WITH THE ROUND BALL

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 205, 28 July 1928, Page 19 (Supplement)

WITH THE ROUND BALL

GAME AND ITS PLAYERS. NOTES GLEANED FROM ALL SOURCES. (By “Centre-half.”) Football Association's Assets, The assets of the Football Association (England) are valued at £94,197, while there are no liabilities. A Small World! “II fut heutre, tres severe, parfois dur” (literally: It was willing, severe, at times hard) was a Press comment on an Olympic Games match. “It’s a small world, comments an exchange.

The Penalty Kick. At a recent meeting of the International Football Board, Scotland brought forward suggestions with reference to the amending of the penalty kick rule, but solid opposition being forthcoming from England, Ireland and Wales the matter was dropped. The proposals were fully dealt with in these columns a fortnight ago. Olympic Games Soccer. i

In the final of the Association football tournament at the Olympic Games, Argentine drew with Uruguay, holder of the championship, each side scoring a goal. Argentine got its goal in a hail-storm. In a match to decide second and third places Italy beat Egypt by 11 goals to three.

In the earlier series of matches Egypt beat Turkey by seven goals to one. Egyptian delight, not Turkish. The Olympic authorities made a profit of £55,000 on the series.

Barrackers Take a Hand. One hears a great deal about footballers striking each other during the game, and it is said that much of it is done so scientifically that only the men concerned know what has happened (says the Australasian). Occasionally, the barrackers take a hand, and' there is a story going roilnd concerning a leading Association player, who so roused a supporter of the opposing side that as the teams filed through the gate into the dressing-room at the end of a game he hit the footballer over the heart with a short-arm jab that escaped the notice of onlookers. The barracker was not satisfied, however, and, waiting for the player, walked to the station with him. He hit him

again as they entered the railway carriage and a third time as the plaj'er left the carriage at North Melbourne. Not a word was spoken by assailed or assailant before or after the blows, but the barracker was a former player, who was apparently repaying old scores, and, being built on a large scale, considered himself safe from retaliation. A Classic Incident. A classic, however, was an incident in a game when the umpire was struck by a player, says the same journal. Nothing the player could do was right, and he was continually being penalised. At last, in a cold rage, ho walked towards the umpire, and, tapping him on the shoulder, exclaimed politely, “Excuse me.” The umpire turned, and when his jaw was in the exact line of fire a well-timed swing sent him to sleep for several minutes.

Handling. Discussing the various infringements punished by the penalty kick, an exchange sounds a word of warning on the subject of handling in the area to both referee and players. It is a grave injustice to award a kick against any player whose hand or arm unintentionally comes into contact with the ball. Players should not claim for “hands,” but leave 'it to the referee to decide. Intentional hands, however, slight the offence, is punishable. If this point is firmly fixed in the players’ minds, a better feeling will permeate the play. Players must remember that it is unwise to retaliate, no matter how grave the provocation, and by doing so they merely increase the difficulty of the position for the referee. Their First Check.

Caledonians, the crack Taranaki team, received their first check this season last Saturday, being compelled to share the points with Albion. Play was full of incident, and feeling amongst plavers and spectators was at fever pitch throughout. Movements on both sides were cleverly conceived and equally well carried out with the result a draw, a fair indication of the o-am’e. Caledonians-, however, played higher-class football, their forwards and backs showing good combination, which was nullified to a great extent by the splendid individual plays of Neighbour, Wilson and Brown, who presented an almost impregnable defence, clearing time and again. Dunedin Leaders Beaten.

The surprise of the Otago season was furnished fast Saturday when Maori Hill, playing a man short beat the league leaders, High School Old Boys. The losers were outplayed by the Hill team, which had only ten men for the greater part of the game. With A. Brown, centre-half, as the pivotal

numerous opportunities, and the rushes by the four forwards paralysed Old Boys. There wag a lack of combination in Old Boys movements, and the forwards showed little skill when near their opponents’ goal. Pickerill played a sterling game at full-back for Old Boys.

Christchurch Chatham Cup Final. In a game that brought the recent series of unexpected happenings in Christchurch soccer up to their peak. Thistle became the Chatham Cup representative of Canterbury by defeating St. Albans last Saturday, Wo goals to nil. The match was bright and one of the fastest seen yet this season —- a real hammer-and-tongs go from whistle to whistlo. Thistle played football, comments the Sun. The Scots have always been known as good Cup fighters, and on Saturday they came to light with an accession of vigour and direction that they had not come up to previously this season. St. Albans gave as good as it got, without doubt, nnd there was not a great deal in it. The ball went from end to end all the time, providing that element of uncertainty and swift change that makes a soccer match. Juniors Beat Seniors. The surprise of the second round of tho Falcon Cup ties in Auckland last Saturday was the defeat of Northcote by the junior team Corinthians. The game was closely contested all the way and the winners showed nice combination and balance. Northcote, however, missed several easy chances. Rush For Footballer. When ever it is known that a firstclass footballer is for transfer, there is a stampede by manage, s to get him, says an exchange. They „are ( not greatly concerned as to price, liny are all armed w ih authority to spend sevoral thousands of pounds. Indeed, they know that this will be necessary before setting forth on their quest. A few weeks ago it was whispered around that Nottingham Forest were prepared to release Charles Jones, a Welsh international forward, capable of playing equallv well at inside or outside left. First to pick up the scent were Liverpool, and when they arrived they had field to themselves. They interviewed the Forest officials, and arranged terms. Then to their astonishment Jones declined t.o go to Liverpool. Whilst these negotiations were proceeding, the Arsenal picked up the trail, and made inquiries by telephone. They were informed that Liverpool had an option on the player, but at the moment he had refused to join ,the club, “Right,” said Mr Herbert Chapman, the manager of the Arsenal,

“I’m coming. Tell Jones to wait for me. I shall arrive at midnight.” The first news Mr Chapman received on reaching Nottingham was that Everton were also coming. They would set off at dawn by aeroplane. But Mr Chapman seized his chance, and, hoping that Jones would change his mind, lie interviewed the player in a bedroom, and, after a discussion lasting until 3 a.m., signed him on. Everton duly turned up, but they were too late. In fact Jones had already left for London to go to Copenhagen, where the Arsenal were on tour.

Meteoric Rise. Jones who has lost most of his hair and has a weather-beaten face, looks a veteran on the field, but he is only twenty-seven years of age. He jumped with meteoric suddenness into the front rank two years ago, when he played at inside left for Wales against England. In five minutes spectators were asking “Who is that bald-headed man at inside left?” When told that his name was Jones, they were not enlightened. He had just joined the Forest at the time from Oldham, and he was scarcely known. But it was obvious that he was an exceptional player, and he has since played in every match for Wales. The Forest had several applications for Jones’ transfer last season, and they refused as much gs £7OOO, Now, however, they have allowed him to leave on a fnlling market, and they have had to accept at least £IOOO less.