LOSS TO FOOTBALL

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 58, Issue 4167, 1 August 1949, Page 4

LOSS TO FOOTBALL

CAPTAIN FOWLER LEAVING PRESENTATION MADE WEST FOOTBALL CLUB At the West Football Club’s recent smoke concert in Paeroa a presentation was made to Captain M. G. Fowler, who has recently been transferred to Hamilton. In making the presentation, the [president of the club, Mr C. W. Williams, expressed great pleasure at being given the opportunity to speak of the great assistance Captain Fowler had been to Paeroa footballers during the past few years.

For over four years, said the speaker, Captain Fowler had acted as •coach to the West club and through his ability and coaching powers he had very gre&tly improved the standard of Rugby in Paeroa. Not only had assistance been given to the West club but Captain Fowler had been coach for the Paeroa and the Thames Valley representative teams and he had given freely and willingly of his time and services to promote the interest® of the game. Players and club members realised that a debt of gratitude was owing to Captain Fowler knew that he was voicing the opinion of club members when he said they all wished Captain Fowler to understand that one who had done so much for football had earned their great respect.

The success of the West club was very greatly due to the coaching it had received and in recognition of the services Captain Fowler had rendered to players, the speaker asked Captain Fowler to accept a barometer. The gift was to mark the gratitude of the club for the work which had .been so vzell done and, he hoped, would keep fresh the memory of the very pleasant associations with football in Paeroa.

The chairman of the Paeroa Rugby Union, Mr W. F. Faber, stated that it was a great pleasure to him to be given the opportunity to pay a tribute, to one who had given so many hours for the benefit of Rugby and football players in Paeroa. Mr Faber said that it was no fault of Captain Fowler that the Thames Valley team had not been successful. There was only one thing wrong with the team and that was it had no big heavy forwards. On behalf of the Rugby union and the management committee he wished t Captain and Mrs Fowler every good luck in their new life in Hamilton.

On behalf of the West team Mr N. McMillan stated that the success of the West team was due to the coaching and advice it had received from * Captain Fowler, whom he assured would be very much missed by dub members. Mr B. A. Kelly on behalf of the " Hikutaia club, said that his cfab wished to be associated with the expression of appreciation of the valuable services rendered to football by Captain Fowler. He wished him every success. On behalf of the United Football , Club, Mr T. Richardson expressed the thanks of his club to Captain Fowler, and extended the club’s best wishes bo ■ Him. ' In replying, Captain Fowler said that he felt rather embarrassed by all ; the kind remarks which had been ■ made. It was not, possible for one man to do all the things which .■ speakers had said he had done. He ‘ thought that it was the duty ef players to put back into the game some return for what they had taken out of the game as players. It was a duty to pass on any knowledge that one had gained by experience. The speaker went on to confess that he got just as much “kick” out of the game now as he did when he was • an active player. He urged all players to assist in the game after their play- ■ ing days were over. In conclusion Captain Fowler expressed his thanks for the handsome gift and for the many kind remarks which had been made.