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diff --git a/35683.txt b/35683.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f855fd4 --- /dev/null +++ b/35683.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2837 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Association Football, by John Cameron + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Association Football + And How To Play It + +Author: John Cameron + +Release Date: March 25, 2011 [EBook #35683] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL *** + + + + +Produced by Brownfox and the Online Distributed Proofreading +Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from +images generously made available by The Internet Archive) + + + + + + + + + +[Illustration: J. CAMERON.] + + + + +ASSOCIATION +FOOTBALL + +AND HOW TO PLAY IT + +BY +JOHN CAMERON + +(Late Queen's Park, Everton, and Player-Manager, Tottenham +Hotspur F.C.) + +One Shilling Net + +LONDON: +"HEALTH & STRENGTH," Ltd. +12, Burleigh Street, Strand, W.C. + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAP PAGE + + INTRODUCTORY 7 + + I. GOALKEEPING 9 + + II. FULL-BACK PLAY 14 + + III. THE MIDDLE LINE 18 + + IV. FORWARD PLAY 22 + + V. TRAINING 28 + + VI. HINTS TO JUNIORS 36 + + VII. CAPTAINCY 44 + +VIII. REFEREEING 49 + + IX. FOOTBALL AS A PROFESSION 54 + + X. CONTINENTAL FOOTBALL 59 + + XI. FOOTBALL REFORM 62 + + XII. PRESENT DAY FOOTBALL 68 + +XIII. FAMOUS CUP-TIES 73 + + LAWS OF THE GAME 79 + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + + PAGE + +JOHN CAMERON _Frontispiece_ + +SAVING A "HIGH FLYER" 11 + +HEADING THE BALL 17 + +READY FOR THE KICK-OFF 25 + +CENTRING FROM THE RIGHT WING 29 + +CENTRING FROM THE LEFT WING 31 + +PASSING WITH THE INSTEP 39 + +SHOOTING WITH THE INSTEP 41 + + + + +PREFACE + + Then strip, lads! and to it though sharp be the weather, + And if by mischance you should happen to fall, + There are worse things in life than a tumble in heather, + And life is itself but a game of football. + + +From the above quotation by Sir Walter Scott, it is evident that +football is quite an ancient game. Time alters everything, and it has +undoubtedly done so in football. Where one used to play with half the +village on one side and the same on the other, it is now restricted to +sides composed of eleven players. As I have been requested to write on +the modern game it is not worth while dwelling upon how it was played a +hundred years ago. Football is really supposed to be a Scottish game, +but it was in England that a proper Association with defined rules was +first started. + +This was in the early sixties, and since then the F.A. has grown to be +one of the most powerful bodies connected with sport of any shape or +form. They are a most wealthy association, and their power is paramount. +It must be said that they have had everything to do with making the game +what it is at present. Although autocratic, they deal thoroughly and +honestly with both clubs and players, and it will be a bad day for the +game when any body of clubs break away. At the time of writing rumours +are very rife, but it is to be sincerely hoped that once again "rumour +is a lying jade." Friendly matches were the order of the day in the +early stages of the game. Then came the establishment of the English Cup +Competition for all clubs in the Kingdom. This was in the year 1871, and +it was only after eleven years had elapsed that the Cup went to the +North, when Blackburn Olympic were the winners. May we say _en passant_ +that a Scottish club, namely, the Queen's Park of Glasgow, took part in +the final contest in 1884 and 1885, but were beaten by the Blackburn +Rovers in both cases. After that the Cup had a long sojourn in the +North, and it was not until 1901 that my old club, Tottenham Hotspur, +managed to bring it back to the South. Again, since then, the North have +had a monopoly of it, and Southern enthusiasts are longing for it to +have its resting-place somewhere in the South. + +Another epoch in the game was the starting of the League system of +playing matches. The idea came from the fertile brain of Mr. W. +MacGregor, who is familiarly known as the Father of the League. This +system undoubtedly proved a great success, and although loyal amateurs +still play in the same friendly style the public took to it immensely, +as is well shown by the difference between the attendance at league and +friendly matches. Senior, junior, and school-boys' are the names of the +leagues now existing, not to mention tradesmen's and shopkeepers' +Thursday afternoon associations. The mere fact that at Cup-ties and +International matches the attendance has been over 100,000 is convincing +testimony to the winter pastime's popularity. A record crowd assembled +at Hampden Park, Glasgow, last April to see England v. Scotland, the +attendance reaching 130,000, and the sight was a most magnificent one. +Before the close of my preface I should like to express my regret at the +separation of a portion of the Amateur Element from the Parent Body last +year, and, personally, I could see no reason for their so doing--I can +only say, "The pity of it." Again, football and charity are synonymous, +and it would surprise many critics if the total amount of money +collected by clubs and associations was reckoned up. The last match in +aid of charity was played at Stamford Bridge, between Manchester United +and Queen's Park Rangers, and realised over L1,000, and I think that +speaks for itself. + + + + +ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL + +AND HOW TO PLAY IT + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +Goalkeepers and Goalkeeping. + + +Goalkeepers, like poets, are born, not made. It is really the most +difficult position on the field to occupy. If the half-back makes a +mistake it can be rectified by the man behind him, but if the goalkeeper +makes a blunder it is fatal. It is the one position on the field that I +have never occupied, and I never had any desire to figure there. My +ideal for that position would be a man who stood six feet and weighed at +least thirteen stone, with an eye as keen as that of a hawk. He must be +able to divine where and when the opposing forward is about to shoot. +All the great goalkeepers have been of a fearless disposition, +practically throwing themselves at the ball, even at the risk of +receiving a kick from the attacking forward. Fearlessness is undoubtedly +a tremendous asset in the making of a great goalkeeper. He must also +have a perfect understanding with his backs, and they must trust him +infinitely, which makes his responsibility all the greater. + +I have often been asked the question whether the goalkeeper should +train as regularly as any member of the eleven, and I have replied +without any hesitation "Certainly." In one way he does not require such +a severe course as a half-back, who has to go through much more work +than he does. He should go in for plenty of short sprinting, so that +when running out of his goal to meet any forward who has broken through +he will be able to meet the ball quicker than his opponent. The reason +for this is obvious, as half a yard in twenty will make all the +difference between a goal being scored or not. I do not believe a great +deal in gymnastics for footballers in general, but this method of +training does a goalkeeper a world of good. + +[Illustration: SAVING A "HIGH-FLYER."] + +Punch-ball exercises are some of the best he can practise, and nearly +all clubs have a ball fitted up in their training room. He ought to also +practise place kicking, and endeavour to do so with both feet. I have +often seen a goal scored simply through a poor return by the goalkeeper. +Many allow one of the backs to take the goal kicks, but this is a big +mistake, as it entails extra work on him, and he probably has as much to +do as he can get through. I always like to see the ball thrown or kicked +to the wings instead of the centre, where the play is generally +concentrated. It is a mistake to attempt to punch a ball when it is wet +and greasy and there is plenty of time to give it a lusty kick. Many a +match has been won and lost through the goalkeeper attempting the +former. The inauguration of the penalty kick has made the position more +difficult than in the olden days. Critics say that eleven goals should +be scored out of twelve. This is all very well in theory, but in +practice it is another matter. It is, however, from both points of view +a most trying time in any game, especially when the result of the match +depends upon whether a goal is scored or saved. I shall never forget +last year at Chelsea, when in the closing moments of the game Notts +County were allowed a penalty, from which they scored. + +That goal saved them from going down to the Second Division of the +English League, and also saved thousands of pounds for the County. + +When I was Manager of the 'Spurs I always made a rule that a goalkeeper +should have plenty of practice in this department. I found that in a big +match things were certainly different, and especially if there was a +large crowd present. The eye of the multitude is concentrated on the +keeper and the kicker, and there is a great strain on both, although to +my mind the goalkeeper has the advantage in this way. If a goal is +scored no one blames him, as it is expected. If the forward fails there +is usually a loud groan. + +L. R. Roose, the great Welsh International, in a well-written article +for a standard book, has very well defined the chief duties that fall to +his lot. + +1. To prevent the ball passing between the space bounded by the upright +posts. + +2. To kick off when the ball has been sent behind the goal-line by one +of his opponents. + +Another great point where the goalkeeper must use special discretion is +whether to run out to meet the forward or to "stay at home," as it is +called in the football world. Undoubtedly if the forward is clear of +the other players he should leave his post and endeavour to meet the +forward. Every yard he goes out means that he leaves less space to be +guarded. It is a well-known fact that the more work the goalie has to do +the better he shines, and it often happens that the side that has been +resting for half an hour breaks away and a goal results. A forward or a +half-back is always in the midst of it, and gets warmed whether his side +are losing or winning, but the keeper has often to exercise the faculty +of patience. There have been many great goalkeepers, and it is very hard +to pick out even half a dozen who stand out for their fame. In Scotland, +when I was a boy, Macaulay was considered to be the principal +goalkeeper, and quite deservedly so, if only for the simple reason that +in International matches, especially against England, he always rose to +the occasion. Moon, of the Corinthians; A. Trainor, of Preston North +End; Toone, of Notts County; and, later on, Sutcliffe, of Bolton, and +Robinson, of Southampton, were always to the fore, and of the pair it is +very difficult to say which was the better. Both have played for England +on many occasions, and at no time were they ever disgraced. Their +methods in many ways were different, but the one thing they had in +common was that they both knew the right moment to go for the ball. +Robinson was without hesitation the more fearless, but Sutcliffe made up +for it in many other ways. I have played against both on several +occasions, and cannot honestly say that one is greater than the other, +for what one is deficient in the other makes up for in some other way +or by some other method. The goalkeeper, like the policeman, has a very +happy time in comparison with fifteen years ago. In the olden days one +could practically do as he liked, and it was not at all uncommon to see +the goalie bundled over the line ere the ball came near him. He is +protected now in every way, and he cannot now be charged except when in +actual contact with the ball. This is a good rule, and has done a great +deal for the game. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +Full-Back Play. + + +One associates the full back with long and lusty kicking, but he must +possess many more qualifications. He must be speedy, a fine tackler, +and, above all, a good header of the ball. + +He must also keep himself thoroughly fit, although in one way he has not +so much to do as the men in front of him. He must be strong in defence, +but again, when his side is having the most of the play he should be +able to put in many a good shot. It is also requisite that he should be +able to kick as well with one foot as the other, and boys especially +should study this point. It is simply a case of practice. Every +opportunity should be utilised in developing the left foot, which is +rather weaker than the other, and every eleven out of twelve are greatly +inclined to use the right foot, but if you keep on practising, it will +not be long before you will be quite as proficient with your left as +your right. To become a good artist you must study kicking the ball from +any position or angle that it may come to you. There is what we call the +drop kick, the free kick, the overhead kick, the place kick, and taking +the ball on the run. The overhead kick is practically one to be avoided, +except in a grave case of emergency, because you are never certain of it +coming off, or of placing it to any advantage. The drop kick also takes +a great deal of practice to be accomplished with anything like success, +but the essential thing is to be able to keep the ball on the run and +kick it where you desire. A back should be of a steady disposition and +always keep cool, for if he loses his head he is of little or no use to +the side. It is also necessary to know when to head or kick the ball. It +is often imperative that a back, for the good of his side, should punt +the ball over the touch-line, but when doing so he should not make a +lusty kick and put it over the grand stand. All that is wanted is a +gentle touch to the railings, which is the proper thing to do. As I have +already remarked, to know how to head the ball is of the utmost +importance, and it is effective in clearing the line, especially from +corner kicks. Heading is quite an art of its own, and takes a long time +to master. You should be able to get at the ball not only with the +forehead, but with either side of the head. + +[Illustration: HEADING THE BALL.] + +There should be a general understanding between the two backs, and also +between them and the goalie. Each should understand the other's play to +a nicety, and cover one another's mistakes to a certain extent. They +must have confidence in their goalie, and should give him plenty of room +in which to operate. It is also important to know when to pass back to +the goalkeeper, and to do so correctly. I have seen many goals scored +from faultiness in this respect. In tackling, a back must be quick in +turning, so that if the forward beats him he has a chance of overtaking +his opponent. This has always been a strong point in the play of all our +greatest backs, and should be cultivated by all those who wish to +succeed. To the uninitiated it seems that when the ball comes to a back +he should return it vigorously, and nothing more. This is far from being +correct. Many of our best backs have been moderate kickers, but when +they did kick they did so with discretion and judgment, placing the ball +to the half-back if he was free or to the outside right or left, as the +run of the play might be. Above all, a back should be a fine tactician, +knowing when to go for the ball or when to put it quickly into touch, +thus giving his fellow players time to get back and save the position. +There have been many fine full backs during the last decade of football +history, and probably the greatest were the brothers Walters, of +Corinthian fame; Nick Ross, of Preston North End; and Walter Arnott, of +Queen's Park. The two Walters understood each other thoroughly, and as a +pair were second to none. Arnott was the prettiest back to watch that +I have ever seen, and Ross was about the most effective. The latter was +certainly the most fearless player that I have ever run across, and +seemed at times to plough his way through the attacking forwards. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +The Middle Line. + + +There is no shadow of doubt but that the half-back line is the backbone +of a football team, and probably the centre half catches the eye more +than any other member of the eleven. He ought really to be a general, as +he is in command of both the attack and the defence. For, many reasons +he should be the captain of the side, for he can always encourage either +the defence or the attack. He is like a wicketkeeper in cricket, who +sees more of the game than any other player, and if he be not the +captain, his advice should always be taken into serious consideration. I +have seen so many expert half-backs that I must refrain from dwelling +upon the abilities of individual players. However, taking such great +examples as C. Campbell, of Queen's Park, Glasgow; Johnnie Holt, of +Everton fame; J. Cowan, of Aston Villa, now manager of Queen's Park +Rangers, and many others, their methods practically agree. A half-back +should be able to distribute the ball when it comes his way to the best +advantage, and a long swinging pass from centre or outside right or +left, according to his judgment, has always proved most effective. No +one understood this game more than Cowan, and I am certain others who +know the player and game will testify to this. I prefer a fast man for +this position, if only for the reason that from the kick-off he gets +going invariably before anyone else in the field. His head work ought to +be excellent, and a great deal depends upon him whether the run of play +be in the opponents' hands or otherwise. As a matter of fact, the +distribution of play to the best results is practically left to him. It +is a debatable point regarding the halves whether they should direct +their main efforts against the opposing inside or outside forward. To my +mind, there ought to be an understanding between the back and the half, +but in theory the half-back should tackle the inside forward and leave +the outside man to the back. The best of critics disagree on this point, +and I only give my own personal view from the long experience I have had +in playing the game. Still touching on the wing half, a half-back should +certainly cultivate speed as well as ability, for he must never know +when he is beaten. If a forward outmanoeuvres him, he should instantly +fall back on his own goal, so that when his back tackles the opposition +the half-back should be available to retrieve the position; that is to +say, if the outside left, for instance, beats the right half-back, the +latter should immediately get between the forward and the goal post, +especially when his opponent is known to be a dangerous attacker. It is +understood that a half-back has much more to do in proportion than any +other player in the field, and should always be in the pink of +condition. He has infinitely more running and twisting about to do, and +should be most elastic. Many wing half-backs are rather prone to wander +all over the field, which is a mistake (except in isolated cases). +Probably E. Needham, of Sheffield United, was the most adaptable player +in this respect, although H. Wilson, the Scottish International, ran him +close. The mention of the latter's name brings back to my mind the +period before the law as to throwing in the ball from touch was altered. +Wilson was the expert, and stood alone. When playing for Sunderland it +was nothing unusual for him to throw the ball from the half-way line +right into the goal-mouth. Much may have been lost owing to the +alteration in the law, for the player now must stand with both feet on +the line instead of being able to have a good run ere he parts with the +ball. The half-back should be a good shot, and should cultivate taking +the ball on the run when shooting at goal. More goals would be scored if +the half-backs did not hesitate but shot straight at the goal. "The man +who hesitates is lost," says a well-known proverb, and its truth is +shown in half-back shooting as in any other way. Why more goals do not +come from the half-back line is a mystery to me, but upon reflection I +think it is because they do not act on the spur of the moment. Still, +this is a failing in the forward line as well as in the half-back +division, and it is hardly fair to criticise them severely. In summary, +my ideal half-back would be quite as proficient in defence as in attack, +and to secure this result he will be wise to constantly develop the +latter department, for it is especially true of football that attack is +the best defence. This may seem a tall order, but a half-back should be +both a forward and a half-back combined. Half-backs should certainly +receive a great deal of assistance, especially from the forwards, and if +this is not forthcoming it puts an extra amount of work upon their +shoulders. This I shall deal with in another chapter from a forward's +point of view. I cannot conclude this chapter without alluding to the +late J. Crabtree, who played for many years with Aston Villa, and upheld +his club so well in half-back and full-back play. I have played against +him on many occasions, and he certainly was the finest man I ever came +across in defence and attack. He seemed to be able to read the forwards' +thoughts, and knowing what was going to be done with the ball, +intercepted in a way that has rarely, if ever, been equalled. This, in +one way, is a gift which is not mastered by cultivation, but still +practice is a great thing, and it is only by this means that any man can +hope to come to the front. