ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 217, 27 August 1927, Page 3

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL.

(NOTES BY “CENTRE.”) The football season is drawing to a close as far as Soccerites are concerned as the next two Saturdays will see the completion of the Sachs-Johnston competition, and then there only remains the final tie in the Hibbert Shield (knock-out) competition between Napier Rangers and Napier Y.M.C.A.

By defeating Whakatu last Saturday by 3 goals to 2. Rangers now head the Sacks-Johnston competition, /ftnd their final success is practically assured seeing that the Hastings United Club is still under suspension.

» * » To-day is Hastings Y.M.C.A.’s last chance of winning a game this their first season. It is gratifying to have seen them keep going the season through, and next year things will probably go a lot easier for them. There are yet a number of good Soccer players in the district, but they can hardly be expected to take much interest in the game when there is so much internal strife in the local association which is causing disatisfaction amongst members of all the clubs concerned. Is it not about time that the acquired ruling body acquired a little “horse sense/ 1 and cut out all this petty fealousy and parochialism. It is doing the game no good whatever.

A full meeting of delegates representing each affiliated club could settle the present difficulties in a very few minutes Association members should endeavour to take a little more interest in the fostering of the code.

Though the play of the team was inconsistent tlie famous English Club —Aston Villa—still retain their popularity. As an instance of the groat financial concerns the professional clubs are at Home the following figures in regard to Aston Villa arc worth perusal: Gate receipts for season 1926-7 amounted to £50,950. Of this £7834 was paid away in percentages and £7092 in entertainment tax the net receipt .being £36,022. Players wages, bonuses, benefit, transfers, etc., swallowed up £22,924 and a profit is shown of £687. A sum of £27,867 is owing to the bank. Liverpool figures for last season show income from League and Central League matches at £38,077 13s 8d against £3686 5s 9d received from matches played away from home the club paid £5768 Ils Id to visiting clubs. Benefits to players absorbed £4294 10s, and entertainment tax amounted to £5872 Is 3d, and travelling expences £3578 19s 2d. There was a profit of £5958 17s lid on the season just closed, and the tidy amount of £36,088 is the present balance to the credit of the club.

Soccer girdles the globe, and apparently in the near future the question will be asked “where don’t they play this Soccer football? n

Affiliated to the International Football Federation are 43 countries and next year Japan’s admission will make 44. The countries range from the Argentine to Norway and Sweden from Costa Rica to Siam and the Dutch East Indies. The list included England, Ireland Scotland and Wales but apparently tfic British Dominions are not members of the Federation. The Federation aim at a world’s championship. If this scheme is unworkable a European championship is desired.

A plea is made in the “New Badminton Magazine of Sport” for more football and less headball in the association game. Heading is an es' sential and difficult phase of football its skill being largely overlooked. But it is certainly true thta there is too much head ball, the explanation being that players are not sufficiently clever to keep the ball down. A plea is made for legislation against headball. An explanation of how the laws can be amended to meet the matter would be interesting.