Auckland declines soccer invitation

Press, 29 June 1988, Page 64

Auckland declines soccer invitation

The Auckland Football Association has turned down an all expenses paid invitation from its Canterbury counterpart to send its representative team to Christchurch for a match against Canterbury A. The president of the Canterbury Football Association, Terry Mann, said yesterday that it had been hoped to play the match on July 24, when there were no national league games. However, the Auckland organisation said it would be too difficult to get a team together as northern league matches were played the same weekend.

There are six northern league players in the 15 man Auckland squad, which has successfully defended the Winfield inter-prqvin-cial shield against Northland, Franklin and Waikato. Mr Mann said it was disappointing to have the invitation rejected and he was surprised that an Auckand side could not be selected from the four national league clubs in the city.

Canterbury has turned down an invitation to fly to Auckland at its own expense to contest the Winfield Shield later in the year.

Mr Mann said it preferred Auckland come south so the Canterbury association could recover the money paid out to bring the team.

Last year Canterbury pipped Auckland, 3-2, in a special match in front of a big crowd at English Park.

“Auckland would have been a good drawcard for us. Now we will have to give a little more thought to a match for the A team.” It had been mooted that the All Whites could play a Canterbury team on July 24 but that idea has also fallen through.

The national side is committed to a match against a Wellington select XI on the same date at Wellington.