Instituted in 2008, the Auckland Football Federation Long Service Medal is awarded to devoted volunteers to the game in our region.

The first set of medals were presented to the six recipients at the end of year volunteer function on Tuesday 16 December at Bay Olympic's clubrooms.

Auckland Football Federation Long Service Medal recipients

Kiri Morris (AFF Referees) - 2008

Morris, who joined the referee ranks in 1981, has served as president, vice-president and secretary of the Auckland Football referee group and though no longer an active whistler, devotes his time and skill to coaching the younger referees each weekend. 

Loryn Tompsett (AFF Referees) - 2008

Tompsett became a referee in 1991 and although now coaching rather than taking the middle, spent 10 years in another unseen role, that of appointing officials to youth and senior matches. Tompsett also served on the referees centenary sub committee through to the celebration in 1998 and was chairperson of the Auckland Football Referees group in 2005.

Trevor Bradford (AFF Referees) - 2008 

Bradford picked up a whistle in 1984 and served on the Auckland Football referees management committee for nine years from 1999-2007. He also serves on the Victoria Park Cultural Trust, overseeing the referees’ financial interests in the buildings and use of facilities for referee training and meetings. While also qualified as a referee coach, Bradford’s 28 years of active refereeing still continues.

Rob McCarthy (Ellerslie AFC) - 2008 

McCarthy has devoted most of his club life to improving the junior section of his Ellerslie AFC club since becoming involved in the mid 1990’s. He took on the accounts and administration of the junior club before moving to the more operational side, as he followed his children through age grades. McCarthy has also been involved in the annual round of grading youth teams into championship divisions for Auckland Football after the initial stage of competition.

Bill Raffles (Cornwall AFC-Onehunga Sports) - 2008

Raffles first joined his club (then known as Cornwall AFC) as a junior in 1960, before turning to administration in 1979. He has been secretary, first team or reserve team manager for over 30 years and remains the heart of his club, still fundraising, creating match programmes as well as being the essential link to Auckland Football. He also served on the Auckland Football Senior Management Committee from 1980-1983.

Jeremy Ruane (Media) - 2008

Although Ruane is not specifically attached to a club or an appointed official of the game, he is instantly recognisable to anyone who has an interest in Auckland Football through his writings for local media and his own web site. His passionate promotion of football, and in particular the women’s game, has aided greatly to the development of the sport in the Auckland region and comes at the end of a year in which women’s football has taken centre stage.

Nga Kairua (AFF Referees) - 2009

Kairua joined as a referee in 1984, and after a short break, continues to serve the game today. He has totalled 21 years of active service, and in the past five years also acting as a referee coach passing on his experience to others. He served as president on the committee of the Counties Manukau Referees Association from 1988 to 1996 and as the Senior Appointments Officer for what was then Soccer2 from 2006-07. Nga’s daughter Tiana is one of the Auckland Football Federation’s leading young female referees.

Pam Luhrs (Papatoetoe AFC) - 2009

Pam has been involved in the Papatoetoe AFC club since joining as a player in 1987. After being elected secretary in 1993, Pam still holds that role today. In fact, the job she has done is so good that the task of treasurer has been merged into it. Over the years Pam has managed a number of club ladies teams, was part of the women’s group reporting to the Board of Soccer2 in 2000. Pam also runs the canteen, is gear steward, assists behind the bar, until this year prepared the club’s programme for first team match days, organises the club’s 7-a-side summer competition, liaises with Manukau Parks, and co-ordinates the juniors. Pam was honoured with life membership of the club in 2003, and in 2006 received an external Services to Sport award.

Yvonne White (Manurewa AFC) - 2009

White was elected to the Manurewa AFC junior club committee in 1972, and was registration secretary until 1984. During this time she represented the club as delegate to the Franklin and district Junior Football Association (JFA), became chair and represented the JFA to the Franklin Control Board. Yvonne has served two stints as club secretary; from 1985-1992 as well as her current tenure which began in 2000, while also taking on the treasurer role at times. Yvonne was awarded life membership of the club during her first period as club secretary.

