Clendon United AFC has celebrated its 50th anniversary.
Past and present players, coaches, officials, volunteers, supporters and friends gathered at the club’s headquarters in Weymouth Road earlier this month to mark the occasion.
Club President Fetu says it was fabulous to have five past presidents and some foundation members at the event. “It was great hearing stories from the early days. We also shared our vision for where the club is heading in the future.”
Trustees Daniel Newman and Rangi Mclean represented the Wiri Licensing Trust at the anniversary celebrations.
Clendon United is a family-focused club that wants to ensure football is welcoming and accessible to everyone. It provides players from the age of four right through to senior men’s and women’s teams opportunities to enjoy the sport.
Its first clubrooms were in Mountfort Park but in 2012 it joined other sporting codes operating from the then-new Manurewa Sports Centre.
This season the club fielded 13 teams, with five senior teams, one youth under-15 side and seven junior teams, including two new girls’ teams for under-nine and under-11 players.
Fetu says one of the things he is most proud of is the commitment from all the volunteers, coaches and committee members who give them time freely to serve the community.
Wiri Licensing Trust General Manager Kim Green congratulated CUAFC on reaching the milestone.
“It’s fantastic to have a relationship with a club that has been part of the South Auckland sporting landscape for so long. Reaching 50 years is a wonderful milestone and reflects the generations of players, families and volunteers who have been part of the club.”
Wiri Licensing Trust has backed the club’s applications to Trillian Trust for equipment and storage costs and also provides Player of the Day certificates for its junior teams.
Fetu says the funding helped the club with new playing uniforms, which were launched earlier this year.
“And with more junior teams, the Player of the Day certificates are a hit.”
