Eltham AFC celebrates 50yr legacy
Eltham AFC's 50 years of passion, perseverance, and pride
Alot has changed in Eltham over the past 50 years, but one thing that’s remained constant is the love of the game, says Eddie Sanderson. Eddie is a committee member of Eltham AFC Football Club and says this weekend the club is set to celebrate its 50th anniversary - and everyone’s welcome to come along and enjoy the celebrations.
“Everyone is welcome to come down, watch our games and have a chat.”
There will be four exhibition matches on the day, he says, with the A senior men’s, 2nd division men’s and senior ladies, as well as a “club legends” team all playing against guest team Woodleigh Football Club.
Eddie says while three of the four matches will follow the usual timings, the club legends match will be different.
“For the sake of them having to get to work on Monday, and actually being able to make it to the gettogether later that day, this will be played on the juniors field with the game only having 20-minute halves.”
Eddie says Woodleigh FC was formed around the same time as Eltham.
“Both Eltham and Woodleigh are in rebuilding phases and have likeminded attitudes to the game.”
As well as the exhibition matches, there will be a get-together in the Eltham AFC clubrooms in Taumata Park. It’s not a ticketed event, says Eddie.
“It will be a get-together of those taking part in the day’s activities along with any current or past members and their families who wish to attend. I am expecting many tall tales and anecdotes about games and shenanigans from the years.”
While there’s no record of exactly how members the club had in its early years, Eddie says it’s understood the club had six teams in the first year, with three primary school-aged teams, an under 14s, an under 18s and one senior men’s team.
In the 2023 season the club had a record number of junior teams, says Eddie, and had just under 200 members.
Like many rural sports clubs, Eltham Football Club was formed by a few dedicated players, says Eddie.
“It then grew into something bigger. But where others have gone into hiatus, merged with other clubs or simply disappeared, Eltham Football Club has survived.”
It’s a “generational club”, he says. “If you look at the trophies you will see the same surnames cropping up over the years. We have members who have been involved from being players as kids to coaching teams almost 50 years later.”
Val Mekalick is the club’s secretary and has been a member of the club since the late 70s. He says much has changed for the club in recent years.
Until 2014 the home pitch was Taylor Park in Eltham, he says.
“These were only small grounds, just big enough for one full-size pitch and one junior field. They were council grounds, but the club was allowed to build a clubhouse, and in 1977 a small tin shed was built there by Gordon Keighly Jr and some volunteers.”
Before then, says Val, players had to go to local pubs to get changed and have after-match showers.
The tin shed became known as “The Shack” by all who used it, and in 1985 two changing rooms were added to the side.
“It wasn’t much, but it was much loved by the players and had some of the best, and warmest, showers in Taranaki.”
By the early 2000s the club had outgrown Taylor Park and the club accepted an offer from South Taranaki District Council to move to Taumata Park. While The Shack remained in the old park, it eventually became a magnet for vandals so in February this year, volunteers from Eltham AFC along with members of the Etham Lions Club dismantled it.
While much was taken away for recycling, parts of The Shack will live on, says Eddie.
“Many members took a memento or two and some of its timber was taken with plans to turn the wood into a bar leaner or something else. One of the lintels above the front windows from which so many games were watched was kept, and signed by everyone who took part in the demolition. This will be mounted on the wall in the club’s current changing rooms.”
Those current changing rooms in the recently built Taumatua Park Recreation Centre are “a massive step up from The Shack”, says Eddie.
The changing rooms might be better than ever, but the club spirit has always been of a high standard, he says.
“It may be a small club in a small, rural town, but it’s got a big heart and punches above it’s weight. It’s a club of, and for, families.”