Terry Smith (AFF Referees) - 2009

Smith was first active as a referee in 1973 and is still doing his time in the middle after no less than 36 years. He has found time along the way for two stints as publicity officer; firstly for the Counties Manukau Referees Association and later the Auckland Soccer Referees Association. As an assistant referee in national leagues from 1979-85 he was in the right place to be invited to referee All Whites practice games in their most famous hour 1981-2, and then travelled to Spain to support them. Away from football he has run 18 marathons in 10 countries. In 2008 he was recognised by his peers as winner of the Ian Hiscox Trophy for services to refereeing.

Ivy Vela (Central Utd FC) - 2009

Vela has served as Central United FC secretary with dignity and grace providing a service to members at her club level for 14 years. She is also a background figure also at franchise entity level since Auckland City FC’s creation for the NZFC. Vela is never one to seek the limelight, always doing her job and way beyond it for the game, for the club and for the people that she serves so well. She received recognition in 2006 as the NFSL Administrator of the Year award and then was honoured by Sport Auckland in 2007 with a Service to Sport Award.

Roy Cox (University-Mt Wellington AFC) - 2009

One of many football immigrants from the United Kingdom, his involvement in football in New Zealand started small, as a reserve team coach at Eden AFC in 1972 - just a year later he got the job of treasurer and secretary. Although he was involved in boys coaching for the Auckland Football Association, and played a key role in helping to fund the All Whites campaign leading to Spain in 1982, he made an indelible mark in his promotion of women’s football. Cox has coached women’s club teams at Eden, Three Kings United and University-Mt Wellington AFC, and led Auckland representative team in three stints covering 11 years, (seven of them unbeaten) taking eight national titles. Instead of receiving awards, he has donated them, and a shield bearing his name is still played for between Auckland and Wellington representative teams - a legacy of his early days creating regional and national structures for the women’s game. Cox remains chairman of the University-Mt Wellington club.

Ann Sova (Lynndale AFC-Lynn-Avon Utd AFC) - 2009

Sova has been at the heart of Lynndale AFC, which later became Lynn-Avon Utd AFC, for the last 38 years holding a variety of positions in the club (currently as president); chairperson, treasurer and football delegate for both the junior and senior, men’s and women’s sides of the club. Sova also served many years on the executive committee for the Auckland Junior Football Association and also was Lynndale’s delegate to the women’s association.

An Slecht (Papatoetoe AFC) - 2009 

Slecht joined Papatoetoe AFC in 1971 and soon after began managing the club canteen, serving the club in that position a further 18 years until 1993 when she became a life member. Slecht has also held a number of positions on the club’s junior and senior committees including junior chairperson, treasurer, registration delegate and gear steward and was a key member of a number of fundraising initiatives the club have taken part in over the years.

Tony Andrews (Green Bay Titirangi-Bay Olympic) - 2009 

Andrews was a founder member of the Green Bay Titirangi Sports Club in 1972 and served two stints as secretary before becoming a life member in 1982. After the club merged with Blockhouse Bay to become Bay Olympic, he became part of the club’s Junior Committee from 1998 to 2001 and has currently sits on the executive committee, a role he began in 2003. He is also a member of the football committee, is the club’s match-day programme editor, match-day announcer and after-match speaker.

Tony Pickering (Eden AFC-Three Kings Utd) - 2009 

Pickering was elected to the Eden AFC Management Committee in 1985 initially as gear steward and publicity officer before becoming treasurer at the club in 1988 - a role he performed up until the club merged with Mt Roskill AFC to form Three Kings United in 1995. Since then he has been a member of the Three Kings United executive committee holding various positions including treasurer and more recently secretary. Pickering is a Three Kings United life member.

Danna Mandry (Fencibles Utd AFC) - 2009

Mandry has been with her club since Howick AFC and Pakuranga Town AFC came together to form Fencibles United AFC in 1995. Mandry has been the club secretary for 10 years and has filled the role of women's club captain, youth coordinator, building and facilities manager, bar manager, caterer, cleaner, mentor to many of the youth players at the club.

