By TERRY MADDAFORD
Alex Metzger first played national league soccer for Blockhouse Bay against Manawatu United in the opening game of the 1979 season.
When the 41-year-old ran on (not quite as spritely) as substitute for Metro against Waitakere City at Albie Turner Field last Sunday, Metzger became the first All White to play at that level in four successive decades.
Only Paul Brydon, who made one substitute appearance for Nelson in 1979, can boast the same record.
Metzger played 20 of Blockhouse Bay's 22 games in that season, which also marked his international debut - against Fiji in Suva.
After just missing selection for the 1982 World Cup side - Metzger, Ron Armstrong and Shane Rufer were unofficial non-travelling reserves - he returned to international duty in 1983 and 1984, notching a tally of 13 caps.
Starting his career as a central midfielder under coach Terry Conley, Metzger had spells with different clubs in different positions before finding himself back in the big time after answering a call from Metro's recalled coach Sean Hird.
Losing 1-9 was hardly the welcome-back present he would have wanted but Metzger enjoyed the experience.
Sadly, his greatest fan, 72-year-old father Dave, who is not enjoying the best of health, missed seeing his comeback but hopes that if Alex does get another chance he will be able to watch.
"My ambition is to see him play that's for sure," said Dave, who spent time as assistant coach with Conley and, before that, Bert Ormond at Blockhouse Bay. "I'm very proud of him."
Football has long been in the Metzger blood.
Dave was an amateur on the books of Arsenal in 1946 but failed to go on to play professionally.
The three Metzger boys all retain a link with Dave's beloved Arsenal. Alex is named after Alex James, the Arsenal player who also represented Scotland; Robert John is named after the most-capped Welsh international from Arsenal; and David Jack is named after the player of the same name who was the first £10,000 transfer from Bolton Wanderers to Arsenal.
Alex was born in Stoke Poges, in Buckinghamshire, where Thomas Gray wrote his Elegy.
The Metzger family came to New Zealand in 1962 following Dave's recruitment as a physics teacher at Marlborough College.
Metzger has no idea whether he will be called in for tomorrow's Ansett National Club Championship home game against Mt Wellington - for whom he played for four seasons - but is not worried.
"I love kicking a ball around," said Metzger. "But I'm not going to get ulcers either way.
"I've lost two or three yards of pace but I'm sure I can talk my way through."
Now in his fourth year as housemaster at Auckland Grammar, where he also coaches the first Xl (and teaches maths), Metzger gets as much enjoyment watching his 4-year-old and 5-year-old sons playing with the Three Kings midgets.
Coincidentally, Jimmy Hogg - who has a son in the school team and was the go-between in Metzger's recall - and AGS headmaster John Morris both played in Metzger's league debut and were Blockhouse Bay regulars throughout that season.
Metro will need all Metzger's experience and then some if they are to upset the championship leaders, who go into tomorrow's game with a two-point lead over Napier, who have a bye.
Waitakere City, at home to Nelson, have the chance to continue their surge if they can beat the southerners by a couple of goals.
In other games, Manawatu are at home to Dunedin Technical and Miramar meet Central in Wellington.
Soccer: Metzger moves in big league for four decades
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