History – Late starters

I thought with the FIFA World Cup happening in the northern hemisphere, it would be interesting to trace the history of soccer in the Warkworth area. To my surprise, I found the first references were in the 1960’s for some schoolboy fixtures, plus adult games organised through notices in the Rodney Times.

First up were friendly games with neighbouring rural settlements such as Matakana, Mangawhai and Port Albert. By 1970, the Warkworth soccer team was competing in Auckland’s 3rd AFA and by 1973, some of the team came from further afield, including John Law, who later became mayor of Rodney. Then there was a hiatus for a while.

It would appear that Glenys and Andy Tucker were the instigators in 1981 for the further establishment of soccer in the area. The 1982 FIFA World Cup was brewing and, for the first time, New Zealand was sending a team. The Tuckers’ young son Craig was keen to play soccer so an advertisement in the local paper brought together a lot of keen people and the Auckland Association Football Club of the time kindly helped train people into coaching roles for the juniors.

Compare this with other sports in the area such as cricket. The first local match recorded was in January 1872 between Mahurangi and Wharehine, with names like Hudson, Wilson and Whitaker. Cricket had the advantage of being able to be played in a farmer’s paddock. The first recorded game in Kaipara Flats was in 1880, with games against Warkworth and Puhoi. Interestingly Ladies Cricket started up in Kaipara Flats in the 1930’s.
Rugby was another early starter, around 1883. It, too, could be played in a paddock. Warkworth Football Club (rugby) had a winning team in 1911 with caps and photos on display in the Warkworth Museum.

Most of the local areas fielded teams over the years: Omaha, Tomarata, Wellsford, Warkworth and Kaipara Flats, again another early starter in 1889. Around 100 years after starting in the area several of these local clubs combined to form the Mahurangi Rugby Club.

Hockey has featured in the area from around 1900. Before World War I there were at least five teams entered in the Rodney competition – Matakana, Warkworth, and Dome Valley, plus Bridge House and Red Bluff. The Red Bluff Orchard was known to have a form of daylight saving so the lads could fit in their sports practices. International touring teams have also played hockey in Rodney including Australia, India and Fiji.

These sports were all to benefit from Dr Shoesmith’s bequest of his land in Hill Street to the people of Warkworth. However, it wasn’t until after his widow’s death and World War II that the land was developed as playing fields, with many comments on the quality of the ground. In the 1950’s hockey, cricket and rugby all used the grounds. Now the A&P Showground provides an excellent venue for many sports, but soccer, now strong in the area, continues to use Shoesmith Domain.