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +Forward Play. + + +A good forward line is perhaps a club's chief asset. If the forwards +continue to attack, the defence has an easy time, and, as previously +mentioned, the best defence is attack. It is not the man who scores that +is necessarily the best forward, but to get goals should be the aim of a +forward whether he gets the goal himself or leaves a comrade to shoot +the ball into the net. From this it will be gathered that a forward +should really understand something of the art of goalkeeping, so that he +may know how best to defeat the goalkeeper. The object of every forward +movement should be to get to the goal by the nearest way possible, +eluding the goalie by placing the ball out of his reach. We have all +heard of Johnnie Goodall's method in this line. It is a well-known fact +that he used to put a tall hat on top of the bar and endeavour to knock +it off. In this way he practically put the ball wherever he wanted to, +and this was the great secret of his goal-scoring power, which, as I +have already remarked, is the chief asset in a forward. While we are on +the point of shooting, another thing is to be able to take the ball on +the run, which is to say that a forward should shoot without having to +trap the ball. By doing so he gives the goalkeeper no possible chance of +knowing where it is going. If he can do this while running at top speed, +he will certainly be an artist in this department, and no one was better +able to do this than Stephen Bloomer, the great International. I have +often been asked what was the secret of his success, and I have always +put it down to this reason: running at top speed and being able to give +the ball--without slackening down--the final kick into the net. In the +last decade the forward line was purely individualist, and there were +certainly many giants of the game. Combination was, generally speaking, +unknown, and every forward was quite on his own. The forward line is now +a combined one, and in one way it is more effective than the old style. +It is hardly possible to get a blending of both, but it can be done, and +if a team are fortunate enough to do so they would certainly come out on +top at the end of the season. It is a recognised fact that the forward +play of to-day is rather too mechanical, and we miss the individual +efforts that we used to appreciate so very much in the days gone by. +Naturally, the centre forward is the connecting link of the rank. He +should be tall, a fine dribbler, and more often an individualist than +any of his comrades. He should also be able to keep his wings well +together, and distribute the play to the best advantage, and most of all +to be a fine shot. The inside forwards should do what is called "the +donkey work," to fetch and carry, and to help the half-backs when they +are in a dilemma. Theirs is the most thankless job of the lot, and a +great deal done by them is often unappreciated. How often I have heard +the crowd cheer a centre forward for a goal while the man who did so +much to lead up to it was quite overlooked! Happily he has the +consolation of knowing that the men with him quite appreciate his work, +as also does the educated public. I always try to impress upon the young +and old that it is not the man who scores the goal that deserves the +credit, but that in an ideal forward line each one should work for the +benefit of the side, treating the getting of the goal as a mere item of +the play. Perhaps, having played mostly on the inside, I may be inclined +to be biassed. Still, I think not, and I can fortunately plead my long +connection with the game, and I care not what others may say, this is +the _esprit de corps_ that must prevail in any team which intends to +reach the highest pinnacle in the Association world. + +[Illustration: READY FOR THE KICK-OFF.] + +One would imagine that it is the simple duty of the inside right to pass +the ball to his outside man or on occasions to the centre forward, but +this is far from being correct, and one of the most effective passes is +from inside right to outside left or vice versa, from inside left to +outside right. The reasons for this are obvious. In the first place, all +the play is concentrated on the right wing, and the outside left, being +correctly placed, passes it with a long swing to him, and that always +means danger to the opposition. Another reason is that he retrieves the +play to a certain extent by carrying the play right up the field and so +giving the defence an opportunity to reveal itself. An inside forward +must also come back for the throw-in when the ball goes out of touch. +Coming to the outside man, he should be able to shoot accurately from +any angle. Often a great failing of his is running the ball towards the +corner flag instead of making a bee-line for goal. It is given to few to +be able to land the ball in the mouth of the goal from the corner flag +when on the run, and even if anyone is able to do so, it would certainly +be more effective to make straight for the goal. I do not believe in an +outside forward coming to the assistance of the defence, save under +exceptional circumstances. An outside may do so and receive a cheer for +it, but it is much more important that he should be in position to take +up the ball next time it is sent where he should be waiting. One of the +virtues that an outside man should possess is that of patience. Often on +the run of the play the ball goes on quite the opposite side of the +field, and he must control the impulse to go after it. It is a great +mistake to leave your place, for when the ball does come along the +outside man will be practically clear and have a straight run before +him. I know it is a great strain on an outside man to stand still while +all the others are in the thick of the play. Still, it is his place to +do so, and it should be done. Centring the ball is a great feature, and +the best position from which to do so is about thirty yards out, landing +the ball close upon the twelve yards line. If he puts the ball further +than that the goalkeeper is in a position to catch it and thus save the +position. The art of being able to place corner kicks effectively is a +thing of the past. Perhaps this is due to the restrictions against +charging the goalkeeper unless he is in actual contact with the ball. +Still, it behoves an outside man to study this point. It may seem +strange, but the best way for the outside right to kick is with his left +foot. The same applies to the outside left; he should kick with his +right foot. The reason here is surely obvious, because kicks with your +left foot from the right wing cause a slight swerve on the ball. There +have been many great forwards both in the individual and combination +line. Aston Villa maintain that Archie Hunter was the greatest centre +forward and the best general that ever kicked a ball, and this statement +is endorsed by very many competent judges. I was fortunate enough to see +him play in Scotland when on tour twenty years ago, and he very greatly +impressed me. As I was very young at the time, perhaps I should not make +any definite statement. I have played with G. O. Smith, and he was a +great forward, as also is V. J. Woodward, with whom I have played in +later days. These three played the game as it should be played. With no +unnecessary charging, they always got on the ball, and knew when it was +best to dribble and when to shoot. William Bassett, of West Bromwich +Albion fame, was a great outside right, and could centre the ball from +any position. He and Johnnie Goodall, now manager of Watford, made a +great wing. We all know the abilities of Bloomer, who has been the +greatest goal getter of recent years. The outside left position is the +most difficult one to fill in the forward line, and consequently there +have not been so many giants in this position. Probably this is owing to +the fact that few can kick as well with both feet, but with practice +there should be no difficulty in acquiring this accomplishment. + +[Illustration: CENTRING FROM THE RIGHT WING.] + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +Training. + + +Not the least important thing about football is the matter of training, +and nearly every professional club has a trainer, whose business it is +not only to get the men fit, but also to keep them so for eight months. +I have spoken to a great many whose work it is to get their men into +condition and keep them so, and I find that a great many of them have +different methods, but nearly all are agreed that every individual must +be taken by himself. The majority of people, however, are not paid +players, although, as I have already said, these are largely increasing +in number, because year by year we see fresh clubs springing up, besides +which every member of an ordinary club should be bound to turn out in as +perfect a condition as possible. Many make a practice of walking to and +from their work, and this in itself is excellent. When Montague +Holbein was training for his Channel swims he used to make a practice of +walking from Catford to the City, and also back, a distance of several +miles, and this he found very valuable indeed. In the early days of some +of the more important clubs a great many of the players who were +professionals went to their ordinary occupations all the week and used +to play on a Saturday. When West Bromwich Albion, captained by William +Bassett, won the English Cup against Preston North End twenty years ago, +the Midlanders were all local lads, whose wages totalled about ten +pounds a week, while Preston's pay-list was four times as much. Indeed, +men who are regularly at work, especially if it be out of doors and if +it taxes one's bodily powers, need very little training. No one ought to +play football unless he has a sound constitution, and every organ in the +body must be sound, especially the heart and lungs; it is a game for +those who are healthy and vigorous. A good plan is to pursue some +exercise during the "close" season, _i.e._, the summer months. +Professionals will tell you that August is their hardest month, a large +number of them having done nothing since the end of April. Their muscles +have become stiff, and they have probably too much surplus flesh. It is +very different where professionals take up first class cricket, and +trainers have frequently told me that those professionals and amateurs +who play the summer game require little or no preparation, and there are +many instances of that. Take, for instance, J. Sharp, the famous +Everton forward. He must be getting on in years, and yet season after +season he plays cricket up till the end of August and then turns up at +Goodison Park and shows how well he can carry the ball along and whip it +into goal, like "a rocket, though not so straight up," as one great +judge has written of him. He has been an International this year. He has +done splendid work as a cricketer, and is second on the list of +Lancashire averages, and may be described as one of the greatest +all-round men in England. Now, in his thirty-first year, he has given +evidence that if you keep in condition there is no need to worry about +special preparation or anything of the sort. Another instance is E. +Needham, the captain of Sheffield United, and perhaps the greatest +half-back for many years that we have had. He is now thirty-five, and it +is a long time since he played his first International match, and long +before he was a cricketer he had made his name as a footballer. He is a +tireless worker, as anyone who has watched him with the Sheffield United +club knows quite well, and long before his age many men have retired +from the game. He has the respect and admiration of everyone, and this +year he has come to the front as a cricketer and finished at the head of +the Derbyshire averages. The result of his always keeping in condition +is that he will probably go on for some years as a great cricketer, and +as one career is on the wane the other seems to be beginning. He is +great indeed at both games. Two other members of the Sheffield United +club have also made their presence felt at the summer game. I refer to +the two half-backs, the brothers Wilkinson. W. H., the half-back, has +never done better as a cricketer. He is a left-handed batsman, and has +made a great advance on anything he has done before, while B. Wilkinson +is a player of some repute. Lewis, of Somerset; Makepeace, of +Lancashire; Ducat, of Surrey; Iremonger, of Notts; and Leach and +Vincett, of Sussex, are all cricketers who have done splendid work +during the summer game, and have turned out footballers perfectly fit at +the