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Story: Hungarians

Hungaria Association Football Club, 1969

Hungaria Association Football Club, 1969

The success of Wellington’s Hungaria Association Football Club reflected the popularity of the sport in Europe. The club provided Hungarian immigrants with social support, and also enabled them to meet other New Zealanders. As the players’ names indicate, not all of the team were Hungarians.

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Attila Varga

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How to cite this page

Ann Beaglehole, Hungarians – Immigration from 1956: refugees, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/3897/hungaria-association-football-club-1969 (accessed 9 June 2026).

Story by Ann Beaglehole, published 4 March 2009, updated 1 August 2024.

Comments

Digby Bentley
06 November 2012
I was so proud to be a part of the back up [Reserve] team. I learnet my football skills later in life than most due to my dear friendship with Steve Boyland. Steve is my God daughters father/ I played with Joe Benzik, Steve Garthwaite, Imre, Attila Vargas and many others whose names elude me now [in my 62nd year]. I went on to play for Wainuiomata in the Central League 1st Division, then later joine dthe RNZAF and had three years as the centre forward in the National squad before going to Singapore with the RNZAF. While there is was invited to play for Hanover FC against the Singapore National side as a guest player. Later i was also a player coach for Blenheim United in the Central League 2nd Division then coach for Palmerston North End FC in the Central League before moving back south to Kaikoura AFC where we won some titles at a lesser level but it was all good fun. In recent years I have moved to Sydney where I coach Normanhurst Eagles AFC reacvhing three grand finals and gaining promotion to higher levels. Our senior side has just won thru to Super league in Sydney and it is the passion and inspiration passed on to me as a teen ager by Lotsy, Steve, Brian Wilmen and others that jhave made me the man I am for which I will always be tuly greatful. I remember being involved with the squad whenthey won the final playoff spot into the National league. Iwas at the Basin Rewserve when my dearets friend Steve had his jaw broken while playing against Blockhouse Bay at the Basin and Lotsy scored from the spot before Julius Beck rose to head a winner. I think...Great days for a great club in its day.