SOCCER IN CANTERBURY.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20284, 19 April 1934, Page 11

SOCCER IN CANTERBURY.

Game Now Firmly Established and Finances Sound.

GREATER HARMONY ACHIEVED.

AFTER TWO SEASONS of dreary outlook for the sport, Association football in Canterbury appears now to be firmly reestablished. With tbe financial position clarified and, in part, definitely eased, administrators of the game are now turning their attention more closely to studying tbe interests of the clubs. This is demonstrated by their decision to distribute tbe proceeds of this year's Charity Cup match, to be played on May 5 between Thistle and Western, among the clubs. For their part, the clubs are showing their willingness to co-operate by making strenuous and immediate endeavours to fulfil their obligations to the association. Such an improved relationship indicates that players and officials alike are determined that the game shall continue to progress, and it should lead to a wider public appreciation of Soccer in Canterbury.

From the playing point of view, the season promises to be full of interest. Most of the senior teams have consolidated their position, and the result should be a better-balanced and more interesting competition. The association is fully alive to the value of visits from provincial sides, and already has discussed tentatively arrangements for a match on the King’s Birthday, June 3. Moreover, there is still in view the prospect of a visit from an Australian team. For the real enthusiasts, mid-week games will again be provided by the Relief Workers’ Football Association and the Mid-Week Leagues, two “ branches ” of the controlling body undreamed of a very few seasons ago. but now well established. Entries for the schools’ competitions have not yet closed, but from the keenness of the boys at practice this department seems certain to maintain its position, at least. The review which follows gives an indication of the known and probable strengths of the teams engaged in the senior grade competitions. Thistle Intact. Thistle are fortunate in retaining intact the team which last year won the Hurley Shield, the English Cup, the Charity Cup and the local section of the Chatham Cup competition. The side is probably the best-balanced one in the competitions. It is particularly sound in defence, possessing a halfback line— Paton, A. Sutherland and A. Walker—which would be worthy of selection to represent the province. All three men are very capable footballers solid on defence, enterprising in attack and possessing excellent ball control. One fault that might be found with Sutherland is that he is a trifile too slow, but more experience aga.nst fast, solid teams of, say, Millerton All Blacks' type, would almost certainly enable him to gain that little extra pace. Adam s ankle injury, which troubled him throughout last season, seems to have disappeared, and if this allows him to add a little more aggression to his game, Thistle will have a first-class centre-forward. Johnson is turning out again at right-back, but he will not be available to travel should the team have to go afield in quest of the Chatham Cup. In that event, M’Anulty would probably be included. IJe acted as reserve all last season, and when Johnson was unavailable was included in the team for the match with Millerton All Blacks. No positional changes are likely, and D. and G. Sutherland Mitchell, Bruce, G. Walker and Clements will all fill their usual berths. Rangers’ Gains. f Rangers took the field last Saturday with three new recruits, G. Cullen, who has had a long term with St Albans, and Bond and T. Jackson, who played in the formidable Sunnyside combination. More recently, Jackson has played for Seacliff (Dunedin). Against Western, he showed himself still a capable ’keeper, and since E. Barnes does not wish to go between the sticks. Rangers are lucky to have secured him. A hand injury received last season while he was keeping goal, and which caused him considerable inconvenience, provides Barnes’s reason for wishing to move up into the field. And on his form last Saturday, when he partnered his brother, W. Barnes, at full-back, he will be just as useful as he was between the sticks. His brother appears to have gained better control of his exceptionally powerful kick, and, with Jackson, the two should form a solid rearguard. A robust defender, and with an ye for the gaps, Robb is going to be increasingly valuable as a centre-half. He has another hard worker, and an improver, on his right, Miller. Against Western, the attack, Wjlson excepted, was not impressive, but SmvMie shaped fairly at centre-forward and Sloan and Lullen, the inside men, are certainly C u Pa Jj G ° f better displays. Rangers should be dangerous opponents for any team in the competition. ' Western Impress. Whittington, E. Colville, Poole and Roberts are missing from Western’s ranks. The first three have definitelv retired, and the effects of a recent illness will probably prevent Roberts from turning out, at least until the season is well advanced. But although three players entirely new to the team were fielded in the opening game. Western gave a pleasing display, particularly in the second spell, when there was an attractive snap and crispness in the forwards’ work. The three new men, Hulme, of St Albans, Donovan, of Sumner, both wingers, and G. Ellis, a

