Advertisement in the New Zealand Truth newspaper for the final.
The 1924 Chatham Cup was the second annual nationwide knockout football competition in New Zealand.
The competition was run on a regional basis, with the numerous local associations being grouped in with the four major regional associations (Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, and Otago) in qualifying, with each of these four regions being represented in semi-finals by one team, followed by northern and southern semi-finals and a national final.[1] Ten teams from the Wellington region took part,[2] and it is known that Seacliff were the only Otago entrants (North Otago, the home of Oamaru Rangers, being counted as a separate region).[3]
In the Waikato region (South Auckland FA) there were four entries from Pukemiro, Rotowaro, Junction Athletic (Pukemiro Junction) and Glen Massey.[4] The South Auckland Football Association initially ran its cup qualifiers in conjunction with its local northern league fixtures eventually resulting in all four clubs being tied on the same points.[5] The NZFA was consulted on a ruling which was then left in the hands of the South Auckland FA.[6] The qualifying matches, without Rotowaro, were then rescheduled by the South Auckland FA in late July.[7] Glen Massey then protested the arranged fixture at Pukemiro but the South Auckland FA chose not to act.[8] The sole fixture for qualification from the South Auckland FA was played at Pukemiro on 28 July between Pukemiro and Pukemiro Junction Athletic.[9]
Whakatu was the sole entry from Hawke's Bay. Hastings United intimated to the NZFA about joining the competition but the application was too late.[10][11]
The Auckland representative for the competition was not chosen via a knock-out competition. This raised concerns in some quarters that the rules of the competition were not being adhered to.[12][13] This was rectified in July when the Auckland Football Association decided to have a play-off between Harbour Board, the Auckland first division champions and YMCA the second division champions for both the Auckland championship title and the right to represent Auckland in the Chatham Cup.[14]
The 1924 final
The final was played in sodden conditions at Wellington. Seacliff took an early lead through W. Simmons, holding on to it until half-time. Harbour Board's Bill Palmer equalised with a header in the second half, and H.M. Margison scored two further goals, one in each half of extra time.[15]: 67 The trophy was awarded to the winning team by Wellington Mayor Robert Wright.[16] The losing semi-finalists contested a Charity Cup during the same weekend at the same venue, the match finishing in a 2–2 draw.[17]
Auckland Harbour Board: Jack Batty, W. Mitchell, G.S. Brittain, J. Worthington, R.I. Bell, Dan Jones, J.H. Tocker, Bill Palmer, H.M. Margison, Murray Heyes, C. Drayton[19]
Seacliff: Charlie Rivers, George Anderson, Bill Murray, H. Cox, Alex Waugh, Bill Rogers, Malcolm MacDougall, W. Simmons, Bill Hooper, J. Baillie, Wattie Hanlin
