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Chatham Cup
The Chatham Cup is an institution in New Zealand soccer, and has been since its introduction in 1923. The equivalent of England's FA Cup, the trophy was gifted to the New Zealand Football Association by the crew of HMS Chatham, as a means of thanking the New Zealand public for the great goodwill shown the sailors during their time in this part of the world.
 It has become the most sought after honour in New Zealand soccer, with a record number of teams - 172 - entering the competition in 1991, the NZFA's centenary season. University-Mt. Wellington have won the trophy seven times, one more than both Christchurch United and North Shore United, who have reached the final on twelve occasions.
Eastern Suburbs also have six wins, one ahead of Central United. It took Central sixteen years to reach that tally, and during that time they were beaten finalists on two occasions.
Arguably the most memorable final took place in 1972, a twice-replayed affair between Christchurch United and Mt. Wellington, after the final itself saw two of New Zealand's greatest clubs sharing eight goals in a classic encounter.
The same clubs clashed again in another memorable final eighteen years later, The Mount, as they are affectionately known, turning the tables to win on penalties, after each side had scored three goals.
Auckland-based clubs have won the trophy on 39 occasions, with Wellington, with 21 wins, the next best province. Canterbury (11 wins), Otago (5 wins) and Hawkes Bay (4 wins) are next in the rankings, while Waikato (2 wins), Nelson, Poverty Bay and Wairarapa have also seen the silverware in their area of the country. Teams from Bay of Plenty, Manawatu and Buller have also contested the final.
The 1962 triumph of Waikato club Technical was the first occasion that the trophy had been won by a club from outside the traditional four main centres, but generally it's the clubs in the cities which have savoured the silverware over the course of the 85 finals played to the end of 2012.
Numerous noteworthy achievements have occurred over the years. Petone was the first club to win the Cup for a second time, following up their 1928 triumph two years later, while Seacliff, the inaugural winners of the Cup, were runners-up in the next two seasons, and endured that disappointment again for a third time, in 1929.
Waterside were the first club to win the Cup three years running, in the 1938-40 period, a feat repeated by Christchurch United (1974-76) and Waitakere City (1994-96). No club has lost three successive finals, thankfully, but Christchurch United lost three out of four finals between 1987 and 1990, while Christchurch Technical lost three finals in five years between 1946 and 1950.
United won the Cup four times in five years between 1972 and 1976, and are one of two clubs to have played in five successive Chatham Cup Finals. Mt. Wellington, between 1979 and 1983, preceded Christchurch (1987-91) in that regard, and both savoured both delight and despair in the showpiece fixture during those periods when they were indisputably the country's best clubs.
Cashmere became just the seventh club in the competition's illustrious history to win back-to-back Cups when prevailing over Waitakere City and Central United in the 2013 and 2014 finals.
Eastern Suburbs and Napier City Rovers were vying for league-and-cup doubles when they met in the 2015 final, and it was the Auckland club which prevailed as they won the trophy for a sixth time.
The following year, there were first-time winners, as Birkenhead United edged out Northern League First Division champions Waitakere City 3-2 after extra time in a match which the West Aucklanders went into having gone through the season unbeaten, and aiming to emulate Manurewa's 1978 feat of winning the First Division title and the Chatham Cup.
The Northern League - Chatham Cup double was won by Onehunga Sports in 2017, "The Green Machine" winning both trophies for the first time. The cup was won on penalties after a classic Central Auckland derby - the first in the history of the Chatham Cup Final - saw Central United pegged back three times by Sports, two clubs whose home grounds are both served by the 008 bus route, hence the final coming to be known as "the 008 Cup Final"!
A year later, two of the youngest teams to grace the Chatham Cup Final met at North Harbour Stadium, with Birkenhead prevailing 5-4 on penalties over Western Suburbs after the teams had shared two goals in two absorbing hours of football.
What a contrast a year later, when four goals in the last seven minutes of the match saw Napier City Rovers come from behind to down Melville United 3-2 to win the trophy for a fifth time.
