SOCCER INTERNATIONAL

Taranaki Daily News, 4 June 1934, Page 11

SOCCER INTERNATIONAL

ORGANISATIONS AT WEMBLEY. ENGLAND DEFEATS SCOTLAND. (From Our Own Correspondent). London, April 19. In Scottish eyes the match with England has always been the premier event of the soccer season. In England the Cup Final ranks first, but in recent years there has been a growing interest in the international, and it now attracts as big a crowd as the Cup tie. To some extent this is due to all the ceremonial features which are now so conspicuous, and also to the picturesque setting of the majestic Wembley Stadium. It holds 94,000 people in the utmost comfort, and the way in which they are distributed round the enclosure, and marshalled in their allotted places, is remarkable. Admission to the Stadium is by ticket only. No money is taken at the turnstiles. In this way the ground can never be more than correctly filled. For the international and cup final the prices vary from a guinea to half a crown, and numbered seats are found for all who pay as much as five shillings. The accommodation at half a crown is standing, but the space is divided into pens, and a fixed number of tickets is issued for each. In the circumstances the pens may be full, but there is no over-crowding. During the period of waiting for play ' to begin there is what is known as community singing, accompanied by massed Guards’ bands, the spectators joining in popular choruses led by a conductor on a high platform in the middle of the pitch. Then when the teams, two by two, enter the field, they form in parallel lines in front of the stand, and are usually received by a member of the royal family. On this occasion the players were presented to the Duke of York. Sitting with him in the royal box was Mr. Ramsay MacDonald, the Prime Minister, and other members of the Government. Half the spectators were Scottish, the number of women in the crowd being, an outstanding feature, and at least thirty thousand visitors had travelled to London from tha.north! Most of them were workin-class people, who had saved up for a year for the trip, and in addition to the visit to Wembley, they were piloted round the “sights” of London. An English Victory. The Scots are tremendous enthusiasts, and they take the match very seriously. Defeat, in fact, causes keen disappointment, and touches their national pride. On this occasion they saw. their side beaten by three goals to nil, but they had. the consoling knowledge that the score exaggerated the superiority of England. They knew, too, that the team was not a good one. Injuries had prevented certain players being picked, and this had left them weak in attack. Scotland, in fact, had more scoring chances than England, but they had not a forward who could deliver a telling shot. On the other hand, there was bite and - thrust in the English front line, even if not so much craft, and, when the opportunity came, they struck determinedly. The first goal told 'the difference. Bastin, the young Arsenal forward, had the ball thirty yards out, and no one thought he would. shoot. He fired hard and low, however, and, although the Scottish goalkeeper got both hands to the ball, it went through them into the net. This was the only goal of the first half, and for twenty minutes of ' the second, Scotland hammered away, and repeatedly the English defenders were in a tight comer. But the Scots storming efforts faded, and then England went ■ into the attack again, and first Brook, the Manchester City outside left,- scored from a free kick, and then Bowers headed a third goal. \I think Englands win was deserved, but it was an. undistinguished match, although -exciting and thrilling through dramatic incidents. The play never reached the best international standard. Indeed, it is quite likely that either team would have been beaten by a first-class club side.