Sideline Sid Sports correspondent & historian www.sunlive.co.nz

A half-century ago, New Zealand's sporting public would have been abuzz with anticipation and interest in New Zealand soccer's biggest prize, being decided at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.

The players were household names, with the winners feted and large crowds of supporters on hand, when the victors returned home to their Club base with the trophy.

Last Sunday, the 2022 Chatham Cup Final was played out at North Harbour Stadium, with little fanfare and a lack of any substantial coverage in the main-stream media.

The Chatham Cup was given to the then New Zealand Football Association in 1922, by the crew of HMS Chatham, as a token of appreciation of hospitality accorded the ship on a visit to New Zealand.

With a similar format to the English FA Cup, the Chatham Cup has an interesting array of names engraved on the trophy, that testify to where the club based competition has come from.

The first winner of the symbol of club first team superiority in the country, was Seacliff from Otago. Early names that suggest humble working-men roots; include Harbour Board (Wellington) YMCA (Wellington) Tramways (Auckland) Hospital (Wellington) and Wellington Waterside.

Just two Western Bay of Plenty sides have survived the long and difficult journey to play in a Chatham Cup Final.

The short change of format, to home and away title deciders, saw Mount Maunganui contest the 1986 final against North Shore United. The Mount took the early lead in their home game at Links Avenue with a one nil win.

However the Auckland region side, stormed back to grab the prestigious piece of silverware with a 4-1 win at home, to lift the Chatham Cup aloft in victory courtesy of a 4-2 winning aggregate.

Tauranga City United made a trip to Napier in 2002 to fight out the Chatham Cup title against Napier City Rovers. In spite of a spirited performance, the Western Bay of Plenty representatives were forced to concede two goals to nil loss.

This year, the knockout competition had plenty of Western Bay of Plenty interest in the early rounds

Four Western Bay of Plenty teams took part in this years Chatham Cup competition. Papamoa FC and Otumoetai FC, both progressed from the preliminary stanza's, to join Tauranga City and Tauranga Old Blues in round one.

Tauranga City and Papamoa, advanced from round one courtesy of victories over Waikato Unicol (4-1) and Ellerslie (3-2), with Old Blues and Otumoetai bowing out of the 2022 competition.

Round Two, saw Papamoa continue their giant-killing feats in beating Claudeland Rovers 2-nil, with Tauranga City losing a thriller against East Coast Bays 3-2.

The Western Bay Club based at Gordon Spratt Reserve, can be well pleased with their 2022 Chatham Cup performances, in winning three encounters to reach the Round of 16. While beaten 3 nil, by Hamilton Wanderers, they can reflect on being the Western Bay Chatham Cup top dog.

For the record, the 2022 Chatham Cup Final turned into a game of attrition with Oceania Club Champions Auckland United edging Eastern Suburbs 1-0.

The attraction of the Chatham Cup, is that it gives Sunday League grassroots teams and the minnows of the sport, the opportunity to dream a little at the start of each season.