That was to be the last Chatham Cup Final for 2.5 years, with the coronavirus pandemic forcing the canning of the 2020 competition, and the deferment of the 2021 final to the first weekend in March 2022, an occasion which saw Cashmere clinch the trophy for the third time in nine seasons, overcoming Miramar 4-2 in the final.
A year later, Auckland City finally got their hands on New Zealand football's most celebrated trophy, edging Eastern Suburbs 1-0 in the first final played between two teams from the NZ Football Championship era, whose entry into the Cup was only permitted in 2021.
Penalty shootouts decided the next two finals, with Christchurch United prevailing on spot-kicks after sharing four goals with Melville United in 2023. A year later, it was Wellington Olympic's turn to reclaim the silverware, 5-4 on penalties over Auckland City, with both teams having goals disallowed in a bonkers thirty seconds in the dying moments of regulation time.
 Central United captain, Ivan Vicelich, New Zealand's most capped All White,
kisses the Chatham Cup after leading his club to their fifth triumph in 2012.
(photo courtesy Getty Images)
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|
Chatham Cup Finals
Year
|
Venue
|
Winners
|
Province
|
Score
|
Runners-Up
|
Province
|
1923
|
Wellington
|
Seacliff
W. Hooper (2), R. Baxter, M. MacDougall
|
Otago
|
4-0
|
YMCA
|
Wellington
|
1924
|
Wellington
|
Harbour Board
M. Heyes, H. Margison, W. Palmer
|
Auckland
|
3-1
|
Seacliff
W. Simmons
|
Otago
|
1925
|
Wellington
|
YMCA
S. Dempster (2), D. Halley
|
Wellington
|
3-2
|
Seacliff
W. Hanlin, W. Hooper
|
Otago
|
1926
|
Wellington
|
Sunnyside
A. Trotter (3), H. Pickering
|
Canterbury
|
4-2
|
North Shore United
L. Hipkins, J. Woolley
|
Auckland
|
1927
|
Wellington
|
Ponsonby
J. Adshead, G. Hunter, R. Innes
|
Auckland
|
3-2
|
Northern
A. McDowell, A. McTavish
|
Otago
|
1928
|
Wellington
|
Petone
W. Farquhar
|
Wellington
|
1-0
|
Northern
|
Otago
|
1929
|
Wellington
|
Tramways
H. Spencer (2), C. Bell, E. Williams
|
Auckland
|
4-0
|
Seacliff
|
Otago
|
1930
|
Wellington
|
Petone
D. Craig, J. Dodds
|
Wellington
|
2-1
|
Western
C. Falloon
|
Canterbury
|
1931
|
Wellington
|
Tramurewa
C. Bell (3), H. Donaldson, A. Spong
|
Auckland
|
5-2
|
Nomads United
G. Goode, A. Wilson
|
Canterbury
|
1932
|
Wellington
|
Marist
E. Barton (3), J. Kershaw, S. Marshment
|
Wellington
|
5-0
|
Millerton All Blacks
|
Buller
|
1933
|
Wellington
|
Ponsonby
R. Innes, J. Jepson
|
Auckland
|
2-1
|
Millerton All Blacks
T. Pollock
|
Buller
|
1934
|
Wellington
|
Thistle
W. Watson, L. Wood
|
Auckland
|
2-1
|
Thistle
J. Adam
|
Canterbury
|
1935
|
Wellington
|
Hospital
A. Gibb, W. McGrory, W. Woods
|
Wellington
|
3-1
|
Western
M. Gordon
|
Canterbury