beginning of the season. Indeed, if you play cricket as it should be +played it is magnificent training for football. It is hard work getting +fit at the start of the season if you have allowed your muscles to +become flabby, while there may be no regular circulation of the blood, +and generally the muscles that you require are very lethargic, so the +difficulty is with those who do not play tennis or cricket, or go in for +rowing or swimming or some other form of active exercise during the +summer, that they will have to take up some serious practice. Skipping +is good, walking and running, especially short sprinting, while +punch-ball exercise and dumb-bells may be used. There should be +moderation in all things, and one must start carefully at first and +increase the amount of training until one feels fit. During the season +walking and some practice at kicking, with an occasional sprint, are +quite enough to keep the player well. It is quite possible that some may +suffer from the tremendous amount of energy that they put into their +game. I do not think that those who work indoors, such as clerks and +others who are called upon to follow indoor occupation, require more +than moderate regular exercise. It is very likely that they will have to +do their training after or before business hours, and in the evening +brisk walking of a couple of miles, with a sprint of 100 yards four or +five times, is a good way of getting rid of superfluous fat, and +everyone can do this if he likes, though laziness will often lead some +to shield themselves under the excuse, "They have no time." One +well-known forward, thoroughly conscientious in his training, used to +exercise on the Embankment, an excellent plan. Everyone who has to work +sitting down should take a morning bath and a little practice with a +skipping rope or dumb-bells. The question of diet is of some importance. +The game is so strenuous and exhausting that a substantial meal should +be taken at least two hours before a match. Many have a beef steak well +cooked, with stale bread and vegetables that are well done, always +excluding potatoes, and they are able to play right through the game +without feeling in any way fatigued. The plainer the food the better. +All players are better if they leave alone intoxicants. Needham +earnestly advises young players to abstain from them. He says that his +experience is that they do not sustain any long continued effort, and +their stimulating effect is followed by an invariable depression. From +my own observation of players who have abstained and those who have not, +I am sure the former have done far better than the latter. Plenty of +Internationals and men whose names are household words are total +abstainers. I remember Vivian J. Woodward at a dinner in the football +season would neither touch intoxicating drinks nor smoke, and England's +captain knew what he was about. Kirwan, who captained Ireland; John +Goodall, one of the props of the game; John Lewis, the famous penalty +king; C. Williams, the Brentford and Tottenham goalkeeper; Ducat, of +Woolwich Arsenal, are only a few of the total abstainers, and to them I +might add R. M. Hawkes, International and the Luton captain. Indeed, if +you want to be of the greatest value to your side you may take it from +me that you will do better service by leaving alone all sorts of +alcohol, and as to smoking, I am quite sure it is thoroughly bad. I see +one picture which explains to me why a great deal of the slackness is +creeping over our boys. Again and again I have watched mere lads of +fourteen and fifteen, as well as young men of twenty-five, come on to +the cricket and football field smoking those horrible, cheap, inferior +"fags." How any captain can allow it is a great mystery to me, because +if we are training for a match we always say do not smoke a day or two +before, because it interferes with one's staying powers. Yet I have seen +boys come down to Tottenham smoking all the way from London, all the +time they are changing, and actually come from the dressing room with +cigarettes, and blow and blow away right to the moment of kicking off. +Not content with that, they get through some more cigarettes at the +interval, and then wonder why they are tired before the match is over. I +have often begged of our youths if they wish to be athletes to remember +that it means a certain amount of self-denial, and if they want to do +their best for their side they will take this matter seriously to heart +and remember that smoking and drinking intoxicants make one unfit rather +than otherwise. I do not think that the ordinary player need think about +special training, but if, on the other hand, staleness comes to him a +complete rest is necessary. When you are overworked at the end of a long +season your feet will seem heavy and your kicking will be uncertain, +while you will fall and stumble about. This is the time to retire and +make room for someone else. With a little care you will gain the +necessary freshness, and you will be able to tell when you have got +that, because you will be anxious to play the game. + +[Illustration: CENTRING FROM THE LEFT WING.] + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +Hints to Junior and Amateur Clubs. + + +It is an old adage that the boy is father to the man, and this applies +casually to football circles. The boy of to-day has a great advantage +over a boy of say ten or fifteen years ago. Every possible opportunity +is put in his way for developing his play, as schoolmasters take a +bigger interest in their boys than in olden days. Schoolboy +Internationals and shield competitions are the order of the day, while +years ago boys used to meet together, pick sides, put their jackets down +for posts, and go full speed ahead without any referee or any official. +I have followed closely these schoolboy competitions, and in my heart +think they are really a mistake. A boy of twenty years ago had to do all +the initial work, which amounted to carrying the goal-posts to the field +of play, whether it were a common or any other open space. They had to +find their own ball, and many times I have given a few pence to an +aspiring club. The blowing up of the ball was another great event, and +in those days it took a lot of doing, the youth with the strongest and +biggest lungs having the privilege of giving the ball its last few +blows. The captain always had the honour of carrying the ball to the +field of play, and could do practically what he liked with it. Nowadays +things seem completely altered. The boy, instead of doing everything for +himself, has everything done for him, and all he has to do is simply +turn up in time to change and go on to the field of play. I think this +is a great mistake, and if the youth of to-day had to go out of his way +to a great extent for his Saturday pastime he would be all the better +for it. When I was a youngster it was nothing unusual for an enthusiast +to get out of bed at an unearthly hour in the morning and make all the +preparations for the day's game, go back to breakfast, and then turn up +at the office at the usual time. To do this one must be very fond of the +game, and such a spirit will carry any club or player right to the +front. I have been secretary to both amateur and professional clubs, and +my sympathy goes out to the secretary of the first-named. The +professional secretary or manager has only to say to the player "Do +this," and he does it, like the centurion of old, but the man who holds +the reins of an amateur club has to put up with many disappointments +through the thoughtlessness of members of his team. I should like to put +this point very strongly before these players, and ask them to consider +their secretary in every way. Charles Reade wrote a very fine novel, +_Put Yourself in His Place_, and this applies to the case in point. The +hon. secretary of an amateur club as a rule is a very busy man, and +takes the position from mere love of the game. It must be admitted that +it is rough on him to find on Saturday morning that many players cannot +put in an appearance at the match and could have saved him all the +trouble of wiring and sending round the district for another player if +they had only let him know a day or two before, so that he would have +had a chance of filling the places they had vacated. It means a great +deal of trouble to him which, for the sake of a little thought, could +have easily been avoided. I am speaking feelingly now, and if any player +happens to read this chapter I hope he will consider this matter +seriously. Junior and amateur clubs have a few failings that I might be +permitted to point out. I might start in the first place with +punctuality. Although this is considered by many a virtue, it is not so +considered by them. Probably before a match starts twenty players have +to wait for the dilatoriness of the other two. Of course there are +exceptional circumstances which are excusable, but the unpunctuality of +the players in junior and amateur matches has done a great deal of harm +from a spectatorial point of view. Professional clubs soon realise this +point, and much of their success in league matches is due to players and +officials being invariably ready to start at the advertised time of kick +off. If a professional is late a severe penalty is imposed upon him, and +the Football League are most autocratic in knowing that the referee and +linesmen are always there at the correct time, and if they are late they +are liable to be fined. Regarding training for juniors, it only behoves +a boy to be thoroughly fit and well. If he indulges in some summer game, +such as cricket, tennis, or golf, or if he plays regularly lawn tennis, +he should start the season quite fit and well. If, however, he feels in +the summer not inclined to follow any of these pastimes, he ought to go +in for walking or swimming, so as to reduce his weight, and thus enable +him to go on the field and play as usual. In recent years one has heard +and read a great deal about special training, and I may remark that +special training is not really necessary, even from a professional point +of view. What is necessary is to keep the players well together, regular +hours for meals, and off to bed in good time. It is the _esprit de +corps_ that must be cultivated. The junior who is at business all the +week should require but little training. His match on the Saturday, if +he leads a regular life, should be quite sufficient to enable him to +turn up on that day as fit as possible. Still, if he has a little time +to spare a few short sprints once or twice a week will do him a great +deal of good. He may probably add two or three yards in a hundred, and +speed is a great asset in modern football. Probably one yard in twenty +is of infinitely more advantage than say five in a hundred, and for that +reason alone I have always encouraged a player, if he can possibly do +so, to go in for short sprints from twenty-five yards to fifty. Should +he not be able to run on an open piece of ground there would be no harm +in putting on a pair of canvas shoes at home and sprinting for fifty +yards on the pavement opposite his house or on the road if the district +is fairly quiet. Nobody will take any notice, especially after the first +once or twice, and on coming indoors take a hot bath; if going out again +never forget to have a cold plunge afterwards. I am a great believer in +hot baths for taking away any nasty knock or soreness, but they must be +taken with the greatest possible care so as to avoid catching cold. +There is no finer sensation after having a hot bath than to jump into a +stone cold one or to stand under a shower. It makes you tingle all over, +and after having a rub down you feel like a giant refreshed. "Am I a +believer in Turkish baths?" is a question often asked me, and I must +admit that I generally qualify my reply. Once now and again does no +harm; to indulge in them regularly to me seems a great mistake, as they +are certainly most lowering. Another point I should like to dwell upon +is that the junior of to-day makes a practice of playing with his cap +on, especially in wet weather. I must honestly state that I hate to see +anyone playing with a headgear. It seems to me strange, and I know many +a player who has caught a very bad cold through playing in this way, and +after changing, going home in the same. If he has a change it is not so +bad, but it takes a longer time for this cap to dry than his hair, and +it is some considerable time before the former is fit to wear after +getting soaked. Just a word in conclusion to the juniors. Play the game +as it should be played. Do not hold your opponents up to ridicule by +beating them two or three times when once will suffice. Get as many +goals as you possibly can, for a team will prefer to be beaten by double +figures rather than know that their opponents were toying with them and +could score whenever they chose. Be loyal to your club and clubmates, +and do not forget that enthusiasm is the great thing that will carry you +to the front in football as well as in other spheres in life. +Unselfishness is also another great point. Should your captain or +committee choose another man as your superior, do not grumble, but turn +out for the second eleven, and play with all your heart and soul, and if +you have the merit you will soon regain your old position in the first +team. Above all, play the game fairly and squarely, and you will succeed +either as a professional, senior, junior, or amateur. + +[Illustration: PASSING WITH THE INSTEP.] + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +Captaincy. + + +There are a good many people who think that the office of captain is not +very important, but my idea is that the judicious choice of a skipper is +very great indeed. I have heard it said that the office is an empty +honour in a professional club, but I am sure that this is a great +mistake, and in an ordinary club as much depends on the leader as all +the rest put together. The best players in the world are sacrificed if +placed under an inefficient general, but on the other hand a leader of +ability and energy has often made a strong club out of what seemed to be +very unpromising material. So the best all-round player should be +skipper. It seems to me quite necessary that whoever holds this position +must have the confidence of every member of the side, and there can only +be one leader in the field, and unless any fellow has ability and +character enough to gain the loyal support of his men, he had certainly +better never think about taking the office. So many clubs fail because +they have no confidence in their leaders. Ernest Needham, the great +leader of the Sheffield United side, has said that when a team is in a +winning mood how proud the captain may be, but what a difficult post he +has to fill when a team is on the downward grade and losing match after +match. The man you choose should have a thorough knowledge of the game, +and also enthusiasm and keenness, which should be a standing rebuke to +that subtle spirit of slackness which is so characteristic of our men +to-day. Personally, I am very sorry to see this, and if you have at the +head one who sets an example of hard work, coolness, and determination, +you may be sure that he will do his best to get all he can out of his +men. "Example is far better than precept." Now the captain should be the +oldest member of a team as a rule, and the one with most experience. +Alexander Tait and Walter Bull, when they were leaders of the 'Spurs, +were examples of ability and experience going hand in hand, and they +naturally commanded respect. As a rule the captain should decide on the +composition of the team and what they should do. If he has an idea he +can improve it by giving a few new men a trial, he should inform his +committee, who in a small club should always be men who have played and +know the game. They, too, must have perfect confidence in the man they +have chosen, and allow him a very free hand if they wish to get the best +results. One caution which has often been uttered but each season seems +to need repetition, is this that when the side is playing the captain +has absolute control of his men, and is responsible for their formation +and play. He should be above favouritism, for in junior clubs the leader +has often favourites, and no matter how very able the man may be himself +one player does not make a team, and it is necessary to be friendly +with all and not be partial to anybody. The game and the ability of each +for his particular part in it must be the chief consideration, and I +hope that this will ever be so. Without it there will be no success. +Again, it is very necessary that a captain should be in a position to be +able to point out the errors of each one, so that there may be no +resentment. On the field of play, too, he must feel that he has the +support of his men, because it is when they are playing matches that he +has great responsibility. He will carefully watch for openings on the +part of the opposing club, and if he thinks he detects a weak place, +will direct the play so as to take advantage of this and gain the upper +hand, giving his comrades hints as to how this may be done. Many +captains that I know of hardly speak a word on the field of play, but +the interval forms a very useful opportunity indeed for advice, which +must be taken in the proper spirit. He will watch the play of his +opponents, and adopt what he thinks will be the best game. Ernest +Needham remembers how in the great Cup-tie, Sheffield United against +Liverpool, his side were, ten minutes from the close of play, two goals +down, and then played eight forwards, one back, and one half-back, and +in this way managed to get a drawn game. Of course, as he explains, +goals against them mattered little, but the Liverpool forwards were soon +offside in their attempt to break away. In this case the captain was in +a weak position, and reverted to what may seem a strange formation in +order to save the day. Two great captains who have left their mark upon +the game have been Howard Spencer and V. J. Woodward. Spencer was the +leader of Aston Villa, and he gained his unique position by qualities +that may well be imitated. He was something more than an English +gentleman and sportsman. He was, perhaps, the fairest player ever known +to the game. He has never been known to lose his temper, and +self-restraint seemed to him perfectly natural. No player or referee has +ever accused him of a wilful foul, and he has nothing except honest and +straightforward play and skill. His knowledge of the game was very +great, and is shown by the fact that his club won the League +Championship four times, while three times in ten years he helped Aston +Villa to win the English Cup. I dare say, like the rest of humanity, he +had faults, but at the same time he stood out a man who was a brainy +player of great ability. The other man is V. J. Woodward, who has hardly +reached the zenith of his fame. He is very fair in his play, and is ever +heartily welcomed by those who have the pleasure of his acquaintance. It +was a mere accident that brought him to the front. A Tottenham supporter +happened to see him taking part in a local game at the time when G. O. +Smith was retiring, and he was invited to show his prowess in good +company, with what result everybody knows. If he has been left out of a +side it is perhaps because he is so unselfish that he has not been +chosen on every occasion that he might have been, but nature and skill +asserted themselves, and he is the unanimous choice of the selectors +now. He would rather lose a game than win it by dirty tactics. He is +never individual, and always gives the others a chance. To my mind, he +is the ideal captain of the day, and everyone who wishes to be +successful as a leader should go and watch him. The young player must +always remember to keep perfect control over his temper, or he will do +very little. Walter Bull thinks the ideal place for a "skipper" is that +of centre half, but some others have preferred the goalkeeper's place. +In the latter you have all the play before you, but from centre half +hints can be passed unobserved to the front line. Alexander Tait, of +Leyton, was ever quiet as a captain, no shouting on the field of play, +but a friendly "tip" during the interval. What you regard as "hard +lines" will often try your temper, but if you expect your side to obey +the referee and the spectators to behave well, you must show the way. +The skipper who succeeds is the man of few words on the field, though +off it he may say a great deal. The club's affairs will go much more +smoothly if he tries to be fair. No personal feeling must interfere with +his choice of a player--the best man for the position, and the one who +plays not for himself but for his side. To-day combination is required. +I know one brilliant International who was very individual. +Remonstrances were of no use, and at last came the time when he had to +be left out of the team. He was a nice fellow, and since he left he has +been captain for his country. One man, good as he may be, cannot win a +match, and the captain, at least, should be free from reproach. + +[Illustration: SHOOTING WITH THE INSTEP.] + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +The Referee. + + +In one way the most important man on the field is the referee, as the +success of the game depends a great deal on his ability to control the +play and players adequately. He is commonly known as the "Knight of the +Whistle," and his responsibilities are manifold. To be a successful +referee one must keep thoroughly fit, and be able to turn out on to the +field in as good a condition as the player does, for he has got to go +through more running than any of the twenty-two players, and must keep +up with their pace. Like Caesar's wife, he should be above suspicion, and +give his decisions without fear or favour. It is the weak referee that +often spoils a game and brings football into disgrace. + +Refereeing in a first class match is much easier than taking the whistle +in what we might call junior ones. In senior circles players know the +game from "A" to "Z," and play accordingly; but often a referee has to +use more judgment than if he were officiating for the English Cup at the +Crystal Palace. However, this is only by the way, and I must dwell upon +the senior referee more than the junior. In brief, my ideal referee +must have the following qualifications:-- + + 1. A thorough knowledge of the rules of the game. + + 2. Be strong minded enough to enforce his decisions when once + they are given. + + 3. He should have been a player himself, and still be as active + as ever on the field. + + 4. He must be an autocrat. (If necessary, the F.A. will support + him to the fullest extent possible.) + +Really the duties of a referee are manifold. He has full control of the +play, and must use a great amount of tact, for