John Parkin was in the Eastern Union team who won the Central Districts League in 1967 and, renamed Gisborne City, contested the Central League. While at Ardmore Teachers’ Training College, he played for Manurewa in the Northern League.
Evan Parkin was in the Gisborne City team that beat Miramar Rangers 3-0 in Wellington on September 6, 1969, to clinch a place in the inaugural National League in 1970.
He also played for Gisborne City in the National League before moving to Wellington, where he played for Seatoun in the Central League.
On his return to Gisborne, Evan coached United in the Central League third division and a Thistle youth team. In a 10-year refereeing career he was a linesman for many National League games.
Terry Parkin was a regular at leftback for Kevin Fallon and Ray Veall at Gisborne City in 1974 and was picked for the New Zealand under-21 team that year. He moved to Hawke’s Bay and became a stalwart member of Napier City Rovers at Central League and National League level, and won a Chatham Cup winner’s medal. He coached Napier City Rovers youth teams and is now in football administration.
Sam Parkin’s elder brother Matt also played for Gisborne City, in the Central League. He later played for Melville United in the Northern League and — alongside fellow Gisborne players Shane Hooks and Grant Cooper — in the 2003 Chatham Cup final.
Evan Parkin was in the second Form 1 class at Ilminster Intermediate, and among his schoolmates were Iain and Duncan Ormond, sons of former Scottish professional footballer Bert, who came to Gisborne to play for Eastern Union and later coached Gisborne Thistle. Bert Ormond and his family moved to Auckland, where Bert coached Blockhouse Bay with great success.
In 1967, Evan and and another future Gisborne City player, Max Davis, were chosen from the Gisborne Boys’ High School team to be in the New Zealand Secondary Schoolboys’ Tournament team. The goalkeeper of that team was Richard Hadlee, who had yet to burst on to the international cricket scene as a fast bowler.
With National League status secured, the next milestone for Evan was his first game in the new league. Amiably ruthless centreback Ian Sim had a quiet word with him before the match. Evan was playing rightback and was up against the star Blockhouse Bay left-winger, Iain Ormond, his old schoolmate.
“Simmo said Iain Ormond was a tricky player, and the first time he came down the wing I was to clatter him,” Evan said.
“Iain Ormond comes down the wing, and I clatter him.
“The referee, Ron Harries, blows his whistle, comes over and says, ‘If you do that again, you’ll hurt yourself’.
“You wouldn’t get away with it today. The first tackle was free in those days.”
Former referee and referees assessor John Jones says Harries, an experienced and outstanding referee, would have been thinking of Parkin’s wellbeing.
“Evan used to tackle with complete disregard for his own safety,” Jones said.
“Ron probably thought Evan’s tackling technique left him open to injury.”
