Soccer Club Protests At Team’s Default

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30469, 17 June 1964, Page 18

Soccer Club Protests At Team’s Default

A letter from the New Brighton club stating that one of its lower grade teams had not defaulted to Celtic on May 30 as was stated by the Canterbury Football Association, was received at last night's meeting of the management committee. The letter said that the team had played Celtic and that the result was a 7-1 loss. Mr T. C. Gottermeyer said that he had received the result of 7-1 from both clubs. It was pointed out that the referee’s card for the match had stated that the New Brighton team had fielded only seven players and that the constitution said that “no team shall be called such unless it consists of eight players.” Seven Beat Nine The chairman (Mr J. Smith) said that the match played was not official and that the result would have to be amended to a default win. He said that in a recent fourth grade match a team with seven players had won over a team of nine players but the losing team had gained the points because the other team had failed to field at least eight players. Mr Gottermeyer said that

other matches could have had similar results because some team sheets are not received and some lower grade matches do not have official referees. Mr Smith said that the matter could be brought up at the half yearly meeting of delegates and that the committee must keep to the constitution and rule that the match was won by default. Mcßriar Case Re-opened (N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 16. A request for a re-opening of the case of the New Zealand world soccer tourist who spoke to a newspaper on his return, was made to the New Zealand Football Association council tonight. R. Mcßriar, of Wellington, told a newspaper he had asked to be sent home from overseas because he had only one game in 14 on tour. He was subsequently suspended by the association. In a letter to the council, the . Central Districts league said the five associations within its jurisdiction strongly disapproved of the conduct of the association’s chairman (Mr J. I. Kershaw) following the statements by Mcßriar. The league wished to dissociate itself completely from Mr Kershaw’s remarks. It called for a “full report of the whole incident” and for Mcßriar’s complaints to be either confirmed or denied. This would clear Up “much speculation and rumour damaging to the code and to the council.”

The league said many people were gravely disturbed that Mcßriar was suspended before his appearance at the council, which appeared to be hasty and contrary to elementary principles of justice.

Mr Kershaw was not present at the meeting tonight. Mr E. Harris said the “degree of complete reporting” of Mr Kershaw was not known.

He added that the league should be brought to task. “We don’t think the accusation is at all well founded.” The council decided to ask the league for further explanation on its references to Mr Kershaw.