Star players in Hamilton side

Press, 15 October 1976, Page 24

Star players in Hamilton side

By

BARNEY ZWARTZ

Hamilton — superside or myth? Christchurch soccer supporters will have a chance to decide for themselves tomorrow when the season’s glamour team plays Papanui Suburbs in a friendly match at Sawyers Arms Road. Included in the side will be the New Zealand Player of the Year, Keith Nelson, who this season scored his 100th northern league goal, and Dennis Tindall, the New Zealand winger who has just returned from Korea with the national side. Both are household names in soccer, but the side is founded on more than just them. Roy Little, the captain and under-23 international, has largely provided the midfield inspiration and Alec Young, the tall defender, is reputed to be on the fringe of the New Zealand side. Other players to watch for include Jim Barry, the goalkeeper, Lawrie Fawcett, an under-19 international, Pep Viedma, who has played for top Chilean and Australian sides on the wing, and Roy Howson, a striker.

Hamilton this season gained promotion to the Rothmans League by spectacularly winning the northern league, and won the lucrative Air New Zealand Cup even more dramatically by beating four national league sides on the way.

Already pundits are tipping it as a favourite for next year’s title. But is it really such a good side? The skeptics say that without

Nelson to keep putting away the goals with monotonous regularity it would be little more than mediocre. As Nelson is there such speculation is pointless, and the truth probably lies somewhere between these radical points. Papanui is a Broadlands southern league second division side, a good one considering the club has existed only two years, but scarcely top opposition for Hamilton.

The club is flattered at the opportunity, according to the president (Mr Sandy Stokes), and will put up as good a fight as possible in the hope that “they don’t crucify us.” The side trained last night with a few tactical variations in mind and has been bolstered by the inclusion in the squad of three youthteam players. Its hopes rest largely with Mike Hogan, a defender who comes through from the back with deadly effect and is the leading scorer, Tom Daley in midfield, and Erich Eichholtz, the goalkeeper. Interestingly, the approach came from Hamilton, although it first approached Christchurch United which could make no firm commitment.

Presumably the trip is a reward for the players for their remarkable efforts this season, but the sort of traditional pressure game they are certain to encounter is hardly likely to be relaxing. The match is a fascinating prospect, with admission free and an early kick-off at 2 p.m.

Club bankrupt.—A Brussels court has declared the Royale Union soccer club bankrupt. It Is the first Hine a Belgian soccer club has gone bankrupt. Royale Union was one of the ventures of a building contractor, Ghlslain Baillet, that were all declared bankrupt with losses said to be s2m.