{{Use New Zealand English|date=November 2016}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2016}} {{Infobox football tournament season | year = 1923 | title = Chatham Cup | dates = 22 September – {{nowrap|1 October 1923}} | venue = Athletic Park, Wellington | num_teams = | winners = Seacliff (1st title) | second = Wellington Y.M.C.A. | prev_season = | next_season = 1924 }} The '''1923 Chatham Cup''' was the first annual nationwide football competition in New Zealand.
The competition was run on a regional basis, with separate northern and southern tournaments, with the winners of the two meeting in the final. Very few teams entered the competition, including only two from the southern South Island; Seacliff easily won the only match played there, thumping Oamaru 7–0, and repeated this in the final, accounting for Wellington's YMCA 4–0.
Of the teams taking part, it is known that four were from Wellington; contemporary reports indicate that Diamonds, Y.M.C.A. (Wellington), Hospital and Waterside took part.<ref>[http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19230804.2.136.2&srpos=8&e=-06-1923--10-1923--10--1-byDA---0%22chatham+cup%22-- Papers Past — Evening Post — 4 August 1923 — SOCCER]</ref> The Wellington FA scheduled their first Chatham Cup fixture for 11 August, between the Y.M.C.A. (Wellington) and Waterside at the Basin Reserve.<ref>{{Cite web|date=19 November 2021|title=Soccer - Wharfies Outplayed|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19230818.2.132|url-status=live|website=Papers Past|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211119060025/https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19230818.2.132 |archive-date=19 November 2021 }}</ref> Admission to the match cost one shilling.<ref>{{Cite web|date=19 November 2021|title=Amusements - Association Football - Basin Reserve|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19230811.2.15.3|url-status=live|website=Papers Past|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118201910/https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19230811.2.15.3 |archive-date=18 November 2021 }}</ref>
The management committee of the Auckland Football Association (A.F.A.) announced at its meeting on 5 June that Chatham Cup entries had closed with the North Shore, Philomel, Harbour Board, Brotherhood, Auckland Thistle, Northcote and Ponsonby clubs entering.<ref>{{Cite web|date=19 November 2021|title=Association Football - Management Committee - Chatham Cup|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19230606.2.144|url-status=live|website=Papers Past|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211119105034/https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19230606.2.144 |archive-date=19 November 2021 }}</ref> Meeting again on 12 June, the A.F.A. decided the second round of fixtures for the Auckland League Championship would count toward Chatham Cup qualification, with League Championship second round commencing on 16 June.<ref>{{Cite web|date=20 November 2021|title=Association Football - Management Committee - Fixtures for Saturday|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19230613.2.150|url-status=live|website=Papers Past|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211120040348/https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19230613.2.150 |archive-date=20 November 2021 }}</ref> Y.M.C.A. (Auckland) was admitted to compete for the Chatham Cup by the A.F.A. at its management committee meeting on 19 June.<ref>{{Cite web|date=20 November 2021|title=Association Football - Management Meeting|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19230620.2.135|url-status=live|website=Papers Past|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211120040933/https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19230620.2.135 |archive-date=20 November 2021 }}</ref>
Huntly qualified as the South Auckland Football Association representative as local league champions and were scheduled to face the Auckland Football Association qualifier, Northcote at Huntly.<ref>{{Cite news |date=17 August 1923 |title=Football - Association |pages=3 |work=Huntly Press and District Gazette |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HPDG19230817.2.14 |access-date=9 August 2023}}</ref>
The Wairarapa Football Association clubs, Waingawa, Post and Telegraph, Masterton and Y.M.C.A. (Masterton) sent entrance fees to join the 1923 Chatham Cup, which were received by the N.Z.F.A. in early June.<ref>{{Cite web|date=18 November 2021|title=SPORTING - New Zealand Football Association|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD19230615.2.8|url-status=live|website=Papers Past|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211117222318/https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD19230615.2.8 |archive-date=17 November 2021 }}</ref> The first two Chatham Cup fixtures held by the Wairarapa FA took place on June 30, with Post and Telegraph (P & T) versus the Masterton Y.M.C.A. at Masterton's Park Oval, and Waingawa playing Masterton at the Cole Street Ground.<ref>{{Cite web|date=19 November 2021|title=Meetings and Amusements - Wairarapa Football Association|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WDT19230629.2.2.4|url-status=live|website=Papers Past|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211118194715/https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WDT19230629.2.2.4 |archive-date=18 November 2021 }}</ref>
The Dawbers' Motor Depot. side changed its name to Athletic (Palmerston North) in 1925.<ref>{{Cite web|date=25 November 2021|title=Soccer Tournament|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MT19250411.2.65|url-status=live|website=Papers Past|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211125031223/https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MT19250411.2.65 |archive-date=25 November 2021 }}</ref>
There is some confusion about the earlier rounds of the competition, with various Charity Cups being held to decide entrants to the Chatham Cup, and with regional qualification finals, island finals, and the national final all simply being referred to in contemporary reports as "finals". Compounding this, different regional football associations were allowed to choose their champion team by whatever method they liked, meaning that some regions (such as Auckland) used league position to determine their entrant for the inter-regional matches,<ref>[http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19230811.2.168.2&srpos=12&e=-06-1923--10-1923--10--11-byDA---0%22chatham+cup%22-- Papers Past — Evening Post — 11 August 1923 — SOCCER]</ref> rather than a knockout competition. Compounding matters further are the incomplete records held by the NZFA, which omit several matches (including the semi-final between Seacliff and Oamaru Rangers).
