PLAYERS and the GAME

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12441, 8 May 1926, Page 17

PLAYERS and the GAME

SOCCER SENIOR A CHAMPIONSHIP.

With three games played in the championship competition we begin to get a little light thrown on the prospects of clubs in the city. Only one team has maintained an unbeaten record, this being Y.M.C.A. The team has yet to meet Hospital and Mnrist, either of whom may put a spoke in the wheel of their progress, although the results achieved bv Y.M. up to now are convincing. Ballard has returned to the fold, and if Campbell gets back to centre-forward, their victorious career should continue for the present. A little later on other teams may show better form, and no one wishes to see the competition become a runaway.

We cannot see Y.M.O.A. conceding even a point to Institute to-day, for the ’Stutes " centre half will have to mend his ways, not only for his own sake but for the sake of his team. Jeffery is a good lad, and if he will only take heed should become one of the finest centre-halves in the Dominion. He has to realise that one man does not make a team, and that the job of the centre-half is not" to roam all over the field as lie does. This fault he must overcome. Furthermore, he must use his eyes and feet to better advantage and feed his forwards, judiciously, not punt tile ball upfield and leave the forwards to make the best of it. S'o far as possible he should keep the ball low in passing, giving his man a chance to intercept it and centre or take it forward. To boot right over their heads, making it hard for them to prevent it going behind the line is of no earthly use, and long dropping shots into the goalie’s arms are no test for the goalie, who will easily deal with 19 out of 20 such attempts. Put your thinking cap on, Jeffery, and piny for your t n am, not for yourself. •.. ‘ »

The Thistle-lVaterside encounter today should boa, fairly even go, and, judging by what has happened up to now a division of spoils seems to be the likeliest outcome. The Scots, however, will try desperately hard to bag the brace, and if they profit, by the lesson of last Saturday they may achieve their desire. It is encouraging to see Waterside in a decent position in the league, and it looks as if they will come into their own again ere long. • • • •

Thistle could do well with the services of Paterson in their forward line, and he would, have a good partner for Logan. Lothian seems to be lost if lie is not at centre-forward, and so far the club has uot found a better man for the position. Thistle supporters always follow their team in fair numbers, and the display up to now has been rather disappointing, txoept that in the last match there were distinct si fins for the better. «...

Brooklyn came a thud when they met. Y.M.C.A., but Marist will be very unwise if they hold the new arrivals in the senior A division lightly on that account. Whether Brooklyn benefited by their experience against the older team has yet to be shown, hut the Marist eleven will also call for all that is best in them. Thy wearers of the green and white know the ropes pretty well, for they have played together for two or three seasons now with very little change, and such teams are hard to heat. ‘Hospital did it, however, and we quite expect to see Brooklyn make the pace alt the way for Marist.

• • • » Diamonds are having a bad sp*a and a lot of bad luck, and one would like to see thorn meeting with better fcitune, although on performances up to date their prospect® against Hospital to-day do not look over bright. Hospital have been rather in and out, but the team is settling down to more consistent, effort. Apparently there is roam for improvement on the part of Soutar in goal, whose hesitancy at times has found him in trouble. « • * »

By the way, Charlie Bollard’s brother, who came out from the ■ Old Country a year or two ago, has signed on for Diamonds, and played last Saturday. On his arrival in Wellington he played once or twice tor Y.M.C.A. Apparently he did not come up to the standard required, far he has only now come into the front rank again - May he be a. good' omen for the blacks.

The dispute which arose between Auckland and Canterbury regarding the payment of the southern association’s expenses guaranteed in the Brown Shield match has been settled by arbitration., It was announced at the council meeting of the N-Z.F.A. that the matter had been referred to arbitration, and we now learn that the whole facts were submitted to Mr J. L. Arcus, public accountant, Wellington, both sides agreeing to accept his decision, which has now been given. This gives the verdict to Canterbury and upholds the decision of the council, which Auckland should have accepted in the first place. The fact that Auckland agreed to arbitration does not place a halo round Auckland’s brow. If there is any credit due on this account it is to the Canterbury association, for the. parent body had already decided in ite favour, and the facts, which had been fully considered, could have warranted no other decision. AVe hope Auckland will now pay up the £54 and look pleasant. • • » •

What happened was this: Canterbury agreed to go to Auckland provided the latter association guaranteed £75, which was agreed*. On the way up ■Canterbury played a game at MannTTatu and lost.’ and Auckland argued that the defeat militated against the gate, and only paid out a portion of the expenses, leaving £54 ill dispute, liven if Auckland did wire Canterbury

refusing to consent to the game at Manawatu. had Auckland the right to prohibit that game? £75 would not recoup Canterbury their expenses for erneh a long journey, and if the game at Mnnawatu brought a little more grist to the mill so much the hotter for them. Even though defeated at Palmerston North, the country team came within an ace of lifting the Brown Shield on that occasion.

Thistle Club certainly has a kick coming in the matter of poaching of players, an offence which is regarded very seriously by the English and Scottish Football Associations. Petono Club secured the services of three Thistle players who had gone to live ,in that district, and the W.F.A. granted the transfers, not, however, without a protest from the Thistle delegates as to the manner in which their players were being approached. We understand that both Wotherspoons have been approached by letter from Petone without permission from reference to the Thistle Club, but needless to say the Wotherspoons are not acceding to the wishes of Petone. In the Old

Country no club is allowed to approach the players of another club without the consent of the club, and a very good case has to be made out before a transfer is granted. If a player is not getting a fair deal from his club and is not being played he has the right of asking to be placed on tbe transfer list, and if that, is refused he can go to tfie Football Association, which deals with such cases on their merits. This, question of poaching is becoming more serious in New Zealand now than hitherto, and it is a question if it is not now a matter which has got beyond the scope of the local associations, and should be given serious consideration by the New Zealand Council. It is hoped that reference will he made to the subject at the next meeting of >th° council.

