Grant_Turner_(footballer)

Grant Turner (footballer)

Grant Turner (footballer)

New Zealand footballer (1958–2023)

Grant John Turner (7 October 1958 – 28 February 2023) was a New Zealand association football player who represented the New Zealand national team 42 times in A-internationals from 1980 to 1988, scoring 15 goals.[2][3]

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Turner was a member of the first successful All Whites campaign to qualify for the World Cup, in 1982 in Spain, where they played three group games against Scotland, USSR and Brazil, but he did not play in the finals due to an injury sustained soon after arrival in Spain.[3][4][5]

Club career

Turner started his senior career in 1973, playing for Petone in the local Capital Football leagues in Wellington, though he only making 2 appearances from the bench.[6] He got his first start for the club the next season as well as getting his first senior goal in a 3–0 win over Christian Youth. He ended the season at Petone with five appearances and the two goals from that game.[7]

In 1976, Turner made his national debut with Stop Out in the National Soccer League.[8] Turner was the top goal scorer and voted Player of the Year in 1981 while playing with Gisborne City.[9][10][8] He twice made the finals of the Chatham Cup, New Zealand premier knockout competition, also with the club. First losing to Mt Wellington in 1983, in which they drew the first game before losing 0–2 in the replay.[11] That was followed by a loss in the 1984 final, this time to Manurewa.[12]

Turner would win the national league with Gisborne City in 1984.[8] Then in 1985, he won the NZFA Challenge Trophy, a pre-season trophy contested between the winners of the previous season's Chatham Cup and National League competitions. This time beating Manurewa 1–0.[13][14] He won the Player of the Year a second time in 1986.[9][10]

International career

Turner made his international debut for New Zealand in a 4–0 win over Mexico, acknowledged as the start of New Zealand's 1982 World Cup campaign.[15][16]

Turner scored in New Zealand's 2–0 win over Australia in one of their most important trans-tasman wins in All Whites history, that put New Zealand through to the second round of qualification.[4][5][16]

Turner retired from international football in 1988 after getting concussed in a match against Israel at Eden Park.[5] He continued to play club football until 2002.[5]

Personal life and death

Turner was born in Lower Hutt on 7 October 1958.[17]

Turner revealed in 2021 he was facing a battle with cancer.[4]

Turner was inducted into the Sports Legends of Wellington in 2022 for his contribution to football.[18]

Turner died in Tauranga on 28 February 2023, at the age of 64.[5][17]

References

  1. [1]
    "Club States". Miramar Rangers. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  2. [2]
    "Caps and Goals". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  3. [3]
    "1982 World Cup Team". New Zealand Football. Archived from the original on 23 July 2008. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  4. [4]
    Smith, Tony (6 May 2022). "Cancer struggle could keep All Whites great Grant Turner from 1982 World Cup team reunion". Stuff. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  5. [5]
    "All White great passes away". NZ Herald. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  6. [6]
    Smith, Barry. Snaddon, Matt (ed.). "Wellington Football Season Review 1973" (PDF). New Zealand Football Statistics. Capital Football (New Zealand). p. 19. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  7. [7]
    Smith, Barry. Snaddon, Matt (ed.). "Wellington Football Season Review 1974" (PDF). New Zealand Football Statistics. Capital Football (New Zealand). p. 33. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  8. [8]
    Hilton, Tony; Smith, Barry. An Association with Soccer: The NZFA Celebrates Its First 100 Years. New Zealand Football. pp. 94, 98, 100. ISBN 978-0473012915.
  9. [9]
    "New Zealand's player of the year - all the winners". Friends of Football. 3 September 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  10. [10]
    Ruane, Jeremy. "On-Field Performers Honours". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  11. [11]
    "New Zealand 1983". RSSSF. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  12. [12]
    "New Zealand 1984". RSSSF. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  13. [13]
    "New Zealand 1985". RSSSF. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  14. [14]
    Ruane, Jeremy. "NZFA Challenge Trophy / Charity Cup". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  15. [15]
    "Football: The day NZ beat Mexico 4-0". Otago Daily Times Online News. 19 October 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  16. [16]
    "All Whites History". New Zealand Football. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  17. [17]
    Smith, Tony (28 February 2023). "Grant Turner's world-class goal serves as his legacy to colourful football career". Stuff. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  18. [18]
    "Vale: Legendary All White Grant Turner dies after struggle with cancer, aged 64". Friends of Football. 27 February 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
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