STRONG CASE TO HOLD CUP FINAL

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31627, 13 March 1968, Page 16

STRONG CASE TO HOLD CUP FINAL

The Canterbury Football Association must put forward a strong case to have the Chatham Cup final played in Christchurch when the New Zealand association meets to decide the venue on April 19, the management committee chairman (Mr T. Gottermeyer) said last evening.

“I must convince those who live in Wellington that we can run the final and that it will benefit soccer in the South Island. Many South islanders would like to see the final but the cost and travel involved would not allow them te go to Wellington,” he said. Mr Gottermeyer said that Canterbury would have the backing of Auckland and Otago. Included in the minutes of a recent N.Z.F.A. meeting was a section on the final, saying that the venue would be decided partly on its television facilities, the number of fixtures being held by other codes and the number of distinguished persons who could attend. Guaranteed Attendance Canterbury would probably have to guarantee an attendance comparable with Wellington’s average, said Mr M. Pahi.

“They have more 2000 gates than 8000 or 10,000 gates in Wellington,” Mr Storer said Mr Pahi said that Auckland would probably apply for the final in 1969 if Canterbury had it this year. This would increase the costs for local clubs.

Mr Storer: Let the clubs worry about that. Our job is to get the final here. The committee decided to write to the Canterbury Rugby Union, Canterbury

bury Hockey Association requesting a list of their fixtures in early September.

No Action.— "l thought the N.Z.F.A. ran football in New Zealand, but apparently they don’t,” said Mr J. Thomson, when Mr Gottermeyer reported that the national body had decided to take no action on a letter of protest from the New Brighton club which failed to gain first division status in the South Island league. Mr Gottermeyer said that the N.Z.F.A. regarded the matter as a domestic affair, and that it was up to the league committee to take action if it wished.

Entries.— Mr Storer reported that 58 teams had entered the C.F.A. competitions this season, a decline of only two teams in spite of the fact that four clubs had gone into recess.