|
1936
|
Wellington
|
Western
W. White (2), G. Ellis
|
Canterbury
|
3-2
|
Thistle
F. Angus (2)
|
Auckland
|
1938
|
Wellington
|
Waterside
S. Ward (2), T. Janes, T. Walker
|
Wellington
|
4-0
|
Mosgiel
|
Otago
|
1939
|
Wellington
|
Waterside
C. McCarthy (2), A. Longbottom, S. Ward
|
Wellington
|
4-2
|
Western
H. Galbraith, R. Smith
|
Canterbury
|
1940
|
Wellington
|
Waterside
C. McCarthy (3), A. Longbottom, T. Walker, S. Ward
|
Wellington
|
6-2
|
Mosgiel
W. Rogers, A. Sharpe
|
Otago
|
1945
|
Wellington
|
Western
J. Smith (3), J. Druker
|
Canterbury
|
4-3
|
Marist
G. Irvine, R. Price, "oggie"
|
Wellington
|
1946
|
Wellington
|
Marist
H. Bell, J. Hatchard
|
Wellington
|
2-1
|
Christchurch Technical
C. Thomas
|
Canterbury
|
1947
|
Wellington
|
Waterside
M. Bell, T. Janes
|
Wellington
|
2-1
|
Christchurch Technical
C. Bailey
|
Canterbury
|
1948
|
Wellington
|
Christchurch Technical
P. O'Malley, C. Thomas
|
Canterbury
|
2-0
|
Waterside
|
Wellington
|
1949
|
Wellington
|
Petone
W. Hewitt
|
Wellington
|
1-0
|
Northern
|
Otago
|
1950
|
Wellington
|
Eden
D. Brewer, P. Goddard, J. Jakens
|
Auckland
|
3-2
|
Christchurch Technical
C. Bailey, C. Thomas
|
Canterbury
|
1951
|
Wellington
|
Eastern Suburbs
R. King (3), J. Anderson, A. Frogley
|
Auckland
|
5-1
|
Northern
T. McFarlane
|
Otago
|
1952
|
Wellington
|
North Shore United
H. Moyle
|
Auckland
|
1-1*
|
Western
N. Joseph
|
Canterbury
|
1953
|
Wellington
|
Eastern Suburbs
R. King (2), M. Anderson, K. Fleet
|
Auckland
|
4-3
|
Northern
T. McFarlane (2), W. Boardman
|
Otago
|
1954
|
Wellington
|
Onehunga
R. McCullough
|
Auckland
|
1-0
|
Western
|
Canterbury
|
1955
|
Wellington
|
Western
P. Saunderson (3), A. Davis S. Ralph, J. White
|
Canterbury
|
6-2
|
Eastern Suburbs
M. Anderson, R. King
|
Auckland
|
1956
|
Wellington
|
Stop Out
F. Benge, A. Schryvers, B. Sergent, J. Sharp
|
Wellington
|
4-1
|
Shamrock
E. Fields
|
Canterbury
|
1957
|
Wellington
|
Seatoun
W. Logan (2), S. Goddard
|
Wellington
|
3-1
|
Christchurch Technical
A. McAnulty
|
Canterbury
|
1958
|
Wellington
|
Seatoun
J. Donovan (6), R. Wright
|
Wellington
|
7-1
|
Christchurch City
K. Giblett
|
Canterbury
|
1959
|
Wellington
|
Northern
W. Berry, G. Little, "oggie"
|
Otago
|
3-2
|
North Shore United
C. Foulkes, A. Middleton
|
Auckland
|
1960
|
Wellington
|
North Shore United
A. Lowndes (2), K. Armstrong, T. Paterson, J. Ryan
|
Auckland
|
5-3
|
Christchurch Technical
J. Campbell, T. Charlton, A. Verham
|
Canterbury
|
1961
|
Wellington
|
Northern
B. Campbell, G. Little
|
Otago
|
2-0
|
North Shore United
|
Auckland
|
1962
|
Wellington
|
Technical
P. Nevison (2), P. Feenstra, T. Jones
|
Waikato
|
4-1
|
Northern
G. Little
|
Otago
|
1963
|
Wellington
|
North Shore United
P. Maynard, T. McNicholl, A. Middleton
