Soccer Starts Today

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28559, 12 April 1958, Page 5

Soccer Starts Today

rpHE soccer season opens in Christchurch today and eight senior division teams will meet in the first round of the Hurley' Shield competition. There have been several transfers of players and clubs report signing on a number of new players. It would appear that the teams will be more evenly matched than last season and the competition should be closely contested.

Western, winner of the Hurley Shield competition last year, will again field a strong team. The only loss so far is W. Shannon, who has joined up with Technical Old Boys. It has gained P. Feenstra, an outstanding .inside forward, from University. Ki Olley, who was prevented from giving of his best last season by a neck injury, is reported to be fully recovered, and Western will probably have the strongest attacking line in the competition.

Technical Old Boys: Centrehalf J. Hunter and wing-half J. Cooke have retired, and R. Moore, the strong centre-forward, has left the club. Besides W. Shannon, Technical have signed up T. Stringfellow, a utility player who impressed in his trials as a centre-forward, besides being a capable goal-keeper. Stringfellow was goal-keeper for the Notts Forest third team when only 16. Nagy, a full-back from Hungary, is another newcomer

showing promise. Two, younger members of the club who will probably be given a chance in the first eleven are W. Charlton, a brother of E. Charlton, and K. Hendry, who played for the college last year. w Nomads will miss the fast wing. J. Bouhouis, who 'has returned to Holland for a holiday, and D. Staple;, a promising wing-half, who will be in Wellington' for a few months. J. Schaffers, a new arrival from Holland, will be a candidate for the left-half position. ■ a • Christchurch City sprang a surprise by winning the knock-out competition last season. It has lost two of its best-known players, p. Codling and J. Gordon, who have retired. Among the newcomers is T. Munro, an inside forward or wing-half. He played in Canada after learning his football In Scotland. R. Herbert, a former Rangers player, is also available for selection in the City side.

Shamrock, after being Chatham Cup finalist in. 1958, disappointed last* season, but with all players available again except J. Cunniffe. it would be no surprise to see it stage a come-back. P. Flytin. P. Fletcher. B. Newsome, and P. Callaghan will lead the side,' and among the newcomers are T. Cougblan, a new arrival from Glasgow, and a Bft 21n London half-back. F. Martin. • Neerlandia won about as many games as it lost last year, but J. Pet and-A. Steerhouer have transferred, and S. Wilson is out of Christchurch. A. Hilhorst will not be available. There are a few new arrivals from Holland, but their football potential has yet to be assessed. • Rangers, winner of the second division competition last season, has been promoted to the first division, and new players will make it a strong contender for the championship. A strong goalscorer is an asset to any aide, and Rangers have been lucky to sign on R.. Moore, who filled the centre-forward position for Canterbury well at the end of last ■ season. J. Pet and A. Steerhouer have transferred from Neerlandia, and other newcomers are T. Hinchley, a former Western player; J. McKeown, an inside forward from Johnsonville; J. Doyfens, a full-back from the Maori Hill team; and A. McAlpine, a former Boys’ High School first eleven player. A. Calderwood is reported to be completely I recovered from injury.