sean can still be
remembered for his grasp of the English language during
training sessions and sometimes in competition with such
memorable utterances as:
"Get yer ****** inta gear, ya stoopid git!"
"If ya kin doo any ***** better, get in here and try, ya
useless *****."
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