Christchurch United
Encyclopedia
Christchurch United is a semi-professional association football club in Christchurch
, New Zealand
. They compete in the Robbie's Premier Football League
.
. The teams involved were Christchurch City AFC, Western AFC, Shamrock, and Christchurch Technical
, though some of these sides continued to play on as separate sides after the formation of United. As a result of a sponsorship deal it was known as Trans Tours United from 1976 to 1978.
Christchurch United was one of New Zealand’s top clubs in the 1970s and 1980s, and was national league champion on six occasions between 1973 and 1991. In September 2008, the club was promoted back into the Mainland premier league, Canterbury's top division.
The club has a long-standing affiliation with Welsh club side Rhyl F.C.
.
Chatham Cup winners: 1972
, 1974
, 1975
, 1976
, 1989
, 1991
.
Canterbury League Champions: 1998
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. They compete in the Robbie's Premier Football League
Mainland Premier League
The Mainland Premier League or Robbie's Premier Football League for sponsorship reasons is a semi-professional status league competition run by for Association football clubs located in the northern half of the South Island, New Zealand....
.
Club history
The team was formed via the merger and support of several Christchurch clubs, ostensibly to provide a strong Christchurch team for participation in the New Zealand National Soccer LeagueNew Zealand National Soccer League
The National Soccer League is a name given to competitions in which New Zealand's top soccer clubs play each other, at least two times, on a home and away basis . At the completion of the competition, the best-performed team is declared as the New Zealand champion...
. The teams involved were Christchurch City AFC, Western AFC, Shamrock, and Christchurch Technical
Christchurch Technical
Christchurch Technical was a soccer club based in Christchurch, New Zealand.It was formed in 1923 as Technical Old Boys. The club changed its name to ChristchurchTechnical in 1968. It was also known temporarily as ChristchurchCity....
, though some of these sides continued to play on as separate sides after the formation of United. As a result of a sponsorship deal it was known as Trans Tours United from 1976 to 1978.
Christchurch United was one of New Zealand’s top clubs in the 1970s and 1980s, and was national league champion on six occasions between 1973 and 1991. In September 2008, the club was promoted back into the Mainland premier league, Canterbury's top division.
The club has a long-standing affiliation with Welsh club side Rhyl F.C.
Rhyl F.C.
Rhyl Football Club is a Welsh football club, playing in the Cymru Alliance.The club was founded in 1882 and the team plays its home matches at Belle Vue, Rhyl, which can accommodate 3,000 spectators.- History :Few clubs in the Welsh Premier League have as distinguished a past as Rhyl's...
.
Trophies
National League titles: 1973, 1975, 1978, 1987, 1988, 1991.Chatham Cup winners: 1972
1972 Chatham Cup
The 1972 Chatham Cup was the 45th annual nationwide knockout football competition in New Zealand.Early stages of the competition were run on a regional basis, with the National League teams receiving a bye until the later stages of the competition. In all, 99 teams took part in the competition...
, 1974
1974 Chatham Cup
The 1974 Chatham Cup was the 47th annual nationwide knockout football competition in New Zealand.Early stages of the competition were run in three regions, with the National League teams receiving a bye until the later stages of the competition. In all, 114 teams took part in the competition, at...
, 1975
1975 Chatham Cup
The 1975 Chatham Cup was the 48th annual nationwide knockout football competition in New Zealand.Early stages of the competition were run in three regions , with the National League teams receiving a bye until the later stages of the competition. In all, 123 teams took part in the competition...
, 1976
1976 Chatham Cup
The 1976 Chatham Cup was the 49th annual nationwide knockout football competition in New Zealand.Early stages of the competition were run in three regions , with the National League teams receiving a bye until the later stages of the competition. In all, 146 teams took part in the competition - a...
, 1989
1989 Chatham Cup
The 1989 Chatham Cup was the 62nd annual nationwide knockout football competition in New Zealand.Up to the last 16 of the competition, the cup was run in three regions . National League teams received a bye until the final 64 stage...
