· In 1975 five players drawn from a number of Hawkes Bay teams who wanted a more family oriented team actively developing younger players formed what was to become Eskview United Association Football Club. The Founding Members were: Ken Dungey, Fred Ellison, Brian Hollands, Colin Such and John Bryne.

· There was a lot of parental support for the aim of the new Club with regard to developing young talent, but resistance from a number of schools was quite evident. One school said it would only release "No hopers" to play for the Club!

· The original players were drawn from, Napier City Rovers, Taradale, Havelock North and Hastings Leopards.

· The Club, which was originally going to be called 'Napier United', was formed at a meeting in the Criterion Pub in Emerson Street Napier in late 1975.

· The Napier City Council declined South Pond as the home ground. After discussions with the Eskview Rugby Club and the Petane Domain Board, the home ground was developed at Petane Domain, Bay View and play started as Eskview United in the 1976 season.
Players did early maintenance of the pitch with home mowers. At times up to a dozen mowers could be observed attacking the long grass. The club colours were decided on as white shirts, blue shorts and red socks. Although a reserve side did play in sky blue, the Eskview Rugby colours.

· The first year saw the League and Cup double completed with a Cup final victory over Napier Boys High School at Petane. The Club was 'presented' with the trophies out of the boot of the HBFA Chairman's car without any acknowledgement. Such was the feeling about this 'upstart' team.

· The second year saw the team retain the Championship but lose the Cup final to Maycenvale after 'dubious tactics' saw the team reduced to 8 able bodied players!

· Bruce Whitlock became the first life member.

· The Club had two unwritten laws
(i) Whatever the first team got, the second team would also get at the same time and
(ii) The team would not sell raffle tickets!
Fundraising was by way of a 10 mile sponsored walk which in its first year raised $800. A number of wives, children and girlfriends also did the walk.

· After the second year the Club was invited to join the Central League and arranged to 'import' some outside players. Hawkes Bay FA would not allow this to happen.
Without this option some of the drive was taken out of the Club but many different people have kept loyal to the original objectives of the Club and now in 2001 the Club has 6 teams, 4 mens and 2 womens.

· The Club built clubrooms in 1985 with a lot of the drive coming from life member Peter Ball and then premier coach, Derek Hopps.
The original main pitch (nearest to the main road north) was in the early days surrounded by an embankment that was designed for cycle racing. It was natural protection from wind and ideal for sitting watching a game. The cycle racing never eventuated so around 1981 the then Domain Board in it's wisdom, decided to 'level' the track. The embankment was made of shingle and so the Board tried to cover the shingle with a coating of soil. For the next 3 or 4 years team members used to come to games early to pick up stones that were coming up through the pitch. At one stage in a dry winter it was touch and go whether play would be allowed to commence on the pitch as it was considered dangerous. Many bucket loads of stones were eventually removed from the pitch and a number of working bees saw more soil moved onto the area.
Having outgrown the Clubrooms the Club moved to be part of the Eskview Sports Association in 1998 and moved its 'home' to the Eskview Rugby Club. The number one ground was set up outside the 'new' clubrooms and was fully floodlit in 2000 to be an asset for soccer in the Region.