Mike McGarry's almost goal against England in 1991. Video / TVNZ
It's like walking on the moon for a New Zealand footballer.
There are only about a dozen New Zealand players who have had the honour of stepping onto a pitch to play against mighty England.
That will change in November when Danny Hay's All Whites run out to a nearempty Wembley Stadium to play England, currently ranked fourth in the world.
The English influence is embedded in New Zealand football, and there are many Kiwis whose main interest in the game is through following an England club side.
But the only times the sides have met was in 1991, when Graham Taylor brought an England side including superstar striker Gary Lineker here to help celebrate 100 years of New Zealand football.
It really was a David and Goliath battle, for the matches at Mt Smart Stadium and Athletic Park.
New Zealand, coached by the late Ian Marshall, did incredibly well, losing 1-0 to a 90th minute Lineker goal in Auckland, and 2-0 five days later in Welington.
"I was on $25 a win at Waitakere City," recalls Rodger Gray, who was in the heart of the defence alongside captain Malcolm Dunford and Oxford United's Ceri Evans.
"(England defender) Des Walker was about to be sold by Nottingham Forest to an Italian club for over a million pounds.
"We were largely New Zealand based, with a couple of fulltime professionals from overseas.
"I was just trying my hardest to stay in the game for 90 minutes. And I think deep down we felt we didn't have the right to compete with them.
"But we weren't going to let them walk all over us. The longer the game went on…we were actually competitive."
England striker Gary Lineker scored the match winner against the All Whites in 1991. Photo / Getty Images.
England manager Taylor was known for a fairly uncomplicated style from his Watford days, which may have helped the Kiwi cause.
Lineker struck from a couple of metres with time almost up at Mt Smart, leaving the All Whites extremely disappointed not to have drawn with an England squad which included fine players such as Stuart Pearce, David Platt and goalkeeper Chris Woods. Lineker was the absolute star though.
"When the ball was in their half, Lineker would have a conversation with you," recalls Gray, a police inspector in Wellington.
"One moment he was doing nothing, the next moment he was off. He was very difficult to manage. He scored the goal not far from where I was supposed to be. He was so elusive."
The brilliant Michael McGarry had an altogether different proposition to deal with - he was being marked by the tough England defender Pearce.
Not that New Zealand did a lot of attacking in those days. As McGarry and Gray concede, the All Whites of those years spent a good deal of time defending.
The conditions weren't always ideal. The game in Wellington was played in tough weather, and the Athletic Park grass was embarrassingly long for an international football game.
A lot of things were a bit different back then. The All Whites had cigarette sponsorship for the games which is why their shirts were red, matching the company's branding, for the Wellington game.
Michael McGarry in action. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
The moment which McGarry will never forget, and still haunts him now and then, came when he latched on to a back pass from Gary Charles in Wellington, rounded England 'keeper Woods, only for his shot to be saved off the line by Walker.
"Ian Marshall was a lovely man, a great man manager, and he got us together four or five days before the first game and we tried to get organised," says McGarry, an Otago Boys High teacher then, and head of the school's physical education department these days.
"I remember the disappointment of Lineker scoring in Auckland, I never liked losing any game.
"But we acquitted ourselves very well. We didn't have many professionals.
"A lot of us had to go back to work the next week."
McGarry says that England team included "great players and great people".
The two teams socialised after the game, McGarry recalling how players including Lineker - who missed the second match - squatted on the van floor as they headed off for a few after-match drinks.
Both McGarry and Gray say the current All White side is far better equipped to play at that level now. Hay's All Whites are also due to play the world's top ranked side Belgium later this year.
"Honestly, it's a bit of a dream to play a top nation like England," says McGarry.
"It's was a once in a lifetime opportunity. It can be tough getting the All Whites together these days but the players will be jumping out of their skins."
Gray says the modern All Whites - with overseas players such as Winston Reid, Chris Wood, Ryan Thomas, Sarpreet Singh and the rising Liberato Cacace - are far more comfortable on the ball compared to his generation. And he believes they can step onto Wembley confident of pushing England all the way.
"News of these games is awesome - I'm gobsmacked really," he said.
"Danny Hay got his dream job but then it suddenly looked bleak because of Covid-19. This is great for him and the All Whites.
"The next thing would be to get a top team to come and play in New Zealand.
"It is very difficult to do that these days but I hope it isn't another 100 years before England comes here to play again."
