FOOTBALL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8089, 20 April 1906, Page 3

FOOTBALL.

R.Pike, of Auckland and Waikato football repute, who recently joined the New Plymouth Star Club, has definitely decided not lo don the jersey this year, and has practically retired from active part in the game, ft is probable that lie will join the Referees' Association, he having had some rcfurceing experience up North, on-top of a very long record at a player. It is reported thai "Shaver" Hardgraves has been advised bv his doctor to retire from football. Both New Plymouth Clubs are doing hard practice. •'The proper way to encourage football is to give caps to the winning juniors," says an oldluupl a't the game. There is a good deal in this. At a meeting held in Eltham on Wednesday, it was decided to form an Association Football Club. Twenty members were elected, including a number who have played the game at Home, also a player who recently represented Otago. The secretary was instructed to procure particulars-res-pecting affiliation with Die Tarauaki Association Union.

Eltham will this year lie playing four foolball team*, three rugy and ojr association.

W. Glenn, Waimate's representative with the " All I#»ek " team, is retiring from the field this season. Glenn lias achieved a pretty good record, and can afford t« rest on lis laurels. It is reported that flic souSicrn teams will be stronger than ever this seasen. "Kaponga Enthusiast" writes:— " The footballers at Kaponga arc anything but satisfied with the treatment meted out to them by the Taranaki Rugby Union, win have steadfastly refused, for three years, to allow the Kaponga Club a dis.ricl, in order tint it may compete in the cup championship games. The club has excellent material, seyeral of its players heading the list in the ranks of their present clubs. But Kaponga, now, a populous centre, is about ten miles removed from the nearest club town, anil is . halved between Okaiawa and Waimatc Clubs, whose boundary intersects the township. Both of these Clubs plead that tho formation of 11 Kaponga Club will be ruinous to them, despite the fact that Waimatc has the biggest district in Taninaki to draw from. It is natural enough that Kaponga players growl, and are now talking ot adopting the Association game."