A
BRIEF OUTLINE ON HISTORY AS I KNOW IT (by Kate Kingsland.)
NOMADS UNITED A.F.C (Inc)
1910
to 1915
Nomads
United A.F.C was
founded in 1910 but not officially registered until 13th March 1911
in the Eastern/Central Christchurch area, after a group of Soccer players had
been competing informally in Wellington and Christchurch since 1909. Its first
meeting was held in Mr. Perry’s boot shop in Armagh Street.
It
seems that the original intention was to establish the club’s headquarters
temporarily in a particular suburb, create an interest in soccer as a sport, and
then leave a nucleus organization behind before moving to another suburb and
repeating the exercise. It is a fact, that in the original first constitution,
the main aim was “To establish and promote the game of soccer in
Canterbury”. Indeed only Rangers of Christchurch (who were formed a few short
months before Nomads, together with Northern or Dunedin and Nelson United, are
older than Nomads in the South Island. Many other suburban clubs were originally
formed by a spin-ff of old Nomads followers, players and coaches.
The
Club colours
– Red, White and Blue, were those first chosen following the image of the then
and now still prominent CHELSEA CLUB in London.
During
those early years from 1911, through the 1920’s and 1930’s Nomads continued
to grow and were apparently always on or near the top in Men’s Football. Our
name appears on many of Canterbury’s oldest trophies such as the English Cup,
which Nomads won in 1916. In 1912 we won the Canterbury Shield. This Shield now
forms the centrepiece of the Hurley Shield, as it is today.
1915
to 1930
English
Park opened on the 1st May 1915 and one week later, on the 8th
May of that year Nomads Played the first club game on the park, a friendly match
against a team called Christchurch United, not the same composition, and won
2-0. It is understood that Nomads’ Centre
Forward of the day, Willie Howie, scored the first goal on English Park.
1930
to 1940
During
the 1930’s, Nomads a home ground was at Richmond Park and in 1932 were
runners-up in the Chatham Cup to Traurewa. In 1938 we were the beaten South
Island Finalists in the Chatham Cup losing 10-1 to Mosgiel. In that year Nomads
contributed not less than 6 players to the Canterbury team.
Back
in the 1930’s it was realized that if soccer was to progress for New Zealand
born players, the local lads had to be guided into the code, early. Many clubs
at that time tried to establish boys teams and indeed, the Club Captain of
Nomads, a fellow by the name of Ken Johnstone, who was our keenest advocate of
boys football, was an early, perhaps and inaugural member of what is today the
C.J.F.A.
One
of Canterbury Soccer’s stalwarts for many years and a life Member of the then
C.F.A – the late Mr Trevor Gottermeyer, joined Nomads in 1938 and was the Club
Secretary for three years from 1939.
1939
to 1950
During the 1939 – 45 2nd World War, some 48 Nomads members went over to serve, two of which didn’t return.
On
through the 1950’s and into 1960’s, when the club joined forces with Shirley
to become Shirley/Nomads, under such Past Presidents as Wyn Jones and Maurice
McKenzie, that we became a Registered Incorporated Society, Registered with the
Justice Department. Our home ground at that stage was Malvern Park and Later
McFarlane Park. By now soccer had reached far more competitive levels, with more
teams around to do battle with and honours were increasingly more difficult to
achieve.
Such
club names as Celtic, Thistle, Atlantis and the Dutch formed teams of Neerlandia
passed in and out of soccer history. H.S.O.B was formed in the med 50’s.
However, Nomads continued to be force in both Men’s and Junior Football and
our senior sides were probably at their strongest during this era. I
1950
to 1960
In the
late 1950’s we commenced our regular association with Northern of Dunedin on
an annual Home and Away basis for our seniors. This later reverted to our
Juniors and the Rennel Trophy, a well sort after rewards, was eagerly challenged
for each year up until the late 1990’s where cost seem to have ended what was
a real Annual Social Event for the Club. Also during the 1950’s the club ran
Annual Balls at the Mayfair Loungs, which generally was attended by all the
clubs.
1960
to 1970
In 1961,
Dave Stapely headed a team who ran the club’s 50th Jubilee.
By 1969
when it became time for Nomads to move out of the Shirley area, soccer was well
established all over Christchurch except in the Northwest in the
Papanui/Bishopdale area. It was decided to settle permanently in Papanui.
Negotiations
with the then Waimairi County Council produced a market garden site in Claridges
Road for playing fields. This site is now known as Tulett Park and is name after
the Tulett Family, which has a long residential history in the Bishopdale
location.
