Canterbury Soccer Public Shares Blame For Tournament Failure

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30733, 24 April 1965, Page 11

Canterbury Soccer Public Shares Blame For Tournament Failure

’THE final of the first (and probably last) Easter international soccer tournament will be played at Auckland today when two Australian teams, Northern New South Wales and Queensland, decide which will win the first prize of £BOO and the runner-up consolation of £2OO.

It is a pity that none of 'the four provincial teams— Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago—managed to win through to the final, for the sake of New Zealand soccer and the North Island firm that underwrote the tournament. For only a crowd of around 20,000 at Newmarket Park today can save the tournament from a substantial financial loss.

If the gate today is in

line with those of last Saturday’s and Monday’s games the tournament organiser stands to lose about £5OOO, and for no other reason this year’s Easter tournament will unquestionably be the first and last of its kind. The two matches at English Park, last Saturday and last Monday, were bitter disappointments to the Canterbury Football Association. Gate receipts of £399 and £264 were taken at the games, and this was at least £lOOO less than Canterbury’s share in making the tournament a financial success. In fact, Canterbury fared worse than all the other three centres, and if Christchurch never receives another visit by an overseas soccer team it would be all it was worth. The tournament organiser

was given complete control for the first year, with the right of renewal for four years, and then for a further five years. This would have meant that had this year’s tournament been a financial success, or even come close to paying its way, New Zealand would have been guaranteed an international soccer tournament every Easter for 10 years. No-one in his right senses can imagine the sponsor will again attempt such a venture, at least not until he has concrete evidence that worthwhile support is forthcoming. And the stay-at-home Canterbury soccer supporters must share the blame for the failure of this excellent tournament.

The Saturday match, Canterbury v. New Caledonia,

Cowie’ or other star bowlers.” B. W. Sinclair, for instance, had played in a Birmingham League side in 1960, and had a trial with Warwickshire. While he was a useful man in the field it was apparently felt that his batting then would have fallen just short of the normal county standard.

was not the attraction that could have filled English Park, or to have attracted the non-soccer watching public. But the bitter truth was that it was not even

supported by Canterbury’s soccer players let alone soccer supporters. It may, or may not, be significant that the secre-tary-treasurer of the Canterbury F.A. (Mr N. R. Dixon) resigned his positions at last Tuesday’s meeting of the management committee. In fact, discussion on Mr Dixon’s resignation was held in committee. But if the failure of the two Easter games at English Park prompted Mr Dixon’s action none could blame him. Nor blame the management committee if it had resigned en bloc. Considerable work was put in to make the tournament a success, both by officials and players. Men with jobs, families and homes gave up all their spare time to complete the arrangements, and were badly let down by those they mostly relied on for support—the soccer public of Christchurch.

The same organiser responsible for the Easter tournament has underwritten the tour next month by the two English first division clubs, Blackpool and Sheffield United. If this joint tour proves a financial success he will be able to recoup some of his losses made on the Easter tournament. Naturally, this will mean that any sum he would have been able to give to the New Zealand Football Association will be greatly affected and this will mean the N.Z.F.A. continuing to run on a shoestring budget. However, soccer supporters in Canterbury can ensure the loss will be met when Blackpool and Sheffield United play at English Park on May 29. Another financial failure during this tour will put New Zealand soccer back 20 years. The organiser has already made approaches to English clubs for tours of New Zealand in 1966. Nothing has as yet been signed—and nothing Will be if he faces another substantial loss.