ASSOCIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3101, 20 August 1913, Page 55

ASSOCIATION.

Bi Litrx Wing.

It is well that satisfactory overhead conditions did not tempt the committee to play tne matches on .Saturday last, for the grounds were in a hopeices state. Even Gulling Park was a species of lake, with an island —the centre of the playing area —m the midst. The Clear on Friday was a sheet of water. The draw for the coming Saturday is practically the same as that tor last (Saturday, with certain alterations of grounds. The Senior fixtures promise Homing especially exciting, except the domestic encounter between JVlornington A and B —a spectacle for the ladies. The matches for the following Saturday should be of more interest. Mornington B and Xaitangata meet for the first time, and I fancy Northern A play High School Old Boys—a double attraction for Culling Park.

The postponement of the matches last Saturday will not alter the decision to close the premiership competitions after August 30.

The match Christian Brothers v. Green Island, which may provide the final for the Second Grade cup competition, is again placed on Montccillo. It seems a pity that such an important event in Second Grade football could not have b:en more favourably placed. It is a nfatch that would probably draw to Culling Park as many spectators as will attend the Senior fixture there.

The W. Rarity, of Kaitangata, who was mentioned last week as somewhat of a youthful prodigy, happens to be the brother and nor the son of Jas. S. Rarity, Ka-itan-gata's crafty, dependable forward-half buck.

The fnil text of the letter which brought disqualification for life upon the officials and management committee of the Corinthian Club. Wellington, is appended. By comparison the letter which years ago provoked the disqualification of Green Island (Hub by the Otago Football Association would be counted mild and polite. Briefly, the story of the trouble is as follows: —In a recent match the behaviour of the Corinthian tram was such that the referee reported the team to the association, An inquiry was held, and sentences varying from ■‘censures’’ to five years’ disqualification were passed on certain members of the club. Corinthians appealed, and the Appeal Board practically upheld the Management Committee’s elocution. Subsequently the following letter was received from Mr R. Simpson, secretary of the Corinthian Club: —“1 am instructed to inform you that it has now been definitely decided to draw the -season of the above club to an end Wo offer the members of your committee our heartiest congratulations upon smashing our club, it beino the desire of your members for soma time past, and we sincerely trust the same kindness and consideration will bo extended to other clubs in the near future. While wishing Association football every succe-s for the future, I trust that they (the players) will have the necessary good sense to remove those from your committee who arc more capable of managing a circus than clean sport.” Some of the proposed amendments to the Otago Football Association's by-laws and cap rules :

“A Selection Committee of one or three shall be elected . . No player shall bo eligible for election.” ‘’The Executive Committee shall bo elected at the annual meeting of the association.”

“Goalkeepers must play in colours die tinctivo to those worn by other players.”

“Any tram f illing- to keep its engagement shall, unless it has given at least two clear days’ notice to the secretary of the association of its inability to ksgp such engagement. he fined in the case of a Senior team, £1; in the case of a Second Grade team, 10s 6d ; and in the case of a Third or Fourth Grade or any lower grade team, ss; such tines to be paid into the funds of the association.”

“Applications for transfers of players from one grade or team to another must bo sent to the secretary on or before the Thursday previous to the Saturday for which tho tansfer is required. Tho Transfer Committee may grant or refuse transfers as they think fit. A player shall be deemed to be in the same grade or team as in the previous season unless such player’s transfer is granted by the Transfer Committee.”

“No transfer for the interchange of players in teams in tho same grade in any club will bo granted after the third playing Saturday in each season. No player shall bo allowed to play for more than one affiliated club in intcrclub matches during tho same season, unless he has permanently changed his residence from one district to another, situated at a radius of not less than 15 miles from the P. 0., Dunedin, and has obtained a clearance from his late club. Applications for transfers from one club to another must bo accompanied by acceptance of applicant’s resignation by his late club. If such clearance bo refused, ho shall have tho right of appeal to the Executive Committee.”

“No player shall ho registered unless he is a bona fide resident in the Otago district, or is about to become a resident, and has resided not less than 14 clear days in the district. A player who has been playing in a district not attached to the O.F.A. must qualify in terms of this rule, and in addition must lodge his clearance from his late club with the secretary of the 0.F.A., before his registration will be accepted. ’ “Notice of the result of each match, signed bv the captain and referee, shall be sent by the captain of each winning team to the secretary of tho association by the following Monday after such match. For each breach of this rule the executive may enforce a fine of 2s 6d.” Great is Association football!— 1 ho balance sheet of the Football Association deals with some very big figures, and one or two record amounts. The exact amount taken at the Palace for seats and admissions on Final-Tio Day, was £9406 9s, the number paying being' 120,028. So far as numbers are concerned, the Scotland v. England match at Hampden Park, Glasgow, still holds the record, with 127,307, on March 12 last year. But tho amount of £9406 9s for gate' receipts is an easy record for any match in the United Kingdom or elsewhere, tho previous best being £6998, at Hampden Last vear. The F.A. share of the huge amount was £6134 9s Bd—another record. The Palace authorities received something like £3300. Tho F.A. desires stand accommodation for upwards of 20,000 spectators, and properly-terraced banks for 100,000. The exact amount paid by tho public to witness tho Cup matches—92 in all—during the progress of the competition proper works out at the huge sum of £87,784. which Is over £IO.OOO more than the aggregate for any previous season. Sunderland must have created a record, for during their progress

to the final they played to gates representing £25,927 in hard cash. Here are a few figures with which local club treasurers may make comparisons: The Liverpool Club made a profit of £5875 Is 6d on the past year’s working. Their ncomo from all sources realised £18,485 13s lid, which is reduced to £16,419 15s 6d by moneys paid over to visiting teams and percentage of Cup-tic requirements. On the expenditure side of "the accounts players’ wages amount to £5106 IQs; travelling expenses, £942 10s 4d; gate expenses, £5lO 19s Id; rates, taxes, mortgage, £633 5s lid ; mortgage and other interest, £1027 12s 9d.

Tottenham Hotspur’s gross revenue was £18,531, but, owing to having paid £6230 as transfer fees for new players, made a profit of only £332. Players’ and trainers’ wages amounted to £5400. Manchester City made a gross profit of £5045 5s 3d, and the directors recommend a dividend of 5 per cent. The receipts totalled £17.265 2s lOd, and the expenditure included; Players’ wages £4671 Bs, transfer foes £1533 18s Bd. travelling nncl hotel expenses, £1354 9s lid, groundsmen, trainers’, etc., wages £505, gatemen, checkers and police charges £423, advertising, etc., £359, office wages and audit £507, rent, rates, and taxes £571. fines £521, players’ benefits £999.

“In these parts it is no uncommon thing for Soccer to be played when the temperature is from HOdcg to 130dcg in the sun !’’ Sierra Leone is referred to in the foregoing. Referee Mocre has received from Mr Albeurv an interesting photograph of the Sierra Leone (West Africa) Association foctba’l team with greetings to New Zealand spoits. Some day wo may be playing an international fixture at Sierra Leone.