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Kennard’s vision carried onSYDNEY UNIVERSITY SOCCER FOOTBALL CLUB ARE THIS SEASON’S WINNERS OF THE KENNARD CUP – ONEOF THE MOST ANTICIPATED ANNUAL FIXTURES ON THE CLUB’S CALENDAR. BY NATHAN KOSMINAAcontest between SydneyUniversity and UNSW for theright to hold one of the oldestcups in Australian soccer, The KennardCup, has been a university tradition forover 50 years and the 2011 clash did notdisappoint.A couple of hundred spectatorswatched two exciting games under thenewly installed lights at The Square, asSydney University got off to a promisingstart with two early goals to strikerLiam McConaghy. McConaghy scoredanother midway through the first halfafter great combination work withcrowd favourite, French striker, GerardOuffoue.UNSW managed to score aconfidence booster goal just onhalf-time after a defensive lapse ofconcentration. Coaches John Callejaand Steve Hurd rang the changes athalf-time to freshen up their teams.UNSW pressed and got their secondgoal after a defensive blunder with aback pass. After great build up work,McConaghy settled the proceedingswith a fine fourth goal. It was alwaysSydney University’s night.How did the Kennard Cup comeabout, and why is it so sought afterby both clubs? William Kennard was aLondon East End Jew who served inthe RAF as a wireless operator in WorldWar II. Prior to his migration in 1947 withhis family to Sydney, his involvement insoccer was as an amateur referee. Oncesettled in the Eastern Suburbs, Kennardbecame a supporter of the SydneyHakoah club, just in time to witness andbe part of a fruitful time for NSW soccerwhich saw, among other things, thenewly emerging ethnic based clubs.Kennard served as a member of thepromotion committee on the NSWSoccer Federation, of which one of theinitiatives was to introduce pre-seasonnight soccer at Lidcombe Oval. Hewas the patron of this first Federationcompetition in 1957, donating the silvercup which bears his name and a prizeof 100 pounds for the winning team.It was the combination of his businessacumen, charitable nature and love offootball that led to his sponsorship ofthe Federation’s first competition beforeit was even known that the organisationwould be a success.He would have been personallygratified when his beloved Hakoahtook out the very first Kennard Cupby defeating Lane Cove 5-1 on Friday,March 27, 1957, in front of almost 4500spectators. Ampol Petroleum saw theopportunity to advertise itself to awider community, and took over fullsponsorship of this tournament in 1959– a popular tournament which becameknown as The Ampol Cup.The great Canterbury coach JoVlasits then suggested that the KennardCup be donated to the two Sydneyuniversities for an annual test of strengthbetween the two clubs. This offer wasaccepted and the first encounter waswon by Sydney University at RandwickOval on July 10, 1960. UNSW thendominated the annual event until 1966,when Sydney University was once againvictorious.UNSW’s total dominance of thecompetition from 1977 to 1986 led toa loss of interest by all parties, untilFebruary, 1996, when the presidents ofSydney University and UNSW soccerclubs were brought up to date on thehistory of the Cup. The clubs agreed toresume a competition called Kennard,complete with a new trophy, in honourof William Kennard, who died, after along and successful life, in October,1989, aged 89.WWW.SUSF.COM.AU 35