By Greg Danvers – media manager
The Noel Cocking Shield is presented to the winner of the Newcastle Area Final in the Bill Turner Cup and recognises Mr Cocking’s longtime involvement with the competition.
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The Bill Turner Cup was first contested in 1979, with 34 teams, with the former Kotara High School teacher being the last active member of the original committee.
“Noel’s involvement with school football started in 1969,” explained Bill Turner School Football Chairman Lindsay Hewison.
“Noel was asked by the President of the Kotara High School’s P and C to coach the 1969 Open team for the CHS Knockout where he continued for the next decade with some success.”
A highlight for Mr Cocking and his Kotara High team was a semi final berth in 1974 at CHS Open.
In 1979 the late Bill Turner AO, then Hunter CHS Convenor, called a meeting of all the local CHS coaches at South Cardiff Soccer Club, to discuss the setting up of a new competition for boys 15-years-and-under.
The competition became known as the Bill Turner Cup and has been active for since 1979.
Noel Cocking (front centre) pictured with Lloyd Turner, Mark Bosnich and Greg Danvers at National Finals hosted by the Edgeworth Eagles in 2009.
Mr Cocking was at that meeting, appointed to the inaugural committee, a position he currently holds and coached Kotara High’s first few Bill Turner Cup teams.
“Noel has been the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Upper Hunter Area Managers at various times over the past 40 years, before becoming the Northern NSW State Manager – a position he still holds,” said Mr Hewison.
Bill Turner School Football, in 2016, awarded Life Membership to Noel Cocking, Terry Hampton and posthumously to Bill Turner AO.
Since Mr Turner’s passing in 2013 Mr Cocking has been an invaluable asset for Mr Hewison and the Bill Turner School Football Executive acting as a sounding board; where his advice, support and diligence has been welcomed by the executive and area managers alike.
The Noel Cocking Shield was struck after the 2019 AGM and it was decided by the executive to award St Pius X (Adamstown) with the inaugural Noel Cocking Shield.
St Pius X beat Newcastle High in the 2019 Newcastle Area Final – Noel Cocking Shield.
The 2020 Noel Cocking Shield was not contested due to COVID-19.
Mr Cocking’s Kotara High won the 2021 Noel Cocking Shield with a 2-1 win over St Pius X.
St Pius X College Adamstown beat Callaghan College Wallsend 2-1 to win the Noel Cocking Shield in 2022.
The 2023 edition of the Noel Cocking Shield, at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility at Speers Point on Thursday 15 June where St Phillips Waratah beat Callaghan College Wallsend.
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