Pride of NZ Awards: Keeping up with the players

Neville Meek started keeping his North Shore RFC records in an old buisness diary in 1958. Photo / Jason Dorday

For 57 years loyal North Shore rugby fan has recorded details of on-field achievements.

Neville Meek - Lifetime Achievement

Armed with an orange notebook and walking frame, 80-year-old Neville Meek stands at the sideline of a rugby game jotting down players' names, tries and overall scores.

Unless there is a family wedding or funeral, Mr Meek will carefully record details of every North Shore Rugby Football Club (RFC) senior game, be it home or away, and has done since 1958.

He has kept newspaper clippings in scrapbooks since the 1950s, created annual reports since the '70s and has contributed to two books commemorating the club's 100th and 125th birthdays.

He may be North Shore RFC's most loyal fan and former employee.

For his dedication to the club, Mr Meek has been nominated for a Pride of New Zealand Award in the Lifetime Achievement category.

"His contribution to our club is immeasurable," said his nominator.

Mr Meek said he thinks all the players should be recognised.

So far the number of players has topped more than 700, including seven All Blacks.

"We look back on the records and there are all these names coming out at you, and people think, 'oh yes, I remember him'," he said.

Mr Meek half-jokes that he's trying to pass the record-keeping baton on.

"I had a stroke a couple of years ago and it's slowed me down a little bit," he said.

"I'm 80 years old but they tell me I'm doing a good job and not in the box yet.

"Nice friends I've got!" he added.

"But, I would miss it if I wasn't doing it."

Mr Meek's record-taking began in a large 1934 business diary belonging to his father, which had never been used.

"It stands about a foot high, eight inches wide and more than three inches deep.

"I've been sort of filling that up - that's where the main part of it is."

But he is well-known for the "trusty" orange notebook that accompanies him to every game, said his nominator.

Mr Meek started scrapbooks of the game write-ups in the 1950s.

He would take clippings from the Herald and the Auckland Star's 8 O'Clock sports paper.

Now, those clippings have been scanned and uploaded to the RFC website by a team of Takapuna Grammar students.

He isn't certain how many other clubs have such detailed records going so far back. Many clubs were inspired to create similar processes once they learned what Mr Meek had been doing.

"And I say, well, start now and in 20-odd years you'll be up to where I am."