PROSPECTS IN THE SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 203, 29 August 1939, Page 17

PROSPECTS IN THE SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP.

The defeat of Y.M.C.A. by Mount Albert Grammar Old Boys makes the Soccer championship a very open competition again, and the closing games during the next three Saturdays will be full of revived interest in their bearing on the ladder positions. Had Y.M. won on Saturday there would have been only outside possibilities of their missing the laurels, but the Grammar Old Boys now nave a distinct chance of continuing their triumph, while Ponsonby, with a number ot games to catch up after the Chatham L-up halts, have still to be reckoned with. , • ar e still in a strong position with only Abels and Grey Lynn to meet to complete their games, while Grammar Old coys have tough propositions ahead of them in meeting Comrades, Shore and I onsonby for their last three games. Comtades, now back to early season form, are running third with three games also to play, and an outside chance. But Ponies, with only three losses and two draws, are still the dark horses of the competition, and if time permits they may still upset championship calculations when the others ahead have finished their programmes. Ponsonby still have five games to play (if necessary) and meet Abels, Comrades. Old Boys and Thistle (2) It will not be too easy to give Ponsonby a full opportunity of playing out their championship engagements, and the suggestion combining the two Thistle games for a 'double-header" may be adopted. Y.M.C.A. are_ still favourites for the honours, and their chances should improve if the weather does, but the short-passing Scottish game the Y.M. exploited on Saturday was unsuited to conditions. Stars of Other Years. Unless exigencies of the service intervene, the final of the Drummond Cup games between Auckland and the Navy will be played on September 23, and a bright preliminary will be another contest between former Auckland representatives and a side of ex-All Blacks and other internationals. The Rugby old-timers have won deserved popularity with the Barbarians, and the reappearance of former Soccer stars will be watched for with keen interest Among those preparing to don the Auckland colours again are: Batty, McElligott, Carter, McLaren, Baxter, Dunsmore, Thompson, Boyne, B. Woolley, Pitkin, Webster, Simpson. F. Baker and W. Palmer. For the international brigade Craxton, Neesham, Reid, Jones, Gerrard, Oorbett, C. Dacre, L. Dacre, Knott, Spencer. W. J. Lyon, Hislop and a Welsh international with a long series of caps , ' >een invited to be ready to meet the old Aucklanders. Hayward Retires. Comrades' defence will be without the assistance of Hayward at left-half in future. In the match against Abels at -flandford Park a month ago Hayward was forced to retire with a serious knock on the knee, and has been out of the game since. On Saturday he had an operation for the removal "of a displaced cartilage and has decided to retire from active play. He will be missed by his comrades after his long association" with the club, and he was always a useful man in the middle line in a hard game.