==The 1923 final== thumb|Seacliff AFC winners of the first Chatham Cup final Played at Athletic Park, Wellington on 1 October 1923, Seacliff met YMCA Wellington in the first Chatham Cup final.<ref name="Finals">{{cite web |title=First Chatham Cup football final |url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/page/first-chatham-cup-football-final |website=Ministry for Culture and Heritage |publisher=NZ History |access-date=3 March 2021 |date=4 September 2020}}</ref> In the final, YMCA had the better of early possession, but Seacliff gained the upper hand as the match progressed. Centre-forward Bill Hooper scored the first goal just before the half-time interval. Shortly after the break Reg Baxter doubled the lead. Late on right wing Malcolm McDougall scored again, followed only a minute later by a second from Hooper. The line-up of the first Chatham Cup winning side was as follows: Charlie Rivers, Jock Anderson, George Anderson, Bill Rogers, Hugh McKechnie, Bill Murray, Malcolm McDougall, Reg Baxter, Bill Hooper, R. "Tommy" Burns, Wattie Hanlin.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hilton |first1=Tony |last2=Smith |first2=Barry |title=An Association with Soccer: The NZFA Celebrates Its First 100 Years |year=1991 |publisher=New Zealand Football |isbn=978-0473012915}}</ref>{{rp|66,167}}
The Mayor of Wellington, Robert Wright presented the cup to Seacliff on the ground after the match.<ref>{{Cite web|date=19 November 2021|title=Chatham Cup Final - Presentation of the Cup|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD19231006.2.96.11|url-status=live|website=Papers Past|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211119082940/https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD19231006.2.96.11 |archive-date=19 November 2021 }}</ref>
== Participants ==
{{col-begin}} {{col-break}} ;Auckland *Auckland Harbour Board *Auckland Thistle *Auckland YMCA *Northcote *North Shore *Ponsonby *HMS Philomel ;South Auckland (Waikato) *Huntly ;Manawatu *Dawbers' Motor Depot. (Foxton) *Palmerston North Rangers *St. Andrews {{col-break}} ;Wellington *Diamond *Hospital *Waterside *Wellington YMCA ;Wairarapa *Post and Telegraph *Masterton YMCA *Masterton *Waingawa ;Nelson *Redwood Valley *Nelson Athletic *Nelson Wanderers *Nelson Thistle {{col-break}} ;North Otago *Oamaru Rangers ;Otago *Seacliff {{col-end}}
== Results ==
=== Auckland Qualifiers === Northcote won Auckland's Division One league second round and thus qualified as Auckland's Chatham Cup representative.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Blackwell |date=1 August 1923 |title=Association Football - The Championship |pages=8 |work=Auckland Star |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19230801.2.130 |access-date=9 August 2023}}</ref>{{football box | bg = #eeeeee | date = 15 September 1923 | team1 = Huntly | score = 3 – 1 | report = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19230917.2.135 | team2 = Northcote | goals1 = Cox 2, Baber | goals2 = Knott | stadium = Huntly Recreation Ground | referee = Mr. A. F. Newbold | event = South Auckland/Auckland Final | time = | round = | score1 = | score2 = | location = Waikato | attendance = 500 }}
=== Wairarapa Qualifiers === {{football box | bg = #eeeeee | date = 30 June 1923 | team1 = Post and Telegraph | score = 10 - 2 | report = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19230702.2.99.7 | team2 = YMCA (Masterton) | goals1 = Stacey 4, Watson 3, R. Miller, W. Harding, Harris | goals2 = Moore, McLauchlan | stadium = Park Oval | referee = Mr. R. Taylor | event = | time = | round = | score1 = | score2 = | location = Masterton | attendance = }} {{football box | bg = | date = 30 June 1923 | team1 = Waingawa | score = 3 - 2 | report = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19230702.2.99.7 | team2 = Masterton | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Cole Street Ground | referee = Mr. Rowlands | event = | time = | round = | score1 = | score2 = | location = Masterton | attendance = }} {{football box | bg = #eeeeee | date = 21 July 1923 | team1 = Waingawa | score = 3 - 1 | report = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WDT19230723.2.47 | team2 = Post and Telegraph | goals1 = Kilmister, Birkett, (Nicholls og.) | goals2 = Watson | stadium = Park Oval | referee = Mr. T. Hallam | event = Wairarapa Final | time = | round = | score1 = | score2 = | location = Masterton | attendance = }}
