PROFESSIONALISM IN FOOTBALL.

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 7081, 1 June 1888, Page 3

PROFESSIONALISM IN FOOTBALL.

[By " Three-quarter-Back." in the

Weekly Press.]

My readers will remember certain particulars I gave with respect to the case of Clowes, and the charge made against H. Lockwood of Dewsbury, who at the last moment withdrew from his engagement with Lillywhite. Halifax, who had formally laid the charge against Lockwood, afterwards withdrew it, but the Yorkshire County Committee insisted upon its being proceeded with. The proceedings before the committee were kept quiet, but it is known that on the evidence before them the Committee considered a prima facie case had been made out, and they have forwarded all the facts to the Rugby Union Committee, leaving to the latter the taking of further action, if further action is deemed necessary. Stadden, of Dewsbury, seems to have been the man chiefly concerned with Lockwood in appearing against Clowes. In a letter to a sporting paper he charged another member of the team now on tour with receiving from the promoters a "registered letter containing three £5 Dank notes," He also asserted that Mr Turner, Shaw's agent, offered him (Stadden) £75 over expenses to go with the team, with the promise of £15 on account immediately. The Nottingham correspondent of a northern football paper answered these , charges. In the course of bis answer he said.:—

"If a man of Stadden's position can afford to refuse a six months' trip with all his expenses paid, and £75 in the bargain, Rugby football, as played in the Broad Acres, must indeed be a profitable game. lam in possession of three facts for the consideration of Mr Stadden. (1) He had better not declaim too loudly or one of the most celebrated members of the AngloAustralian combination may say something ■which would be awkward for him to refute. (2) England should know'that some of the epotles3 Yorkshire amateurs positively demanded a day's wages for a brief incerview a few miles from their home with Shaw and Shrewsbury's representative, and in one instance the money was paid: and (3) the English, Scotch, Irish, and Welsh Kugby Utiions are. I know, in possession of a document signed by every member of the Anglo-Australian team on board the Kaikoura as it was passing down tb,e English Channel to Plymouth, in which each aim all solemnly declare that they are bona fide amateurs, and have not received rnoneyexceptthat which was for their necessary expenses," Stadden, it may be remarked, was suddenly transfered from the Cardiff Football Club to Dewsbury Football Club, and there is strong reason to believe his hands are not clean. Indeed several of the Yorkshire clubs are suspected of having players who are really professionals. The football paper already quoted declares :— "If Clowes is a professional, there are numbers of Yorkshire players who are doubly tarred with the same brush without being in any way connected with the Australian team. One hears from time to time of glaring cases which, though it seems extraordinary it should be so, do not come officially-to the knowledge of the County Committee. The inference is that clubs and players do not " peach' , because their own hands are not clean enough. Yet when one sees, presumably, workingmen walking abont with plenty of time (and kid gloves) on their hands aqd loose cash in their pockets, one must come to the conclusion that In come form or other players do not find playing football an unprofitable occupation. The County Committee will not pret at professionalism —if they really wish to do so—until they take the initiative themselves.and without waiting for aiiy .objections, call upon clubs to explain thejr importations and players to justify their removal. ~ J believe it will be proposed by the Committee by and bjr that before a removal from one club to anotker.takes place official sanction must first be obtained.". it sepms clear from the latest papers that the" committea, having made a beginning with Clowes and Lock wood, willgo on and endeavour to purify Yorkshire Football if possible/ The sooner the better, especially now that charges are being publicly madp in the press!' §f these the following may be taken as a sample:—" We cannot refraia from adding that the fact of Heckmondwjke's success being chiefly due to the assistance of outsiders is a very unwholesome feature in their advance pq the front. The matter has become eg nqtarious that it deserves an inquiry at least, no matter whether defeated rivals shirk the unenviable task of appealing. We have our own opinion about professionalism, and when Clowes accepted £lo fromMr Tomer' for an outfit," he probably sinned to'a fay Jess extent than some of our 'pet , playera &t home are doing resruJarlT. »& *» *? e k°? e< * that , thes L e 'pet' payers may be made examgles of, for the good of evildoers/ In connection wjth this whole question, 1 would etroßgly urge cur* local Unions here which are affiliated to the Rugby Union, to do all they can to see that sanction is not given to any team from Aew Zealand, Maori or otherwise, which is Kii«sTu»rt.ed on ffood grounds of profession--2 fit shouWbl distinctly ascertained that neither Warbrick nor any of ins men will receive one penny above such expenses as the Laws' relattng to Professionalism allow. Clowes' case has shown bow strict those laws are. We here should support the Rugby Union and keep ourselvesxlear lyith respect to the proposed New Zealand, team. The Rogby tJnlon, we awTadvised oy *# patronize the team at.Home •but 111 there fa the suspicion p J professionalism abouUfc, thatpatronagewUtcertajnlybewltbto^ I throw out the suggestion in time so fchitf; the promoters of the team may realize the need of great care being exercised w the matter.