Peter Shackleton (AFF Referees) - 2009 

Shackleton joined the Auckland Soccer Referees Association in 1988 at age 55. Over the next 20 years he refereed almost exclusively at youth and secondary schools matches while being acknowledged along the way by the now Auckland Football Federation Referees with a number of awards. During that time he also served six years as Youth Appointments Officer as well as seven seasons, including 2009, on the executive committee. Shackleton is now also a referee coach.

Brian Teirney (Ellerslie AFC) - 2010

Teirney has been a part of the Junior/Youth Division of Ellerslie AFC for over 20 years, moving from a parental support/coaching role over the initial years into an administrative role in more recent times. He has overseen the doubling of the Division’s playing numbers whilst also taking on a prime role in the development of the Tamaki League, involving 6th-11th grade players from the wider footballing community in the greater Auckland area.

Graham Whitford (AFF Referees) - 2010

Whitford joined the Auckland Soccer Referees Association in 1982. He rose through the ranks from local football all the way up to Northern Premier League and National League. In addition to his refereeing, he has been looking after the apparel needs of the referees, uniforms, flags, whistle’s and providing a service that is second to none around the country.

Mate Tolj (Central Utd FC/AFF Referees) - 2010

Tolj has served the game across a number of sectors for a staggering period of 44 years since becoming involved with his Central United FC club. In that time, he has held every position in the club including making a first team appearance as a player. He was president of the club during the late 1980s and was awarded life membership in 1999. Tolj also served as an Auckland Football administrator in years gone by and has also totalled approximately 20 years of service as a referee of the game.

David Downing (Bay Olympic) - 2010

Downing began his association with his club in 1982. He coached his son’s 8th grade midget team in 1984 and since that time he has filled a number of roles with the club including coach, manager, committee member and senior chairman, groundsman among many others. He was an integral part of the group that worked towards the amalgamation of Green Bay Titirangi and Blockhouse Bay that saw the birth of the club he’s still serves – Bay Olympic.

Colin Sargent (Mt Roskill AFC-Three Kings Utd)- 2010

Sargent transferred from Cornwall FC to Mt Roskill AFC in the mid-1960’s and quickly established himself in the 1st team of the club. He went on to complete around 300 league and cup appearances over the next 20 years. He served on the Executive at Mount Roskill AFC and then Three Kings United FC following the merger with Eden AFC and is a Life Member of the Club. He currently serves on the Senior Playing Committee at Three Kings United and has long been involved with running the bar facilities and also assists with all aspects of the grounds and facilities at his club’s home at Keith Hay Park.

Margaret McKenna (Papatoetoe Utd) - 2010

McKenna has been involved in the game for more than 20 years and literally built her club – Papatoetoe United - from scratch. She established the junior club before developing its senior branch and while coaching teams and generally keeping things going, has been the one and only club president since it’s inception during the 1990s. McKenna has already been honoured with a Counties Manukau Sports Award in 2002, life membership of her club in 2005 and a Papatoetoe Service to Sport award.

Colleen King (Eden-Three Kings Utd) - 2010

King has had a long family history in football in Auckland with her father, grandfather, brothers and all involved in the Eden club. She served as Midget Co-Ordinator at the club before continuing her Junior and Youth involvement through to Three Kings United FC when Eden merged with Mt Roskill in 1997. King was elected to the Executive Committee at Three Kings in 2001 she has served continuously since then - currently overseeing the club's extensive gear requirements in addition to acting as the club's liaison contact with Auckland Football Federation. She is also a Life Member at Three Kings United.

Melvyn Trow (Papatoetoe AFC) - 2010 

Trow started playing the game at age 12 in Wellington and after moving to Auckland in 1961 he began playing for Papatoetoe AFC in 1965 and stopped playing some time in his mid-40s. A life member of the club he has served for 50 years, Trow has performed a number of roles in that time including junior coach, committee member and club president. Being a carpenter by trade, he has helped with maintenance on and around the clubrooms and he and his wife Joy are weekly helpers at the club and continue to follow the club’s first team on match days.

