History for Cordwainer Bull

Hi Peter,

My error on 2000... But only partially. Uni-Mt Wellington actually won the 'league' part of the national league, but were beaten on penalties in the cup final part of the league. 

(My traditional side still thinks of them as league champs.)

Half accept your point on 1999. But the North Island league was actually a bloody tough league... from memory every single team in there had played national league in the 90s except Western Suburbs... Central were very worthy winners. The South Island league was perhaps not quite so rigorous. 

As for Waitakere, well, the club  was formed specifically to compete in the national league. In theory it was to be comprised of 'contributing' or 'feeder' clubs such as Lynndale (now Lynn-Avon) and West Auckland and was based at Western Springs - which Westies will tell you is not really west at all. 

Early on (some would say even late on) Waitakere never had a true west Auckland fan base in spite of all the bumph... people here sometimes mistake Jeff Vader for a Waitak fan, :-) but they are rare beasts.  It's supporters - if that is not too strong a term - come from all over the place. 

The club (clubrooms at the end of the stadium block)  was originally based at Western Springs, and had a Ponsonby PO Box.

And the players? Well, they initially came from all over Auckland... Kim Hughes, Justin Worlsey (North Shore), Glen Adam (Mt Wellington) Thomas Edge (Gisborne), Michael Legg (Mt Roskill), Marcus Gerbich (Waikato), Neil Woodhams (University), Neil Woodhams (University), Colin Hume (Manurewa).

But I would concede you are correct insofar as concerns the SPIRIT of Waitakere (and its Godfather, Rex Dawkins) which came via the Kelston club which had zoomed through the northern league in the early-mid 80s and was at least suitably westerly. And definitely the pokie money was west...

During 1991 Waitakere merged with (took over) Massey AFC and became a true West Auckland club. 

Hi Peter,

My error on 2000... But only partially. Uni-Mt Wellington actually won the 'league' part of the national league, but were beaten on penalties in the cup final part of the league. 

(My traditional side still thinks of them as league champs.)

Half accept your point on 1999. But the North Island league was actually a bloody tough league... from memory every single team in there had played national league in the 90s except Western Suburbs... Central were very worthy winners. The South Island league was perhaps not quite so rigorous. 

As for Waitakere, well, the club  was formed specifically to compete in the national league. In theory it was to be comprised of 'contributing' or 'feeder' clubs such as Lynndale (now Lynn-Avon) and West Auckland and was based at Western Springs - which Westies will tell you is not really west at all. 

Waitakere has never had a true west Auckland fan base in spite of all the bumph... people here sometimes mistake Jeff Vader for a Waitak fan, :-) but they are rare beasts.  . It's supporters - if that is not too strong a term - come from all over the place. 

The club (clubrooms at the end of the stadium block)  was originally based at Western Springs, and had a Ponsonby PO Box.

And the players? Well, they came from all over Auckland... Kim Hughes, Justin Worlsey (North Shore), Glen Adam (Mt Wellington) Thomas Edge (Gisborne), Michael Legg (Mt Roskill), Marcus Gerbich (Waikato), Neil Woodhams (University), Neil Woodhams (University), Colin Hume (Manurewa).

But I would concede you are correct insofar as concerns the SPIRIT of Waitakere (and its Godfather, Rex Dawkins) which came via the Kelston club which had zoomed through the northern league in the early-mid 80s and was at least suitably westerly. And definitely the pokie money.

During 1991 Waitakere merged with (took over) Massey AFC and became a true West Auckland club.