Association Football

NO CHATHAM CUP GAMES THIS YEAR

SOUTH ISLAND FINAL BIGGEST REASON

In suspending the Chatham Cup competition this season . the Council of the New Zealand' Football Association this week made a decision that will probably cause more controversy than there has ever been on this much-discussed competition. Though most of those who would like to see the cup played for this year will blame the council for not conducting the series as usual, the real culprits were those who at the annual meeting of the N.Z.F.A. carried the motion that this year's final should be played in the South Island.

The reason for the decrease in the number of Chatham Cup entries this season to twelve has been given as the amount of the entry fee, -but that is a trivial sum and no club with ambitions for the trophy would balk at it. The only other reason that would keep clubs out of what has always been a popular competition, despite its inconveniences, 'is.„the possibility of having to journey for the final to the South Island. That, of course, applied only to North Island teams, but it is from the North Island that the greatest defection is apparent. , A Wellington team, for instance, if successful would have to travel to Auckland for the North Island final and to Christchurch or Dunedin for the New Zealand final. An Auckland side would have the journey for the final to one of the South Island cities. Apart from the matter of expense it is not easy for all players in an eleven to obtain the requisite time away from their employment. Another' reason actuating the New Zealand Council in its decision was the real difficulty of obtaining in the South Island a date for the semi-final and the final. At the time when those matches would be normally played the South African Rugby team will be in the South Island, and to play the Chatham Cup games on any of those days would mean a big loss. As the competition has always found finance a stumbling block the council was justified, in taking this important factor into consideration. The intrusion of -the English visit into the local fixture lists in most parts of New Zealand was also a contributing factor to the decision to abandon the Chatham Cup competition this year,

and although clubs which had hopes of cup success, particularly those in the South Island, will naturally feel disappointed, the local associations who have annually set up a chorus of complaints because of the delay caused by Chatham Cup games will.probably feel secretly if not openly pleased with the breathing space this year. The annual meeting next year will have learnt its lesson and will no doubt give mature consideration to any motion affecting the Chatham Cup. -

I distinction tc the national , side for some, years \.ill have to be replaced,' writes a London correspondent. . The average age of. the team was considerably higher than in the case of England, and it is scarcely likely that some of them will be called upon again. Where are the recruits? Scottish football, indeed, appears to be entering on a lean period, and it was significant that for this season's match. thr ( ee players had to be borrowed from English clubs. These were the two Preston North End players, Beattie, the left back, and Frank O'Donnell, tht centre forward, and Duncan, the Derby County outside left. YOUTHFUL SIDE. England's team was an unusually young one. The average age of tha forwards was 23, and altogether it was only about 25. Notable among these young men were the three forwards of Stoke. Steele, the centre forward, who obtained England's goal, is only 19, while Matthews, the cleverest outside right the game has produced for over ten years, is 22. The match served to emphasise again the inadequate fees which the players receive. The takings amounted to over £22,000, and yet the men were paid the paltry sum of £6 each. This fee is now to be raised. Scotland have suggetsed it should be advanced to £'8. On the other hand, the English clubs are to consider a proposal making it £20, and I think this will receive considerable support. It used to be said that the honour of taking part ih the match was in itself an adequate reward, but to the professional the game is his living, and it is now held that the men who are judged to be the best are entitled to receiv* more substantial recognition.