Neil Fox (AFF Referees) - 2010 

Fox joined the Auckland Soccer Referees Association in 1978 and served as the organisation’s auditor and treasurer for lengthy stints as well as also serving as a committee member. During his active career as a FIFA Referee he had 101 international appointments in 11 different countries and was a FIFA Futsal Referee from 1997-2001 and an Australian National League Referee. He gained his referee coach qualification in 2004 and is now a referee coach/instructor. He was appointed in 2010 to the New Zealand Football Referee Appointments Panel responsible for match officials for national competitions and FIFA nominations.

Barbara Lindsay (Onehunga Mangere Utd AFC) - 2010 

Lindsay joined Onehunga Mangere United AFC in the mid 1990’s and has been actively and constantly involved until the present day. Like many volunteers, she first got involved with the club when the elder of her two boys started playing at age five and since then she has served as manager, fundraiser and gear steward before joining the club’s committee. Since then Lindsay has added the roles of Junior/Youth coordinator, registrations officer, and first team manager to her list of contributions to her club.

William Gray (Cornwall AFC-Onehunga Sports) - 2010

Gray joined Cornwall (now Onehunga Sports) in 1974 from the Wanderers Sports Club when it ceased to exist, and over the following 11 years made 186 first team appearances. Since his playing days ended he has been involved as a coach in all grades often taking at least one junior and youth team each year within the club as well as continuously coaching one of the club’s ladies teams from 1995. He has also served on the Cornwall and Onehunga Sports Committee and executive for the last 10 years, currently as President and his extraordinary service to the game also covers refereeing, having spent at a number of years as a senior official.

Ian Hiscox (AFF Referees) - 2010

Hiscox joined the Auckland Soccer Referees Association in 1979 and was an active referee for 24 years. During that time he was an official on the National League, a FIFA Assistant Referee and a referee on the Premier Regional League until he retired in 2000. Hiscox then turned to referee coaching and instructing, helping pass on his experiences during various National Women’s League, National Youth League, Senior National League and NRFL Premier League competitions. In addition to those roles he has filled a number of administrative positions including various roles on the Auckland Football and New Zealand Football Referee Committees, as well as the NRFL competition – including his current position – as appointments officer/administrator.

Malcolm McGill (Eastern Suburbs AFC) - 2011

Malcolm has been involved at Eastern Suburbs at an administrative level for 25 years and for a large portion of that time he served as the club secretary. He has given countless hours of time voluntarily, even though his own son stopped playing football in 2003 and he has only recently resigned as president of the club.

The Eastern Suburbs club believe they will always be in debt to Malcolm for the fantastic work he has put in on their behalf.

David Owen (Papatoetoe AFC) - 2011

David has been associated with his club, Papatoetoe AFC, for over 40 years. He started out as a junior player in 1968. His commitment continued as he progressed into the senior section of the club as he moved on the to the Executive Committee fulfilling roles as sponsorship coordinator for two years, Club Captain for three years, Vice President for two years and President for six years.

In addition to that outstanding service, David has coached both junior and senior teams, also giving guidance to players has helped nurture in the right direction when needed. He was awarded life membership of Papatoetoe AFC in 2000.

Mark Bignell (Beachlands Maraetai AFC) - 2011

Mark began playing for his club, Beachlands Maraetai AFC, at age six, soon after it was formed. A representative youth player with Counties Manukau, he took up coaching a junior side at Beachlands at just age 16 before adding a second junior team to his coaching commitments.

He then instigated the club's first senior men’s team at age 18 and then rekindled the team in 2005 when it had fallen over. He still plays for the club's first team and reserve sides. His outstanding service to his club also extends to administration where first served on the committee before becoming president at age 22. Having also served as a committee member, he became the first life member of the club in 2009.

Carol and Stewart Ritchie (Ellerslie AFC) - 2011

This double act have lead the way as committed and passionate Ellerslie players, administrators and loyal supporters for nearly 40 years each. Both were highly skilled and talented players with one still turning out for the Over 30’s Division 1 side. The other played well beyond what most would attempt and their legacy, their children, are now key figures in the men’s and women’s teams of the Ellerslie club in 2011.

