Every club has supporters abroad and Chesterfield is no exception. Here's a great article that exiled Spireite Chris Brough penned from Wellington, New Zealand that keeps us up to date on football in the Southern hemisphere.
Another good reason for purchasing a matchday programme when you visit Saltergate as this is just an example of the quality reading on offer.
Update on the "Game Down Under"
"Kia Ora", from 'Down Under', the New Zealand outpost !
by Chris Brough
The count-down towards the Rugby World Cup (here in 2011) has been upstaged by football recently.I last reported that the 'All Whites' were, for the first time since 1982, on the cusp of qualifying for the World Cup.
To qualify, they faced Bahrain (FIFA ranked 66) in a 2-legged play-off. The first leg, away in October, in front 30,000, saw Bahrain squander several chances, and what could have been a decisive goal from All White Chris Woods (WBA) ruled out for offside. Bahrain should have scored in the 75th minute, but Isa's shot rebounded off the post. 0-0 meant the 2nd leg in Wellington was 'winner takes all', the most important match in New Zealand for almost 3 decades.
A sell-out crowd of 35,194 was the largest to ever attend a football match, and the stadium was a 'white out'. The Bahrain team arrived by private jet, and were accommodated at the best hotel. In contrast, during group qualification, Vanuatu came to Wellington by standard flight, were accommodated in a back-packers, and were defeated 4-1 in front of 2500.
On November 14th, captain Ryan Nelsen led the team out to tumultuous welcome. In the 45th minute, Rory Fallon (Plymouth) headed home a corner for 1-0. Bahrain were awarded a penalty in the 50th minute, but Paston guessed correctly, and after 3 minutes of tense, extra time, the All Whites were through, with scenes of wild celebration. A poignant moment for Fallon, who's father Kevin, was part of the 1982 All Whites World Cup squad. John Key, the New Zealand Prime Minister even gave the match a mention in Parliament, summing up with "Not bad in a rugby-dominated nation" !
The All Whites are grouped with Italy, Paraguay and Slovakia (the latest odds have them at 3000:1 !). They recently played Mexico at the L.A. Rose Bowl in front of 95,000. Although outclassed, they restricted the loss to 2-0, and they play Australia in May, before their opening game against Slovakia on 15th June. Best of luck to them.
On the domestic front, things have been equally exciting. Our only professional team, the 'Phoenix' ('Nix') play in the Australian A-League, and are based in Wellington. This, their third year in the A-league, has been their most successful. Ricki Herbert coaches them (as well as the All Whites), and the introduction of Paul Ifill and Chris Greenacre from the UK this season (August to March) added notable quality.
Over 3 seasons, they have finished 8th, 6th and 3rd , and are currently 18 months/14 matches unbeaten at home. After league fixtures play-offs take place, concluded by the 'Grand Final'. Teams 3 to 6 play each other, with the winner facing the winner of a 2-legged play-off between the top 2 sides. This is the 'Minor Final'. The winner of that, and the winner of the top 2 then meet in the showpiece 'Grand Final'.
After beating Adelaide United 1-0 (played 'away', on the South Island in Christchurch, as the AC/DC 'Black Ice' juggernaut was at the stadium in Wellington), they overcame Central Coast Mariners 3-0 to become the first ever NZ side to reach the playoffs of an Australian Football competition. The first game was against Perth Glory, at home, in front of 25,000. 1-1 after extra time led to a tense penalty shootout, won 4-2 by the 'Nix'.
A packed Pheonix Nix ground
The next 'play-off', at home again, against 'Newcastle Jets' sold out within days. On a scorching March afternoon, in front of 32,972 (with a further 5,000 watching on a quayside screen, and countless others at home), they went 0-1 down against the run of play, but pulled it back to 1-1 before half time. The match went into extra time, and Ifill smashed in a low angled shot to put the 'Nix' 2-1 up. Eugene Dadi wrapped it up with a tap-in, for 3-1. Another great day, with people talking about the 'golden year of football'.
The 'Nix', deeply into unchartered territory, faced Sydney FC (away) on March 13th, in the 'Minor Final', determining who would face Melbourne in the 'Grand Final'. Battling at 1-1, they went behind to a controversial 'hand of god' goal, finally losing 4-2, in front of a poor crowd of 13,000, (including 500 from Wellington !). Getting to within a game of the 'Grand Final' was a great achievement.
They have just been granted a 10 year A-League extension by Football Federation Australia (FFA). Interestingly, the decision opposes statements from FFA President, Mohammad Bin Hammam, who wanted the Phoenix kicked out of the A-league because they are based in the Oceania rather than Asian Confederation. The FFA takes all revenue from play-off matches, and the Phoenix pulled in over 55,000 people and several million dollars from their 2 matches. Maybe this had some significance in the decision, especially when a similar match on Australia's Gold Coast had only 4,000 spectators. Money certainly seems to be the worldwide currency of football decision-making.
Wellington's ability to play in the A-League is vital to the progress of the All Whites, and the wider football landscape here.
English ex-pats living here will be watching and willing on our homeland team in the World Cup, but we'll also be shouting for the All Whites 'minnows' !
Chris sporting the colours down under
Good Luck to the Spireites. It would be a fantastic achievement if they could get back into League 1 in the final season at Saltergate ! Fingers crossed, and all the best very to everyone back there !.
