New Zealand legend Steve Sumner passes away

New Zealand football icon Steve Sumner has passed away at the age of 61 after being diagnosed with prostrate cancer in 2015.

Sumner, a FIFA Order of Merit recipient for his services to the game, achieved countless career highs. Most notably he was New Zealand’s captain on their FIFA World Cup™ debut in 1982, also scoring the nation’s first goal on the world stage.

Sumner had an imposing strike-rate for a midfielder, scoring 22 goals in 58 internationals. Many of those goals were scored in his 24 matches across three FIFA World Cup campaigns. That haul includes a New Zealand-record six goals against Fiji during the All Whites memorable 1982 World Cup campaign.

At Spain 1982, Sumner scored in the 5-2 defeat against Scotland, before losses against a strong USSR and a star-studded Brazil.

Born in England in 1955, Sumner served an apprenticeship with Blackpool before moving to New Zealand.

His club career record also makes for impressive reading and includes a record six Chatham Cup titles, including those achieved as a player-coach.

A faithful servant to the game long after his retirement, Sumner was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for Services to Football in 2016, with the grandstand at English Park in Christchurch renamed ‘The Steve Sumner Stand’ in honour of the proud Cantabrian.

Steve Sumner

Personal information
Full name	Steven Paul Sumner
Date of birth	2 April 1955
Place of birth	England
Date of death	8 February 2017 (aged 61)
Place of death	New Zealand
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position	Attacking midfielder
Youth career
	Blackpool
	Preston North End
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1973–1980	Christchurch United	147	(36)
1981	Newcastle United	18	(3)
1982	West Adelaide SC	12	(2)
1983–1986	Manurewa AFC	66	(29)
1987	Gisborne City	25	(6)
1988–1989	Christchurch United	?	(?)
National team
1976–1988	New Zealand	58	(22)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

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