WELSH XI FOR N.Z.

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31662, 24 April 1968, Page 19

WELSH XI FOR N.Z.

Cardiff CityTo Play 4 Games (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON. Cardiff City, the English League, second division, soccer club, will play four games, including one “test,’’ in New Zealand later this year.

The chairman of the New Zealand Football Association, Mr J. Cowie, said yesterday that negotiations for the tour were completed in Melbourne at the week-end. “The team will be touring at our invitation, and in conjunction with the Australian Soccer Federation,” Mr Cowie said No dates for the tour had been set, and the detailed itinerary would not be planned until after the present European Cup-Winners’ Cup series. If possible, a fifth match would be included, Mr Cowie said The Cardiff City team was committed to eight games in Australia and might also play in New Caledonia. 10-Day Tour “The team will be in New Zealand for about 10 days,” he said. The N.Z.F.A. had been making inquiries in the United Kingdom for some time in the hope that a top-class team would tour New Zealand at the association's invitation. "The Cardiff City side had been recommended to us along with several others,” he said. “It will be the first time a side of this calibre has been brought to New Zealand under the direct promotion of the N.Z.F.A.” Mr Cowie said it was planned to have a team of Cardiff City’s quality tour New Zealand every year. The touring party would comprise 18 players and four officials. Semi-Finalist Although Cardiff City has not had a successful season in the English League, the club has made Welsh soccer history in European Cup competitions, writes “The Press” soccer reporter. It has reached the semifinals of the European CupWinners’ Cup—the first Welsh club to do so—recently beating Moscow Torpedo, 1-0, in a quarter-final play-off at Augsburg, after the aggregate scores on a home-and-away basis had finished level. Cardiff City will next meet Hamburg in the semi-finals. One Canterbury player who

will be pleased to read of the tour is the Christchurch City player-coach, G. Evans. His association with English League soccer began with Cardiff City, before his later moves to Swansea Town, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace. Christchurch is certain to get one of the games, possibly in mid-week, because of the floodlighting facilities at English Park.