Wellington United

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Wellington United

Full name

Wellington United AFC

Nickname(s)

The Orenje

Founded

1986 (amalgamation)

Ground

Newtown Park
(Capacity 4,000)

League

Central Premier League





Home colours





Away colours

Wellington United is an association football club in Wellington, New Zealand. The club is a result of several mergers over the course of its history. Most recently, Wellington United is the result of a merger between Wellington Diamond United and Wellington City, which occurred in 1986.

1 Wellington Diamond United
2 Hungaria and Wellington City
3 Wellington United
4 External Links

[edit] Wellington Diamond United

Wellington Diamond United was the result of a merger of two clubs : Diamond and Zealandia/Wellington United.

Diamond was founded as a junior football club in 1893 by members of the Star Rugby Club, who wished to play football. It became a senior team in 1895. They merged with Wellington United in 1968.

Zealandia was founded in 1954 by Dutch immigrants, changing its name to Wellington United in 1964.

These two clubs merged in 1968 to form Wellington Diamond United. It was this point that the club played in the Central Region's Division One, finishing a respectable 4th out 10 teams in the 1968 season. The club even made it to the National League for the 1973 season but it only lasted until the end of the following season before they found themselves back in Division One.

Wellington Diamond United won the National League three times - in 1976, 1981 and 1985.

[edit] Hungaria and Wellington City

Hungaria was formed in 1962 by Hungarian immigrants who settled in New Zealand's capital city. The club played in the Central Region league before being invited to join the first ever New Zealand National Soccer League in 1970. The team finished 7th out of 8 teams that season, winning just 3 games. It was to be the club's only season in the National League as they forfeited their place to form a composite entry with Miramar Rangers, to be known as Wellington City, for the 1971 and 1972 seasons. Miramar withdrew after the 1971 season.

In 1973, the club went solo again, this time in Division Two of the Central League (finishing 2nd) with Wellington City operating as an independent entity. The following season, the club topped the table, winning promotion to Division One. The club remained there until the end of the 1977 season when they finished bottom of the 10-team division to be relegated back to Division Two. The club had two unsuccessful seasons in Division Two before merging with Wellington City permanently in 1979.