Soccer Technical Club Rejects Professionalism Move

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29749, 16 February 1962, Page 6

Soccer Technical Club Rejects Professionalism Move

The Technical Old Boys’ Soccer Chib, at its annual meeting this week, decided not to introduce semi-profee-sionalism this season. Towards the end of last F*»r the club announced that its committee was studying the possibility of making some payment to players in the coming season.

At the annual meeting, a member proposed that the club should make no payment to players during the 1962 season. The motion was passed, without amendment, by a large majority.

A representative of the club. Mr A. L. Gray, said yesterday that the committee had investigated the proposal thoroughly. The club had written to the Mount Albert club in Auckland, which last year obtained the permission of the New Zealand Football Association to pay its players, but had received no reply, said Mr Gray.

Among the factors which counted against the introduction of payment for players were the regulations on secondary employment, worke-s’ compensation, and the attitude of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association to members of athletic clubs

who belonged to professional clubs in other sports. Another local club. Rangers, is also considering ths possibility of sami-profes-sionalism. A club spokesman rand that toe plans were still under Investigation and a definite decision would be made soon. To date, there have been no open paymetvis by dubs to players in New Zealand. The introduction this sroaon of the national dub tournament sponsored by Rothman's, Ltd., with prize money of qp to £550 for toe winning team, has generated an interest in semi-professionalism.