ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 621, 25 September 1909, Page 12

ASSOCIATION.

' ';'';'S,;r; ; ;^ : IThotcuftain ;wa's'•; riingvdown on. : the senior 1 ■ championship.cbmpetition last Saturdav, when .S.wifts secured, a meritorious win over'YiM.C.A.,' and :cohseq'uently,.;nnhexed :tho' Senior League. First: Division, championship. Taking :d fln-; .right!th'rough:the season; the. Management Com'-"' .mittce-of'tneFbotball'Association has.a good proud of.'--)Xhe" competition has been' ;keen'.; an'd-.the sport'gobd, whilst,the following ; ?f' plSysrs :.;atid; spectators 'has: been: something in'. -.a.<r6c'ord.,' In : fact ;tho, season | has,been'.'a"-record one'all Viound." -v'--:-i-,'."-;:-.-;.■ '■;.';Tho Senior'.-Le'(igno'.:First'Divisibn-cbmpetitibh has been particularly! interesting, the! neck-and ' .neck;'going of,'Swifts:and Y'.M.C.A* increasing ,the'-i'nterest v both from" '■ tho players', and. the .spectators'.,view-point.,; Early, in the'coinp'oti-itioii-'DiamO'ndslestablished, a." lead, and' for; b" ;time'it looked as. though they, wero again goin? :to .lift the championship,-but they. collapse-J ; some .time before the end of the' first !round, and " subsequently faded: .'away.' to:only; a" shadow.".ot' ; ( their.:.former-,;greatness;-:Swifts' and Y.M.C.A.' and "pegged awiiy | uutil=:th6!"..play-6fr:.;ks't .Saturday, Twheh Swifts. idemonstrated' their superiority over•Y;M.',' i aftei' thern'oh. two:'bcca: : 'mons';ill'evibtisly.i-'Only!'l5 -goals ;.w'orb"--Scored-,against.:th'b 'chainpions-dnring'thb'wholb'bf, tho. • seasbi-.,;,whilst;: : -14. goals'were scored'for them.' Dfambhds scbted more "goals for" (•iTj-thah' any : team iinp'the-cbrnpetition,-' but, the "■ tally ;ogainsr ;them'.;was.29.;;Tlie,Y.M.C,A. -A.team, -.!which : camo.'second on-the list, has a goal:';rccord ;bf !35-.!for;-;antl 't* against; and, "with the, winners;' 'they, "are to-be; congratulated! on .their fine per-,!-;fbrmanCe.:, ;Diampnds had.-!to, be;,content with .!-third:place, and. St. John's follow them i point-i fili-ther;r.be!iind:.. ; St.-John's,.played somo ,finn games/towards:the.close of-fho first ronndj but ;After,'they,;had'raised:thb hopes of ithcir-sup-'' ;porters;,;they .faded-away again; :,Rovers, who i woro the .first: team to conquer Diamonds have [ four .teams,ahead ; .of- them and four- behind, buti.theyi-yrere never,; at any: stage; in danger of,annexing, the,-,championship. : Thistlo gave" promise when. ; .tliey' ; sot they "evapor:ated"vnudwny,;. though; improving again '.'as the'Bcasonio^vahced.,,'Ramblers, weroivery in-ahd- ' out^most;,out t '-;;;Theiu;;,bes(;':,games ,'woi-e'not , very';.'good;.,'.and■; their..tfo'r'st";were .ieally bad.; iPetono ,pn,fc' ffiifKara,'aj''braVft''frc'nt ! '.t,o-,o.;iong. ' fWesivof yt e/eajs 1 ; -'wftKe -- competition",. but .they held, on.'gamely, and i finished, up '-.with : thi'ce ~win4vand' a<draw to4their credit,.'" *Tho. ; Wanderers, foot-therlist:- jVjJhey 7 made v n ' goods?P"'?n?Mn.; their" vjirst-matbh; against-: Thistle;' W?--^ w }sK'.W.b/vmakihgr outlookHipjpeared-;to !bb'bfight,-but after, beln?' vanquished,M;.S.t ; . Job!n's:':at Seatoutt",:'tho" botturn fell,- right,;out:.of -;the; team,' two "wins and ■ two;:draws,:;boiilg;vthe,'bnly, points they, could6easpn.; ; sTflkini: :thuißß!.br andr.large;. the :outlook'.for,-'"Soccer" ;Tffi»;;n.?y?r3riikteT',thaA-.'.it''is at'.presbnt;,' -,/ ■-~ -1 ho -posihqns of-the various - teams': at the 'cbh-' .clusion,of.,tpoichampionship,;are:—:;!-. a !:'',;-i'; ; ; *

