SOCCER

Evening Star, Issue 19841, 14 April 1928, Page 3

SOCCER

AUSTRALIAN TOUR ABANDONED. [Special to the ‘ Stak.’j CHRISTCHURCH, April 13. The derision of the council of the New Zealand Football Association to abandon the projected tour by an Australian soccer team caused no surprise to the officials . of the Canterbury Football Association, who had held. the opinion that under the conditions offered it would have been impossible to make the tour a financial success. Air W. E. Leadley pointed out that tile Canterbury Association had been asked to guarantee £250 for a Wednesday match. ‘‘We would not have got more than a £s(l gate,” he declared. “'We declined to entertain the offer unless we were given a Saturday match.” The guarantee offered by the Canterbury Association was £L3O for a Saturday match or £SO for a Wednesday match. Mr Leadley pointed out the difficulty in regard to guarantees was not Peculiar to Christchurch. Only two

of the affiliated associations had been prepared to offer the guarantees that were asked. Mr R. 13. Bunt (secretary of the Canterbury Football Association) said there had been grave doubts in the minds of affiliated associations as to whether tho tour would bo a financial success. Ho pointed out that on tho last two occasions ou which a series of tests had boon played in Australia and New Zealand, the latter had won two out of three tests played in each series. Under tiiose circumstances it looked as if New Zealand could field a better combination. It was very doubtful, therefore, if sufficient 'interest would bo aroused in the matches to warrant the proposed outlay. The Canadian tour had resulted in a loss of £.1,400. In Christchurch the Canada v. Canterbury match attracted a gate of £197. That was a Saturday match, while the test match played in Christchurch resulted in a gate of £4OO.