1970
to 1980
At this
time – May 1972 our current name of Nomads United A.F.C (Inc) was incorporated
and duly registered.
By 1973,
the first two grounds, plus the rest of Tulett Park still in the rough, Redwood
Park and four local school ground were being used to capacity by the club’s 21
junior and senior teams. 2 junior teams were even practicing on a small
children’s playground in Grampian Street. In 1974 the Council land out and cut
two Junior and Two extra Senior pitches on Tulett Park. In 1974 permission was
granted to build a temporary club facility on the park and this was carried out
early in 1975 at a relatively expensive cost at the time, as the cost of tapping
into the water supply some 420 meters along Claridges Toad had to be met by the
club, plus 140 metres of underground power cable form the street and install a
septic tank. However the “Tin Shed” as it was affectionately known, still
stands today as a reminded of the Club previous best efforts.
Also in
1975 the club was blessed with a new modern day phenomenon, the formation of the
Ladies section.
1980
to 1990
In 1983
following the World Cup in Spain our total playing strength reached an all time
high of 42 teams covering all sections. The early to mid 1980’s as far as our
Senior Men’s Team was concerned, was termed the “Stewart Years” in
recognition of the successes gained under the coach of that time – Mr Martin
Stewart, who incidentally is at the present time Assistant Coach to Mr Keith
Braithwaite of the Club’s now Federation 6 Team. At this time, the club was
again on the map and won the Hertz Southern League.
Although
the successes of all the Club’s sections in the later 70’s and early 80’s
were a joy to behold, the club itself was on the verge of Bankruptcy. So in
January 1981 a Loan of $3,100.00 personally guaranteed by Five Committee Members
of the day was granted by the then Canterbury Savings Bank to set the club back
on its feet. Fortunately, the loan was repaid in two years and by 1987 through
many and varied fundraising activities, the club was able to boast a healthy
current account balance, together with investments in the Clubrooms account of
$75,000.00 and thus the current facility came about.
As an
interim measure to provide a focus and a meeting place for the club, a
three-year lease was taken out on 170 square meters of first floor space in the
Papanui Indoor Cricket Centre, 27 Harewood Road – close by the Papanui retail
area. A club office which was open four days a week opened on 2nd
February 1986 and an equipment storage room and a large meeting come social
room, which went through some major furbishing, was put to great use, and
finally brought the club, which had grown amazingly, under one roof.
The 75th
Jubilee of the Club was held at these premises, prior to the Opening of the
current facility in April 1989. The 75th Jubilee was a well-attended
Weekend, which was kicked off in the old traditional style of what these days
would be frowned upon, with a ‘Smokers Night’ this was followed on
the Saturday with an Invitational Match at Tulett Park and then a well-attended
Social Function on the Saturday Evening. The conclusion of the weekend was a
luncheon on the Sunday with as much Memorabilia on display as could be amassed.
1990
to 2000
In the
years running up to the opening of the current Clubrooms, and following its
completion, a healthy band of fundraiser work tirelessly, four nights a week
raising money around the ‘establishments’ of Christchurch to pull together
funds to cover the cost of the Clubrooms. This was an amazing contribution of
time and effort, one, which would be hard pressed in these time to repeat.
Following
the opening of the Current Facility on Tulett Park, much effort and time was
spent bringing the club together and making good use of what is heralded as one
of the best if not the best Soccer Facility in the South Island/NZ as there are
not a lot of Clubs which can boast Clubrooms, Changing Facility, Referees/First
Aid/Equipment Rooms, a League Pitch, 3 Senior Pitches and 4 Junior Pitched –
all at one location.
2000
to
The turn
of the New Millennium brought about perhaps the biggest change in Administration
that Nomads had seen for a number of years, with some long standing volunteers
opting for the quiet life. The club presently has perhaps the highest number of
Life Members, that is has had for many years, with the current Club Patron, Jim
Waddell, Past Secretary – Kate Kingsland, Past President/Club
Captain/Coach – Pat Topp, Players/Committee Members/Ladies, Men’s and
Junior Coaches/ Husband and Wife/ Noeline and Frank Rutherford, Convenor/Coach/Player/Manager
– Julie Hammond Player/Junior coach/Convenor/ Publicity officer /
Manageress, & Eric Waller the man behind the mini league for many
year most are still actively involved with the club in some form
or another.
Hopefully, History will go on from here as this is a brief outline of Nomads from its early days through to the present time, as I can recall it from various sources from through out my time, when I was involved with the Club.
Kate
Kingsland.
If
you can help with any more information about the club please email me with the
details, it would be great to hear more about the club.
For further information please send an email to info@nomadsafc.org.nz