FORMER Gisborne City players Steve Sumner and Brian Turner will receive the Medal of Excellence from supporters group Friends of Football.
The medals will be presented at a dinner at the Auckland Grammar Old Boys’ Pavilion, Epsom, on November 6.
Football media awards will also be presented at the dinner.Finalists in the media awards are given in the free digital New Zealand football magazine FANZ, which is put out by Friends of Football.
Its latest edition has features on the future of the ASB Premiership and the growing popularity of football among Maori and Pacific Island children. It also previews the tribute to All Whites legends Sumner and Turner.
While Sumner and Turner made their names in New Zealand football playing for Christchurch United and Mt Wellington respectively, predominantly in the 1970s, they also played a season each for Gisborne City.
Turner travelled from Auckland each weekend to play for Gisborne in 1982 (alongside the other Turner, Grant) and Sumner was player-coach of City in 1987, when the club won the Chatham Cup and finished second in the national league.
Last month Sumner made public his diagnosis with prostate cancer and urged men to get regular examinations.
FANZ is the official publication of Friends of Football. It publishes at least three times a year and is available free by downloading it at http://issuu.com/hurricanepress/docs/fanz_final_4.
