Whangārei football ‘legend’ Ray Broad, aged 82, took to the field for Ngunguru for the last time on Thursday against one of his former teams Tikipunga.
Whangārei football ‘legend’ Ray Broad, aged 82, took to the field for Ngunguru for the last time on Thursday against one of his former teams Tikipunga.
After more than 40 years playing and coaching football in Whangārei, football ‘legend’ Ray Broad is finally hanging up his boots.
Mind you he is almost 83, and his knees have seen far better days, but he was determined to make his last game a significant one.
So on Thursdaynight, Broad lined up for the Ngunguru Third Division team against the first team he played for in the city - Tikipunga, at the Tikipunga Sports Ground.
He took the kick off in the game, then shortly afterwards was substituted, walking to the sidelines to cheers and congratulations from players from both teams and spectators.
The knees may have gone, but ‘legend’ Ray Broad was determined to to play his last game for Ngunguru - against Tikipunga- at age 82
Broad has always been an inspirational and motivational figure for his teams, and so it proved again on Thursday.
The Ngunguru team was 0-1 down against Tikipunga at half time ‘and they were all over us’, but after one of Broad’s ‘inspirational team talks’ they came back to win 4-3.
That impact is typical of Broad, fellow Ngunguru player Simon Herbert said, and was a fitting way to end his final game.
‘’Ray’s just a legend of football in Whangārei, having played for so long and coached so many players at different teams. He’s a real inspiration and his team pep talks really motivate the boys,’’ Herbert said.
‘’He really geed up the team at half time (on Thursday) and inspired us to the result.’’
After more than four decades playing and coaching football in Whangārei Ray Broad’s team talks before the game and at half time always inspire his team mates
Despite kicking his last ball, Broad will continue supporting and motivating the team at training and on game days for as long as he can.
Broad grew up in London, supporting Chelsea, coming here on the recommendation of his father ‘who had travelled the world a bit’ in 1963. He settled at Ngunguru with wife Jacqui and he has never looked back.
He originally played rugby ‘because I was a big Sid Going fan and the standard of football here in those days wasn’t very flash’, but after an injury, he started playing football in 1983 for Tikipunga.
He’s since played for or coached at Madhatters, Central Brown and Ngunguru, and his depth of knowledge of the beautiful game is unrivalled.
Broad said his love of the game had kept him involved for so long and he loved to train the next generation of players as they came through. In fact there’ll be many players in Whangārei who have benefited from his expertise.
‘’I just love football, It’s a great game and you make some life long friendships through it. And I feel really privileged to have been involved this long,’’Broad said.
It’s a sentiment shared by his team, with the Ngunguru boys who, as a sign of their respect, got him a club hoodie with ‘Sir Ray’ printed on the back to show just how highly they thought of him.
So what has he enjoyed most about the teams he’s played for and coached?
‘’I’ve enjoyed them all really, it’s been an honour to be involved and help out. But this is my last hurrah.
‘’I’ve made some lifetime mates through football. It’s a great game to play and be around and I’d recommend it to anybody.’’
And footballing skills run in the family, his granddaughter Niahm Quann representing NZ at under 15 and under 17 level, before sustaining an injury.
Herbert said Broad had been around the game in Whangārei for so long that everybody knew his name, with many having their game improved by his input.
At age 82, Ngunguru football legend Ray Broad walks off the pitch for the last time on Thursday night in a clash against one of his old teams Tikipunga
‘’He’s coached most of us over the years and his love of the game and passion is unbelievable and he inspires so many people,’’ Herbert said.
‘’Ray started playing here with Tiki so it’s very fitting, and welcomed by both teams, that he finishes up here as well.’’
Ngunguru play their last game of the season on Saturday and, as always, Broad will be on the sideline cheering them on - and giving them some of his unique inspirational talks, if they need it.
