Sportsman’s Notebook WORLD SOCCER AUTHORITY LIVING IN CHRISTCHURCH

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29200, 10 May 1960, Page 7

Sportsman’s Notebook WORLD SOCCER AUTHORITY LIVING IN CHRISTCHURCH

Mr R. B. Allen, named by English newspapers as “the uncrowned king of Nigerian football,” has taken up residence in Christchurch upon his retirement from the position of federal government printer to the Nigerian Government.

Through the soccer world Mr Allen is well known for his ceaseless service to the game since he went to Africa in 1948 Soon after his arrival there he was appointed secretary-treasurer to the Nigerian Football Association and before his retirement this year he had held many important posts in Nigerian sporting organisations.

He organised and conducted his own weekly radio sporting programme, and before he left the country had been the commentator for more than 250 matches. Among his other accomplishments were, thg inauguration of the Nigerian Referees’ Association.

and the designing of the largest sports stadium in Nigeria. This is situated at Lagos. He was also associate coach of the Nigerian Olympic Games soccer team in 1956.

He received his highest honour when he was appointed vicepresident of the then newlyformed West African Football Federation. He was the representative of the entire British West African territories. The federation comprises 22 countries and covers a greater area than

any other similar organisation in the world. An audience with Queen Elizabeth when she visited South Africa was one of the rewards he received for his service to the sport.

Mr Allen and Mrs Allen were in the course of a world tour when they arrived in Christchurch. They liked the city so much that they bought a house and decided to settle here.

McNally’s Comeback Joe McNally, New Zealand’s finest post-war professional lightweight boxer and a former national champion, is to take to the ring again. Severe eye cuts hampered this 27-year-old boxer in the latter stages of his professional career and he began to lose his speed. In a professional career embracing 30 bouts, McNally has been knocked out only once, in an abortive attempt to take the welterweight title from Barry Brown.

N.Z. Skier After a week of intensive ski-ing in British Columbia, the New Zealand representative skier, Miss Patricia Prain, has completed a course for ski instructors Miss Prain was one of the 45 entrants who passed the examination out of 125 enrolled. This information was given by the manager of the New Zealand Olympic ski team, Mr R. S. Duncan, of Nelson, yesterday. At present Miss Prain is staying with friends in San Francisco, and she is due back in Auckland on May 18. « ft » Olympic Games Nominations Only four New Zealand sporting bodies which are catered for in the Olympic programme have not nominated competitors to be considered for selection to represent the Dominion at Rome this year. These are basketball, soccer, shooting and modern pentathlon. The other 13 sports have all made nominations, these being athletics, swimming, rowing, boxing, canoeing. cycling, equestrian, fencing, gymnastics, hockey, wrestling, weightlifting and yachting.