Soccer tour plans

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33790, 12 March 1975, Page 36

Soccer tour plans

AUCKLAND. With the soccer season still only in its ven early stages, six visits by touring sides have j been either confirmed or are in the final stages of planning. i As well as the already confirmed games by Glasgow Rangers and Manchester United, two English sides— Fulham and Middlesbrough—seem certain to play two games each in New Zealand early in May. The tours director for New Zealand (Mr Charlie Dempsey) said yesterday that although the visits had yet to be confirmed it was “pretty definite” that they would play and that the real problem was allocating the games to the many associations who wan ted to act as hosts. Middlesbrough will prob- ’ ably play in Christchurch and ; Auckland in mid-week games. Mr Dempsey said. “Fulham may well have their games in Taranaki and Wellington. With Fulham now through to the semi-finals of the F.A. Cup interest in them will be high.” ONLY GAME Auckland will play Manchester United in its only game in New Zealand at Newmarket Park on Tuesday, June 24, in a floodlit game. Auckland will also play Rangers, again at Newmarket Park, on June 2 (Queen’s Birthday). Negotiations for another game by Rangers in New Zealand are taking place. On July 16 or 17 a team from the Peoples Republic of China will arrive for a three or four-match visit. Already games (probably against the New Zealand team) have been confirmed for Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, but it is now hoped an extra game in Dunedin can be arranged. The Indonesian national team will play four games against New Zealand in September. (Soccer feature, pages 14-15.)