About Us

Birkenhead United is a volunteer-led football club, based at Shepherds Park in Beach Haven. The primary player catchment is from the Beach Haven, Birkdale, Northcote, Birkenhead, Chatswood and Glenfield area, but players travel from all over Auckland to particiapte in the quality programmes the club offers.

The club was established as Birkenhead in 1960 before it amalgamated with Birkdale in 1963 taking its current name as Birkenhead United.

Since 1965, Birkenhead have mainly played either in Division 1 or Division 2 of the Northern League though we twice early on, made it into Premier Division in 1968 and 1970, only to be relegated again that same year. We also had one of our best early runs in the 1970 Chatham Cup, making it to the 5th round before losing to Eden 1–4. We wouldn't repeat that success in the cup again until 2010. Again going down in the 5th round, this time to Glenfield Rovers.

Birkenhead started to see more success in the 2010s, with us again making the Premier Division in 2013 and we have stayed there since. We have just missed out on winning the division four times in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017.

The success in the local league was also replicated in the Chatham Cup, where in 2012 and 2013 we made the quarter-finals. In 2015 we made the semi-finals, only losing 3–4 on penalties to Napier City Rovers, before we finally won the cup in 2016, beating local rivals Waitakere City 3–2 in extra time. 

We wouldn't have to wait very long before we won the cup again, when in the 2018 Chatham Cup, we made the finals. This time we were facing Wellington side Western Suburbs and after 120 minutes the score was tied 1–1 before Birkenhead prevailed on penalties 5–4 to claim the cup for a second time in three years.

In 2021, the club formed a strategic partnership with Scottish Premiership outfit, St Mirren FC alongside Nelson Suburbs.

In 2015 BUAFC attainted NZF ClubMark Level 1 status.

In 2019 we released our football philosophy document which can be read here https://issuu.com/buafc/docs/buafc_football_philosophy