Refereeing is probably the point that wants more cultivating than even playing, and any amount of games have been spoiled by an official coming on to the field, not following the ball, and giving his decisions autocratically. He was generally dressed immaculately, and did not dream of following the run of play, and in many cases he has spoiled what would have been a good game. It is to be regretted that there have been some scenes on the Continent reminiscent of some of our outbreaks on home grounds. In one way this is certainly deplorable, but in another it shows that the game is catching on on the Continent, the players showing a better appreciation of the rules, just as they are able to follow the rules of the game; and now what is wanted is an Association in every country just like the F.A. in England. The International games to be played at the Stadium this year have shown the decided taste of other countries for all kinds of sports that are played here, and as the matter now stands Great Britain should certainly come out first, but it is a matter of great speculation whether Sweden, Germany, Italy, France, or Austria will finish second. The countries mentioned are most enthusiastic about it, and great credit must be given to the F.A. for the magnificent sum they have contributed towards the entertainments of the visitors. In South Africa the game has been played longer than in any country outside the British Isles. The competition there is known as the Donald Currie Cup, and it is nothing unusual for a team to travel a thousand miles to take part in this competition. In conversation the other day with a player who has played a great deal there, he said the English footballer of to-day could not do well there, for the travelling on the rough roads and the hard ground would be quite unlike anything they experience in England. Argentina is a great many miles away, but the game there is also developing rapidly. It is only three years ago since Southampton undertook the long voyage and had a most enjoyable time. It must be said that they astonished the natives, but this missionary effort by one of the leading clubs in the country is making the game popular all over the world. The Corinthians, too, have done a great deal in this way. They have been to Africa, and practically all over the world, and wherever they have been they have given an excellent exposition of how the game should be played. In South Africa they had perhaps to play with more vigour, the ground being as hard as asphalte, and the trying conditions affecting the play, but they nearly always came out top. France is stronger in Rugby than in Association Football, but the International matches between the two countries make the latter more popular with the public. The season in many countries on the Continent is about half as long as ours, and this makes all the difference to them, but it will be a long time before any Continental country will be able to claim supremacy.
CHAPTER XI.
Football Reform.
Has Association Football reached its zenith? "Certainly not," is the reply I invariably give to any enthusiast or cynic who asks me the question. Remember, there are a good many reforms that must be made, for a game must keep up its position and also retain its popularity with the masses, who are the mainstay of football. As I have already remarked, I have a great respect for the F.A., and they have a great deal to do with the game which is recognised now as the game of the country. It is much easier to criticise than to legislate, and much of the work done by these associations does not get the credit it deserves. Facts are stubborn things, and when my old club, Tottenham Hotspur, played in the English Cup Final, at the Crystal Palace, in April, before a record crowd of 114,000, it was said that these figures would never be beaten. It certainly has not been done in England, although it has been very nearly approached, but last April, at Hampden Park, it was overshadowed by 20,000 more onlookers. Cricket has had an infinitely longer innings than football, but I can see no just reason nor impediment why football, especially Association, should not go on for at least the lifetime of the present generation. The majority of sports, such as cycling, running, etc., have died through the want of proper management, and sports as a whole should be controlled by an Association of Amateurs in the proper sense of the word. Probably it is not known to many of my readers that the F.A., to save the game from falling into the hands of a speculator, have restricted the dividends to be paid to any club to 5 per cent. By the way, this rule does not apply to Scotland, but before long I hope they will follow in the steps of their English brethren. Again, to show how pure professional clubs are, directors, whether they be five or fifteen, are not entitled to draw any money from the club, and this shows that the real sportsmanlike spirit prevails at the helm of professional football, and certainly no reform in this way is desired or required. Rumours of a National League are quite rife in the air, but on going into the matter, I hardly see any desirability for the idea bearing fruit. For one reason, if it did come off it would become very speculative, and, like the big trusts in America have done, do much damage to the smaller tradesmen. Even look at the possibility of such a great league when one comes to deal with the matter thoroughly from a geographical point of view, and I have spent many hours in endeavouring to see how such a league could become workable. Rivalry in football is one of its biggest assets, and in this way I should like to see the big Southern clubs formed into a Southern League and the Northern clubs into a Northern League, and the two top clubs of each League to fight out the question of supremacy. As I have already stated, I consider that the present governing body of Association football is admirably constituted, and it will be a sorry day for the game if the leading clubs rebel. At the same time, systems are rarely if ever perfect, so I should like to make a few suggestions upon the following points:
- The transfer system.
- The wage limit.
- Neutral referees should be appointed by an independent body of the Association.