recent arrival in New Zealand, all showed encouraging form. Ellis revealed a lively appreciation of the inside forward’s chief function, that is, to score goals. Bridgens, who played in Palmerston North last season, returned to the team, this time as centre-forward instead of winger, a position in which he makes

more appeal. He played centre last year, however, and his form last week was satisfactory enough to encourage the club’s selectors to keep him there. Except that M’Millan drops back to fill Roberts’s position at centre-half, the defence is unchanged. Cawtheray and Kelly, with G. Colville, in goal, are a sound last line of defence, and Henderson and A. E. Ellis are a pair of hard-working and “ hard-to-beat ” halves. Nomads’ Changes. Nomads, also, have newcomers, Wilson and Gordon, from Linwood. Both performed well in their first game for their new club. M’Rae is back in ’goal, Hall, who created a mild sensation on his first appearance here last year, having left Christchurch. Streeter has definitely retired, and Stoneman has applied for regrading to juniors, feeling that he is not playing up to senior form at present. Goode, who went to full-ack midway through last season, is being kept in that position. V\ . Waddell is the third ex-Linwood Player in the half-back line. Sharr, Adams, Trotter, Pickup and Douglas have again turned out. Pickup going into his old place as an inside-forward after a season or two as centre-half. On previous form, Nomads should be well up on the championship ladder. The club, too, is showing plenty of activity in the 10-wer grades. Twenty-six plavers turned out to find places in the third grade team, necessitating the entry of a B team in this grade. Technical Stiffened. Technical Old Boys have lost a promising young back in Neate, who is In Wellington, but their defence is certainly stiffened by the inclusion, in Neate’s place, of J. (“Jack”) Teichert. Regarded as a verv useLJ player here several seasons, ago, Tiechert has profited by his experience of West Coast football, and he is certain to be a serious contender for represen tative honours. The replacing 01

Mallinson, an inside-right, by W Sutherland, a former Technical player is the only other change in the team. This combination of voting players has held together, practically intact, tor several seasons, and with extra weight and the experience gained in che senior grade, is certain to be an improved team this year. Bissett, son of th,-well-known former Canterbury and New Zealand Soccer representative, A Alec ) Bissett, Gordon, Craggs and Smith are four whose performances will be watched with particular «n terest. The Old Boys engagement with Thistle at English Park on Saturday should provide one of the brit.ntest club games of the season. Linwood’s Kaiapoi Recruits. Three ex-Kaiapoi players, howler, vvnyte and Green, are available co Linwood. None of them played In the opening game, but for the'match with gangers. Whyte will probably replace Berry in goal—Berry bas final.y decided to retire—and Fowler will replace Walton in the halves. J. Glenn from Westland, is another newcomer Besides Wilson and Gordon, Linwood have also lost Porter, who played some solid half-back games last sea son. lie has stated his intention of refereeing. It is reported also that white, goalkeeper for Dobson (West Coast) last yeac. is desirous of signing on J or i, Linw ~ od - Man v West Coasters, and there are some sound judges of Soccer there, consider White the equal °f Timlin, who earned a Dominion wide reputation following his displav for Westland against the Canadian team in 19 27 . Gibb, who played for l nistle two seasons ago, turned ouf against St Albans last week, hat he is not likely to play regularly. Linwood should have no difficulty in building a useful side from this material. St Albans Weakened. For several seasons, St Albans have had a struggle to field a regular sen"oJ eleven, and the defection of A. and '-i. bullcn and Hulme has further weakened their position. G. Cullen’s and Hulme s transfers have already been referred to; A. Cullen, it : s understood, has given up playing. For their opening match. St Albans had to call on several juniors, hut there is a possibility that George and Harrison, ex-Rlarist players who play-’d a few games last year, will again turn out. w - Cotx< and Drvden arc two old stalwarts still standing by the club, ana Lindley, meanwhile, has reversed his decision not to play this year. Maynard, another old supporter of the club is also expected to play. Enthusiast: in the club were divided on the question of entering a senior team, but now that it has been entered every efforl is being made to secure a regular eleven.