'}?'' v T, rol?1 Sydiiey ■■. Aav ATistr4ian':;LoTorrof.''Soccer,".' ,sonds mo-the;folXoMg appeal'for:the'fostering: '■' :.m e V. < ?,W c l;V aII ttugby : in'. tours ! .o!\ : ,;boin^#yvojL;^iiage(t^bbth'flriandatly and i?W^E>?^w;;'4y:Diatch'.;» tinder, Kugby rules -of ,i?& - .an-. avorago : ; of: »5,pp0,. sljCctatots.iTiiider rAss'ociation. about 2000 ' aa'.popular as ,Kugby-tho;, hnat ; for .the *Nw 'South .' Wales' :^p~drawjag/10,000 to' 15,000 :.spectator 8 ,:. but, ; ojvmg vtomet>freqtjent vtours ~of ■': British 'and . New.,ealilnd Rugby teams,. ltugby. has grown .ill favojit: by. .leaps .and: hounds,', whila •, '.'soccer"-' :te. ; following:, whatover.' Had:,W(l ;.hM:<as:.many:,tours iotV-British . teams 'unuerr'Assooiation rilps, I -feel 'certain llugby lyr'puld'.be. linknown^here'.to-ilay.xV' ;.vvM(:iliere,;; ; an(l. that -badly,. is ;a : British ; really /good one.'wbut; unthe ; Neir : South i Wales 'Association. .ca« : «o;notning. financially,.it' being all they ;cau'do: toilceep. thoir heads above water. Could do something?-' -inevvpugiitito ap:somothing'to 'fostor the game in tho colonies: '..I feel. sure ( if the■ English As- ; teain and. financed- the' tour thowselyes ..tlioy iwouldnot' lo.se much by* of tho. touri .pAyingvmora.cthan.'.espoiises, if, tho team played J briUiant^QOtball., :; ; '.. : . , ■■■•-., ■ !j'i?lncky';Sbuth.':Africa is.now in a' good, posiiti6hV,bptU'finaucially. 'androtherwise-.thanks to : a' few "English .teams touring tho country. Thcroraro signs: of;aigreat. roviTal.of ''eoccer" -in.Aiist ralasj a ]ust;now, thegame-being iplayod in every.; State:. :In'New. 'Zealandthe -progress ! is' graat/'butytho Kngby: Union' are doing their; utnfost. to do. them as much harm : as pos- ; siblo. . . ■■...■

