Steve Wooddin

Steve Wooddin
Stephen Wooddin (born 16 January 1955 in England) is a former New Zealand association football player who was a leading striker during the country's successful campaign to qualify for the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain. He was a left-footed attacking player.
Club career
Born in Birkenhead England, Wooddin started his club career at Tranmere Rovers in Birkenhead, where he made first team appearances before moving to New Zealand in 1977, joining Dunedin City. In 1981, he moved to Australia, playing three years for South Melbourne FC in the NSL, before returning to his adopted country with Christchurch United until his career was cut short by a recurring ankle injury in 1984. A Belgian First Division team had wanted to sign Wooddin after his capable performances at the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain, but already hampered by injury, he failed the medical.
International career
Wooddin was first selected for the New Zealand national football team the All Whites for a 16 May 1980, 1–1 draw against a Southern Region team in Christchurch. He retained his place in the team which lost 2–1 to a Central Region selection two days later in Wellington.
Despite the unconvincing results, Wooddin was selected for the next match, in August, against Mexico in Auckland. He scored the fourth goal in a 4–0 win that remains one of the most outstanding and unexpected results in New Zealand's international football history.
The following year saw New Zealand begin the long road to the 1982 FIFA World Cup. Wooddin was selected for all fifteen games in the ultimately successful campaign, scoring eight goals in the process, including trademark left foot shots into the bottom corner both home and away against Australia, against Kuwait in the controversial 1–2 home loss, and in Riyadh against Saudi Arabia when the team recorded a stunning 5–0 victory. This last result led to a play-off against China in Singapore in January 1982, in which Wooddin again scored with a left-foot shot to open the scoring in his side's 2–1 win.
Wooddin was one of New Zealand's only two scorers in the 1982 World Cup (along with Steve Sumner), scoring the second New Zealand goal in a 5–2 loss to Scotland. He also started the subsequent matches against the Soviet Union and Brazil.
In 1983 injuries reduced Wooddin to just two international appearances, against Australia and Fiji. He made his last two appearances for the All Whites against Fiji in October 1984, scoring the winner in the first of these matches, before being forced to retire due to injured ankle ligaments with 24 A-internationals and 11 goals to his credit.
References
External links
New Zealand 1982 World Cup squad
Newspaper article from www.stuff.co.nz
1955 births
Living people
New Zealand men's association footballers
1982 FIFA World Cup players
South Melbourne FC players
New Zealand men's international footballers
National Soccer League (Australia) players
Tranmere Rovers F.C. players
Cammell Laird 1907 F.C. players
New Brighton A.F.C. players
Winsford United F.C. players
English Football League players
Men's association football forwards
Footballers from Birkenhead
New Zealand expatriate sportspeople in Australia
English emigrants to New Zealand
Naturalised citizens of New Zealand
English men's footballers
Naturalised association football players
New Zealand expatriate men's association footballers
Expatriate men's soccer players in Australia
English expatriate sportspeople in New Zealand
English expatriate men's footballers
Expatriate men's association footballers in New Zealand