ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL

Taranaki Daily News, 4 May 1933, Page 8

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL

POSITION OF J. CRAWFORD REMOVAL OF SUSPENSION ASKED. GROUNDS AND REFEREES DECIDED. The first meeting of the executive of the Taranaki Football Association at New Plymouth was held last night. Present. Messrs J. S. Paton, chairman, Dr. D. E. Brown, J. Howie and W. Johnson (Waitara), G. E. Roper and R. J. Page (Moturoa), W. Shepherd and R. Rae (Caledonians), and A. H. Suthon (Pirates). . After considering in committee a petition from the four New Plymouth clubs asking for the removal of the suspension of five years on J. Crawford (formerly of the Caledonian Club) for striking a referee at New Plymouth, the meeting decided to recommend the New Zealand Football Association to that effect, reasons being that there was a dearth of players in Taranaki, that Crawford had had his lesson, and that in the opinion of the meeting he had already been punished sufficiently through having to Stand down for the past two seasons. It was decided that the first matches in the Julian Cup competition to take place on Saturday, should be allotted grounds as follows: Stratford v. Albion, at Stratford; Caledonians V. Waitara, at New Plymouth racecourse; Moturoa v. .Pirates, at Fitzroy. All the games will be commenced at 2.45 p.m. . Referees for the games were appointed as follows: Mr. W. Johnson (Caledonians v. Waitara), and Mr. P. McKenzie (Moturoa v. Pirates). The secretary was instructed to write to Stratford asking whether a referee were available there. Mr. Suthon undertook to be responsible for marking the ground at the racecourse before Saturday, and to erect posts. On behalf of their clubs the delegates offered assistance. The secretary was instructed to write to the council of the New Zealand Football Association regarding representation of the association on the council. Mr. J. W. Hollows was appointed the representative of the association on the Pukekura Park sportsground committee. On the motion of Mr. Roper the secretary was instructed to notify cluos that all players signed' on must be registered with the association within seven days of the signing on, this being in accordance with rule No. 23 of the association.

It was decided that H. Ashton (formerly of the Albion Club) was eligible to play for Pirates on Saturday. Mr. Hollows was appointed sole selector.

Dr. Brown, Mr. Hollows and Mr. Paton were appointed to confer with Mr. G. H. Gorringe regarding the continuation of school football in the district. At the suggestion of Dr. Brown the delegates were instructed to convey to Mr. Gorringe the association’s appreciation of his work in this connection in former seasons, and, to ask that should he be unable to organise school football again this season, he give his advice and support. Dr. Brown said Mr. Gorringe had been the backbone of Soccer in North Taranaki, and the code owed a great deal to him.

The committee mentioned was authorised to prepare a report on the organisation of junior football to be presented to a meeting of the association next Thursday evening.

The secretary was instructed to notify the clubs that the machinery was ready to start a junior competition as soon as sufficient teams were available. Dr. E. A. Walker, patron of the. association, forwarded a donation of £1 Is. Mr. Johnson expressed the appreciation of the Waitara Club of the action of the New Plymouth clubs in providing players for a game at,Waitara recently.