Strong competition abounds in Southern League

Press, 9 March 1978, Page 21

Strong competition abounds in Southern League

The 1978 Broadlands Southern League soccer competition will certainly be the strongest in years and undoubtedly the toughest of the three regional leagues. With three relegated Rothmans National League teams, as well as Rangers and Technical, third and second respectively last season, all vying for one place, competition promises to be particularly fierce.

Rangers stand out, as it usually does at the beginning of a season, as the team to beat.

After a year’s absence, lan Marshall has returned as coach, and he has a youthful and talented squad to work with. The captain is John Souter, the dependable centre-back, who will lead a team with a good blend of youth and experience. Nine of the squad have played for Rangers at under-18 level, seven having won junior national cup medals. The strength of the team will clearly be in the midfield, where the Camphens brothers, Rob and Luke, Scott Dewar, Gordon Faichnie end Malcolm Parker will be disputing possibly four places. Parker, incidentally, is the club’s highest goal scorer in its history with nearly 100 goals from 188 appearances. New Brighton has made one new signing, Mark Alexander, who was Woolston W.M.C.’s second goalkeeper last season. Peter Bennie, the hard-working midfielder, will lead the team which includes only three regular players from last season, Keith Granger, Jeff Neal and Bennie. Three other players, Rex Dillon, Dave Brisbane and Gerald Paynter, each made

an appearance in the first , team last season.

The side should be one of the fittest in the league, according to tis coach, Martin Stewart, as well as being one of the youngest. In its first six matches. New Brighton will travel twice to Dunedir and once to Timaru — a tough start to its campaign. Technical is another to have appointed a new coach, Eddie Carney; he replaces the astute Tom Randles. Carney has signed a former New Brighton player, Tony Clayton, and Doug Jury, formerly with CashmereWanderers. Lou Reesby is another with considerable southern league experience. Ron Provan will captain the side and Peter Hyland has decided to make a come-back to soccer. These two, together with Murray Smith and Lyle Perry, will provide a strong defensive unit. However, the team has

lost, in addition to Randles and Camphens, four important players. The goal-keeper, Eddie Garner, is in Australia, Jorm Flyvbjerc is with Woodston. John Stevens, has shifted to Halswell United and Graham Storer has joined the Auckland national league side. Courier Rangers. Cashmere - Wanderers will have basically the same squad as last season. Two Rangers players, John Mundy and Robbie Nester have been signed along with Greg Woods, of New Brighton. Nigel Partleton, Paul Jarman, Steve Burns. Dave Allen and Mike Ambrose, selected as the club’s players of the year last season stand out from among the squad. Its coach will be Alex Mclnnes, who is also the oldest player in the squad Shamrock has lost only Bobby McGrain to Papanui W.M.C. from last season’s team and has gained the services of Stan Wool-

liscroft. Steve Smith, the : captain in 1976, has returned from Australia. Gary Newell, who missed last season with cartilage trouble, is back , in the squad, which is i fairly young with two teenagers from the second i team last year, Steven | Fletcher, aged 16. and an- i othet Steven Smith, aged ■ IS. also being in the ! squad Provided its coach. Jimmy Rea. can find a re- ; liable goal scorer. Sham- • rock should! improve on its ' sixth position last season. j Rob Cook, John Brand or : Petei Schuyt could fit the bill but more speed would be an advantage. Western, newly pro- ' moted to the league after ; a year in the qualifying , division, has a fairly I young side with not a lot ! of southern league ex- i perience. Bill Kirkland. Eric Dal- < ley Eric Yates, Geoff : Dixon and lan Sutherland . will be missing this sea- j son but Murray South (from Woolston), Ray ; Wild (Nomads United), David Carter (Rangers), and Mark Jessup (Papanui W.M.C.) have all joined in the off season. Ir, addition, Des Duffy has come out of retirement and David Smithey has returned from England to battle for the goalkeeper’s place with Mike Panneh. The coach, Tony Har- i vey, will be looking for ■ 90-minute performances : from the team and is hop- | ing tha* there will be a bit I more pace in the front ! line this season.