|
Auckland
|
3-1
|
Nomads United
R. Muirson
|
Canterbury
|
1964
|
Wellington
|
Mt. Roskill
G. Cozens (2), R. Darby
|
Auckland
|
3-1
|
Dunedin Technical
W. Porteous
|
Otago
|
1965
|
Wellington
|
Eastern Suburbs
J. Legg (2), T. Pugh (2)
|
Auckland
|
4-1
|
St Kilda
B. Slinn
|
Otago
|
1966
|
Wellington
|
Miramar Rangers
L. Taylor
|
Wellington
|
1-0
|
Western
|
Canterbury
|
1967
|
Wellington
|
North Shore United
I. Campbell, W. Rimmer
|
Auckland
|
2-1
|
Christchurch City
T. Haydon
|
Canterbury
|
1968
|
Wellington
|
Eastern Suburbs
J. Wrathall (2)
|
Auckland
|
2-0
|
Christchurch Technical
|
Canterbury
|
1969
|
Wellington
|
Eastern Suburbs
W. de Graaf, J. Wrathall
|
Auckland
|
2-0
|
New Brighton
|
Canterbury
|
1970
|
Wellington
|
Blockhouse Bay
C. Shaw (2)
|
Auckland
|
2-2
|
Western Suburbs
W. Huntley (2)
|
Wellington
|
replay
|
Auckland
|
Blockhouse Bay
C. Campbell, I. Ormond, C. Shaw
|
Auckland
|
3-2
|
Western Suburbs
B. Baker, B. Humphreys
|
Wellington
|
1971
|
Wellington
|
Western Suburbs
B. Humphreys, A. Jeffery, D. Wallace
|
Wellington
|
3-2
|
Wellington City
J. Beck, P. Cameron
|
Wellington
|
1972
|
Wellington
|
Christchurch United
G. Dacombe (4)
|
Canterbury
|
4-4
|
Mt. Wellington
R. Armstrong (2), E. Thomas, B. Turner
|
Auckland
|
replay
|
Christchurch
|
Christchurch United
I. Park
|
Canterbury
|
1-1
|
Mt. Wellington
D. Tindall
|
Auckland
|
replay
|
Auckland
|
Christchurch United
A. Marley, I. Park
|
Canterbury
|
2-1
|
Mt. Wellington
R. Armstrong
|
Auckland
|
1973
|
Auckland
|
Mt. Wellington
D. Taylor (2), J. Houghton
|
Auckland
|
3-0
|
North Shore United
|
Auckland
|
1974
|
Christchurch
|
Christchurch United
B. Hardman, I. Park
|
Canterbury
|
2-0
|
Wellington United
|
Wellington
|
1975
|
Auckland
|
Christchurch United
M.McNaughton, N. Moran, K. Mulgrew,, "oggie"
|
Canterbury
|
4-2
|
Blockhouse Bay
M. Farac, C. Shaw
|
Auckland
|
1976
|
Christchurch
|
Christchurch United
N. Moran (2), M. McNaughton, "oggie"
|
Canterbury
|
4-0
|
Eastern Suburbs
|
Auckland
|
1977
|
Auckland
|
Nelson United
J. Enoka
|
Nelson
|
1-0
|
Mt. Wellington
|
Auckland
|
1978
|
Nelson
|
Manurewa
B. Foster
|
Franklin
|
1-0
|
Nelson United
|
Nelson
|
1979
|
Auckland
|
North Shore United
K. Hobbs, I. Ormond
|
Auckland
|
2-1
|
Mt. Wellington
J. Leijh
|
Auckland
|
1980
|
Wellington
|
Mt. Wellington
S. Carruthers, W. McClure
|
Auckland
|
2-0
|
Dunedin City
|
Otago
|
1981
|
Wellington
|
Dunedin City
M. Glubb (2), T. Wilson
|
Otago
|
3-1
|
Mt. Wellington
W. McClure
|
Auckland
|
1982
|
Wellington
|
Mt. Wellington
K. Nelson
|
Auckland
|
1-0
|
Miramar Rangers
|
Wellington
|
1983
|
Gisborne
|
Mt. Wellington
F. de Jong, K. Nelson
|
Auckland
|
2-2
|
Gisborne City
C. Walker (2)
|
Poverty Bay
|
replay
|
Auckland
|
Mt. Wellington
