English Football.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXIX, Issue 8657, 6 December 1904, Page 4

English Football.

' Latest files to 'hand furnish particulars of decisions arrived at tiy a commission appointed by the Football Association to inquire into irregularities of certain clubs in the Association. The outcome of this inquiry was the most sensational decisions ever arrived at in football. The following review of the matter is taken from the London Daily Telegraph/: The findings of the Commission specially appointed by tiie Football Association to inquire into the allegations of illegal payments to players and other irregularities show a. very unhealthy state of affairs to exist in the m;n>a cement of several of the professional clubs. According to the rules of the Association, no club is permitted to pay a. player a bonus of more tha.n £lO, and this can only be given as a consideration, for signing a professional form—not for resigning, and not for assisting to win a match. That this regulation is frequently broken has been common talk for some time past, but. of course, such, matters are difficult of proof, seeing that both the clubs which mats illegal payments and the players who receive, them have strong reasons for concealment. Now, however, the

football authorities announce, after a long and searching investigation, that they find three clubs, including two of the most prominent in the country, breaking the rules. A breach of the rules might not in itself prove anything very deplorable, but unhappily in the course of their inquiries the Commission has discovered that not only have these infringements been committed, but charge Manchester City, the holders of the Association Cup. with wilfully attempting to deceive the Commission, state their opinion that the Glossop Club kept two sets of books with the object of preventing irregularites and violations of the rules being discovered, and further announce that the books of Sunderland do not show a true record of the club's cash receipts and payments. Thereport deals further with the fact of books and documents which were demanded being stated to bo lost, and in connection with the dispute between ' Sunderland and M'Combie expresses the opinion that the probabilities are in favor of that player's statement being correct. The conclusion, in short, is that the clubs in question have acted in a most disloyal manner to the Association of which they are members, and that there exists a system of underhand bargaining which, to express the matter mildly, is a complete disgrace to the world of Association football. Fines to the extent of £750 in all have been levied upon the three clubs in question, and six directors of Sunderland, four of Manchester City, and four of Glossop are suspended from taking- any part in football management until the beginning of 'May, 1907, while the secretary of the Manchester Club suffers a similar punishment. Moreover, the Commission express the opinion that the Glossop Club deserves to be suspended for the remainder of the season, but were let off with a fine because of the loss and inconvenience which such a course would entail upon other clubs, and Manchester 'City are forbidden to engage in any matches during the next three weeks beyond three specific games away from home. In the severity of-the penalties inflicted the Football Association are to be congratulated. The authorities have shown that, whatever the standing of the offending club, they will as far as lies in their power, have their rules strictly observed.