The Ellerslie Stable
At Ellerslie AFC we are proud to be known as a development club and below is a little ode to the players who we have had the privilege of working with and are now succeeding in their football endeavours at a high level (NZ National League or higher).
KEEGAN SMITH
Years at Ellerslie: 10 (8th Grade - Seniors)
Current Club: Tasman United (ISPS Handa Premiership)
Ellerslie AFC Honours: First Team Debut (vs Waitakere City) 30.04.2016
Bio: A GK with a big personality - sometimes misunderstood as arrogant or immature which is as far from the truth as you could imagine. Keegan is an extremely hard worker and is very humble with a cheeky streak in him. Keegan became the second former Ellerslie AFC player to start for the Phoenix when he was selected for the opening game of the 2017/2018 A-League season.
MICHAEL BOXALL
Years at Ellerslie: TBC
Current Club: Minnesota United (MLS)
Ellerslie AFC Honours: TBC
Bio: Michael spent time at Ellerslie through the junior grades and into the early youth grades before leaving to join Central United who at the time were the premier youth development club in Auckland. Michael spent time while at Ellerslie playing Futsal at East City which helped hone his footballing ability. He was the first former Ellerslie AFC player to be selected for the Wellington Phoenix and when the team line ups were introduced at Westpac his profile listed Ellerslie AFC as his junior club - a proud moment for the club!
MYER BEVAN
Years at Ellerslie: 4 (14th Grade - Seniors)
Current Club: Frenso FC - on Loan from Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS)
Ellerslie AFC Honours: National U17's Tournament Winner - 2014
Bio: Myer didn't spend a lot of time at Ellerslie but was attracted to the club to play in Terry Torren's premier youth team who ended up winning the U17's Nationals in 2014. In those seasons Myer was a skillful, quick winger who loved taking players on with a dribble - his experience playing First Team at Western Springs helped develop his eye for goal and he has not looked back since.
STATS:
National League (Auckland City): 1 game
NZ National Team: 6 games, 2 goals
DYLAN MANICKUM
Years at Ellerslie: ?-2013
Current Club: Auckland City (ISPS Handa Premiership)
Ellerslie AFC Honours: First Team Debut (vs Lynn Avon 02.04.2011), Runner up in NRFL Div 1 (2012)
Bio: A highly technical player who joined the club in the older youth teams where he played alongside his cousins Myron and Callan Manickum in NRFL Reserves and First Team. A talented Futsal player as well who has represented NZ as well as playing pro Futsal in Europe - he is now playing for Auckland City in the National League after signing from bitter rivals Waitakere Utd.
STATS:
Ellerslie AFC: 50 games, 8 goals
National League (Waitakere and Auckland City): 61 games, 7 goals
ANDRE DE JONG
Years at Ellerslie: ?-2013
Current Club: Eastern Suburbs (ISPS Handa Premiership)
Ellerslie AFC Honours: First Team Debut (vs Three Kings 10.08.13)
Bio: Andre became Ellerslie's latest All White when he made an appearance against Canada in a friendly on the 25/03/2018 and then got on the score-sheet against India in the Intercontinental cup in a 2-1 win on the 08/06/2018. Andre spent all of his junior and youth career at Ellerslie under the watchful eye of his father Fred and it was only when NZ Football Youth teams came calling that he needed to move to East Coast Bays to stay playing NRFL Premier League football.
STATS:
Ellerslie AFC: 2 games, 1 goal (on debut)
National League (Wanderers SC, Canterbury Utd, Eastern Suburbs): 79 games, 31 goals
NZ National Team: 2 games, 1 goal