iVv'.'.'l-think it is,;the duty of:;tho sociation \tt> i.do f something for .Australasia; and : provont ; . - tho"; : Rugby code : from monopolising ieyerythingV -' I' hope .tho 'English Association, will xohsider,; the .ina,tter. ...If ;they only financed the?first h torii';.l:-feol'certain, wo conld. take'.all !tho;responsibilities;ourselves in, .any..,-future tours—and- pay .'off-any .'loss" arising: over the 'first ;of'.tho best: of football, 'games'—"Soccer "-rdoponds.ontirely on tho visit' of : British'<,'teahis,' v and" 1/ trust 'the first - visit .'ot,' ; 6Uoli-Va;".teaui' ; .is l -not-; fair : oif. ; Australian' :"soecor",'needs .it'.badly.'- .'''.;...■•' :V'"i?iftb'eD'h ; 6Brs;a^o;;."Bocceir , Africa was'iniirs/infancy .totho frequent ; Englis h" tours) ■ i t' is a' keen;rival'.to-Rugby, the ,'management, and .staudurd''of..play being: very high T 'indeed.-.. • .■: .; ■'.•■'■■'■'. .'.,-'■•■ ■■'/\"l trust ithe English Association will do something."-..-.' ,;: : :' : ' ■■'.' ■:■'■ .-■■' On; tho fibova letter."Tityrus" writes:—"Our ■friend must not; forget that .if tho Association game ■ has developed in, Houth Africa, ..the enthusiasts of thoso.Crown Colonics .have helped .immensely; bjvraisingj a: guaranteo fund each' time tho Corinthians diave visited their country;. Tho7old,boy"amateurs, conld'not afford to make' suchi.a trip?:atl-their :own;expense..; Now, ; n, tour.in.Australia is:ri much more costly experiment, i The. football; Association':cannot: reasonably - bo expected: to bear tho wholu'burden of ■tho. financesi' for: a-.problematic, benefit. : Lot. Australasia'- give, evidenco of its .earnestness/ and of its desire for advancement in tho Association i code, by providing half tho cost, nnd ithen.tho project.comes-into the realm of.prac-tical-politics.": -::"' > ',''.'■-' ' :,'. '■'. Mr.'. W./'AValker, prominently identified'with .Association I 'football in Scotland,"' is.at present in Sydney.i (says the "Referee.'. Mr. /Walker is: a director' of ..tho Clyde Football Club, Ginsgow.'i'and'Jhis .'experience .in" connection with' .'fcha game extends oyer, nearly 20 years,:,-,; -,

Asked if the trouble, which has recently reached a climax, between the English'- Foot.ball Association and the- Players' Union affected Scottish football, Mr. Walker replied: "J.no Union comprises .English players only. Ihe professionals and the clubs in Scotland get along very amicably." Asked how many largo cubs there are in Glasgow, ho- eaid:—"Six clubs in ,the first' division of : the Scottish League, only one of which is an amateur body, viz., : Queen's Park. Celtic, Clyde, Kangers, Third Lanark, and Patrick Thistle ni-o all.limited companies, controlled by directors ranging in number from seven-to .twelve, and caclt possesses a: 6eparato'!-ground.' The j Uydp.Olub consists of aOuO'shartmolders at i,\, and the dividends run up to 25 per cent. Tho players receive £i per.;week, but with bonuses, presents,' etc:, "the 'wage'" sometimes' amounts to £8. ~ OJyde; pays about 25 ■ players right through the. year, though, the season lasts from August, 15 to .'April 30. You will observe, how.oyer,- that;tho off is very short, which is the main reason why a trip to Australia has never been seriously considered by the Home ; 'As6pciatibns. ThoClydo Club is now occupied in; preparing tho ground to nccommo:date:,l3o,oo(f.people." v.. !>:-;:. ■ vAt'.the annual, meeting of the South" African Association .last month tho secretary reported the-receipt- of,, a. • cable from. Now'., Zealand asking, the to.- suspend -■ further action ,in ,regard to tho proposed tour.' It was assumed that a Rugby, team', was visiting iNow Zeal.anck and that tho authorities conl,d not afford, to fight agairtst it •That-is not quite the reason; though it is a case of finance. . , •■

v'•. -ifi.''J'v-,-v ■\':li-v' : -r. V•■ V;-:' 9 :B'-';' V- « a ii^'' v •/.•• ; '-v.r> &/.*< •>:.':,sj *5 »r' ;r o-''S -• 2 -«•• ' "c»;S-- : ' '^ w^^oS? 0 iiS 0, £'#.?,: " » 1 2 <14 15 S { TtM.CA, li 0 1 4. 35 19 122 Kmmonds 15 8 5,2 47 21) 18 St. .Johns .... .13 •-•• (>; '«5 1 -2' ' • • *w ''n, EOTOIS .: 13 5-5 a ' 16 19 3 •Tlustle ; v.;..v;..-:-l2 i'v 4 -•;■'7 ■■'20 'A n Eaniblers .„. 1,5 4 8 1' 20 't? 'q £t°»° '14 3 ,10 -\ 21 I ? Wnnderers .. 13 3 0 2 13 37 g