Capital Football would like to acknowledge and commemorate 100 years since the first Wairarapa Football League games took place. A rich history throughout the decades involving a number of clubs, players, coaches, administrators, families, and supporters.

Below is a detailed dialogue of some of the key milestones from the past 100 years.

• Although rugby has been played in the Wairarapa since the 1880’s, football didn’t get going until the 1920’s, when British immigrants entered the region.
• The first recorded newspaper football article mentions a game on 9 September 1922 where Waingawa defeated Masterton 3-0.
• By 1923 four clubs had formed including; Waingawa, Masterton, Post & Telegraph and two teams from YMCA. The league started on 14 April 1923 with Waingawa defeating Post & Telegraph 4-0 and Masterton defeating YMCA ‘A’ 4-2. By the end of the season Waingawa were crowned champions.
• The first ever local Chatham Cup games outside of Auckland or Nelson was played in Masterton on 30 June 1923.
• Over the next few years clubs came and went. Carterton FC was formed in 1925 and celebrated 75 years in 2000, which included a booklet by Robert Eagle.
• Football in the region went into recess during the Second World War, but in 1950 leagues started up again.
• In 1950 Masterton Athletic was formed.
• In 1954 Douglas Villa AFC was formed.
• In 1957 Lansdowne United was formed.
• In 1967 the top local teams entered a Central League competition (teams coming from Taranaki, Whanganui, Manawatu and Hawkes Bay). Masterton Athletic were crown champions.

Photo - Masterton Athletic winning the local league in 1965 and 1966.

• In 1968 Featherston AFC was formed.
• In 1969 Masterton AFC was formed (through the amalgamation of Landsdowne United and Masterton Athletic).
• In 1971 the Wairarapa Under 18 team reached the Semi Final of the New Zealand Junior National Cup.
• In 1974 Masterton United formed the first women’s team in the region and were runners up in the Wellington Premier league. They competed for another two seasons before dropping out in 1977.

Photo - Four Cartmell brothers playing the same team made the local newspaper in 1975.

• By 1996 Wairarapa United was formed, which was a composite team from the region and with the backing of Phil Keinzley started to dominate Women’s football. Winning the league in 2000 to 2002. The team was coached by Wendi Henderson and competed in the New Zealand Knockout Cup, finishing runners up in 1999 and 2000.

Photo – Wairarapa United 2000 Women’s First Division Champions

• In 2004 Capital Football took over the running of the local leagues from the Wairarapa Football Association.
• In the 2000’s Wairarapa United started on focusing on the men’s game where the club invested in players from the Pacific Islands including Pita Rabo and Seule Soromon. In 2011, Wairarapa United won the New Zealand Football Chatham Cup, the most prestige trophy in domestic football.

Photo – Wairarapa United winning the Chatham Cup in 2011

• In 2008 Greytown FC was formed.
• In 2017 Martinborough FC was formed.

• A big thank you to Peter Cartmell in providing newspaper articles and photos.

Article added: Friday 14 April 2023