But it is as dedicated administrators that they have, and are still now, marking their mark. Already long-time Life Members of the club they continue to be present every weekend collecting results, putting up nets and staking out flags while supporting from the sideline with great spirit.

Ken Wallace (AFF Referees) - 2011

Ken has been a member of Auckland Referees since joining the old old ASRA in 1977, obtaining his NZ Badge in 1970. He enjoyed a refereeing career that encompassed National League and Chatham Cup finals, international matches at Senior, Under 17 and Under 20 level as well as a Futsal World Cup.

Since retiring in 1997 he has spent the past 14 years dedicated to referee committee work at the highest level, including OFC and FIFA. As a referee coach and assessor he has worked on everything from the Northern League, the National League and ASB Premiership, the Australian NSL and A-League, OFC Qualifiers and O-League, to FIFA World Men’s and Women’s Youth Championships and World Cup qualifying matches.

Vic Larnder (Green Bay Titirangi-Bay Olympic) - 2011

Vic joined the Green Bay Titirangi Soccer Club in 1983 and spent many years coaching midget and junior soccer. In 1986 he became a member of the Green Bay Titirangi Committee and with his engineering background became the club’s fix-it-man, a job he still does for Bay Olympic in 2011. Vic spent many years coaching and managing senior women’s teams and he was made a Life Member of Green Bay Titirangi in 1997, this automatically making him a current Bay Olympic Life Member. He has been a member of the Bay Olympic Committee and served for many years on the club's Senior Committee and in 2007 was elected as one of six Bay Olympic Trustees.

Gary Keegan (Otahuhu Utd AFC/AFF Referees) - 2011

A Life Member of Otahuhu United AFC, Gary has served as a committee member of the club on and off since the 1980s, totalling approximately 25 years service at committee level. He is also the club’s newly elected president for the 2012 season.

Gary has also provided 23 years of refereeing service, firstly as a referee and now as an assessor, passing on his advice to referees at all levels of the game from the local park referee to the Northern Regional Football League. He also serves as an instructor, presenting a number of Club Based Referee courses every year for Auckland Football.

Andy Leader (Fencibles Utd AFC) - 2011

Andy joined Howick AFC in 1986 and went on to play with Fencibles United AFC when the club formed in 1997.

In his 25-year association with Howick and Fencibles, he has held positions in coaching, convening, junior and youth captain, committee member and as Napier Under-19 team manager.

He recently hung up his playing boots but continues to give his spare time in guiding the Under 19 side while still coaching a 12th grade team and also being a key resource within the Fencibles Academy. Andy is also a Life Member of Fencibles United AFC.

Stephen Ashworth (Clendon Utd AFC) - 2011 

Stephen became affiliated with the Clendon United AFC club when his oldest child started playing as a fifth grader in 1995.

The following year he started playing himself before joining the committee and over the past 16 years he has held various positions at different times including secretary and currently treasurer.

As well as continuing to play himself, he has coached a number of the junior teams his three children have played in over the years, helping them to grow through the club. Stephen has also completed his Level 1 referees qualification.

Annette Ockleston (Green Bay Titirangi-Bay Olympic) - 2011 

Annette began her association her Green Bay Titirangi United club 30 years ago in 1981 - holding the position of secretary until 1984, president from 1984-1985, plus two other stints as secretary. A tireless volunteer, she gave her time in all manner of club business including fundraising roles and became a Life Member of Green Bay Titirangi in 1986.

An integral part in establishing Bay Olympic Soccer & Sports Association - the amalgamation of Blockhouse Bay Soccer & Green Bay Titirangi – Annette was a member of the Executive Committee of the new club and also served as its secretary while holding the same position for Green Bay Titirangi United. Annette has also held the position of Bay Olympic treasurer and is also a current trustee of the club.

Henri Habraken (Beachlands Maraetai AFC) - 2011

Henri started out by coaching his seven-year old son’s Beachlands Maraetai AFC team in 1997 – a role he held for 13 seasons. The team stayed together into senior football when Henri coached them in the 2008 and 2009 seasons as one of two senior men’s teams at the club. The core of that team formed the club’s first team and reserve squad for the 2010 season as they won promotion to the AFF Championship division.

