Soccer Prospects

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 326, 11 April 1928, Page 13

Soccer Prospects

BUSY SEASON AHEAD Seniors Start on Saturday THE Auckland Football Association has resolved to be early off the mark this season, and players have been busy getting some of their summer condition off in order to be fit for the official opening of the senior competitions on Saturday next. Club committees have been actively engaged enrolling new recruits and trying them out in some stiff setting-up practices, which have proved the players to he in surprisingly fit condition. Most of them have now had the benefit of two or three trial gallops in practice matches, as well as plenty of club training with their team mates. Some, however, have not yet divorced themselves from the less strenuous delights of King Willow, and may find themselves “short of a gallop” for two “43’5,” if the summery conditions and hard surfaces continue to hold.

THE club meetings and the annual gathering of delegates at the A.F.A. meeting indicate that interest in the code is keener than ever this year. It was unfortunate that owing to adverse circumstances, over which the outgoing management had no control, the annual report was not so bright as in former years, and disclosed a somewhat disturbing outlook, but the delegates wisely decided that no good could come from jettisoning the officers because of the stormy weather of last winter, and the only change in the elect of last year was the return of Mr. R. Bannister, who was absent in the “Old Dart” last season, and who is cordially welcomed on liis return to duty. His recent experience of the code at Home should be of value to his confreres on the ma n agem en t. In pursuing its progressive policy of securing headquarters in the heart of the city at Blandford Park, the A.F.A. lias assumed responsibilities which have been increased by legal difficulties, which are still the subject of impending litigation. When the air has been cleared of this worry, the clubs will assuredly do what is necessary to set the game on a sound basis for the rapid development which the future must inevitably hold. If one thing might he suggested, it is that the A.F.A. should place its fullest confidence and trust in the clubs which compose it, and lay the situation before them fully and frankly, so that through the clubs the members and supporters may realise their individual responsibility to all pull their weight and not waste time rocking the boat. SOME NEW ARRANGEMENTS The old-time troubles caused by clubs defaulting in their ground fees on public playing grounds forced the management to seek some new ways and means of avoiding this bugbear, with its threatened loss of playing areas, and the bold policy of the A.F.A. assuming all responsibility for the rents of all playing areas has been approved by the clubs. This large amount the A.F.A. will recoup by increasing the club capitation fees to produce the estimated expenditure, and it is for the clubs to make their own arrangements as to the manner in which they will pass the additional levy on to their playing members. Some propose a straight-out addition to the subscription in one lump sum, others intend collecting it by charging ground fees for each game, but the point for players to realise is that it is not an increased charge, but merely that the ninepence or sixpence a game, formerly paid by the teams to the groundsman, is now a responsibility of the club to the A.F.A., by whom all ground fees will now be met. ,

COMFULSORY INSURANCE ADOPTED

After being a subject for general discussion and pious expressions of hope for many years, a general scheme of compulsory insurance has now been adopted, and all this season’s registration forms must be accompanied by the new insurance levy, which is compulsory for the first three grades and optional for the juniors in the lower ones. Much credit is clue to the Tramways Club, and particularly its delegate, Mr. Drew, for the persistency with which it has carried the proposal to a practical application; Onehunga was also enthusiastic in backing it up. The initial movement is only in a small way, but it establishes a valuable principle, and removes the possibilities of a recurrence of the unedifying incident at the annual meeting. At the same time the wise player who has outside responsibilities, or is otherwise unable to face an unfortunate spell “in dock” through accident, sohulcl not be content with the small cover against misfortune given by the official scheme. Those who now pay 4heir regular t\\ V pence a copy for The Sun are reminded that by enrolling as regular subscribers at ninepence a week they not only save 25 per cent, of their expenditure, but also secure a substantial insurance against temporary or permanent incapacity through accident on the field of play, and all other forms of accident which may befall one in travelling. CLUB PROSPECTS Owing to the departure of the cruiser Diomede lor a prolonged spell while refitting in England, and the frequent absence from port of the Dunedin which this will entail, it is regretted that the Royal Navy again finds itself unable to field its always popular senior service team, and a vacancy occurs in the first grade competitions which will probably be filled by the progressive Belmont Club entering senior rank for the first time. The wearers of the red and blue have always figured prominently in the junior divisions, and not long should elapse before this club will bo in the running for honours against its neighbours at Northcote and Dev onport. of the Navy, has thrown m his lot with Ponsonby, while Gilmore lias signed up for Shore. Both should be valuable recruits to their new clubs. «). Stewart (Thistle) and Mowat (Shore) have joined up with Y.M.C.A., which is also reported to have found a Scottish flier in Grant, a new arrival. Thistle, last year’s champion side, has most of the former players available, and the only change likely at the Shore is the filling of Baxter’s place, for which Gilmore would be a valuable substitute. FEW CHANGES OR NEWCOMERS Tramways will rely on the old bri-

gade, who will bo exactly one year , older, and the Corporation men ar<’ | handicapped by having no •juniors” from which they can draw replacements. “Anno Domini” is a lingering. 1 but fatal, complaint for footballers, though the Trammies in their practice “try-outs” are showing no signs of % as yet, and are optimistic about recovering their prowess of two seasons back. Onehunga has some promising juniors, and probably Hall < North cote i will be found in the blue and gold livery. Northcote had a bad run last season, and it is said the strawberry district is still shy of good senio' players, but it has a big reserve of promising juniors and it might be a paying policy for future seasons to develop them to the utmost. Ponsonbv, as already mentioned, has secured j. Stewart (Thistle) and the versatile Miles (Royal Navy), in addition to being fortunate in having some promising colts in the junior teams.