UNRULY SPECTATORS

Shannon News, 5 August 1921, Page 1

UNRULY SPECTATORS

WARNED OFF FOOTBALL GROUNDS. During the present football season the newly-formed Referees’ Association has been doing splendid work in making for cleaner football by suppressing rough play, arguing on the field and other similar offences. While the players generally have'responded splendidly to the efforts of the referees, aj small section of the crowd in each centre has caused trouble by attempting to provoke ill-feeling against referees or by using insulting language. At ‘Tuesday’s meeting of the Management Committee of the Union the matter was brought to a head when a communication was received from the Referees’ Association reporting various spectators for hooting and other’offences. A SHANNON INCIDENT. The first case was that of a Shannon resident named McDonald, who was reported by Mr Rhodes for unruly behaviour in the Shannon-Hui Mai match. McDonald was present at the meeting to hear the charge made agairtst him. Mr; Rhodes said he refereed the match between Ilui Mai and Shannon on Saturday. There was considerable hooting going on on the line, also some hostile remarks against the referee’s decisions, which had a very bad effect in encouraging the youthful spectators to take up a hostile attitude also. He did not stop the game to identify the ringleaders, but asked Mr Percy,, who was present, to secure their names. Mr Percy stated that during the game Moynihan made a very fine run for Shannon, and got close up to the line. When a try was not awarded some of the spectators got very excited and stalled hooting. As a member of the Referees’ Association he tried to clear the line, but met with little success, and things got very warm for a time. One man refused to go back, and was very insulting in his behaviour. Mr Percy, at the request of Mr Rhodes, secured the offenders ’name and identified McDonald as the man.

In reply to McDonald, Mr Percy said he had heard him hoot, and he was the ringleader of the disturbance. Mr McDonald admitted that he had been shouting, but not hooting. He hotly denied the insinuation that he was the ringleader of the trouble, but admitted that he had threatened to "plug” Mr. Percy if he attempted to push him. behind the line. Mr Gustofson (Shannon) said there was a good deal of hooting going on, and he went round to see what was wrong. There was an argument going on between Mr Percy and Mr McDonald, and some of the spectators seemed to resent so many officials being in front of the wire fence while they were compelled to go behind. Personally he thought this was partly responsible for the trouble. It was pointed out that the officials could not keep the line clear if they had to stand behind the barrier with the spectators. Mr Higgins pointed out that the referees were refusing to go to Shannon because of the hostile attitude taken up by a section of the crowd. Mr Burrows declared that it was the betting on the matches that caused all the trouble. A WERAROA DISTURBANCE. Mr Burrows reported four spectators (Pio, Buku, McKenzie and Southward) for hooting the referee in the Weraroa-Wanderers junior match. He stated that there was no trouble until he awarded a free kick to Weraroa which was converted, and then a section of the spectators immediately set up a disturbance, hooting and making insulting remarks about the referee. He identified the four mentioned as the ringleaders. None of -the four responded to the Union’s invitation .to; be present at the meeting, but Pio sent a letter denying the charge and declaring that "my team” had been unfairly treated all through the season. A similar charge was laid against T. Rawlri during the Kuku-Wander-ers’ senior match. After a brief discussion the chairman moved:— “That all the men concerned be warned off all-grounds during the pleasure of the Union; that the next offender caught s using provocative or insulting language be prosecuted; and that the police be asked to attend matches where possible and help to keep order.” Mr Gustofson seconded the motion,

which was carried unanimously. WARNING TO PLAYERS. Mr Rhodes reported that he had warned Martin (Hui Mai) for rough play; and Mr Neville reported Knight (Foxton III.) and Clapham (Shannon (HI.). It was decided to write the the players concerned on the matter.