SOCCER DISPUTE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 71, 21 September 1939, Page 17

SOCCER DISPUTE

CHAMPIONSHIP AWARD

GIVEN TO PETONE CLUB

BETTER GOAL AVERAGE

With only two dissentient voices the management committee of the Wellington Football Association decided last night to award the senior championship to the Petone Club, which finished the season level on points with Waterside, but had the better goal average. In their fourteen games Petone scored 46 goals and had 22 scored against them, giving them an average of .676. Waterside scored 43 goals and had 23 scored against them, their average being .651. The chairman • (Mr. J. Meltzer) presided, and there were also present Messrs. J. J. Roberts (president of the W.F.A.), E. J. Gates, K. Bald, A. E. Powers. E. J. McQueen, M. H. Webley, J. H. Janes, C. Ballard, H. Spolsky. J. J. Kean, and the secretary (Mr. W. J. Arcus). Mr. Arcus explained that after the decision made by last week's meeting of the management committee that Petone and Waterside should play off to decide the championship, the Petone secretary informed him that the club claimed the championship by virtue of its better goal average. The club would appeal to the N.Z.F.A. and pending the decision on the appeal would not play against Waterside. Mr. Arcus said that in his opinion that constituted a default to Waterside, and Mr. Alf. Williams, secretary of the New Zealand Football Association, concurred, but Mr. Frank Campbell, chairman of the council of the New Zealand Football Asosciation, and also Mr. Meltzer, pointed out that Petone might on Saturday morning give notice of their change of mind and if Waterside were not ready to play Petone could then claim the game by default. Accordingly, Waterside went to Petone last Saturday. Petone did play against them, the game ending in a 3-3 draw. THREAT TO DISBAND. The Petone Club wrote that it had not intended to play off* on Saturday, hut did so in order not to disappoint a large number of spectators. "We know in our own minds that we have a right to the championship for 1939," said the letter, "and my committee wish me again to claim it. We feel that the W.F.A. are not giving Petone a fair go and at a meeting of over 100 members on Saturday we decided that unless Petone are classed as winning the championship we will definitely disband the club." The letter said the club would appeal 10 the New Zealand Football Association and would recognise neither a decision to bracket Petone and Waterside as winners nor a decision that there should be another play-off. The Waterside Club forwarded a protest against the result of the game, and claimed a win for Waterside, giving as its reason the facts that the game was to start at 2.45 p.m and that although Waterside players and referee were on the ground the Pefone team did not come out of the dressing shed till 3.10 p.m Mr. Roberts said that he went to Petone on Saturday to see the game, and found on his arrival there that Petone were unwilling to play. He ' advised them that their duty was to carry out the decision of the W.F.A. management committee and play, and Petone accordingly agreed to play under protest. As far as he was aware no protest was made by ; Waterside before the match. "IMPROPER LETTER." "I think it is an improper letter for any club of standing to have sent in," said Mr. Meltzer in reference to the Petone letter. "I Imagine that the club officials, on reconsideration of the letter, might see fit to tender an apology to this body for the tone and contents of the letter. It can hare no bearing on our consideration of the matter, which must be unbiased, and irrespective of any stupid threats of the Petone Club." The Waterside letter, said Mr. Meltzer, purported to be a protest. Only one rule of the W.F.A. dealt with the starting time of games and it said that if a game did not begin at the appointed time the referee should report it to the management committee. There had been no such report from the referee. Another rule said that a club might protest in respect of any breach of a law of the game. Mr. Meltzer said that in this case he could not see that any law of the game had been broken and he thought the protest was not a proper one. Mr. McQueen, the representative of the Wellington Referees' Association, said that the referee's main consideration was to get the game played, even if it did start late. Mr. Janes said he understood the Waterside coach did protest to the referee about his team being kept waiting. ' "It was Waterside's duty, if they had any complaint, to protest before the game started," said Mr. Roberts. Mr. Meltzer said that by playing the game Waterside had acquiesced in the late start. Mr. Kean moved that the protest be not sustained, Mr. Spolsky seconded it, and the motion was carried. PLAY-OPF OR GOAL AVERAGES? • Mr. McQueen said he had moved last week for the play-off. It had taken place and resulted in a draw, and he now moved that the championship be awarded to Petone on goal averages. He had thought the matter out and in nis opinion this would be quite fair. The motion found . two or three seconders. Mr. Kean favoured another play-off, on the principle that the issue should be decided on the field rather than in the committee room. Mr. Ballard supported the motion. Mr. Roberts said that Mr. McQueen's motion was the proper one. He said that another-play-off would be giving the advantage to Waterside twice,- and twice penalising Petone. Mr. Webley said that the committee had once decided that the matter should be settled by playing off, and he thought they should continue with that decision until one team won, or there were no grounds available. Mr. Spolsky a,aid that the Kilbirnie Stadium would be. the only ground available next Saturday. Mr. Janes said that Waterside members had been told at Petone last Saturday that if the management committee decided. on another replay the Petone Club would move to have the Petone Recreation Ground closed. Mr. Arcus said he had been told by the Petone Town Clerk that; the ground was now being top-dressed. Mr. Gates said he was a firm believer in deciding ties by goal averages. The motion was put and carried, only Messrs. Janes and Webley • dissenting. It was suggested that attention should be given to the rules so that future management committees would have no option in deciding championships where two teams tied, and so that some time limit would be made within which games would have to start or be given |to the waiting side by default.