By TERRY MADDAFORD
Gwyn Evans' death this week closed an indelible chapter in New Zealand soccer.
Evans arrived in New Zealand from his native Wales in 1963 and immediately made his mark as a talented centre-half in Christchurch. Fifteen years as a professional - including 10 with Crystal Palace - underlined his better-than-average ability.
Those skills were quickly apparent as he took the reins as captain and later player-coach at Christchurch City, who later joined forces with Shamrock, Rangers and Technical to form Christchurch United - a team which was to become one of the real forces in the game here.
Evans led City in the 1967 Chatham Cup final at Wellington's Basin Reserve going down 2-1 to the Ken Armstrong-coached North Shore.
Evans later made his mark as a coach as he juggled part-time careers in teaching and football.
His first wife, who as Joyce Williamson won many New Zealand table tennis titles, joined him in a busy sporting life.
Evans, a one-time British amateur snooker champion, moved to Nelson where he continued as player-coach and found time to show his skills in darts, bowls and snooker, winning a Nelson-area award.
He later moved into administration. From 1981-87 Evans was the secretary-general of the New Zealand Football Association. - the first such appointment from a playing rather than administrative background.
During that period the national body moved its headquarters from Wellington to Auckland to signal a change of thinking and direction of a sport which had seemingly meandered through its first 90 years.
"Gwyn Evans was a very good secretary-general just as he was a very good player," said Charlie Dempsey, who was chairman of the national association during Evans' term. "He always had a smile. His outgoing personality won him many friends and much respect.
"He was very, very efficient and I must say we never had the problems we seem to have in today's world.
"It was only when he became unwell he reluctantly decided to call it a day."
He and his second wife Eleanor moved to Waiheke Island where they ran the store at Little Oneroa.
Despite his deteriorating health, which eventually led to the amputation of his legs, Evans never lost his love for sport.
Immensely proud of his children Darryl, Ceri and Mandy, Evans spoke with particular delight at Ceri's progress to the top, off and on the soccer field. In more than 60 internationals, including some as captain, Ceri Evans made his mark, like his father, as an uncompromising centre-back.
In England as a Rhodes Scholar, he played professionally for Oxford United finding time in 1990 to return to New Zealand to play in a special benefit match in honour of his ailing father.
Off the field Ceri Evans worked as a doctor and was accepted into the respected London School of Psychiatry. He is now Registrar of St Georges Hospital.
Gwyn Evans, confined to his Waiheke Island house for many of his latter years, continued his interest in football, acting as a consultant to the national body.
A couple of years ago he proudly arranged to have a photograph taken of Ceri and another former international centre-half Rodger Gray and their newly born sons.
He saw the babies as possibly the future face of New Zealand soccer.
Gwyn Evans will be cremated at a private service in Auckland on Wednesday. A memorial service will be held at the Waiheke Bowling Club on Friday.
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