"It's funny to remember," Harris told the Herald on Sunday. "Because they played in an all white strip, I wrote this song which began with 'We're the All Whites' and the name stuck. It was most obvious. That's how it came about."
Born in London, Harris had emigrated from England in 1971, and began following football here. He recalls many memorable games that decade, with the visits of Stoke City, Sunderland, England B and Ipswich Town. Harris attended plenty of big matches at Newmarket Park and was at Mt Smart for the opening 1982 World Cup qualification game, a 3-3 draw with Australia.
"Back then there was just a hill where the main stand is now and hundreds of us up there, yahooing about," says Harris. "I thought it needed some kind of focal point."
Harris recalled the various World Cup ditties composed for British teams over the years.
"I thought 'if we can get something like that going it would be great'," says Harris.
After that first game at Mt Smart, the team played in Ba, Taipei, Jakarta and Sydney, wearing the white shorts for the first time in the games against Indonesia and the Socceroos.
The story goes that Adidas didn't have enough supply of black shorts ahead of the trip, so they were asked to throw in some sets of white ones.
"You go through a lot of kit on those tours," recalled striker Steve Wooddin. "We wore white and everybody seemed to like it."
After the famous 2-0 win at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the team returned to a heroes welcome, with thousands of fans at Auckland airport. Big crowds then attended the subsequent home games against Indonesia and Fiji, which inspired Harris, who had spent 26 years in the band service of the Royal Marines, to pen his tune.
Harris then met with Harry Dods – the chief executive and fundraiser behind the campaign – and New Zealand Football supremo Charlie Dempsey, who gave their blessing.
"I took the manuscript and they liked it," says Harris. "I remember Harry saying to Charlie, 'Are you happy with this, giving the team a name?' He said 'yes, of course. They put me in touch with Global Sports, a promotion group and it all took off from there."
The New Zealand Motor Corporation, where Harris worked as a supply manager, agreed to underwrite all expenses and Tina Cross was brought in to sing vocals with the team at Stebbing Studios in Ponsonby.
"I remember going to the studio and doing it," says 1982 midfielder Keith Mackay. "We were into it – it was something to do, getting out of the hotel.
"It was good; we had our own sort of song and it was a bit of a laugh. And she was a big star obviously."
The anthem aired during subsequent coverage of the team on TV1 and boomed over the speakers at Mt Smart.
A later version was recorded with Ray Woolf, as the B side to Carl Doy's Heading for the Top. The tune caught on, both on the terraces and within the team.
"I remember all singing it on the bus, after some games," says 1982 striker Brian Turner.
Harris, who resides at a rest home on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, is proud of his role in establishing an iconic name.
"The media didn't christen them, we did and the fans did," says Harris. "The credit goes to NZMC. I was very pleased. I thought we did a bit to help the team along, getting people yelling and shouting with a bit of focus to it."
Needless to say, Harris is bemused by the idea of the nickname being dropped.
"Why is there this fetish these days for people to rush and find reasons for changing things because it might offend somebody," says Harris. "We have had the All Blacks name for 100 years or more. There is never any question about that. How far does it go?"
"They are looking for excuses to demonstrate that they are after inclusivity. Well it is not changing a name…it is what you do."
Marching Off to Spain (Vince Harris)
We're the All Whites and we're marching off to Spain
We've scored goals, goals, goals and we'll score some more again
We're New Zealand, let's put soccer on our map
So come on all New Zealanders, let's sing and shout and clap
Kiwis, All Whites,
We're New Zealand, let's put soccer on our map
So come on all New Zealanders, let's sing and shout and clap
Kiwis All Whites,
We've got spirit, that's what makes our team so great
We've got pride, pride, pride, our opponents know their fate
We're New Zealand and we're on our way to Spain
So come on all New Zealanders let's hear it once again
Kiwis, All Whites,
We're New Zealand and we're on our way to Spain
So come on all New Zealanders let's hear it once again
Kiwis All Whites, Kiwis All Whites
We're the All Whites and we're marching off to Spain
We've scored goals, goals, goals and we'll score some more again
We're New Zealand, let's put soccer on our map
So come on all New Zealanders, let's sing and shout and clap
Kiwis, All Whites, Kiwis, All Whites, Kiwis, All Whites,
