FOOTBALL IN CHRISTCHURCH-NOT RUGGER, NOT DORSET

It was an emotional moment this morning when I visited Christchurch City centre to view the state of the city after its "recent" earthquakes. The city has suffered quite enough and it was fighting back; vibrant, busy, renovating. The house we lived in for a year is no more-now a car park, the school I worked in was carrying on with some buildings earthquake proofed.

Christchurch United AFC claims to be the most successful football team in Canterbury! Well, I should like to think so. Their history is not a long one, having been formed out of several local teams in 1970 and with investment, the club grew into the National League. When I was first in NZ, in 1984, the club was competing on a national level, with several good players attracted to a wonderful lifestyle and being paid a bit to do what you like doing!

Steve Woodin, was a former Tranmere Rovers player who made it to NZ and was nationalised, playing in the 1982 World Cup-he scored against Scotland in a 2-5 group defeat. Woodin played 24 times for NZ and scored 11 goals, which made it worthwhile "nationalising".
ChCh colleague, Steve Sumner, who started at Blackpool and Preston, scored the other goal, by the way.
A previous blog links ChCh to a Welsh club, Llanfair!
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.nz/2016/01/fair-dos-for-llanfair-utd.html
ChCh Utd apparently has an affiliation with Rhyl FC too. Is it the sheep?

Another players in that All Whites' side was Bobby Almond, a Londoner, who earned his early wages at Walthamstow Avenue in the Isthmian League. He was a Spurs and Orient Youth player who eventually made it BIG to the World Cup! He was a lad, very genuine and happy with his lot.

At other times, you may have heard of Ryan Nelson, in the past of Blackburn Rovers, Spurs and QPR; he played for ChCh and earned 49 international caps. Ceri Evans was at Oxford University and played for Oxford United FC, Phil Dando was a goalkeeper who "majored" for AFC Barrow! To name a few.

So what of ChCh Utd now? Well the Rams latest website suggests hope for growth and the development of a "new" club. Playing in the regional Premier League, they are attracting many youngsters, encouraged to join the club's very able coaching sessions, summer holiday camps and in time maybe their academy. Nice set up, opened by the NZ PM

Having been a TOP club between 1973 and 1991, and national champions 6 times, they want to get back to the big time.
Bit like Nelson United?? See a few days back!