K. Nelson, J. Price
|
Auckland
|
2-0
|
Gisborne City
|
Poverty Bay
|
1984
|
Auckland
|
Manurewa
S. Sumner (2)
|
Franklin
|
2-1
|
Gisborne City
K. Cresswell
|
Poverty Bay
|
1985
|
Auckland
|
Napier City Rovers
G. Brown, H. Clarke, P. Halford
|
Hawke's Bay
|
3-1
|
North Shore United
B. Weymouth
|
Auckland
|
1986
|
H & A
|
North Shore United
K. Hagan, D. McClennan, B. McKeown, K. Wright
|
Auckland
|
4-2@
|
Mt. Maunganui
A. Ferris, G. Proudman
|
Bay of Plenty
|
1987
|
H & A
|
Gisborne City
S. Morrell (2), K. Birch, S. Byrne, P. Nixon, B. Strutt, S. Sumner
|
Poverty Bay
|
7-3@
|
Christchurch United
A. Carville, P. Nicholls, J. Verweij
|
Canterbury
|
1988
|
H & A
|
Waikato United
S. Tate (2), L. Bauerfeind
|
Waikato
|
3-3#
|
Christchurch United
K. Braithwaite, J. Hanson, J. Verweij
|
Canterbury
|
1989
|
Wellington
|
Christchurch United
M. McGarry (3), K. Braithwaite, L. Fitzpatrick, S. Sumner, J. Verweij
|
Canterbury
|
7-1
|
Rotorua City
S. Zohs
|
Bay of Plenty
|
1990
|
Auckland
|
Mt. Wellington
R. Armstrong, N. Barkley, "oggie"
|
Auckland
|
3-3&
|
Christchurch United
A. Carville (2), M. McGarry
|
Canterbury
|
1991
|
Wellington
|
Christchurch United
A. Evans (2)
|
Canterbury
|
2-1
|
Wellington United
M. Fullen
|
Wellington
|
1992
|
Wellington
|
Miramar Rangers
B. Wright (2, incl. pen), V. Coveny
|
Wellington
|
3-1
|
Waikato United
D. Fellowes
|
Waikato
|
1993
|
Napier
|
Napier City Rovers
P. Halford (3), D. Fletcher (2), M. Akers
|
Hawke's Bay
|
6-0
|
Christchurch Rangers
|
Canterbury
|
1994
|
Napier
|
Waitakere City
N. Barkley
|
Auckland
|
1-0
|
Wellington Olympic
|
Wellington
|
1995
|
Napier
|
Waitakere City
G. Gray (2), T. Edge, D. McClennan
|
Auckland
|
4-0
|
North Shore United
|
Auckland
|
1996
|
Napier
|
Waitakere City
D. McClennan, L. Mulrooney, N. Woodhams
|
Auckland
|
3-1
|
Mt. Wellington
N. Hyde
|
Auckland
|
1997
|
Napier
|
Central United
P. Urlovic (2), W. Rufer
|
Auckland
|
3-2
|
Napier City Rovers
M. Akers, K. Oliver
|
Hawke's Bay
|
1998
|
Auckland
|
Central United
N. Hickey (2), P. Urlovic (2), I. Vicelich
|
Auckland
|
5-0
|
Dunedin Technical
|
Otago
|
1999
|
Auckland
|
Dunedin Technical
A. Burgess, J. Flaws, J. Tee, G. Marshall
|
Otago
|
4-0
|
Waitakere City
|
Auckland
|
2000
|
Auckland
|
Napier City Rovers
L. Birnie, J. Cudd, C. McIvor, R. Ravenhill
|
Hawke's Bay
|
4-1
|
Central United
S. Mack
|
Auckland
|
2001
|
Auckland
|
University-Mt. Wellington
H. McCormack (2), T. Medhurst
|
Auckland
|
3-3%
|
Central United
C. Banks (2), D. Aliaga
|
Auckland
|
2002
|
Napier
|
Napier City Rovers
L. Birnie, B. Scott
|
Hawke's Bay
|
2-0
|
Tauranga City United
|
Bay of Plenty
|
2003
|
Auckland
|
University-Mt. Wellington
H. McCormack (2), J. Waugh
|
Auckland
|
3-1
|
Melville United
S. Watene
