Biggest soccer clash in Wanganui history

Did your grandfather ever tell you about the time the North Island played the South Island in Wanganui?

The Wanganui Chronicle would like to hear from anyone who can help with research into the big football association match played at Cooks Gardens on September 17, 1921.

This wooden display frame houses the pictures of both teams, with the honorary secretary of the Wanganui Football Association (FA) Mr T G Wilkes showing no favouritism by appearing with both.

It was discovered in Palmerston North in 1989 and purchased for $50 by Clayton Bunker, the year before he became president of the Wanganui FA.

"It was a shop, these people were going to back to England," Bunker said of the day he and his wife were browsing through the establishment.

"My wife said, 'that's soccer', I said 'it can't be'."

With the frame comes the old Wanganui Chronicle notices and the September 19 report on the match, which proved to be a thrilling 4-4 draw.

"It's blow for blow," said Bunker.

Between the World Wars, the-then annual match was the biggest game of association football ever played in Wanganui.

Despite hundreds heading to Wellington to watch the third rugby test between the All Blacks and Springboks that day, a crowd of 3000 were at Cooks Gardens to take in the spectacle.

The underdog South Island team were unfortunate not to win the match after scoring first they had to fight back from 2-1 and 3-2 deficits to be leading 4-3 well into the second half.

The Southerners suffered key injuries to three players as two Mr C Hogg and Mr C E Shaw had to leave the field.

Coming on as a replacement was a local player a Mr Cameron who himself lasted only 20 minutes before suffering a shoulder injury and being forced to retire. Mr Cameron is not present in the South Island team photograph.

Adding to the drama was the Wanganui referee Mr W G Herd was afflicted with a bad leg and had to come off, with Mr B L Salmon, secretary of the New Zealand Football Association, taking over his duties. Mr Herd appears in both team photographs.

Bunker and the Wanganui Chronicle would like to hear from anyone with memories or recollections from this match perhaps the families of Mr Wilkes, Mr Cameron and Mr Herd.