Southern League Soccer Agreed

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31234, 5 December 1966, Page 13

Southern League Soccer Agreed

South Island soccer associations meeting in Timaru on Saturday decided to go ahead with the proposed southern regional league. In its first season, starting on July 8, the league is likely

to comprise six teams two each from Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill. Delegates from three minor associations Mid-Canterbury, South Canterbury and North Otago—reported that they would not be ready to participate in the competition In its first season. The constitution will leave it open for their entries in future years.

A committee will be formed representing all the associations in the South Island and will meet again on February 4 at Oamaru. It will decide on a five or 10match competition in the first season, to follow the local competitions. The champion teams and runners-up in the three main areas are likely to constitute the league. No indication was given after the meeting whether the associations had found a sponsor for the southern league, although the future success or failure of the competition may rest on this question. The leader of the Canterbury delegation, Mr M. W. MacKenzie, the C.F.A.’s assistant chairman, said yesterday that considerable preliminary work would be carried out through correspondence during the next few weeks, so that the delegates will attend the next meeting able to discuss concrete proposals without being bogged down on detail.

The southern league is one of three regional soccer competitions to be formed as forerun, nera to the national competition, due to start in 1969. The others are the northern league, based on Auckland and already in being, and the central league, based on Wellington.