|
Waikato
|
2004
|
Auckland
|
Miramar Rangers
M. Zanotto
|
Wellington
|
1-0
|
Waitakere City
|
Auckland
|
2005
|
Auckland
|
Central United
N. Sykes, P. Urlovic
|
Auckland
|
2-1
|
Marist Palmerston North
N. Hill
|
Manawatu
|
2006
|
Auckland
|
Western Suburbs
|
Wellington
|
0-0^
|
Eastern Suburbs
|
Auckland
|
2007
|
Auckland
|
Central United
|
Auckland
|
0-0$
|
Western Suburbs
|
Wellington
|
2008
|
Auckland
|
East Coast Bays
"oggie"
|
Auckland
|
1-0
|
Dunedin Technical
|
Otago
|
2009
|
Auckland
|
Wellington Olympic
R. de Gregorio, M. Malivuk
|
Wellington
|
2-1
|
Three Kings United
L. Del Monte
|
Auckland
|
2010
|
Auckland
|
Miramar Rangers
T. Schaeffers, C. Parkin, M. White
|
Wellington
|
3-1
|
Bay Olympic
N. Strom
|
Auckland
|
2011
|
Palmerston North
|
Wairarapa United
P. Rabo, S. Soromon
|
Wairarapa
|
2-1
|
Napier City Rovers
F. Neil
|
Hawkes Bay
|
2012
|
Wellington
|
Central United
D. Koprivcic (2), J. Hicks, D. Mulligan, E. Tade, I. Vicelich
|
Auckland
|
6-1
|
Lower Hutt City
H. Price
|
Wellington
|
2013
|
Christchurch
|
Cashmere Technical
D. Boys, S. Kelly, D. Ede
|
Canterbury
|
3-1
|
Waitakere City
J. Butler
|
Auckland
|
2014
|
Auckland
|
Cashmere Technical
A. Wellbourn, D. Terris
|
Canterbury
|
2-1
|
Central United
E. Tade
|
Auckland
|
2015
|
Auckland
|
Eastern Suburbs
B. Barnes, D. Mosquera
|
Auckland
|
2-1
|
Napier City Rovers
D. Wilson
|
Hawkes Bay
|
2016
|
Auckland
|
Birkenhead United
J. Smith (2), E. Galbraith
|
Auckland
|
3-2
|
Waitakere City
D. Manickum, K. Linderboom
|
Auckland
|
2017
|
Auckland
|
Onehunga Sports
T. Boss (2), S. Lovemore
|
Auckland
|
3-3<
|
Central United
S. Ryder (2), N. Zambrano
|
Auckland
|
2018
|
Auckland
|
Birkenhead United
A. Connor-McClean
|
Auckland
|
1-1%
|
Western Suburbs
M. Awad
|
Wellington
|
2019
|
Auckland
|
Napier City Rovers
J. McNamara, L. Schofield, S. Goto
|
Hawkes Bay
|
3-2
|
Melville United
F. Marquez, A. Scott
|
Waikato
|
2021
|
Porirua
|
Cashmere Technical
G. Coughlan (2), Y. Taguchi (2)
|
Canterbury
|
4-2
|
Miramar Rangers
F. O'Brien, "oggie"
|
Wellington
|
2022
|
Auckland
|
Auckland City
D. Manickum
|
Auckland
|
1-0
|
Eastern Suburbs
|
Auckland
|
2023
|
Auckland
|
Christchurch United
J. Godden, "oggie"
|
Canterbury
|
2-2&
|
Melville United
L. Lim, M. Tommy
|
Waikato
|
2024
|
Auckland
|
Wellington Olympic
"oggie"
|
Wellington
|
1-1%
|
Auckland City
S. Ukich
|
Auckland
|
NB No competition in 1937, and between 1941 and 1944. No competition in 2020 due to Coronavirus pandemic.
Code:
|
*
|
Trophy shared
|
@
|
Won on aggregate
|
&
|
Won 4-2 on pens.
|
|
#
|
Won on away goals
|
^
|
Won 3-0 on pens.
|
%
|
Won 5-4 on pens.
|
|
$
|
Won 10-9 on pens.
|
<
|
Won 6-5 on pens.
|
|
|
For round-by-round results in the Chatham Cup since 1965, go here