• • • • Birds in their little nest agree, or should do, lest there be an accident and one fall out. Thistle must remember that they are playing under one banner, the Catedonian, and there must be no disruption, no disagreement between the old Thistle players and the ex-Wander-ers. We know that a couple of them are not hitting it very well, and the breach had threatened to become serious, so the two concerned were placed on different **wjngs. Green eyes are the cause of a lot of trouble. Shake hands, Scotties.

Again, some of the halves were very forgetful of the new throw-in rule, which provides that they must have both feet behind the line. A spectator asked why they were penalised, and when informed replied that the players should bo told about it. Surely the players who don’t know the new rule liavo been paying little attention to Soccer matters, for it has been discussed at meetings, in annual reports, and in the Press, and players nave been, penalised for the last three weeks for breaches. It is possible that spectators crowding on the line cause players to offend sometimes, but that will be difficult to stop unless the enclosure is roped off. There was only one line dividing the Soccer ground from the Rugby game, so that linesmen and spectators were bound to be upon one ground or the other.

* • • * There was a. plentiful display of broad Scotch at Ivelburn. “Tnk yer time, Wullie/* was advice often given from the line. Bob Lithgow, one of the host with the whistle, was a. spectator. He’s not too old yet. • * * *

The following transfers were granted:—Barrows from Institute to Waterside : G. Attridge from Midland to Waterside; W. Phillips from Miramar Rangers to Waterside; Adams. Evans and Grimwood from Hutt to Petone; C\ Husterhol/i from Thistle to Institute; A. McLean from Seafoun to Marist; L. Daniels from Diamonds to -Thistle; J. Gilbertson from Hospital to Waterside; H. Hanson from Mnrist Newtown, to Stop Out; J. Mohan from Miramar Rangers to Marist., Newtown; J. McLeod from Diamonds lo Wadextown; A. Cl. Jamieson from Diamonds to Miramar Rangers; N.

BOXING An American suggests that Jack ■Dempsey should ho awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Jamito is being kept busy. He fights Jimmy Rya.i at Greymouth on May 15th, Charlie Purdy at" Wellington on May 24th, and Deo” Murray at Invercargill on May 31st. The Pliilippino is to Have a profitable stay in this country. Tommy Milligan, welter-weight thampion of Europe, and of Great Britain, who is creating a good impression in America at present, has relinquished his titles, because of his difficulty in making the weight. From now on he will do battle as a middleweight. As part of its campaign to eliminate imsatisfaetory ."boxing decisions, the Now York State Athletic Commission has decided to h;.ve bouts judged on the basis of the number of lounds won and lost, instead of on points. To put this radical change into effect.

the commission will transmit special instructions to all metropolitan referees and judges.

Luis Angel Finpo is still mumbling about meeting Jack Dempsey a second time. Recently he beat Erinino Spalia in a 12-rounds affair at Buenos Aires, and it- is reported that, following this victory, he intends to pay another visit to the United States.

Jack Dempsey plans to defend his world’s heavyweight title against Gene Tunney at Boyle’s Thirty Acres, Jorscy City, New Jersey, on July 4th, according to a statement mode under the signature of George B. Underwood, in a lecent issue of the “New York Telegram.” ‘‘While no article;, have been signed,” the story continues, 'every detail has been mutually agreed upon, and official announcement Is withheld only until a few tangles have been straightened out.” In the event of Dempsey’s failure to live up to the agreement, it is said, New Jersey sportsmen, who are reported to be led by Mayor Hague, will attompt to put on a "Wills-Tunney bout. It is 'believed that the champion has abandoned hope of the Floyd Fitzsimmons syndicate putting up the demanded financial guarantees for a bout between Dempsey and Willis “somewhere in Indiana or Michigan,” to be held “some time next autumn.”

Cambridge University beat Oxford recently at boxing, when the 25th meeting of the two universities took place at Cambridge. Cambridge has now won 14 contests, drawn four, and lost seven. The Light Blue victory was won through a magnificent fight ( of J. L. G. Weal! witTi L. S. Seccombe, in the heavy-weight division. 'Tlio wins were Cambridge four,- Oxford three-

Twort from South Wellington to Y.M.C.A.; D. Paterson from Thistle to Petone.

D. F. M. writes criticising the referee’s conduct of the MarsiLTliistle game on Saturday, hut the referee can hardly be expected to see everything, and possibly the referee would not see eye to eye with D.F.M. ob to what constitutes dangerous play. A Marist player was cautioned, and possibly there were one or two instances where the piayers’ action was suspicious, but not definite enough for warning. Other matters referred to in the letter are being inquired into.

The accident to Earnshaw, Y.M.C.A. B, should serve ns an example to other plovers to pay their insurance Fee. Du Saturday ho broke his arm ami will not receive any benefitfrom the insurance fund as he was not financial.

Y.M.C.A. ... Brooklyn Institute Hospital I O .... 8 .... 3 .... 3 .... 3 o ts 3 P 0 0 0 0 o p 0 1 1 1 o O 18 6 6 9 1 a| 3 8.5 a o <i OP* 3 6 9 4 3 4 8 4 8 3 7 2 9 1 9 0 Waterside ... Thistle Diamonds ... .... 3 ... 3 ... 3 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 3 6 2 3