if he does not, he not +only spoils the game but his own reputation. He should be quick in +giving his decisions, and must adhere to them, despite the grumblings +and comments of the players or spectators. The professional footballer +of to-day is very quick in weighing up the referee. He knows in his +heart whether he can do as he likes or if the referee is to be obeyed. +Supposing the man with the whistle is weak, no one knows better than the +players, and again, if he is strong, they know they can take no +liberties during the course of the game. In ordinary games the referee +must be strong and have no connection with the clubs engaged. The most +able referees that I have played under or witnessed were men who were +slow to speak, but when occasion arose were quick to act. As a matter of +fact, they have simply to say "Do this," and it is done; and there is +trouble for anyone who endeavours to dispute their ruling. The greatest +referee may make mistakes. Still, he must maintain the dignity of his +decisions when once given. In many ways a referee is born and not made, +and all the best referees are those who have played the game when they +were young, and have followed it up continually since leaving off, +actually taking part in the kicking of the ball. Their hearts are in the +game, and this makes all the difference, to a great degree, whether they +are successful or not. In senior circles referees are supposed to be +unbiassed, which I am glad to say in the general run of cases they are. +The crowd of the home side are naturally in favour of their friends, and +the referee has often to put up with any amount of comment and ridicule. +It is then that he should show his character and worth by distributing +the law of the game as it ought to be done in all honesty and fairness. + +Probably it may be considered vanity on my part to give the would-be +referee a few ideas from a player's point of view. A referee should, if +possible, know each man by name and the position he occupies in the +field, so that if a reprimand is necessary he can say, "Jones or +MacPherson, stop that!" A little phrase like that goes a very long way, +and I may attribute the secret of some of our referees' success to +knowing the names of the players they are refereeing, and so being able +to call them personally to order when necessary. + +The relation of the referee to the linesmen is a very great question, +and whether he should be persuaded by the two men on the line has often +been discussed both on and off the field. To sum it up briefly, my +opinion is that a referee should act upon his own discretion, but when +in doubt should consult his linesmen. If he gives a decision on the spur +of the moment when he is certain he is quite correct, he must not be +persuaded by the opposition one way or the other. Still, when he is in +doubt he should certainly appeal to the linesmen, and the referee who +does not do so is bound to get into bad odour. The linesman is closely +connected with the referee in every way, although his duties are not +really arduous. In reality, he has simply to follow the ball up the +field, give his decision as to whether the sphere has gone over the +lines, and to say which side should have the benefit, and whether a +corner kick should be given or not. + +Of recent years the penalty kick has often been a great trouble to the +referee, and should a man be forgiven for overlooking a certain foul it +must be decided by the opinion of the man on the line. The penalty kick +is probably the most difficult point the referee of to-day has to deal +with, and he should give it instantly with the courage of his +convictions, and even if the decisions of his linesmen are different. +Quickness and decision are what is really wanted in a referee. + +Just a word or two to the spectators. They should not judge quickly or +harshly, and should always recognise that it is one man that must +decide, rightly or wrongly. They must not overlook the fact that he has +got to do so on the spur of the moment, and that he has no time for +reflection. Whilst dwelling on the subject of referees, it is a matter +of regret that many players do not take any interest in junior circles, +where their personality would command respect. The boy of to-day, +knowing that a certain International is going to officiate in the game +he is taking part in, will play much better than if Tom, Dick, or Harry +had the control, a fact which proves for itself that personality is a +great thing in the "Knight of the Whistle." John Lewis, of Blackburn, +has been crowned King of Referees, and undoubtedly this was greatly due +to his personality on the field. The player knew he could take no +liberties whatever, and when a warning was once given it was given so +that the player was sure that his next act of disobedience would ensure +for him his marching order off the field, and that later he would be +dealt with by the F.A. Mr. Lewis always let the player know when he had +gone too far in any way, and afterwards it was for a player to see that +it did not occur again. It is a pity that more first-class players, when +they have finished their playing career, do not follow it up by becoming +referees. Referees of the class of Major Marindin, J. C. Clegg, J. J. +Bentley, and many others, are badly wanted in the football of to-day. I +might appeal to the older players to take a greater interest in the +beginners than they are doing at the present time. They should remember +the days when they were young and the interest taken in them by their +elders, who used to go out of their way to encourage them in their +sport, and endeavour to do to-day what was done for them years ago. +Junior referees are badly wanted, especially men of a reputation that is +well respected. I, even in my little way, refereeing last year, found +my name and fame as a Cup-holder and International was a great +recommendation, and called for the respect that is really due to worthy +officials. If this appeals to any player it is easy for him to become a +referee by applying to his local association. The biggest bugbear that +the referee has to contend with is the penalty and offside restrictions. +To the uninitiated the offside rule appears quite simple, but to the +referee it is the most difficult problem he has got to overcome during +the course of the day. His eye is always on the ball, and whilst +following it up quickly he is naturally inclined to miss some point +which appeals to the onlookers, every one of whom considers himself a +critic. The penalty kick plays an important part in the game of to-day, +and this particular point requires instant decision, consequently the +referee needs to be a man with good judgment, and one who is not to be +deterred by criticism, whether it be by players, spectators, or +directors. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +Football as a Profession. + + +There are many young fellows who are inclined to take up football as a +profession, and to these the writer would say, "Count well the cost +before you do it." I have spoken to many players, and few would let +their boys take football up as the serious business of life. It is easy +to start; any club that has paid players will give you a trial, and if +you are capable will sign you on at perhaps a few shillings up to a +pound a week. The objections are that the career is very short, and may +be interrupted or terminated by an accident at any time, and then if you +are not master of a trade you are practically ruined. When boys used to +come to me and tell me of their wish to join the 'Spurs I always tried +to get them to learn some trade first and be master of it, so when +necessary they could fall back upon it. This provision for the future is +necessary, because you may begin your paid career at seventeen or +eighteen, before you have learned a trade, and play on till you are +twenty-eight or thirty, and then find you are too old to begin to do so. +I have known a number who had made no preparation for the future, and in +some cases they are starving. It is one of the painful duties of a +secretary's life to have to hear of appeals for help from veterans who +have neglected to acquire some trade before taking up football. No club +ought to be allowed, for the credit of the game, to sign on any players +until they have given evidence that they have a marketable knowledge of +some trade or profession. As I have said, many think L4 a week is a nice +income; so it is, but how many get it, and how many years does it last? +It may be that in the near future you may get as much as you can out of +a club, but even then only a very few of the thousands of paid players +will get more than they do now. Many a youth, talking of the matter, +has been under the impression that all professionals get the L4 per +week. That is not so. Many of the smaller clubs cannot afford to pay it. +There are many who never get beyond 50s. per week. No doubt the +organisation of school games has had a great deal to do with turning the +attention of promising lads at school to football as a career. It is +true that one out of a thousand schoolboy players may get signed on, but +I hardly know of half a dozen. Hundreds of young men apply to clubs for +a trial, and are soon convinced that they have not skill enough, but +those few who are lucky should weigh the matter seriously. I know there +are many who may argue that they can, after their playing days are over, +get a position as trainer or manager to some club. Such a place as I +had, for instance, for many years, but, like everything else nowadays, +there are only a very limited number of these positions, while there are +scores of applicants for them, and for every vacancy to be filled there +are generally one or two who have very strong backing, and there is +little chance for the outsider. Others have often pointed out to me that +after a certain number of years they will be entitled to a benefit. This +is quite correct, but even if the benefit comes off how much does it +bring in? I should fancy that an average benefit does not give more than +L300 or L400--indeed, a footballer is considered very lucky if the match +that he has chosen brings him L150. I have known a great many that have +brought in less. Mr. J. J. Bentley, who is now the President of the +Football League, once wrote an article on "Football Finance," in which +he stated that "not more than six professional clubs were solvent," and +he asked the pertinent question: "If only six of the leading clubs can +make it pay on a really lucrative scale, what is to become of the game?" +By the game he doubtless means the professional part of it. Fourteen +years have passed away, but I very much doubt if the situation is +altered now. A few clubs, a very few, make a profit on their year's +working. The majority show a deficit which annually becomes larger. For +a time collapse is avoided by the bazaar or by turning the club into a +limited liability company, but these are only temporary reliefs, and the +fact remains that in most clubs either the expenses of management or the +salaries of the players are larger than the receipts permit, and +sometimes the clubs go under. Another important point for the would-be +"pro." is the question of temperament. You must have exceptional +qualities of a personal character. If you cannot take hard knocks as +well as give them, and if you cannot control your temper, you are not +likely to be successful. The day of the blackguardly dirty