SOCCER.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20274, 7 April 1934, Page 14

SOCCER.

Senior Clubs Hold Practices To-day.

Club practices and a friendly match at English Park between Nomads and Technical Old Boys marked the opening of the Soccer season to-day. Although entries for the competitions, which commence on Saturday next, do not close until Monday, it is probable that the senior grade will include the same teams as were engaged last year. The Western Club, it is understood, has asked the Canterbury Football Association whether a second entry by them in the senior grade would be acceptable. If this is made, eight teams will form the competition, thus eliminating the bye which was made necessary last season. New recruits to Nomads are V/. Wilson and A. Gordon, of Linwood. Both will play in the halves. L*. M’Rae will bo back in goal. Last season’s keeper. M. Hall, has left Christchurch. 1.. H. Fail, a junior, will be promoted. Players who have dropped out are H. Stoneman, J. Streeter and W. Timms. Technical Ole? Boys have two former players, W. Sutherland and J. Teichert back again. F. Neate has gone to Wellington. Rangers appear to have a surplus. In addition to last year’s players, they have signed W. Bond and T. Jackson, former Sunnyside players, G. Cullen, of St Albans, and J. Glenn, West Coast. Tt is not certain whether W. Barnes will be available. Rangers and Western practised at North Hagley Park to-dav. Western have signed N. Hulme, of St Albans. N. Donovan, of Sumner, and G. Ellis, a recent arrival in this ’country and a brother to S. anc? A. E. Ellis already Western players. L. Poole is’ not playing this season, and G. Roberts will not be available immediately. He is at present in hospital. Thistle will probably be intact. Linwood s position is still not definitely known, and St Albans ate likely to be short. There appear to be no newcomers to replace Hulme and Cullen in St Albans’s ranks, but L. Burt and R. Maynard may turn out again after a season or two’s spell. English Park “ Friendly.” Nomads beat Technical Old Boys 2-1 i. v the % 5* rlendl y" at English Park toda 3L Trotter and? Douglas scored for Nomads and Craggs for Technical. Match at Lyttelton. match was plaved at OfRS ers w° int A t,lJs aft ernoon between the Ass ° ciation Football Club and a team from the m.s. Otaio. The match ton!" f ° r the Lytte “°n Report Records Satisfactory Year. the conditions prevailing, 2?.£?. 8t * Bea, ? on must be considered very satisfactory.’ says the annual report tinn th r T n N A W Zealand Football Associafn°r". to be submitted to the fort}-third annual general meeting of the association next Friday. According to the report 580 teams JV ttach< :£ to the fift een affiliated associations throughout New Zealand. Congratulations are extended to the Kuiler Association upon retaining the V awson Cui) against Westland and Nelson. The Chatham Cup competition was receiving good support from clubs, and the thirty-six entries last season con®tltuted a record, the report continues. The final between Ponsonby and Miller«rr\,?vaf! b la y ed at the Basin Reserve, W ellfngton, a cLose and exciting game ? V ?i?. tua J- Ins ’ The players showed a brilliant and scientific exhibition of football before over 3000 spectators. “As in previous years,” states the report, “ the council gave considerable attention to football in schools and allotted a sum of £l3O towards grants. The amounts expended were £2O to each primary school tournament held at Christchurch and Wanganui, and £5 to the Huntly tournament, as well as £2O to the secondary schools tournament held at Palmerston North. The balance of the allocation provided for the purchase of school footballs. The footballs supplied were all of New Zealand manufacture, and in most cases were well up to standard quality.” Why New Zealand Palled. Dealing with the 'Kew Zealand team’s tour of Australia, the report says that the main factors in the non-success of the tour from the New Zealand point of view were considered to be:—(1) The failure of several of our best players to adapt themselves and produce football even up to their club standard; (2) the tour being held too early in the season; (3) harder and rougher grounds compared with those used in New Zealand and consequently a more lively ball. During the coming season the Australian Football Association had offered to send a team to New Zealand, but under financial conditions not acceptable to the council. A reply had been forwarded that, providing Australia honoured the agreement previously made to return the visit the council was prepared to share the profits, if any, at the conclusion of the tour. "It is to be regretted,” the report continued, “ that several associations were not favourable to sending a school team to play a series of matches In Australia, where such a visit would have been welcomed in fostering the game, both in New Zealand dTid Australia. No opportunity should be lost in the near future of arranging such a tour.” Tbe Financial Position. The statement of accounts and bal-ance-sheet showed that the year had resulted in a loss Of £227 9s sd?. Contributory items were the cost of the North v. South Island match, the assembly charges of the tour of the New Zealand team to Australia, and grants made for school footballs and tournaments. All affiliation fees for the senson had been paid with the exception of those of one minor association. The finances of the council did not permit of any grants for matches for the F.A. Trophy, Brown Shield, Peter Dawson Cup or the Chatham Cup. “ During the recess the council issued a circular to associations and clubs, dealing with financial proposals as suggested by the finance committee. It was pointec? out that unless some means for augmenting our funds can be arranged, it is practically certain that all grants will have to be discontinued until conditions improve.

“ Most replies received were against the suggestions; and therefore the incoming council, to safeguard carefully its funds, must seriously consider the position before commitments are made for the coming season.”

Nothing better in the way of insurance is available to players of any organised game than the double benefit “Star” and “Times” insurance scheme. This is free to readers of the two papers.