Soccer Play-Off Dispute;

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32385, 26 August 1970, Page 14

Soccer Play-Off Dispute;

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON. The Waterside (Wellington) soccer club has lodged a protest with the National League committee about what it calls “some anomalies that could occur in the proposed play-off for entry into this competition.” The Wellington club two weeks ago won the central league first division title, with the right to play-off for a place in next season’s Rothman's National League. The president Of the club (Mr D. Hurst) said yesterday his committee’s main concern was that an Otago side might be automatically accepted into the competition next season without having to take part in a play-off. “We feel that a club from Otago was given the right to r

join the competition last year and refused,” he said. Also, his club was concerned that the likely northern and southern league winners had indicated they would be fielding amalgamated teams in the play-off. The secretary of the national league committee (Mr G. H. Moore) said yesterday that his committee would have to meet very soon to consider all aspects of the play-off. However, he felt sure the committee would not change its earlier ruling that an amalgamated team could take part in the play-off. “We- discussed this question fully and agreed that provided the clubs go about it the same way as Christchurch United did, we would have no objection to amalgamated teams.”

On Monday night, a meeting of the Wellington F.A.', voted in favour of the Otago, association gaining an auto,-, matic entry into the national' league for next year. A meet?, ing of the northern league in Auckland on Sunday alstij supported the move. The national league coin,.mittee had previously stated' that there would be no auttF : matic entry into the competi - tion and clubs would have to win places on merit, when it* decided to increase tho‘ league from eight to 10 teams - for the 1971 season. y. If it changed this decision, a Dunedin team would not have to take part in the playoff series, leaving the northern and central league champions to decide the other place. )