, 1991
1991 Chatham Cup
The 1991 Chatham Cup was the 64th annual nationwide knockout football competition in New Zealand.Up to the last 16 of the competition, the cup was run in three regions , with an open draw from the quarter-finals on. National League teams received a bye until the third round...
.
Canterbury League Champions: 1998
Notable players
The following former players have all represented New Zealand- Ryan NelsenRyan NelsenRyan William Nelsen, ONZM is a New Zealand footballer who plays as a defender, and is captain of Premier League club Blackburn Rovers. Nelsen captains the New Zealand national team, the All Whites. He joined Blackburn back in 2005 on a free transfer from D.C. United...
- Bobby AlmondBobby AlmondRobert "Bobby" Ronald Almond was an association football player who represented New Zealand and was part of the first New Zealand side to contest a FIFA World Cup in 1982.-Career:...
- Keith BraithwaiteKeith BraithwaiteKeith Braithwaite is a former association football player who represented New Zealand at international level.Braithwaite made a solitary official international appearance for New Zealand in a 3-2 win over Saudi Arabia on 23 June 1988....
- Glen CollinsGlen CollinsGlen Collins is an association football player who represented New Zealand at international level.-Club career:He played as a midfielder and returned to football to play for NZFC outfit Canterbury United having switched codes to rugby for five years.-International career:He has played 3 times for...
- Ceri EvansCeri EvansCeri Evans is a former New Zealand association football player who frequently represented his country as a central defender in the 1980s and 90s. Evans attended Oxford University as a Rhodes scholar, where he studied Experimental Psychology and played for Oxford United FC...
- Graham GriffithsGraham GriffithsGraham John Griffiths is a association football player who represented New Zealand at international level.Griffiths made his full All Whites debut in a 0-0 draw New Caledonia on 25 July 1969 and ended his international playing career with 12 A-international caps to his credit, his final cap an...
- Danny HalliganDanny HalliganDanny Halligan is a former association football player who represented New Zealand at international level.Halligan spent 2 years with Brisbane United in the Australian National Soccer League from 1991 to 1993...
- Iain MarshallIain MarshallIain Marshall is a former association football player who represented New Zealand at international level.Marshall played three official full internationals for New Zealand, making his debut in a 1-1 draw with India on 1 September 1981. His other two matches were a 0-1 loss to United Arab Emirates...
- Michael McGarryMichael McGarryMichael McGarry was a successful association footballer who frequently represented New Zealand in the 1980s and 90s.-Club career:...
- Ian ParkIan ParkIan Park is a former soccer player who represented New Zealand.Park made his full All Whites debut as a substitute in a 0-0 draw with Iran on 18 August 1973, and ended his international playing career with 20 A-international caps to his credit, his final cap in a 6-1 win over Solomon Islands on 29...
- Ben SigmundBen SigmundBenjamin Robert Sigmund is a New Zealand soccer player who currently plays for A-League club Wellington Phoenix...
- Alan StroudAlan StroudAlan Stroud is a former football goalkeeper who represented New Zealand at international level.Stroud played three official A-international matches for New Zealand between 1986 and 1995, the first two against Fiji, a 2-1 win on 19 September 1986, and a 0-1 loss two years later on a 2-1 win on 19...
- Steve SumnerSteve SumnerSteven Paul Sumner is an English-born, New Zealand football player, who was captain of the national team during the country's first successful campaign to qualify for the World Cup, in 1982.-Club career:...
- Frank van HattumFrank van HattumFrancesco van Hattum is a former New Zealand football player who was a goalkeeper during the country's first World Cup finals tournament in 1982...
- Johan VerweijJohan VerweijJohan Verweij is a former football player who represented New Zealand at international level.Verweij made his full All Whites debut in a 1-0 win over Australia on 13 June 1979 and ended his international playing career with five A-international caps and one goal to his credit, his final cap a...
- Steve WooddinSteve WooddinSteven "Steve" Wooddin is a former New Zealand association football player who was a leading Striker during the country's successful campaign to qualify for the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain...