Steve Sumner

Steven Paul Sumner ONZM (2 April 1955 – 8 February 2017) was an English-born, New Zealand footballer who played as a midfielder.

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.

[4] An active and attacking midfielder, Sumner scored a national record six goals during New Zealand's 13–0 defeat of Fiji during the 1982 World Cup qualifying campaign.

More significantly he sat on the executive board of the Wellington Phoenix bringing much needed professional playing experience to the table.

[9][10] 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.

Sumner in 2016, after his investiture as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit by the governor-general, Dame Patsy Reddy