FOOTBALL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 787, 9 April 1910, Page 12

FOOTBALL.

ASSOCIATION NOTES.

' (Br CsNTitE-Hiw.)

' .1 Contrary; to expectations .the.: annual meeting': oi. the passed off quietly ;■■:-'With : oris iexception the ' old committee, got/back/againi And it is 'just/as'./well, because most .of the membors'of the committee have been on for'sdirie' years now,:/and'have all ,tho details of a .season's work at ..their fingerVe'nds. ■ '

".,_'The entries for the various competitions ' are disappointing 'so . far -. this •season, -bb they only exceed last year's number; by about four or five. It is generally;noticed, however, that, a few entries come: in after: the -, comme'ricemerit of matches,'so there are bound to be some more teams coming in before the season starts.; ;..--,:

Last season: there were a considerable dumber of complaints about the smallness and bad marking of. the grounds at Miramar. This .season, however, the Grounds Committee. (Messrs. Davidson, Auld, and Salmon) have put in some bard- work in getting all the grounds made larger, and with a practical man doing all the marking, players will no doubt appreciate the improvement.- ':■"-.■■■'"'- :

The Association game has been well treated in the matter of city grounds, and it should be hardly necessary now to play any senior games out of town, except; of course, when the grounds are; not in a fit condition.: • Touching on this .'question, some of the, local sports bodies' are very sore over the way the. city ■grounds are closed for the slightest reasoii, and a determined effort is to; bo made' to induce the Reserves Committee to be a little moro clastic ili tho matter. The-writer remembers well', last season that, on the occasion of tho Canterbury. Brown Shield game, instructions were issued from the superintendent of reserves that the ground was not to be used. A fine drying wind was-blowing during the morning, and the playing area was practically dry at the time of starting the game.

'. A. good many .changes are likely to take place in most of the senior teams this season. St. John's have, through lack of members, been compelled to drop their senior eleven—a matter for much regret in view of the progress mado by "soccer" last season.

: Last season's winners, Swifts, have all their team again available, .and, in'addition, have'one or two new players, who will be welcome: additions to the team.- The club tried.hard to persuade Oilier (who showed his old form in the Easter matches) to play again, but the winger preferred his seat on the_ Management Committee to playing. Irvine was supposed to^ have joined the Maroons, but it ,is, said that M'Lean will again bo tho goalkeeper. Y.M.C.A., last season's rtinners-up, will,' if rumour, is correct, :be considerably weaker than last season. All their full-backs havo left town, while ono of the halves and ono or two of the forwards are also missing.

The question of "sheep-stealing"— coaxing players from other- clubs—will very likely occupy the attention of the W.F.A. in the near future.

Diamonds will be much the same strength as last season. Fitzgerald -rill'nnt be keeping goal, and it is. heard

that the Blacks may be weak for a while. Hathaway has also decided to retire, and his place as centre-forward will be hard to fill. The club, howover, has some promising junior players, who should be equal to senior form. Ramblers are an unknown quantity at present, but have managed to secure several senior players from St. John's, and they may :strengthen the team.

' ; Rovers will probably be a good deal weaker. Oldnall, now in Auckland, will be sadly missed in goal. Duignan is at present playing Rugby. Perks is not playing, and Robinson has turned over to Diamonds, Most of the now defunct Letter-Carriers' Club will, howover, join Rovers..

Thistle should be a hard nut to crack. Last season they "shook up" several of tho leading teams, and this year will probably have the services of Webster and Jardine from the Wanderers.

Clubs like the Wanderers, whs rely solely upon Home players, are always more or less. of .an unknown quantity, and it is very difficult to tell what sort of a team they have before the season starts.

Fuller-ton, the star Canterbury representative man, is said to be living in Potone, and to have joined the suburban club. If this is correct, Petone has undoubtedly secured a very fine player, who should considerably strengthen the team, and, incidentally, ■Wellington soccer. -There are also some new men out in tho suburbs who may turn out to be good players.

\ Players will be pleased to note that Mr. Alf. Williams was' again re-elected secretary of the association without opposition. Mr. Williams' is an extremely fair and popular official, whose whole spare time is devoted to the game.

Mr. Oilier, the treasurer, declined re-election, but a keen and energetic enthusiast, ■■•Mr.' H. J. Mayer, was elected to the position. Mr. Mayer i 3 another popular official, and,should be of great assistance .to Messrs. Holmes, Williams and, Co.

Mr. W., J. Reynolds, a - keen enthusiast and ex-secretary of the Auckland F.A., is now residing in Wellington, and should be of use generally to the game here.