This Is Our Time

On a sunny ANZAC day in 1981 I stood on the soon to be sacred turf of Mt Smart Stadium for the pre-match festivities with my fellow U11 team mates who new little of New Zealand sports outside the black jersey. Little did we know we were on the verge of being introduced to the Sumner�s, the Woddin's of the football world and some kid Herbert that would absorb our attention for the next 9 months in what was the arguably the greatest sporting achievement by any New Zealand sporting team.With rugby dominating the landscape being a kid at that time that was passionate for football wasn�t easy, we were out in the back waters of the New Zealand culture, we were mocked and shoved to the fringes of the sporting world. Substandard training grounds with one street light if you were lucky with usually some pommy git screaming �ball to feet son, ball to feet�.Then the events that unfolded over those nine months taught us valuable life lessons, that its ok to dream, its ok to follow your passion, its ok to believe in the impossible because those that do give themselves a chance to experience nights like the night we had in 1982 at the Singapore National Stadium.Twenty-Seven years later it�s different it�s a different time it�s a different game but the emotion is still the same, the feeling of believing is still the same, the hopes are still the same. This time round I can afford the jersey, this time around we are not alone, the names are different from Nelsen, to Killen to Woods to Elliot, the list goes on, all of which have made a remarkable journeys to play professional football around the world and be in Wellington for this game.Its time to stand up, stand up to the doubting main stream media, to stand up to the self absorbed rugby culture. On Saturday night it�s our time to believe, to believe in the 11 men who have the honour of wearing the All White jersey on this night, it�s our time for dreams to come true and once again it�s our time to believe in some kid called Herbert. So scream like there is no tomorrow, scream as if you life depends on it, don�t stop shouting till the final whistle, keep believing, keep dreaming because this is Our Time, Our Time for One Shot for Glory.

"usually some pommy git screaming �ball to feet son, ball to feet�

Are you sure it was a pommy saying that? Would be more like "lob it upfield lad - and hope for the best"

This thread has made me get suzy kato's "its our time" stuck in my head

Know the feeling. I was also there with an under 12 team.
It was GREAT.