Dealing firstly with the transfer system, I think it is iniquitous, and when the Players' Union was first formed this was one of the burning questions of the day. I fought the matter out strenuously, because at that time the rules of the F.A. were contrary to the League. As secretary I appealed to the F.A., and expected great things, but instead of compelling the League to bring its laws into line, the Association altered its own to correspond with those of the League. Looking at this from a broad point of view, it is hard on a player who has cost his club nothing, but has signed on for a year. At the end of that season he is free, and his old club can put an astonishing large sum on his head. This is hardly in accordance with English love of fair play, and is probably one of the few blots on the game. I am looking forward to the day when this system shall be abolished, and the player shall be a man, not a slave. Of course, if a club gets a large transfer for a player, then in one way it should have some compensation if he leaves them, but in some cases a young fellow goes elsewhere and they get more out of his transfer fees than they ever paid him in wages. It must be admitted that things at the present day are infinitely better than they were some years ago. The player has the right of a special appeal to a Committee of the League, and the amount asked for players' transfers has been greatly reduced. Still, I think that his club should keep him until his transfer is settled. Talking about the old Players' Union, it reminds me that at one meeting we had, a player stated that if a club had a horse they wanted to part with, some one would have to find the horse in fodder until the negotiations were finished. A player is during that time between the devil and the deep blue sea, and has to entirely support himself during that period, and I have known many excellent players give up the game for this reason.
Turning next to the question of the limit wage of £4 per week for any professional, there are a great many pros and cons in this case, and once again I think there is a certain amount of room for improvement. Should the abolition of the transfer system become law, ere long the wage limit will have to be most seriously considered. The clubs themselves have the power to alter it at any annual meeting of the F.A. They brought it upon themselves to a certain extent, for at the general meeting it is the clubs that settle such points as these. It cannot be denied that much of the levelling of the clubs in recent years must be attributed greatly to this rule. Whether it has been for the good of the game is another question, but often a player knows that if he plays an ordinary game he can always secure £4 per week. He has no monetary incentive to improve himself, and this is perhaps the reason why "star artists" do not come to the front more frequently. Last year the F.A. raised the fee for playing in an International game from three guineas to ten, which, to my mind, was a step in the right direction, although the player should consider the honour of playing for his country above any mercenary reason. Again, if a professional footballer could have such a long connection with the game as a professional cricketer, a wage of £4 per week would not be so bad, but as his career is a short one, no time can be depended upon. This should be well weighed by the administrators who look after the interests of the players. I should like to see the control of the game, as far as the appointment of referees and linesmen is concerned, left to an independent body to be appointed by the F.A., who will give the appointments without favour. It may be rather a tall order just at present, but the suggestion is worthy of consideration. Should an official who wears glasses referee in a first-class match? is a question which is greatly discussed throughout the land. After talking the matter over with an old player, my opinion is that if a player can play the game in glasses surely he can follow the ball as a referee. An old player who was in conversation with me the other day was exceedingly bitter on the question, and I should really think that if the matter was put strongly before the F.A., sanction would be given to an old player to follow his favourite game in the capacity of referee. Whilst speaking about referees, I should like to see the Association give him power to order a man off the field for a foul without having to report him to the parent body. The punishment to the club by losing him would be quite sufficient, and we may be sure they would not deal with him very lightly.
CHAPTER XII.
Present-Day Football.
There are not wanting signs that football has not yet finished expanding. Every season sees more clubs in villages as well as in towns, and the County Associations also report a numerical increase. But whether or not there will be a sharper dividing line between amateur and professional is difficult to say. It may be that before long we shall have one authority for the amateur game and another for the professional. It must not be forgotten that there are tens of thousands of the one class, but only a few of the other. But the paid player, by reason of the leisure he has, shows the highest skill, and in that way has inspired the unpaid with a higher ideal of play, and it is a favourite contention of many that the best game is that played by the professional clubs. The junior who goes to see Aston Villa, Chelsea, Manchester United, or Newcastle is impressed by the play, and makes up his mind to try and put into practice what he has seen. It is good for the boy to go and see players of the highest skill, and if the ordinary club member would do this occasionally the average standard of play would be higher. A boy who is an enthusiastic right back, and is anxious to play in that position, can hardly do better than go and watch Robert Crompton, the famous right back of the Blackburn Rovers. He is an example of what our elementary schools produce. As a lad he took part in the game at Moss Street Board School, an institution that had produced a side that had carried off the trophy offered to the schools. When at work as a plumber he played in the League team of a Sunday school, and when engaged one day was seen by Mr. John Lewis, who got him to play for the Rovers. For some couple of years he remained an amateur, but then became a professional. He became captain in 1899, and has several International "caps." He uses his head, and tries to anticipate the intentions of his opponent. He kicks with either foot with great power, and is a clean player. He follows the ball rather than the man. He is an excellent example of the man who, taking to football, has found it possible to stick to his trade as well.