Soccer Club Jubilee

Press, Volume C, Issue 29477, 1 April 1961, Page 5

Soccer Club Jubilee

Paramount among soccer attractions in Christchurch this week-end will be the match at Rugby Park this afternoon between Nomads and Northern (Dunedin). The southern side won the Chatham Cup in 1959. This match is part of the Nomads club's fiftieth jubilee celebrations this week-end. As its name implies, the club was founded by a group of young men who 'had travelled together to play matches in various parts of the country. In 1911, this team travelled to Wellington for a fixture, but found that arrangements at that end had fallen through, and after this they formed themselves into the new club. Proud Record Since 1911 Nomads have a proud record in national and provincial selections. Nearly every Canterbury team since that date has had at least one player from the club, and five have represented New Zealand. The most recent is A. van Rooyen, who played for the Dominion against the Costa Ricans two years ago. D. A. N. Mcßae. New Zealand's goalkeeper against the 1937 English side, also played for the Dominion at cricket. Only once have Nomads reached the national Chatham Cup final, that being in 1932 •when it was beaten after extra time. In 1938 Nomads reached the South Island final of this competition, and won the English Cup on two occasions, in 1924 and 1960. One of the club’s personalities was Mr Ken Johnston, who coached a team through the grades in the early 1950'5. In one season this team scored 140 goals to one against, and in another 107 goals to five against. When Mr Johnston died five years ago, the club presented a trophy in his memory for competition between under--14 schoolboys’ teams in the South Island.