=== Manawatu Qualifiers === {{football box | bg = | date = 1 July 1923 | team1 = Dawbers | score = 2 - 2 | report = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MT19230706.2.73 | team2 = St. Andrew's | goals1 = Hearsey, ? | goals2 = Kennedy 2 | stadium = Showground | referee = Mr. Crouch | event = | time = | round = | score1 = | score2 = | location = Foxton | attendance = }} {{football box | bg = #eeeeee | date = 7 July 1923 | team1 = Dawbers | score = 2 - 1 | report = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MS19230709.2.45 | team2 = St. Andrew's | goals1 = Hearsey (pen.), C. Dawber | goals2 = McLauchlan | stadium = Showground | referee = Rev. C. W. Duncumb | event = | time = | round = | score1 = | score2 = | location = Foxton | attendance = | scorenote = Replay }} {{football box | bg = | date = 14 July 1923 | team1 = Palmerston North Rangers | score = 0 - 3 | report = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MT19230716.2.69 | team2 = Dawbers | goals1 = | goals2 = Davis, C. Dawber, Hearsey | stadium = North Street Park | referee = Mr. Forbes | event = | time = | round = | score1 = | score2 = | location = Palmerston North | attendance = }} {{football box | bg = #eeeeee | date = 25 August 1923 | team1 = Waingawa | score = 0 - 6 | report = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MT19230827.2.71.4 | team2 = Dawbers | goals1 = | goals2 = Hearsey 4, Davis, Chapman, | stadium = Park Oval | referee = Mr. Halam | event = Wairarapa/Manawatu Final | time = | round = | score1 = | score2 = | location = Masterton | attendance = }}
===Wellington Qualifiers=== {{football box | bg = | date = 11 August 1923 | team1 = Waterside | score = 2 - 2 | report = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19230813.2.125 | team2 = Wellington YMCA | goals1 = Gilbertson, Anton | goals2 = Hindmarsh, Ballard | stadium = Basin Reserve | referee = Mr. G. Akers | event = | time = | round = | score1 = | score2 = | location = Wellington | attendance = }} {{football box | bg = #eeeeee | date = 25 August 1923 | team1 = Wellington YMCA | score = 2 - 1 | report = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19230827.2.87 | team2 = Waterside | goals1 = Hindmarsh, Campbell (pen.) | goals2 = Stacey | stadium = Association Park | referee = Mr. F. Campbell | event = | time = | round = | score1 = | score2 = | location = Wellington | attendance = | scorenote = Replay }} {{football box | bg = | date = 25 August 1923 | team1 = Diamond | score = 0 - 1 | report = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19230827.2.20.1 | team2 = Hospital | goals1 = | goals2 = Hughes | stadium = Association Park | referee = Mr. S. Wilson | event = | time = | round = | score1 = | score2 = | location = Wellington | attendance = }} {{football box | bg = #eeeeee | date = 8 September 1923 | team1 = Hospital | score = 1 - 2 aet | report = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19230910.2.122.2 | team2 = Wellington YMCA | goals1 = Hughes | goals2 = McGirr (pen.), Ballard | stadium = Basin Reserve | referee = Mr. W. Bryce | event = Wellington Final | time = | round = | score1 = | score2 = | location = Wellington | attendance = }}
