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.OUR SPORTS PAGE. . .-

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OUR SPORTS PAGE. FOOTBALL GOSSIP.. BY B. BENNISON. (Illustrated by Jack Dodworth). To the old stager the march of Accrington Stanley into the first round proper of the English Cup competition, by reason of their conquest in their match with Brentford, is particularly interesting. There was a time, AS all those steeped in football lore remem- ber, when Accrington boasted of a First League team, and a good one, too. Men like George Howarth and Whitehead, who were honoured by their country—and old Tom Hay, the goalkeeper, pretty nearly good enough to play for England, are some of the players one will always associate with the history of Lancashire football. The local lad in those days had a chance. Accrington did not care very much for hunting through Scotland for recruits, and their games with Blackburn Rovers, Preston North End, and Bolton Wan- derers were something to remember. Round about Accrington there are still good foot- Accrington Stanley have reached the first round proper of the English ties. bailers by tue dozen, but the town when the fame developed into such a big and serious business could not hold its end up, and Accrington Stanley are left to carry on the football story of the bustling, hustling place where everyone is a keen sportsman. SELLING THEIR BIRTHRIGHT. And, writing about the Cup, I would again hammer at what, to every good and think- ing sportsman, is an unmitigated evil. I refer to the selling and buying of the right to play at home. For many reasons, and perhaps more than anything else because of sentiment, the English Cup represents a com- petition that appeals to all those interested in good, hard games. You will get a man at a Cup-tie who would not dream of attending any other match, just because the game, to a very large extent, has been built upon and made by the Football Cup. The centraLidea is to throw open to all and sundry fr com- petition in which everybody shall have an equal chance, and in which merit, and merit alone, shall be the deciding factor; if this is not so, why is there a draw for choice of grounds? There may not be anything in the rules to prevent any team disposing of their right to play at home; but the spirit of Cup fighting is that there shall be no bartering ,ft,r this or that privilege; the idea of the j3<>wer of the purse creeping in cannot be too severely condemned. We shall soon be in the thick of the Cup-ties, and one would be very pleased if the Football Aseociation stepped in and decreed that there fthaJJ be no more swapping and trucking. If the buying of privileges is to be continued, then it follows as a mattor of elementary lozic that the richest clubs a.re sure to have the best chances of making progress, if, indeed, they do not make their appearance in the final assured. If the Football Association do not care to frame a rule th3-1; wiJl step oiufce from going in for the Cup simply on the off-chance of making money by ( tho luck of the draw, why oannot the ties be sold outright to the highest bidden-? NEW BLOOD FOR CHELSEA. So Clielgea, after a most commendable fashion, have turned their attention to the amateurs in tho hope of adding to their strength. W. J. The Chelsea team now includes a Schoolmaster. Williams, the Portsmouth school roaster, who is a left wing forward of unquestionable merit, has consented to assist the London Cl'ub. It was hoped that he would play against Bristol City a week ago, but he bad promised to take part in a game at home, so that his appearance, looked forward to with much interest, has been de- {erred. I have had not the pleasure oJ seeing for myself what mannor of player Williams is, but my friends &peak highly of him. If he settles down at Chelsea he wi-TI have a fine op- portunity of making a big- name. for presumably ho will have Windridge for his partner. on>e of the cleverest msifle-iLcits sinoe Bache, of Aston Villa, was at his very best- Chelsea are de- lighted with Woodward, who in his first game at Stamford Bridge not only soored two goals, but. made it plain that his very presence will have a good effect on the whole of the teams. UNHAPPY BOLTON. When & teaai are doing badly tihe lot of the maJiagw and' direobars is an extremely unifoappy one- The people at Bolton are aayijig things, and the supporters, with every good mifaenitaon, no doubt, but with libtle practical knowledge of bow best to run a football team, have been putting their heads togierther, and one gathere that there is much unrest in the neighbourhood of Bufroden Park. That Bolton Wanderers have keen dreadfully diaappomiinjg-, and that their position at the bottom of the table is out of alt keeping with the liboiral support which they roo oeave—I drouibt whether the gates have over boen larger in tihe history of the ohib than they are tO-daY--canj-t be dtemod. But one mueft Bolton Wanderers' supporters have been making- suggestions to the club management. always dou>bt whether it is wise fcr any bod'v oi supporters to be up in surrne. As I have sadd, the folio wort* of Boltoli, who have claJTiou rod for a toarn manager and have suggested other refoims, irai-e by their recent meeting given lay,th.a,- but confidence to their players, and mleas there is a general settling down the Wan- ieiera will continue to have a bad time. Matches between "rieigh,bours" have always aeen a doubtful blessing to my mind.. They pro- duce iittie good football, and, for some reason )r ovior produoc a lot of bad' blood. They do jo good at ail. The only effect is that they pro- lupo a lot of money. The match between Tot- eanam and Woolwich Ar^nal was the last roid in wild and harum-scarum football and I tiould say that neith-er the people who'looked III nor the players want such another game in hurry.

LEAGUE-FIRST DIVISION.

N.W. COAST LEIAGUE -

POINTS DIVIDED AT LLANDUDNO.

ANOTHER VICTORY FOR THE STUDENTS.

CONWAY v. LLANBERIS.

NORTH WALES COAST LEAGUE.

[No title]

N.W. COAST JUNIOR CUP

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