Sad day for football in NZ.
Steve Sumner was a truly inspirational player and person.
It was a privilege to have met him, as I did in the 1990's and early 2000's.
I was 16 when the All Whites qualified for the '82 World Cup and had watched every game of the qualifying campaign from the home draw with Australia onwards.
It was great watching him play in the national league too after the '82 World Cup.
And he wrapped up his playing career in Christchurch too in the late 1980's where he won the league and cup again.
Not many players in the history of football globally can claim to have won their national cup competition six times, but Steve did (four times with Chch Utd, once each with Gisborne and Manurewa).
Five league titles too (three with Chch Utd in the 70's, one with Utd in 1988, one with Manurewa in 1983).
One nice story I heard this week was from Noah Hickey who said Steve wrote a letter to every All Whites team over the last few decades wishing them well which was read out before a match.
Another indication of how thoughtful he was when it came to players and supporters over the years.
As Bobby Almond said this week, Steve "bled black and white" such was his dedication to NZ since taking the bold move to immigrate all on his own aged only 17 in 1973.
Few 17 year-olds have the guts to emigrate alone to a foreign country on the other side of the world and settle permanently.
But Steve did and never looked back, although he remained close to his parents who he arranged to attend the '82 World cup in Spain.
He is survived by his mum in her 80's who flew to Christchurch for the opening of the Steve Sumner Stand at English Park last year.
That was a wonderful reunion of Steve's friends and family who came from all over. Several ordinary fans also went, such was their respect for the man...