FOOTBALL FEVER.

Evening Star, Issue 14035, 16 April 1909, Page 2

FOOTBALL FEVER.

WORK AT A STANDSTILL. FIFTEEN THOUSAND COTTON LOOMS IDLE. That Football Cup-tie fever has in no way abated may be judged from the fact that at Newcastle yesterday (remarked the Daily Mail' of February *25) 35,000 spectators were present to see' Newcastle United defeat West Ham United in the replayed tie in the third round for the English Cup. At Burnley, too, 25,000 spectators saw the local team defeat Tottenham Hotspur bv three goals to one. It is estimated that quite 15,000 cotton looms were idle in Burnley from mid-day purely on account of the match, while the record crowd which cheered the home team to victory included every man in every other business who could' find any excuse to desert his work. The fever "actually extended to the Corporation, and the mayor's enthusiasm was shared by practically all the other members of the Town Council as well as the officials. Early in the week many of the millowners had realised the impossibility of keeping their men at work yesterday, and while some readily agreed to stop their looms for the half-day. others gave permission on condition that substitutes were found to keep the looms working. In two cases the weavers were balloted, but the vote was overwhelmingly in favor of the stoppage of work. Nearly every man, woman, and child in the towii sported a. green rosette—the Burnley Club's colore —and many business and private premises were adorned with green and other flags. The excitement was at fever pitch throughout the game, and at night the town gave itself up to revelry in honor of the victory. The team werefeted and toasted! j In the music halls the members of the teani were the object of extraordinary demonstrations. .'.-." So far this year over a million and a-quarter spectators have been present at English cup matches. The most amazing feature of these attendances is the number of spectators who attend the replayed cup ties, which always take place in mid-week. Already nearly 300,000 people have attended these Teplayed matches. Roughly, the figures are as follows: First round ... ... ... 396.000 Replayed ties ... 141J000 Second Round 427.000 Replayed ties ... ... ... 80.000 Third" round ......... 207,000 . Replays '•'... ... ... ... 61,000 T °tal ... ...1,312,000 A LIVELY SCRLMMAGE. A serious fight at a football match between the junior clubs, representing Carlton and Moorabbin, at Moorabbin, on Saturday, 3rd inst., is reported in the' Australian, papers. The Moorabbin team were getting the better of the game, and this appeared to'Taise the ire of. the "visitor' Suddenly, as David Edwards, the Moor-' making, for-the 'ball he was purposely tripped, and five or six Urlton-players kept him down and pummelled him badly. Another Mooabbin

general .fight ensued, in which the Carlton "barrackers" joined. They went to their cart, and, taking out some heavy chains, slung them around, cutting their opponents whenever they struck them. Sticks were also imported into the play and freely used. .Several" of'! the Moorabbin players were put to flight; but not without having done damage, <as one of the Carlton men "was carried off the held insensible. Young Edwards, when rescued, was badly cut '.about the face. "STRETCHING THE TRUTH. ' At the annual meeting of the Metropolitan Football Referees' Association in Sydney several of the speakers referred' to the treatment to which referees were often subjected at inquiries into the conduct of players who had been " ordered off" for various offences. It was stated that men who had monetary interests in certain games, having wagered heavily on the results, put in an appearance at the rooms to help the accused player out of his troubles. "As a matter or fact," said Mr F. W. Dunn, "I have heard more lies told in half an hour in that room than I have heard in'the ordinary walks of life in six months." The suggested remedy was to call no outside evidence at all.