Henri also formed and co-coached the club’s first female team in the 15th grade in 2007, with a number of those players now playing for the club in senior women’s football. In addition to his coaching roles, Henri also served as the club’s president from 1999 until 2001 before a long stint on the club’s committee from 2002 to 2010 while his role as grounds co-ordinator has been a key one for the club. Henri is one of two Life Members at the Beachlands Maraetai AFC club.

Wally and Maureen Burnside (Mt Albert-Ponsonby AFC) - 2011

Wally and Maureen Burnside – two people who have invested a remarkable 40 years of their lives in their club, Mt Albert Ponsonby AFC. The club was literally built by one half of the pair – the current clubrooms at Anderson Park are Wally’s work - while Maureen ran the kitchen and served as cleaner of the building her husband created.

Both have been involved in all areas of the club's operations, holding every position on the committee while also running the club’s junior section and serving as coaches or managers with many teams. Both are Life Members and are presently Patrons of the club and their dedication continues to this day as they support the senior teams on match-day.

David Robertson (Papatoetoe AFC) - 2012

David has been associated with Papatoetoe AFC for an impressive span of 43 years. His service began as a seven year old junior player in 1969 and he continued on to play for the club as a youth and senior player and in 2012 turns out for the club’s Over 35 side.

His loyal committment to the club also covers fundraising initiatives and administration after he joined the Executive Committee in 2007 before a two-year stint as club president during which time the club celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2009. David remains a current member of the Papatoetoe AFC committee.

Lynn Fox (AFF Referees) - 2012

Lynn has served the game as a referee for a period of more than 20 years. She began as a referee in the Junior game in the Counties Manukau area in 1990. In 1992 she began officiating in senior men’s football and began the first woman to officiate in the Franklin Knockout Cup final. Her rise up the ranks continued as she gained her New Zealand badge in 1994 and she continued to officiate Super Club League and Northern League matches.

Lynn continued to break barriers for women as she became the first NZ female to attain FIFA status as an Assistant Referee in 2000 and was rewarded with appointment to the Sydney Olympics and officiated in three preliminary matches, a semi-final and the bronze medal play-off game.

After retiring from active refereeing two years later, she turned to coaching where she now serves as an assessor and instructor at a high level and her service to the sport also includes work as an administrator.

Kerry Bevan (Manurewa AFC) - 2012

Kerry joined the Manurewa AFC club in the 1980’s when he took his son along to join and ended up coaching the team.

He coached and managed many junior teams over the following years and also took on coaching a women's team. He was elected to the Junior Committee and was eventually elected chairman, a position he held for some years before becoming chairman of the Manurewa club in 1999, a position he still holds in 2012. He was made a Life Member of the club in 2003.

Kerry also served his local association, managing a Counties Manukau representative team and was also on the Counties Manukau Junior committee, becoming vice chairman.

Stephen Horst (Metro FC) - 2012

Stephen has been a member since he was born - following on from his parents who were also involved in the club - and he has  been a member all his life.

He played all his football for Metro and he has found there are also other ways to serve the club he loves. He has either coached or managed junior, senior and women’s teams for most of that time and has been part of the club’s committee 20 of those years.

A willing helper in the bar and club working bees Stephen's trade of electrician has also been a tremendous asset to the club and he has spent many hours constructing and maintaining not just the clubroom but the Phyllis Street floodlights that are a big part of the club.

Hengo Sioneloto (AFF Referees) - 2012

Hengo joined the then Auckland Soccer Referee Association in 1983 (now Auckland Football Federation) and has been a member of the referees group every year since - 2012 is his 29th season of consecutive membership.

He started by refereeing local football in before making his debut in the Northern League in the late 1980s culminating in the awarding of his NZ Badge in 1990. Hengo's talent and ability saw him operate on the National League as an Assistant Referee in the mid 1990’s. He has continued to officiate at Lotto NRFL level while also refereeing matches in the Auckland Sunday competition on a regular basis during the season. Hengo has attended and completed a fitness test every year of his membership.

