Star-studded Team To Play N.Z.

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31383, 31 May 1967, Page 17

Star-studded Team To Play N.Z.

Seven full internationals, an English under-23 and an English youth representative are included in the star-studded Manchester United side to meet New Zealand at English Park this evening.

The New Zealand team, also announced yesterday, includes two Canterbury players, A. W. Gowans (Christchurch City) and C. Rennie (Western). The teams are: Manchester: A. Stepney: S. Brennan, A. Dunne: P. Crerand, D. Sadler, N. Stiles; G. Best, R. Charlton, N. Cantwell, B. Kidd, J. Aston. New Zealand: A. Stroud; W. Hunter, G. Lake (Auckland); A. W. Gowans (Canterbury), T. McNab (Auckland), G. P. Bilby (Wellington); C. Rennie (Canterbury), G. Lamont, G. York, M. G. Burgess, J. Legg (Auckland). The full internationals in the United team are Charlton and Stiles (England), Crerand (Scotland), Best (Northern Ireland), and Brennan, Dunne and Cantwell (Eire).

national, and Kidd, the youngest player in the team (he was 18 on Monday), was the youth representative. Manchester has made only one change from the side that beat Auckland, 8-1, Brennan coming into the team at rightback. Dunne has moved to left-back in place of F. Burns, who injured a knee at Carlaw Park. Severe thigh injuries have again prevented the selection of the Scottish (D. Law) and English (W. Foulkes) internationals. UNLUCKY IRONSIDE Fog at Hamilton delayed the arrival until yesterday of the three Waikato players—K. Ironside, J. Moyes and E. Thomas. Only Ironside, however, was in the squad of 15 for the senior team, Moyes and Thomas being included in the under-23s to meet Scotland at Hutt on Monday. The national selector and team manager, Mr G. Smith, said yesterday: “The late arrival of Ironside has been most unfortunate. The three players had to make their way to Wellington before they could get a plane to bring them to Christchurch. “It has meant that Ironside missed both full-scale training sessions, and it has been decided to select the team from those who have been in Christchurch the full time. Legg has been moved to outside-left, to allow Rennie to play at right-wing. “Ironside, however, will still be a candidate for the under--23 team.”

for the New Zealand team—he has never managed a losing national team, including the side that toured Tahiti.

“Every team needs to have a bit of luck on its side, and perhaps we will need a bit more than others to hold this mighty Manchester team,” said Mr Smith. “But if the New Zealand players move the ball quickly, and not run with it into trouble, they will make a fight of it, with or without luck.”

Gates will open at 5.30 p.m., and the curtain-raiser will begin at 6 p.m. The main match kicks-off at 7.30 p.m. Although receipts already are a record for a soccer match in the South Island, embankment tickets Will be on sale at the ground. “However, there are now only about 2000 available, and it will be a case of first there, first served,” a C.F.A. official said yesterday.

HIGHEST PRICED Stepney, who until last week was, at £55,000, the highest priced goal-keeper in British soccer, played for England in an under-23 inter-

The positional changes made by both Legg and Dunne means that these two players will again be opposed to each other. They clashed at Auckland when Dunne played at left-back for Manchester and Legg at right-wing for Auckland. Mr Smith yesterday remembered one “good luck” omen