APPEAL MADE

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 58, Issue 4169, 5 August 1949, Page 7

APPEAL MADE

TO EX-FOOTBALLERS ASSISTANCE TO GAME It was a matter of regret that more past players of Rugby football were not putting back into the game something of what they had taken out of it, said Captain M. G. Fowler, at the smoke concert of theriVest Football Club held recently in Paeroa. Only a very small percentage ef explayers became referees, coaches or. gave active assistance to the clubs or Rugby unions. Great assistance could be given to the game by the explayer, more assistance than was generally realised, because it was only after a player finished his playing days that he xeally came to understand the game properly. Whilst he was an active player he was only learning and the period of learning about football continued during the whole period of active participation in the game. , Captain Fowler instanced the splendid work that had been done by past players for the game of Rugby by such men as Messrs M. Nicholls, F. Lucas, Strang, Donald, Parker and many others, who had given so much of their time to promote the interests of the game and had given so much assistance to present players. A very great debt of gratitude was owing to those past players. They had played the game both on and off the field. The speaker urged all active players to remember that as soon as they ceased playing there was still a field for them to play a most imjfbrtant part in the game and that was by active participation as referees, as coaches or by actively assisting the clubs or the union.