tony andrews

We’re catching up with club legend and member of The Wisemen, Tony Andrews. A familiar face at most Northern League games, Tony is our announcer at home matches, contributes a regular column to the programme, and even assembles it by hand.

How did you initially get involved with football?

Always loved the game. Played 1st Eleven at school but that's as far as it went. I was working shifts that included most weekends, so the only avenue was Refereeing, which I did for a couple of years before we started the Green Bay-Titirangi Club.

Now you are fondly referred to around the club as one of The Wisemen, how did this name come about, and how does one join this exclusive group?

It started about 20/10/11. A group of us used to have a drink on Club night which was then on a Wednesday. Dave Mellor, a long time Club supporter, christened us the Five Wisemen. Not sure why because we certainly aren't particularly wise! We have dropped the "Five" because one member has passed on and it started to become a sort of elimination game! The other members are Dave Downing, Rick De Vries and Vic Larnder. Anyone can join but the fees are astronomical....

What role did you play in the merger between Green Bay Football Club and Blockhouse Bay Football Club that led to the formation of Bay Olympic?

At the merger I took on the role of Junior/Youth Co-ordinator. There was one from GBTU and from BHB. This was before any social media platforms and everything was organised by meetings and by phone! What I learned was that in merging two Clubs you were never going to please everyone!

You've spent many years watching and coaching football — is there one memory that stands out to you above all the rest?

Like any father, I wanted my son to enjoy his football and he did show some talent for the game. At a Henderson Park one day he scored a screamer. I thought Wow!. I've got a player on my hands.  He was about 12 at the time. Three weeks later, he had an argument with a parent referee, threw his boots away and took up golf. Never played again.

In your view, has the quality of football gotten better or worse compared to the earlier days?

The quality of football, skill wise, is far higher than it ever was. Whether junior/youth players get as much enjoyment as we did is debatable. For example, I never played in a team with a proper Coach. We coached ourselves at the local park! Today, most Clubs run Academies' and  I sometimes wonder if they get too much coaching and not enough fun. Not every young player is going to be a top grade player. There's still a place for the also-rans as I can attest.   

Given your long-standing involvement with Bay Olympic, how do you see the club developing in the future?

Bay Olympic has a fantastic history. The present Clubrooms, the artificial turf at Crum Park and the floodlights all came about through work done by Club Officials in the past. Unfortunately, many people today see the Club as a social service. A Club is only as strong as its working members. The future of this Club will depend on people coming forward and offering their skills and time for the benefit of others. In the past when you joined a Club you had an obligation to do what you could to further the interests of that Club. We need members to return to that way of thinking.