SOCCER

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12247, 19 September 1925, Page 17

SOCCER

To-day's bi"* came at Newtown Park will see Y.M.C.A. and Seacliff enter upon a stern struggle for the possession of the Chatham Cup. It is hard to predict the winners, as Seacliff has brougnk up a very strong combination. Y.M.C.A. will bo almost at full strength, for Nicolle will be back at outside right. Atkinson will: be unable to play after hi? recent severe illness at Auckland, and his place will be taken by Pearson, of Y.M. B team, who can be relied upon to pay all the attention that is necessary to Hooper, the dangerous man of the Seacliff team. Simmons, of Seacliff, will not bo in the team, as he has been suspended until the end of the season. • • • « • Y.M.C.A. will be represented by Bentley (goal;, Prince and MeGirr, McArthur, rearson, and Trott, Nicolle, Dempster, Ballard, Campbell, and Halley. i * • * • Bentley, who 'has been showing veiy fair form, will be between the sticks, as Tarrant hag been off the mark for tiie greater part of this season. Prince is the ex-Karori back, whose sound defence has been a tower of strength to Y.M.C.A. this year. MeGirr, his partner, is an old Y.M.C.A. man of considerable experience in club and rep. games, and can Always be retied upon when his side is hard pressed. McArthur is referred to elsewhere in this column. Pearson used to play with the A team, hut has been giving great help to the B team ihis year. Ho. has been called upon to replace Atkinson. He knows his job well, and Hooper will be well marked. Trott is > an old stalwart of the club, reliable, with a peculiar knack of reaching the ball when it appears to be beyond his reach. • • * • Ballard, Invariably the left-winger, is going fo actons pivot for the forward line, with Genrdie on the other side of him, and Halley on the left-wing. Halley is a promising youngster, and it is hoped he will justify his inclusion to-day. The other wing will be Nicolle (outside) and Dempster (inside), and Dempster is a player who does not stand on ceremony, but -will keep the defence busy nil tile time The team ie tremendously keen to give Geordie a good send-off by winning the Chatham Cup for the first time., ami weighing things up alll-round Y.M C.A. should win by the best in three. • • • * • There Is only one Geordie Campbell, the skipper of Y.M.C.A. and also skipper of many a New Zealand and Wellington rop. team. Many will be sorry to hear that 'he is pulling out' of the game—as a player, anyway—after this season, and it will be a ?rafid climax to a ?reat football career in New Zealand if le can lead Y.M.C.A. to victory for the Irst time in the uiintiinm t’uo final to-day. His club will then have the record of winning the championship, playing an important part in winning back the Brown Shield, ond in securing the premier Soccer trophy of the Dominion. He skipped the team which won the ashes in Australia, in which he made such a great goal scoring * record. Campbell comes from north of the Tweed, and when 'he came to New Zealand settled in Dunedin. He was in the Otago team which played against Wellington on the Basin in 1910. Wellington winning 3—l. After seeing service in the war he came to Wellington and joined up with Thistle, acting as skipper for some /ears, when he joined Y.M.C.A. in 1923. His first rep. game for Wellington was in 1920* and he has played ’in over a dozen provincial games since then. He is on* of the finest captains New Zealand has

produced in the Soccer world, for his generalship is superb, and he inspire* the*'team with confidence. His best position is inside-left, and he a and Charlie Ballard form a brilliant pair of wingers. He 'has played centre forward on many occasions, and will make the change it he thinks it necessary. During the Australian tour Campbell secured 13 out of 33 goals scored by the New Zealand team, and in the last two Test matches- annexed all of the seven goal*, a performance that will long rank in Soccer records the world over. His latest success was to lead the Wellington Brown Shield team to victory at Auckland and again at Wellington, and if to this ho can add the Chatham Cup—well, he has the "heartiest good wishes of all who know hnn for 'his success. Neale McArthur, right-half for Y.M. C.A . will also be playing hie last game

to-day, for be al&o intends to pull out. He hopes to accompany George Campbell Home next May, Und ifc is understood rhere will be quite a I onrty going with them. McArthur first plaved against Marlborough in 1912 as a school rep., and again in 1915 as a school and fifth-class »ep. From that time

ho played rep. in all grades until he achieved every Soccer player's ambition, played in the senior rope, in 1019. He first played for Institute, being brought to light by Mr F. Ross, then director of the institution. Ho played for Institute for when he transferred to Thistle in 1921, but for the last three years has worn the triangle iersev for x.M.C.A. His senior representative record shows that he played against Wanganui (2), Poverty Bnv. Canterbury (4), Auckland (5), H.M.S. Renown (1), North r. South (2), and Country. His first apnearance ns a New Zealand rep. was in the third Test against Australia at Auckland in 1922. when New Zealand won 3—l. The following year he went with the New Zealand team to Australia, hut was not flic success cxnected owing to an injury to hi* ankle. He played against the Chinese team, and ihis year was in the Wellington team which brought dhe Brown Shield back from Auckland, and which again successfull v defended it ngn’rwt a South Auckland team at Wellington. McArthur has been a fine half in his bc«t days, using

his head very cleverly. Ho has not given of his best in club game* recently, but at Auckland was in good form. • * * * The kick-off in the Soccer game is at 2.30, and the Rugby League test match, New Zealand v. Queensland, commences nt 3.15. The Soccer game will finish at the half-time of the Test match, and the cup and medals will bo presented during the interval in the League game. An attendance of 5000 to 6000 is expected. In connection with the suggested tour to Canada next summer, of a representative English team, the E.F.A. received a communication from the Trinidad Amateur Football Association asking that they might be informed of any proposed visits of English teams to the Argentine or Canada, so that negotiations might be opened up with a view to the inclusion of Trinidad and Demerara (British Guiana) in the tours, was considered. The matter was adjourned. Letters were also submitted from the South African Football Association, inquiring whether it would be possible for arrangements to be made for a British team to visit South Africa in ]92f>. The conrdderetion of this and Continental matches for next season was adjourned.