player is +over, and the man with brain as well as brawn is needed for this work. +Education makes all the difference, and the incoming professionals will +have to be men of considerable culture. Neither is there any chance for +the fellow who cannot control his appetite in the matter of strong +drink. There arise before us sad and mournful pictures of men whose +names have been "familiar as a household word," but whose sun has set +years before it should have done, owing to the fact that they soaked in +beer. Some I have seen at the Palace in the Cup Final, the heroes of the +day; apparently the world was at their feet. The next time one set eyes +on them it was difficult to recognise in the battered specimen of +humanity that stood before you the sprightly player of former days. The +contrast is painful, but often, very often, has greeted my eyes. + +"No," said a great Southern League captain to me, "my boys shall never +be paid footballers, but they must learn a trade. The prospects are not +pleasing enough." No, it is far better, unless you have superlative +talents, to take to some other calling. It is only a small proportion +who make their mark in professional football. + +Some may make a better thing out of it if they are paid cricketers, for +they will have wages for both games. But here again the area is limited, +though the pay is good. It is not necessary to be a professional player +to gain the highest honours. Take England's captain, V. J. Woodward; he +is an architect, but from the first day I saw him there was great +ability, and it was bound to come out. So with many other amateurs who +have come to the front. They have succeeded because they had skill, but +also because they kept in good condition owing to their ordinary work, +which was well done. To boys I say stick to your job, and having worked +well go and play your best. But leave professionalism out of the +business. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +Continental Football: Its Growth and Possible Developments. + + +Football on the Continent is undoubtedly developing greatly, and a great +deal of credit is due to the enterprise of the English and Scottish +clubs. I have played in France, Germany, and Austria, and the enthusiasm +displayed by the players and spectators holds forth great hopes of the +game becoming as popular on the other side of the Channel as it is here. +It is a few years ago since I last played there, and since then great +developments have taken place, such as International matches with +English and foreign sides. Practically the results have always been in +our favour, but gradually the margin in the goals is becoming less. It +will take many years yet before we can expect the Continentals to be +able to give our English teams a real good game. However, the outlook is +very rosy, as the enthusiasm is becoming greater week by week and year +after year. The British elevens who used to visit the Continent were +inclined to look upon it as a holiday trip. But after seeing the good +done by these visits they have played more earnestly than hitherto. + +While playing in Austria, I was greatly impressed with the spirit of +our opponents. They were keen enough to learn, and wished to know +precisely how the game was played. The captain of the native team (by +the way, he could speak English) came to our captain and requested him +to play the game as it should be played, and get as many goals as we +could and not toy with them. We won by at least double figures, but at +the finish of the match they called for three cheers for us, and of +course we naturally responded. This is the spirit that prevails from my +little knowledge of foreign football, and if it is continued there can +be no doubt that at a future date they will be able to challenge any +English or Scottish teams, and would give them a good game. It is rather +awkward not knowing the language when playing on the Continent, as often +times one would like to know exactly why such a decision was given. It +has often had its ludicrous side, and I have often smiled at the broad +Scotchman trying to explain something to a German without any success. + +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: + + 1. The transfer system. + + 2. The wage limit. + + 3. 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 L4 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 L4 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 L4 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. + +Another player is James Sharp, who is a splendid outside right. In him +you have a reminder that skill may make up for lack of inches. He is +only 5 ft. 7 in., but he is one of the men who have worked hard to +attain their position and also to keep it. He can dribble well, feint, +pass, shoot, and yet keep control of the ball. He came from Hereford, +where he was a member of the local club, and after two seasons went to +Everton. In his every action you can see the man who plays for his club. +He is determined and strong, given to making the most of an opportunity. +It is difficult for the adversary to know what he is going to do. Here +is the ideal all-round sportsman. Little wonder he has succeeded so well +on the cricket field. He is not content to excel in one department. Once +we thought he would become a great fast bowler, then he began to +progress as a batsman, and at the moment of writing has concluded a +great season for his adopted county, whose fortunes have been very low. +He, too, is in business, and life for him is truly strenuous, as his +play is. We could do with more player-workers of this modest young man's +type. + +And if you come to the front line watch V. J. Woodward, our leading +gentleman player. The son of an architect living in a house that +overlooks the Oval, he learned his game at a school at Clacton, and then +resided at Chelmsford, where one day a director of the 'Spurs, happening +to know that a match was being played in the County Cup Competition, +thought he would have a look, and did so. He was struck with the skill +of Vivian J. Woodward as a centre forward, and as the result of a chat +he was got to play for Tottenham Hotspur. This was some six years ago. +He at once made his mark, and no man was ever so loved by professionals. +No fairer player ever stepped on to the field. Note his clean, +delightful runs, how unselfish he is; indeed, it was freely reported +that he was left out of a series of Internationals because he showed so +much consideration for his partners. What a glorious tribute to the +sportsmanship of the man! Yes, for clean, clever, aye, cultured forward +play, watch V. J. Woodward, who can only get away on Saturdays because +he earns his living. He is a grand wicketkeeper and cricket captain who +has not the time for county games. And he is a genuine amateur--no +riding third class and charging first. He is an honourable performer, +who looks to all to play a clean game, and expects the referee to see +they do. If such amateurs are to be driven out of the Soccer game by +"money-making limited liability companies" and their unending squabbles, +it will be a bad day for sport. You can still see Needham, old, I +suppose, as players go. What a strategist he is. His play is that of the +man who loves the game; he can still tackle, pass, defend, and shoot as +finely as of old. Of goalkeepers, one can see many. Ashcroft; Sutcliffe; +Lunn, of Wolverhampton; Hardy, of Liverpool; Maskery, of Derby County, +are all good. There are many misconceptions about the game, and most +people think that the referee is compelled to use a whistle. But if you +read the laws of the game or the directions to referees, you find that +nowhere is he instructed to use a whistle. The word is "signal," but it +might be by a trumpet, or a motion of the hands or arms. When the +referee "signals," by whistle or otherwise, at the commencement of the +game, it means that he is ready and the players can start as soon as +they like, but the period of play is counted from the actual kick. The +offside rule is very difficult for the spectator; talk to them, and they +will tell you confidently that no player can be offside if he has three +of the opposition in front of him, that is, nearer to their own goal. +Yet, as Mr. William Pickford has pointed out, a player could be offside +with eleven opponents in front of him. It is not likely, but it could +happen. If a player has not three opponents in front of him when the +ball was last played by one of his own side, who was behind him, he is +offside, and he remains so till someone else plays the ball, and if in +the interval the rest of the team ran back on goal he would still be +offside. + +Again, what is an amateur? Well, conscience will decide in the light of +the rule. He must not receive remuneration or consideration of any sort +above his necessary hotel expenses and travelling expenses actually +paid. The men who pay for their sport are getting fewer and fewer. It is +a pity. But on these and many other points you can obtain valuable +booklets from the F.A., 104, High Holborn, London, W.C. They publish +also a referees' chart, with the interpretation that is officially put +upon many rules. They are mines of useful information for those who know +but little of the game. + +It would seem as if the game is rapidly spreading on the Continent, and +every country takes up the sport save Turkey and Russia. England is the +mentor, and the Football Association have a great work. It may be that +the love of sport will so grow that ere many years are over we shall see +several European teams competing here year by year. In the early stages +of the development the game will be amateur, but later on will come the +paid player. One writer says, "No money, no first-class football." This +is rubbish; it is much to be regretted, such a sentiment, for we can +get the highest skill from those who play for the love of the game. The +giants of the past who created the present demand were unpaid, and the +future will still produce those who will not play for gold. