The Northern Region Football community season is set to kick off with the inaugural Terry Hobin Cup in Keri Keri this Saturday. 

The cup pits the winners of Northland's Stafford Choat Knockout Cup against the NRF Men's Federation Cup winners - the first edition will be between 2022 winners Kerikeri Bay Builders and Uni-Mount Bohemian AFC Alto Vuelo, and happens at 2pm Saturday 15 April at Baysport Waipapa number one.  

The cup is named after Northern Football’s Terry Hobin, one of the inaugural board members of United Soccer 1 (later Northern Football Federation), who took on the role as the Federation’s General Manager in its first year.

"It felt good to be asked, it's an honour," said Terry. I was happy to accept because I've been around a long time." 

Terry has been involved in football for over 60 years as a player, junior/youth coach, referee, football writer, administrator and rep team manager.

His playing career began at Blockhouse Bay club (now part of Bay Olympic), and took in University, CYFC (now Wellington Olympic) before age grade stints for Glenfield Rovers and Takapuna.

As an administrator, he served Takapuna and Glenfield in the 1990s and became Secretary of the North Harbour Junior FA and Northern League Manager before taking the full-time role of Competitions Manager for US1. 

"I always look on that period with a bit of pride, because we basically had an office desk and a chair and a blank piece of paper. We made it up as we went to a certain extent and did what we thought was best," said Terry, who only retired from the Federation at the end of 2020.

A regular visitor to Northland and the Far North during his time with the Federation, Terry made it his mission to visit every Club in the north and took in many a Stafford Choat Cup and Women’s Knockout Cup Final.

"I used to make sure I came up to the north a lot and made sure they were hearing the same messages as the clubs in North or West Auckland and catch some of the games," said Terry. 

 

Northland's Stafford Choat Knockout Cup winners Kerikeri Bay Builders will take on Uni-Mount Alto Vuelo. 

 

On one such occasion Terry’s partner accompanied him on the promise of a 'flash lunch in Whangarei'. What she got was fish n chips and a glass of wine at the Tikipunga clubrooms (no offence Tiki). Apparently she reminds him she’s still waiting for her flash lunch in Whangarei!

He is a Life Member of Northern Regional Football, a recipient of a North Harbour Sport Acknowledgement Award and on his retirement was awarded the Medal of Excellence from Friends of Football.

Terry remains in touch with football through involvement as a Module Manager for the Allan Peeperkoorn Summer 7-a-Side and as Media Officer for Takapuna AFC.

Article added: Friday 14 April 2023