Michael Marinovich (Central Utd FC) - 2012

Michael began his involvement as a player with Central United in 1967 and he played one game for the club’s first team before injury forced him to retire.

In 1983 he began coaching teams at the club, something he still does, while in 1999 he began an administrative role with the club’s junior section. In 2003 he became the club’s Junior Co-ordinator and at present he runs the entire junior section of 48 teams, organises ball boys and also finds time to coach a women’s team while also being part of the club’s Senior Management Committee.

Gary Carter (Metro FC) – 2012

Gary joined the Metro FC club in 2003 and since then his loyal service has included a number of roles; coaching several youth teams, Junior/Youth Coordinator, organiser of the Metro FC NRFL Women’s team as well as committee positions of secretary, acting chairman and treasurer.

He has spent years helping to set up pitches before games then heading off to coach his own side, afterwards returning back to the club to emcee the Metro FC Player of the Day presentations duties and help at the bar. Gary also serves Auckland Football as a regular volunteer in both the judicial process and on the youth competition grading.

Linda Mellor (Bay Olympic) – 2012

Linda’s association with Green Bay began in 1988 as treasurer. She has remained involved since that time in a variety of roles including secretary, player and junior coach and she was made a life member in 1995.

In 1998, Green Bay-Titirangi and Blockhouse Bay amalgamated to form Bay Olympic and Linda stayed involved with the new club entity, performing the dual roles of secretary and bar manager since 2005.

Stephanie Brown (AFF Referees) – 2012

Stephanie began her referee career in 1989 with the Auckland Soccer Referees Association. After 23 years of wonderfully dedicated service she remains an active referee while she also has been passing on her knowledge and advice to help develop her fellow referees in her role as a qualified referee assessor.

In 2008 she took on the voluntary role of Referee Appointments Officer for Auckland Football in a role which sees 3000 referee appointments made per year. Stephanie was recognised by Sport Waitakere for her dedicated service to refereeing with a Sporting Acknowledgement Award for football.

Kevin Prosser (Papakura City FC) - 2012

Kevin has been a valued member of Papakura City FC for 23 years, serving on the executive committee for that extensive period. Kevin has fulfilled various roles as Junior Chairman, fixtures officer, bar manager, equipment manager among other duties while also coaching and promoting girls teams and serving as the girls coaching convenor at the club.

His service to the game also extends to the Federation level where he has served on various youth grading committees while also being a regular member of the judicial panel. Kevin was also a referee member of the former Counties Manukau Association.

Terry McCahill (Lynn-Avon Utd AFC) – 2012

Terry first joined Avondale United – a club which later became Lynn Avon United - in 1993, playing for the women’s premier league side until 2008, serving as the team captain for the majority of those years.

A truly talented footballer, Terry also had an illustrious career representing both Auckland and New Zealand, serving as captain for both. Her representative commitments didn’t impact her club work, serving as junior coach, working as a committee member, working as the women's delegate for the club to the federation, club secretary and club chairperson. Terry has also served as an Auckland Football Judicial Panel member.

Anil Ranchhod (Papatoetoe Utd) – 2012

Anil has been with his Papatoetoe United club for 10 years. In that time he has served in several different roles including coach, manager, club treasurer and vice president.

He was the prime leader in starting the Whole of Football Plan First Kicks and Fun Football programmes, with his commitment to the task a key driver in forming a south Auckland cluster of clubs working together on the initiative. Anil has also served as the club’s U-19 coach and he was rewarded in 2008 when he became a life member of the club. He also received a local service to sports award in 2010.

Martin Baucutt (AFF Referees) – 2012

Martin initially joined the Auckland referee ranks in 1987 and has since been a member of the Franklin, Counties Manukau and Auckland Football Referees groups – all now one organisation.

In that outstanding 25-year period of service, he has served as an on-pitch match official at all levels but also in a large number of voluntary and committee roles in the general and referee arms of the Counties Manukau Association then, after their amalgamation with Auckland Football Association, similar roles within the Auckland Football Federation.

Martin’s committed service also extends to referee assessing, a role as a referee education instructor and as a team coach at Papakura City FC.