Soccer treat by Everton

Press, 10 March 1987, Page 34

Soccer treat by Everton

The showwpiece of the season for soccer followers promises to be the visit to Christchurch of Everton, the current English first division leader, which will face an Invitation XI at Queen Elizabeth II stadium on May 30. Everton, managed by Howard Kendall, have a squad stacked full of internationals and the full first team will appear in New Zealand, injury or illness being the only reason players will miss the tour. The prospect of seeing

such stars as Neville Southall, Kevin Ratcliffe, Peter Reid, Kevin Sheedy, Graeme Sharp and Adrian Heath should ensure a big crowd. The former All Whites manager, John Adshead, perhaps sums up the mana surrounding Everton. “It’s been 20 years since the first visit by that super team from Manchester United, the only side comparable to Everton to have played here,” said Adshead. The Christchurch match is being organised by Lau-

rie Blyth, who took over when the Canterbury Football Association declined to host Everton because of the cost. Mr Blyth said it will cost more than $lOO,OOO to stage the match. He said he was disappointed the C.F.A. had missed out on a great chance to promote soccer and urged the public to support the venture. “I’m not looking to make any profit. I’ve put this match on because I want to see top class sport in the South Island. It will be staged as a community

event. People should get behind this sort of event because if they don’t the South Island will keep missing out.” Mr Blyth is confident the public will respond to Everton’s reputation as a top footballing side. He has asked Terry Conley and Jim Chalmers to select and coach the Invitation XI, which will be made up of South Island players. While Everton will be winding down from a punishing English season, Christchurch United will be barely a third of the way through its Air New Zealand league campaign, which kicks off on March 22 with a match at home to Wellington United. The coach, lan Marshall, perhaps recognising the long grind of the 26game programme, has enlisted the help of an assistant coach, Martin Stewart, and has assembled a squad which has plenty of depth and experience. Armed with the knowledge gained when it went so close to winning the title last season, United looks in for another profitable season. Mr Marshall is pleased with the depth of talent, and said the players in the second team could easily step straight into the first team, ensuring a healthy degree of competition for places. United’s defence is always sound, and the keeper, Alan Stroud, will again have the likes of Ceri Evans, Bobby Almond, Gary Lund and Paul Hillis in front of him. The captain, Keith Braithwaite, has made an encouraging start to the season while up front John Hanson will be hoping to continue his goal scoring exploits of last season, which led to All White selection. A win for United in the league would be long overdue. It was way back in 1978 that the trophy, last resided in Christchurch, and in the inter-

vening period North Island clubs have assumed dominance over their three South Island cousins. The playing through champion, Mount Wellington, and the unlucky Miramar are United’s strongest looking opponents, although Gisborne, Wellington United and a re-built Manurewa should also figure prominently. The revamped Hertz travelling league features eight teams, Burndale United, Rangers, Western, Christchurch United seconds, South Canterbury United, Oamaru, Caversham and Dunedin City. Judging by early results in the Liquorland preseason tournament, Rangers, Western, Burndale and United should measure up well to the opposition. The Otago-Southland league features 10 teams, the top side having the option of being promoted to the Hertz League while the Northern Qualifying League has attracted 20 teams, and will be played in two sections for the first round. The first five teams in each section will be promoted to the Southern Regional League division 2 (north) while the remaining 10 teams will form the Southern Regional League division 3 (north). The prospects of top matches don’t end with the Everton visit. Canterbury’s N.Z.F.A. councillor, David Cox, is lobbying to have the All Whites versus Australia fixture played in Christchurch and is also hopeful the People’s Republic of China will face the All Whites here in October. It will be an arduous season for New Zealand’s leading players. They have just finished a fourmatch series against Dynamo Minsk and will play the Olympic preliminary qualifying matches against Fiji and Western Samoa in November.