Footballing talent to gather at A&P Park

Marlborough will again be well represented in the annual Gavin Roberts 12th grade boys and 12th grade girls South Island representative tournaments which kicks off in Blenheim on Sunday.

Marlborough Football will once more host the popular event at A&P Park, starting on Sunday, September 24, and concluding on Tuesday, September 26. Twenty-one teams, with over 300 players, will compete across the two tournaments.

Fourteen sides will vie for the Gavin Roberts 12th Boys Trophy – Marlborough, Nelson Suburbs FC, FC Nelson, Halswell United Hawks (Christchurch), Waimak Utd Development Red (Christchurch), Waimak Utd Development Black (Christchurch), CTFC Blue (Christchurch), CTFC Gold (Christchurch), Ferrymead Bays (Christchurch), Christchurch United (Christchurch), Selwyn United FC (Christchurch), Nomads Pre Academy (Christchurch), West End AFC (Timaru), Hearts Leopards (Timaru).

There will be seven sides in contention for the South Island 12th Grade Girls Trophy – Marlborough, Nelson Suburbs FC, Halswell United Hawks (Christchurch), Waimak Utd Black (Christchurch), SASFC Sky (Christchurch), Ferrymead Bays Wekas (Christchurch), West End AFC (Timaru).

The tournament has been running since 1973 when the Gavin Roberts Cup was presented at the first official tournament, the outcome of three football administrators discussing junior football in the South Island and the complications involved in the organisation of tournaments.

Those men were Jimmy Lang of Blenheim, president of the Marlborough Junior Football Association, Gavin McPherson of Christchurch, a life member of the Rangers club and vice president of the Canterbury Junior Football Association, plus Gavin Roberts of Christchurch, the secretary of the Canterbury Junior Football Association and a New Zealand Council Member.

The 12th grade girls’ tournament was originally held in Nelson in conjunction with the 10th and 11th grade festivals but, in 2008, it was staged in conjunction with the Gavin Roberts tournament.

Marlborough football are hosting seven tournaments over nine weeks in September and October, bringing over 100 teams, plus their supporters, to the region.

The Marlborough teams for the Gavin Roberts tournaments are:

12th grade boys: Oliver Barclay, Benjamin Corban, Harry MacNeill, Leonard Hamann, Dylan Boyd, Flynn McCaa, Finn Ashworth, Marcus Blasco-Brown, Carter Eden, Billy Hurren, Hunter Wong, Cameron Sievewright, Joseph Gilhooly, Charlie Clark, Alex Wood. Coach Shivesh Chandra, manager Amy Wong.

12th grade girls: Aimee Griffiths, Sophie Stamp, Dylen Foote, Giana Chen, Lucy Bridgen, Georgia Newman, Serenity Rangi, Hayley Semmens, Sophie Campbell, Zora Suleiman, Mackenzie Wyngaard. Coach Zeb Foote, manager Hayley Foote.