The Star: July 06, 2017

The Star 13
News
Latest Christchurch news at www.
.kiwi
Thursday July 6 2017
Cup to honour football great
FOOTBALL great Steve Sumner
will be remembered at the
Christchurch Casino Golden
Oldies Sports Celebration 2018,
with teams to play for a trophy
in his name.
The inaugural Steve Sumner
Cup will be unveiled at the
week-long Golden Oldies World
Football Festival, as part of
the overall event that will run
throughout April.
Golden Oldies Football manager
for the event and former All
Whites captain, Earle Thomas,
said it was a privilege to be the
first event to honour Sumner’s
contribution to football.
“We are extremely grateful
to Steve’s family for allowing
us to name the cup for the first
division competition at Golden
Oldies World Football Festival
in his honour.”
Sumner captained the All
Whites to their first ever world
cup finals appearance in Spain
in 1982, and was synonymous
with Christchurch United in the
1970s and 80s.
He died in February after a
long battle with prostate cancer.
“The Sumner family want to
keep Steve’s legacy alive and are
happy for the Golden Oldies
event to name the cup in his
HONOUR: Golden Oldies
Football manager and
former All Whites captain
Earle Thomas with the Steve
Sumner Cup. ​
honour. We felt it was very fitting
with the event being held
in Steve’s hometown and being
played for by footballers who
participate for the sheer love of
the game,” Mr Thomas said.
The Steve Sumner Cup will be
played for by the division one
teams.
There are expected to be more
than 60 football teams taking
part in a number of categories
LEGENDS: Steve Sumner is challenged by Scottish legend
Kenny Dalglish at the 1982 World Cup.
and age groups from across the
country and overseas.
Mr Thomas said the cup
would be contested at the
biennial Golden Oldies World
Football Festival and at a local
tournament in Christchurch in
alternate years.
The Golden Oldies World
Football Festival will be played
from April 15-22 at Hagley Park.
It is one of 10 sports – rugby,
hockey, netball, basketball,
cricket, squash, golf, lawns bowls
and football – which make up
the month long event expected
to attract 10,000 people.
Call out for
volunteers
NEARLY 1000 volunteers
are needed to help run the
Christchurch Casino Golden
Oldies Sports Celebration 2018.
The event, which is expected
to bring about 10,000 people to
the city, would combine 10 sports
over April.
Event director Peter McDermott
said they were calling for volunteers
to help run the event and
boost the visitor experience for
both national and international
guests. Roles will include umpiring,
refereeing, scoring, or setting
up equipment, among others.
Volunteers must be over 18,
available for a minimum of three
shifts in April, able to attend three
training sessions, subject to police
vetting and be able to cover their
own travel and accommodation
costs. Volunteers will be provided
with branded clothing, meal
vouchers, training, a certificate of
appreciation and an invitation to
a thank you function.
•Applications to join the
volunteer team close on
October 1, with the first
training session scheduled
for the end of that month. To
find out more or register as
a volunteer, go to: https://
christchurchgoldenoldieis.
com/entry/volunteer/