BRITISH SOCCER TEAM FOR N.Z.

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 101, 15 May 1937, Page 7

BRITISH SOCCER TEAM FOR N.Z.

(Own Correspondent-

Farewell Gathering In London , EIGHTEEN PLAYERS

— By Air Mail.)

LONDON, Api'il 20. _ A merry gathering of Soccer celebritdes assembled at the luneheon given by the Fqotball Association to tl\ team that left for New Zealand yesterday. Mr. W. Pickford, the chairman, toasting the members in charge, Messrs. C. Wretford Brown and Tom Thorne, said he wished Wretford had been playing for England on Saturdayr, as the last time the famo'us Old Caf .thusian had turned out against Seotland England had won by three goals to one. Mr. W. J. Jordan, the High Commissioner for NewZealand, saiid he looked forward to the . day when an All-Black Soccer team would' visit 'England, and the Hon. S. M. Bruce, M.C., the High Commissioner for Australia, mentioned the possibllity of some members of the team coming back with wives, says a writer dn the Ne'ws-Chronicle. This ominous note ifloved Wretford to state that he had been looking through tho insurauco policios and the only risk not sa'feguarded' against was that of getting married, Mr. Wretford Brown paid a tribute to the employers of the players, "In almost every case," he said, "as soon as a player was selected he was inimediiately given leave of absence." Mrs. Wretford Brown was presented with a silver fern by the New Zealand Football Association and each player was given a badge on which was engraved the emblems of the three countries, a Lion, a Kiwi, and a Kangaroo. • Mr. Tom Thorne told me that if Millwall — of which club he is, of course, chairman — had qualified for the Cup Final he would not have made the trip. After lunch the party left for King George V. Dock for tea in s.s. Tamatoa. Players making the trip are: — Goal; L. T. Huddle (Casuals), A. H. Woolcock (Cambridge University). Backs: G. A. Strasser (Corinthians), W. H. Pickering (Sheffiold Wednesday), H. S. Eobbins (Dulwich Hamlefc). Halves: B. Joy (Casuals), J. W. Lewis (Walthamstow Avenuo), T„ H. Lcek (Moor Green)', J. Sutcliffe (Corinthians), E. Tunnington (Lloyds Bank), Forwards: E. I. Mathews', E. C. Collins and F. A. Davis (Walthamstow Avenue), L. C. Finch (Barnet), L. 0. Thornton (DerbyshUre Amateurs)^ F. Eiley (Casuals), W. W. Parr (Blackpool), Cpl. Eastham (Army). A. W. Stollery (Dulwich Hamlet F.C.) is the team attendant. Fred Eiley, "of tho Casuals, who has been on the, injured list of late, told me that he feels as fit as ever, but When he returns from Australia he does not dntend to play again until the first round of the Amateur Cup after Christmas.