A stalwart of Christchurch's Western Football club kicked off his 80th birthday celebrations early at his club of more than seven decades this weekend.
Western Football Club was founded in 1913, and Tony ‘Woodsie’ Woods has been part of the club for a whopping 71 of the club’s 113 years after signing up at nine years of age.
Footballers of all generations banded together to celebrate his 80th this weekend, including a pre-over-50s-match rendition of Happy Birthday sung on the pitch and a "mug of the day" award presented to him by one of the club’s younger players.
Teammate Stu Minton who joked that he was one of the founding members - and clearly meant a lot to the community built around him.
Tony 'Woodsie' Woods has played and volunteered with the same football club for a whopping 71 years. (Source: 1News)
"If we need a volunteer to do something, his hand goes up first every time," said club president Ray Parks.
"He's helped coach senior teams. He's been the manager of the men's first team. He's currently our club patron. He's been our grounds convener."
The list went on. He ran a summer football competition, was club captain for years, served on the committee for decades, and was at the heart of many working bees.
Woods told 1News his motivations were simple: "If you enjoy doing something, you just do it, don't you?"
“I can't remember not doing things, helping out.”
He started playing at Mairehau Primary – right beside the rugby pitch the school had ruled off-limits to him and his footballing mates.
"Football wasn’t a big thing in those days," he said.
One of those mates' fathers asked the school if it could put a team together to play other schools, without any success.
"So, he decided that he’d get a hold of Western Football Club and he started a team down there."
Exercise and meeting people were two "incredibly important" parts of his life. Football had always allowed him to tick those boxes.
Woods said in those 71 years he had met "a helluva lot of people".
"I went overseas one time; I was in Hawaii with my partner. And she said, 'if you know anybody, that’s it, I’m coming home and I'm leaving you here'."
"She went and ordered a beer at the bar, and I had to go get something else and I walked through the bar and some guy yelled out, 'Woodsie!'
"She said, 'That’s it I’m off home!'"
Asked about how he planned to keep going, Woods didn’t suggest he’d be hanging the boots up any time soon.
"As long as I can… I'm a big part of the club and I always will be."
He reckoned he was just one of many dedicated veterans sprinkled across the country's footballing landscape.
"Every club has a Woodsie."
"If you can keep on doing things and kicking the ball around and enjoying life and enjoying yourself with other people, do it!"
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