REFEREE KICKED

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 121, 24 May 1928, Page 13

REFEREE KICKED

UNRULY SPECTATORS THE BASIN RESERVE INCIDENT The incident which occurred on the Basin Eosorve on Saturday l..st when .at tho conclusion of tho Association football match between Petone and V.M.C.A. the referee, Mr. F. Sanders, was subjected to rough treatment by a section of the spectators, was discussed at last night's meeting of the Wellington Football Association. Correspondence in connection with tho matter was forwarded by the Referees' Association, which expressed the opinion that the Football. Association was not carrying out its duties and protecting the referees both on and off tho field. Last Saturday's affair was alleged to havo been the third in three successive weeks. In his letter to the Referees' Association, Mr. Sanders stated that ho had had occasion to caution a Petone player, Leslie, for threatening behaviour towards Lucas (V.M.C.A.). After the game a demonstration had been made against him by a section of the crowd, and he had been kicked on tho leg. Bad language had also been used. He commended tho action of one Petone player, who had given him personal protection, and had escorted him to his dressing-room. Mr. Sanders also alleged that there were too many outsiders in the dressing-rooms. Tho chairman (Mr. W. Duncan) stated that there wero no police on the ground. There had .been on previous occasions, but not on last Saturday. Mr. T. Plant: "The onus is on the clubs to protect the referee during and after the game.' There aro twenty-two players, and if they can't protect the referee when he is going off the ground they aro a pretty poor lot." Mr. R. J. Weir said that the rule referred to by Mr. Plant' applied only to games played on a club's home ground. Mr. Plant: "It appears that he had more protection from Petone than from anybody." > Other speakers considered that thero would be no trouble if the police were present, and it was decided to request that a constable be stationed on tho rise above the playing area. It was also mentioned that- when a Petone player was temporarily knocked out two trainers rushed on to the field to nttend to him. They had retired when spoken to by the referee, j arid it was felt that they had acted in ignorance. Mr. Plant: "Would you' support the referee's action in ordering them off?" Mr. Duncan: "Certainly." On the motion of Mr. R. J. Weir, it was decided to write to tiie Petono Club pointing out the alleged unseemly behaviour of their supporters, and asking the club to endeavou. to prevent a recurrence of tho trouble. :' When putting his motion, Mr. Weir stated that ho had no desire to cast an aspersion on the Petone Club, and, had he any knowledge that other clubs wero implicated, ho would include them iv his motion. With.regard to Leslie, who was cautioned by the refereo,'it was decided to place his name on tho cautions list.