Double blow for Mr Dempsey

Press, 26 February 1981, Page 19

Double blow for Mr Dempsey

p A We I I L n Z t 0 n The Auckland soccer adminis>.raior, Ur Charlie Dempsey, narrowly faEed in his bid for the chairmanship of the New Zeali r.d Football Association on Friday and/minutes later., lost his position as deputy'chairman. . After the new council had been appointed at the associ-! at!on's annual meeting, a. tense battle developed when both the incumbent, Mr Terry Killalea) and Mr Dempsey were nominated for the top position. The voting was tied at 6-5 with one member,’ Mr' Warrick Gendall, a known supporter of,Mr Killalea, away on business and; due back .within the hour. Mr Killalea and Mr Dempsey! held discussions behind closed! doors, and emerged with Mr Kill-! alea confirmed as chairman. Nominations were' then called, for deputy chairman, a position [ Mr Dempsey has held for the last’ two years. Mt Dempsey and Mr Gendall! were put forward as candidates. Mr Dempsej- considered with-j drawing from the race, but final-’ ly allowed his nomination to: stand. The voting figures were not: made public, but it is believed; that Mr Dempsey cast his'vote ,in[ favour of his opponent. A disappointed Mr Dempsey; said that it was obvious that the: association did not want what he; had to offer, and blamed a South; Island lobby for his defeat. “They are obviously not . wor-'; ried about their cash deficit'

either,” gaid Mr Dempsey, a noted fund-raiser. “When I failed to get the chair, it was a waste of time going for deputy.” he said. “As I said before the vote, the deputy has to be able to work with the chairman.” Mr Killalea said that be was disappointed that the council was divided, but hoped to rectify the situation during the coming year. : -Mr Dempsey will continue as World Cup df.-ector. The ■ Rothmans Soccer League will carry bn with its three-up, three-down relegation system, theymeeting dbcided. Describing his. World Cup plans, Mr Dempsey said that the biggest worry at present was the player drain to Australia. , “We are In danger of becoming a soccer nursery- for Australia,” he said. . Opening the meeting, the president, Mr Lance Adams-Schneider, said that New Zealand Forest Products had agreed to. sponsor the New Zealand youth side for S5OOO in each of the next two yearsThe council elected for the coming year is: C. Dempsey 'Auckland), T. Gottemeyer (Canterbury). E. Harris (fVeilington), B. Cunningham (Otago), I. Paton (Northern minors), K. Ross 'Central minors), G. Te Au (Southern minors), all of whom were automatically- on the council. Elected councillors were: W. Gendall, J. Arnold, R. Kerslake. IL Hayburn, T. Killalea, D. McDonald.'