Association Football.

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 95, 26 April 1902, Page 6

Association Football.

This Satin da v will be the last da\ for piactice puipo&os, as the championship n\tuie.s commence next Saturda\ The piactice games this season have excelled those of past seasons, a,s is evidenced fen the numbei of plaveis who turned out to eet in turn " The games in the senior ranks this season, I predict will outnval a-m of previous yeais The number of new players eomg to gi dkss" this season is most .striking St. John's have taken every advantage of piactice, and, a-s practice makes perfect, I o\nect to '•cc them shape exceeding well when the campaign starts in earnest I heai that Mr Asbury had the misfortune to hurt his leg in the suburban sci amble not the spiained leg, but the other one Whilst playing a game of cricket on the Basin Reserve he sprained his foot, and suffered greatly from it He was \ erv dubious about ite safety whilst playing in Christchurch at Easter amd a knock during the progiess of the game forced him to retire A propos to his play in Christchurch. 'he used his head and feet to excellent advantage and kept his forwards well

.supplied with the ball. He did not have many chances to score, a& very few openings, presented themselves, oil account of the excellent defence of OtiagO'. But. Mr. Asburv like us all is getting old, and time will tell. It takes a lot of running, and not a slow pace either, to knock the colonials out , and it i^ questionable — even acknowledging Mi. Asbury's abilities as a one-time fepnntor — whether he would not find the pate too hot It is about time the Junior and Third Cla^s Associations were called together t ) discus* business relative to themselves. They are, no doubt, under the piotecting wing of the W.F.A., but more consideration should be shown the suboidinate players, who, in the course or time, replace those above them. Cup matches are ordered to commence on Saturday next week, and, so far, no mfoimation is to hand with reference t> entries, etc , of the lower competitions. The Fourth Class Association w ould inevitably meet the fate of many other valuable institutions if left to tihe apathy of the W.F.A. I would remind them that senior is not the only branch or 'soeker" football m Wellington which deservevs attention Thanks to Mr. Davenport, the Fourth Glass can again claim him a.s a euardian for another twelve months The Auckland Football Association's championship matches start on May 10. In accordance with the agreement entered upon by the various provincial associations, the Otago "soeker" representatives will visit Auckland this season Theie will be seven senior clubs, six junior, and six third-class in Wellington this season When the fourth-class teams are added it will be seen that the game is increasing here by leaps and bounds. The introduction of the Association game into the public schools, as prosposed by the 0.F.A., is a step in the right direction if the game is to go ahead here (says a w riter in the "Otaeo Witness"). From all accounts the"boys in the majority of the schools are very eagor to enter teams for the competition, which, if properly conducted, ought to be the means of turning oub some brilliant "socker" exponents in a few years. English Association football is making progi-ess m Holland, France, and Germany. News also comes to hand of its growing popularity in Hungary. Joe Lofthoiuse, a famous Blackburn Rover, who played twice against Scotland and Wales and three times against Ireland, and w ho is in possession of four English cup medals( has accepted the position of coaoh to the Masvar Athletic Club at Buda Pesth. The English professional, John Reynolds, made his first appearance at Auckland on Saturday week, when he played for a North Shore team against a team from HM S. Mildura. His play clearly indicated that he is a thorough master of the finer points of the British Association game and his services as coach to local teams should certainly lead to a marked improvement in the standard of play up north. Morrison and Nogel, two Dunedin repiesentative pla.vers, aae now resident in Wellington, ami are said to have thrown m their lot with the St. John's Club