Ian Marriot Remembers

Come On "Town" As I ponder re-patriation to NZ from my home in Nottingham England I was encouraged to come upon the "Town" website. Have first kicked a football on the hallowed Rex Morpeth Park at the beautifully free age of five for an under 8s side named "North End"; Whakatane Town AFC was indelibly stamped into my psyche from a young age. Even when I travel to watch my beloved Arsenal around the world I am reminded that my first love in football is really Whakatane Town. I remember as a youngster with my mate Mark Maynard watching the first team on a Saturday afternoon (his dad was in goal) and many of the clubs older members were displaying their silky skills. Johnny Bowden and Roger Greenwood rock solid, Jimmy Carlin whizzing down the wing and Billy Finlayson juggling his way out of trouble time and time again. How we marvelled at those skills. Several of them would coach me in latter years and in a way mould me into the person I became...no I'm not blaming you guys.....We would go to the after match drinks (My mum always made sandwiches for after the game) which were then held in a rickety shed at the back of the War Memorial hall which was a shell of a building itself. I harassed any one who would listen or more importantly, give me money, to sponsor a brick for the construction of our new clubrooms. I recall the Raymonds Soccer Club from Fiji visiting and well and truly turning us (see there I go again..I was probably 10 at the time...us indeed) over. They had an impressive centre forward by the name of Victor Roden who tore us apart. Many years later I would play in a charity match with him. He became a family friend. I even think that I hated red for many years because it was worn by Kawerau. I had some good mates from the Mill town but when they wore the red and I wore the white... things changed. Oh we all stayed friends except for 60 minutes. I remember many things from back then. the day we first won the Tasman Cup in Kawerau, the same year our Under 16 side hade won its league, a side that featured some quality "Towners", Stewart Stephens, Andrew "Pom" Crawford, Ian Davies oh and many others. The inaugural Bay Day Tournament was a big deal then. I would eventually wear that badge...the rock that was our pride, for the first team. After a short stint playing in Australia in 83 I returned and joined a squad coached by Neil Jesson and managed by Alan Dancer playing in the Northern League.How I hated those pre season runs up the gorge. I played a few matches before moving to Auckland. I think the guys finished third or fourth. Not a bad effort. I had played for every age group side in Whakatane, and all the senior teams. guess that just leaves the vets! Me. I continued to play a bit over the years around the globe and eventually finished playing competitive football ( I don't think one ever stops being competitive when a ball is being kicked) for Queenstown Rovers in the Southern Premier League in 2002 at a struggling 37 years of age. Strange though...I only ever seemed to play well for clubs that wore black and white. Many dreams were played out on those hallowed grounds in the Bay of Plenty. Town gave me many memories and many mates and after all isn't that what sport is really about! Good luck to all teams this year and I look forward to catching a few matches when I return in July. Ian Marriott A Whakatane Town Fan