Steve Sumner


Steven Paul Sumner was an English-born, New Zealand footballer who played as a midfielder. He was captain of the national team during the country's first successful campaign to 1982 [FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC and OFC)|qualify] for the World Cup, in 1982. He is also the first New Zealander to score in the World Cup, doing so in the 54th minute in New Zealand's 1982 opening game against Scotland.

Club career

Born in Preston, England, Sumner began his football as an apprentice at Blackpool before moving to New Zealand in 1973 to play for Christchurch United, winning the National League in his first year. Sumner went on to win 6 Chatham Cups and 5 league titles. He is the only player to have won six Chatham Cup winners medals.

International career

His international career spanned from 1976 to 1988, including a record 105 appearances for New Zealand, 58 of which were A-internationals.
Sumner scored a national record six goals during New Zealand's 13–0 defeat of Fiji during the 1982 World Cup qualifying campaign. He was also one of New Zealand's only two scorers in the 1982 World Cup Finals tournament in Spain, in New Zealand's 5–2 loss to Scotland. He was the first player of the FIFA Oceania zone to score in a World Cup.
In 1991, he was inducted into the New Zealand Soccer Media Association Hall of Fame and was then awarded FIFA's top award, the FIFA Order of Merit, before the opening of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, along with Johan Cruyff and former South African president Thabo Mbeki.

Career statistics

International

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.23 March 1977Auckland, New Zealand2–06–01978 FIFA World Cup qualification
2.23 March 1977Auckland, New Zealand3–06–01978 FIFA World Cup qualification
3.23 March 1977Auckland, New Zealand4–06–01978 FIFA World Cup qualification
4.26 July 1979Nouméa, New Caledonia?–02–0Friendly
5.25 February 1980Nouméa, New Caledonia1–01–31980 Oceania Cup
6.25 April 1981Auckland, New Zealand3–33–31982 FIFA World Cup qualification
7.3 May 1981Ba, Fiji2–04–01982 FIFA World Cup qualification
8.16 August 1981Auckland, New Zealand2–013–01982 FIFA World Cup qualification
9.16 August 1981Auckland, New Zealand7–013–01982 FIFA World Cup qualification
10.16 August 1981Auckland, New Zealand9–013–01982 FIFA World Cup qualification
11.16 August 1981Auckland, New Zealand10–013–01982 FIFA World Cup qualification
12.16 August 1981Auckland, New Zealand11–013–01982 FIFA World Cup qualification
13.16 August 1981Auckland, New Zealand13–013–01982 FIFA World Cup qualification
14.14 December 1981Kuwait City, Kuwait1–12–21982 FIFA World Cup qualification
15.15 June 1982Málaga, Spain1–32–51982 FIFA World Cup
16.25 September 1983Auckland, New Zealand1–13–11984 Summer Olympics Qualifiers
17.25 September 1983Auckland, New Zealand3–13–11984 Summer Olympics Qualifiers
18.7 October 1983Tokyo, Japan1–01–01984 Summer Olympics Qualifiers
19.5 June 1985Gisborne, New Zealand?–03–0Friendly
20.7 June 1985Auckland, New Zealand?–02–0Friendly
21.5 October 1985Auckland, New Zealand3–05–11986 FIFA World Cup qualification
22.5 October 1985Auckland, New Zealand4–15–11986 FIFA World Cup qualification
23.5 October 1985Auckland, New Zealand5–15–11986 FIFA World Cup qualification

Later life and death

After retiring Sumner maintained his involvement in football, being employed by TVNZ as a media personality. He also sat on the executive board of the Wellington Phoenix bringing much needed professional playing experience to the table. In August 2015, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, from which he died on 8 February 2017, aged 61.

Steve Sumner Trophy

In 2018 New Zealand Football named the Man of the Match trophy for the New Zealand Football Championship final after Sumner, calling it the "Steve Sumner Trophy". It was first awarded to Callum McCowatt after he scored the only goal in Auckland City 1–0 win over Team Wellington in the final. McCowatt won it a second time the following year, this time while playing for Eastern Suburbs, where he scored a hattrick in the finals, again against Team Wellington.

Honours

Individual

Club

Christchurch United
Manurewa
Gisborne City