Page 517 - NUAFC EBook

Personality Parade
Tongue-in-Cheek articles authored by Gladdis and Squirrel.

voted the most Valuable player. Moved on to coach the
Staff Magee Thirds in 1978 when they won the Ronnie Johnson
Memorial Trophy (a local pre-season tournament). The
1977-80 following year he lead the team to a 2nd Division title.
Staf was born in Masterton a few years ago Ben still has a goal of playing Northern League
and started soccer at Technical College and was on his 60th birthday so he can add to his personal
a Manawatu rep from 12 to 18 before playing for Kiwi compilation of "The Henckel Footballing Crapbook".
United.
Came to Narra in '75 as transport manager for a
local haulage firm and played in the original Dad's Army EDDIE CALLAGHAN (Snr)
team. His penchant for pies was staggering where he 1983-88
averaged 6 per Saturday (and that was before he took the Eddie was born at Boldon Colliery, County
field!). Durham starting his life as a pit pony and his sporting
He was top scorer for many years with 28 career as a hockey goalkeeper (as evidenced by his
goals in one season, only beaten in 1992. He could score declining hairline a result of trying to head the hockey
with either foot, his head or his backside. His size 12 ball clear). In the early '50s he served as a medic in the
boots have since been donated to Turangawaewae Marae Royal Army Medical Corp (RAMC) which backwards
as a war canoe named Waka Magee. reads Can't Manage A Rifle. Came to NZ in 1971 as a leg
splint on the new Auckland Zoo giraffe and settled in
Just before the donation the club used them as the Dunedin as cheer-leader for Dick Plume's PomPom Squad.
raft in a raft-race but the water got in the lace-holes and He spent his time as a supervisor in the parcel
the raft sank. sorting office of NZ Post where he was known as Colonel
Staf was responsible for all the cartage Klink of the Lost & Lost Again Dept. His football
involved in the construction of the current clubrooms and management career started with Claudelands Rovers
took his leisure on a Saturday afternoon in soccer where he managed his son's junior side for two years.
matches by clearing the trees behind the southern goal Joined Narra in '82 as manager of Bernie
with his wayward shots. The gap in the treeline is Carmakahzee's Samurai Squadron bringing with him a
still there as a memory to his shooting power. The remarkable memory knowing 26 verses of the Bladen
sole remaining tree remains at an angle where Staf gave Races (backwards).
it a glancing blow with the last kick of his career.

On the field he was like an amiable chainsaw,
always smiling as he cut down the opposition.
1981-84
Known as Dipstick Basher or Abdul the Bull-Bull
he had played soccer since his schooldays (apart from one
BEN HENCKEL season as an A Grade Rugby player). He soon went back to
1977-92 soccer when he found the forwards were using him as an air
Known locally as the Danish Cheese,. he was born cushion in the scrum.
in Esbjerg where he played for the local school champions Born in Warkworth (south of Afghanistan
(but not immediately after his birth!). He arrived in the Land and north of Bluff) he played for North Shore and
of the Long White Soccer Pitch in 1958 and became a for Takapuna when they were Northern League
sheepherder but gave it away when he found himself baa-ing winners. He captained Northland for two years where
back at them. The tendency stayed with him and can be they were the only team to draw with Auckland (the
heard whenever he sings! other teams all beat Auckland!).
He played soccer for Otorohanga (1958) and then Seven years with Whangarei were followed by
Wanderers (1959-61) when he had his own restaurant in
Frankton. In 1970 he arrive in Narra and opened up the old Wanderers, then Narra, then Wanderers and finally
common sense prevailed (he ran short of petrol) and
24-flour takeaway on the main road. he stayed with Narra.
He played for our 3rd Division in 1977 and was

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