By TERRY MADDAFORD
Twenty years to the day after they played Scotland in their historic World Cup match in Malaga, the 1982 All Whites will be back in action.
The most memorable period in New Zealand soccer will be relived in June with a reunion of the players, coaches, team management
and supporters. All 22 players have confirmed they will be back.
Coach John Adshead is returning from his home in Oman and players Glenn Dods and Sam Malcolmson are making the trip from Australia.
Tour leader Charlie Dempsey will make a flying visit from Korea where he will be watching the World Cup as a specially-invited guest of Fifa. He will return to Korea the day after the reunion.
Brian Turner has led the drive to ensure the golden era is suitably recognised during the celebrations from June 13 to June 16.
To reach the 1982 finals in Spain (and upsetting all predictions), the All Whites set many World Cup records.
They travelled more than 160,000km, played more games (15) than any team in World Cup history and beat Fiji 13-0 - a cup record at the time.
They were on the road from April 1981 to January 1982, when they beat China 2-1 in a play-off in Singapore - a game that Turner missed through suspension.
To win through to the finals in Spain, the All Whites played in a number of countries, including Australia, where they won 2-0 after playing out a 3-3 draw with the Socceroos in the 1981 Anzac Day opener.
Led by Adshead and assistant coach Kevin Fallon, the national side also played in Fiji, Chinese-Taipei and Indonesia in the initial round.
Then followed home and away matches in China, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
The success of the team brought an excitement rarely seen in New Zealand.
Now the players, including Oceania player of the century Wynton Rufer, have a chance to reflect.
Turner and his committee are determined that the reunion will not be just a bunch of fuddy duddies turning up for a beer and bite.
After assembling on June 13 for a social function for the players, support staff and their partners, the pace will pick up the following day at a golf day at the Remuera Golf Club.
The public will be invited and will have the opportunity to join one or more of the players.
The real focus comes on June 15 when the players, Adshead and Fallon will hold coaching clinics for young players from Federations one and two.
That afternoon it will be back to business, with the players donning their boots for a celebrity match at North Harbour Stadium.
Among their opponents are likely to be players whose international careers ended just before the World Cup. They include Ron Armstrong, Dave Taylor, Clive Campbell and Earle Thomas
It is hoped they will be joined by players from other sporting teams of that time, including Sir Richard Hadlee, John Kirwan, Alan and Gary Whetton, Marc Ellis and Matthew Ridge.
The official dinner will follow that night.
There are plans to bring players from the Scottish team who played in Malaga as special guests.
The dinner will include a video presentation and a charity auction.
Proceeds from the auction will go to the Child Cancer Foundation and junior soccer.
"I'm delighted everyone is going to be here," Turner said yesterday.
"By saying he will certainly be here, Charlie Dempsey has shown just what 1982 meant to him.
"I just hope we now get a really big turnout to acknowledge the part this team played in the game in New Zealand."
By TERRY MADDAFORD
Twenty years to the day after they played Scotland in their historic World Cup match in Malaga, the 1982 All Whites will be back in action.
The most memorable period in New Zealand soccer will be relived in June with a reunion of the players, coaches, team management
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