=== Nelson Qualifiers === {{football box | bg = #eeeeee | date = 16 June 1923 | team1 = Nelson Athletic | score = 2 - 6 | report = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NEM19230618.2.71 | team2 = Nelson Wanderers | goals1 = W. Richards, ? | goals2 = Wheeler 4, Symons, Hurst jnr. | stadium = Victory Square No.1 | referee = Mr. Hunt | event = | time = | round = | score1 = | score2 = | location = Nelson | attendance = }} {{football box | bg = | date = 16 June 1923 | team1 = Redwood Valley | score = 1 - 0 | report = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NEM19230618.2.71 | team2 = Nelson Thistle | goals1 = D. Brown | goals2 = | stadium = Victory Square No.2 | referee = Mr. Parker | event = | time = | round = | score1 = | score2 = | location = Nelson | attendance = }} {{football box | bg = #eeeeee | date = 23 June 1923 | team1 = Nelson Wanderers | score = 3 - 2 | report = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NEM19230625.2.58 | team2 = Redwood Valley | goals1 = Yorgensen, Wheeler 2 | goals2 = D. Brown, A. Brown | stadium = Victory Square No.1 | referee = Mr. Parkinson | event = Nelson Final | time = | round = | score1 = | score2 = | location = Nelson | attendance = }} {{football box | bg = | date = 15 September 1923 | team1 = Nelson Wanderers | score = 1 - 8 | report = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19230917.2.106 | team2 = Wellington YMCA | goals1 = Symons | goals2 = Phillips, Ballard 3, Trott 2, ? , ? | stadium = Trafalgar Park | referee = Mr. C. Parkinson | event = Nelson/Wellington Final | time = | round = | score1 = | score2 = | location = Nelson | attendance = }} {{football box | bg = #eeeeee | date = 22 September 1923 | team1 = Wellington YMCA | score = 3 – 2 | report = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19230924.2.110.3 | team2 = Dawbers | goals1 = Phillips, McGirr (pen.), Ballard | goals2 = Davis, Chapman | stadium = Association Park, Kilbirnie | referee = Mr. W.G. Bryce | event = Wellington/Manawatu Final | time = | round = | score1 = | score2 = | attendance = | location = Wellington }}
===Semi-final (Island Finals)=== {{football box | bg = | date = 25 August 1923 | team1 = Oamaru Rangers | score = 0 – 7 | report = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19230827.2.16 | team2 = Seacliff | goals1 = | goals2 = Hooper 6, Burns | stadium = Oamaru | referee = Mr. Rutherford | event = South Island Final | time = | round = | score1 = | score2 = | location = | attendance = }} {{football box | bg = #eeeeee | date = 29 September 1923 | team1 = Wellington YMCA | score = 2 – 0 | report = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19231001.2.27.1 | team2 = Huntly | goals1 = Campbell 2 | goals2 = | stadium = Athletic Park | referee = Mr. F. Campbell | event = North Island Final | time = | round = | score1 = | score2 = | location = Wellington | attendance = }}
===Final=== '''Teams'''
'''Seacliff''': Charlie Rivers, George Anderson, Jock Anderson, Bill Rogers, Hugh McKechnie, Bill Murray, Malcolm Macdougall, Reg Baxter, Bill Hooper, Tommy Burns, Wattie Hanlin<ref name=Houston>Houston, J., (1952) ''Association football in New Zealand.'' Wellington: A.H. & A. W. Reed. p. 34.</ref>
'''Wellington YMCA:''' Arthur Tarrant, W. Pearson, Les McGirr, George Wotherspoon, Bill Rarity, Charlie Trott, Les Smith, Edgar Phillips, George Campbell, Harry Hindmarsh, Charles Ballard<ref>{{Cite web|date=19 November 2021|title=An Easy Win|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19231002.2.8|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191215172940/https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19231002.2.8 |archive-date=15 December 2019 }}</ref>
{{football box | bg = #eeeeee | date = 1 October 1923 | team1 = Seacliff | score = 4 – 0 | report = https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19231002.2.8 | team2 = Wellington YMCA | goals1 = Hooper 2, Baxter, Macdougall | goals2 = | stadium = Athletic Park | referee = Mr. J.A. Leddy | event = | time = | round = | score1 = | score2 = | attendance = | location = Wellington }}
==References== {{reflist}} *[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesn/nz1923.html Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation New Zealand 1923 page]
{{Chatham Cup seasons}}
Category:Chatham Cup Chatham Cup Chatham Cup Category:September 1923 in Oceania Category:October 1923 in Oceania Category:1920s in Wellington