SOCCER SUPREMACY

Taranaki Daily News, 14 January 1935, Page 6

SOCCER SUPREMACY

WALES SURRENDERS TITLE. BORROWED PLAYERS. (From Our Own Correspondent). London, Nov. 29/ Wales has surrendered the international soccer championship after having held it for two years. Following the defeat by England Wales has now lost to Scotland. The representatives had to make the long journey to Aberdeen, and they failed by three goals to two. That Wales should lose the championship is much less remarkable than that it should ever win it. The game has slumped dreadfully in the principality during the years of industrial depression. There are, in fact, now only three clubs in the League, and none hold first-class rank. , Swansea has retained second division status, but Cardiff City, the cup holder eight years ago, has dropped to the lowest section, most of the players having to be borrowed. Of those who opposed Scotland only two were drawn from Welsh clubs. Indeed, all told, I do not think Wales has more than fifty players from whom to make a choice. This season, too, Wales has not been able to select as strong a team as during the past two seasons. One of the forwards on whom it placed great dependence was Robbins of West Bromwich Albion, and recently he underwent an operation for the removal of a cartilage of the knee. Again, Tottenham Hotspur has a big Welsh colony, and its residents have usually been available. This season, however, the Tottenham club has been concerned about Its position in the League, and has been reluctantly compelled to retain its men for Its own matches. But a Welshman, Astley. of Aston Villa, is the star forward in the game at the present time. For his club he is playing as the inside left, but this is only to suit its convenience, and, brilliant as he is in this position, I do not think he has an equal as a centre forward.