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +A Few Famous Cup-Ties. + + +The English Cup is probably a bigger attraction to a footballer than any +other. To a Scottish footballer his International cap against England is +to achieve the height of his ambition, but somehow in England, to +participate in the final at the Crystal Palace in April is the heart's +desire of the average player. There is a glamour surrounding the English +Cup Competition that nothing else can compare with. + +I well remember when the Scottish clubs were entitled to enter into the +arena, and such great clubs as Queen's Park, Glasgow Rangers, Cowlairs, +Heart of Midlothian entering in the lists against the best clubs that +prevailed at the time in England. Queen's Park, still the premier +amateur club in Scotland, also the Heart of Midlothian, made history in +this competition, but the first-named must be given the laurels. + +There are still many old players in Scotland who maintain that in the +first year, when they were beaten by Blackburn Rovers, the result should +have gone the other way. As it was before my day I cannot, naturally, go +into the matter as thoroughly as I should desire, but when such players +as Messrs. Smellie and Campbell have assured me that they should have +had the victory, I rather feel inclined to believe their statement. +Queen's Park, as already stated, were for many years the greatest club +in Scotland, and they played the game for the love of it, for when in +the two finals which were played at the Oval most of their members had +to travel overnight to play on the following day, which speaks for +itself. A great deal has been said, as well as written, about this +matter, and it is often asked if the "Queens" deserved to win. + +Perhaps the finest Cup-tie that has been seen at the Palace was the +meeting of Everton and Aston Villa in 1897. I had thought at one time to +participate in this final, but after playing three rounds I got knocked +out, and was unable to play. I must say that my substitute at centre +forward did exceedingly well, and I could not grumble in any way at +being left out. The ordinary London man will always remember this match, +when the Villa eventually finished winners by three goals to two. I +followed it very keenly, and in one way my sympathy went to the losers, +because there was little or nothing to choose between them. + +Coming to Southern clubs, probably Southampton have been the most +disappointed club that has come into the list, especially through their +great Cup-tie with Notts Forest, at the Crystal Palace, in the +semi-final of the Cup. A great amount of correspondence was entered into +at the time, and everybody really admitted that they were most unlucky +to be beaten at the last minute in a blinding snowstorm. Many people +will remember how this tie was stopped in the middle of the game, and +after resuming it with only a few minutes before the finish the result +was a draw. At almost the last moment Notts Forest broke away and scored +a goal which many people considered should never have been allowed, +simply because they did not see it. The snowstorm was heavier than when +the referee stopped the game earlier on, but he allowed it to go on +because he expected the game would result in a draw. Whether this is +correct or not I cannot say, but the fact remains that the good people +of Southampton still maintain that they had not their dues on that day. + +Something has been written of late about a goalkeeper letting his side +down in a final tie, but I cannot believe that any player, whether +goalkeeper or forward, could or would let his side down. + +I do not care to enter into the year when my old club, Tottenham +Hotspur, won the Cup, but one of the biggest officials in the Football +Association came along to compliment me, and said that my side gave the +best display of football since Aston Villa won the Cup--indeed, he +implied that it was even better than that given by the Villa, which +compliment I naturally appreciated. It was indeed a great day at the +Palace, and I do not propose to dwell upon the goal allowed by Mr. +Kingscott to our opponents. Our players were sure that the ball had not +crossed the line, but as we won on the replay at Bolton everything was +forgiven and forgotten. + +Another great match in the early days was at Manchester, between Everton +and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Everton, the previous Saturday, had sent a +reserve team to Wolverhampton. They won quite easily. I cannot say what +the score was, but it was four or five goals to nothing. In the final at +Manchester, Everton were eventually beaten by a long shot in the early +part of the game. There was no doubting their superior skill, but this +result simply proved that cup-tie football is quite different from +league football. + +There are two clubs in the South that have brought Southern football to +the front: Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur. To the latter all due +credit must be given for winning the Cup, but the "Saints," as they are +called, have done equally as good work as the 'Spurs. They were really +the pioneers of professional football in the Southern League, and when +one considers they were in the final in 1900, and again in 1902, when +they were beaten by Sheffield United after a drawn game, it reflects +great credit upon them. They do not receive the credit they deserve from +their own supporters, and the severance of two of their best local +players in 1906 was a severe handicap to the team. By the way, they were +both born and bred in the district, and caused a great sensation in the +League. Perhaps one of the biggest surprises in the finals of the +English Cup was the great victory of Bury over Derby County. The former +won by six goals to nothing, but this was entirely due to Fryer being +far from fit to play and letting the first three goals go past him. If +his knee had been all right it would never have happened. + +My old friend, Charlie Campbell, often talks of his old Cup-tie +experiences, and sometimes has referred to the meetings of his old club, +Queen's Park, with Notts Forest and Blackburn Rovers. In my early days +Mr. Campbell was to my mind quite a hero. He would go out of his way to +advise and encourage juniors, and much of my success at Queen's Park and +Everton was due to the advice which he gave me in those days. Talking +about Tottenham Hotspur in the year they won the Cup, practically the +best victory was over Bury, who were the holders of the "Little Pot" at +that time. There was more enthusiasm shown over that match than I +consider has been seen during any other Cup-tie that I have ever played +in. The game was fought in a proper spirit, and when Bury scored in the +first few minutes it was thought that all was over regarding Tottenham's +chances. However, we got exceedingly well together, and won by two goals +to one, amidst the greatest enthusiasm. It outshone the reception after +the Bolton match, our victory over Reading, and all other great games +the 'Spurs have distinguished themselves in. It is not for me to dwell +upon the great reception the 'Spurs had on their return from Bolton. The +only regret is that they have not won the Cup again, nor has another +Southern club had that honour. Southampton, as well as the 'Spurs, have +done much to uphold the prestige of the South in the Cup, and it now +behoves the other clubs to gird themselves for the fray, and demonstrate +that Southern football is quite capable of holding its own against the +North. The winning of the Cup by a Southern club next April would be the +best possible proof of this. + + + + +LAWS OF THE GAME. + + +Number of Players.--Field of Play.--The Ball. + +1. The game should be played by eleven players on each side. The +dimensions of the field of play shall be--maximum length, 130 yards; +minimum length, 100 yards; maximum breadth, 100 yards; minimum breadth, +50 yards. The field of play shall be marked by boundary lines. The lines +at each end are the goal lines, and the lines at the side are the touch +lines. The touch lines shall be drawn at right angles with the goal +lines[A]. A flag with a staff not less than five feet high shall be +placed at each corner. A half-way line shall be marked out across the +field of play. The centre of the field of play shall be indicated by a +suitable mark, and a circle with ten yards' radius shall be made round +it. The goals shall be upright posts fixed on the goal lines, +equi-distant from the corner flagstaffs, eight yards apart, with the bar +across them eight feet from the ground. The maximum width of the goal +posts and the maximum depth of the crossbar shall be five inches. Lines +shall be marked six yards from each goal post at right angles to the +goal lines for a distance of six yards, and these shall be connected +with each other by a line parallel to the goal lines; the space within +these lines shall be the goal area. Lines shall be marked eighteen yards +from each goal post at right angles to the goal lines for a distance of +eighteen yards, and these shall be connected with each other by a line +parallel to the goal lines; the space within these lines shall be the +penalty area. A suitable mark shall be made opposite the centre of each +goal twelve yards from the goal line; this shall be the penalty kick +mark. The circumference of the ball shall not be less than twenty-seven +inches nor more than twenty-eight. The outer casing must be of leather, +and no material shall be used in the construction of the ball which +would constitute a danger to the players. In International matches the +dimensions of the field of play shall be--maximum length, 120 yards; +minimum length, 110 yards; maximum breadth, 80 yards; minimum breadth, +70 yards; and at the commencement of the game the weight of the ball +shall be from thirteen to fifteen ounces. + +[A] (The touch and goal lines must not be marked by a V-shaped rut.) + + +Duration of Play.--Choice of Goals.--The Kick-off. + +2. The duration of the game shall be ninety minutes, unless otherwise +mutually agreed upon. The winners of the toss shall have the option of +kick-off or choice of goals. The game shall be commenced by a place kick +from the centre of the field of play in the direction of the opponents' +goal line; the opponents shall not approach within ten yards of the ball +until it is kicked off, nor shall any player on either side pass the +centre of the ground in the direction of his opponents' goal until the +ball is kicked off. + +(If this law is not complied with the kick-off must be taken over +again.) + + +Changing Ends.--The Interval.--The Re-start. + +3. Ends shall only be changed at half-time. The interval at half-time +shall not exceed five minutes, except by consent of the referee. After +the goal is scored, the losing side shall kick off, and after the change +of ends at half-time, the ball shall be kicked off by the opposite side +from that which originally did so; and always as provided in Law 2. + + +How a Goal is Scored.--If Bar is Displaced.--If Ball Rebounds or Goes +Out of Play. + +4. Except as otherwise provided by these laws a goal shall be scored +when the ball has passed between the goal posts under the bar, not +being thrown, knocked on, nor carried by any player of the attacking +side. If from any cause during the progress of the game the bar is +displaced, the referee shall have power to award a goal if in his +opinion the ball would have passed under the bar if it had not been +displaced. The ball is in play if it rebounds from a goal post, +crossbar, or a corner flagstaff into the field of play. The ball is in +play if it touches the referee or a linesman when in the field of play. +The ball is out of play when it has crossed the goal line or touch line, +either on the ground or in the air. + +(The whole of the ball must have passed over the goal line or touch line +before it is out of play.) + + +The Throw-in. + +5. When the ball is in touch, a player of the opposite side to that +which played it out shall throw it in from the point on the touch line +where it left the field of play. The player throwing the ball must stand +on the touch line facing the field of play, and shall throw the ball in +over his head with both hands in any direction, and it shall be in play +when thrown in. A goal shall not be scored from a throw-in, and the +thrower shall not again play until the ball has been played by another +player. + +(This law is complied with if the player has any part of both feet on +the line when he throws the ball in.) + + +Offside. + +6. When the player plays the ball, or throws it in from touch, any +player of the same side who at such moment of playing or throwing in is +nearer to his opponents' goal line is out of play, and may not touch the +ball himself, nor in any way whatever interfere with an opponent or with +the play, until the ball has been again played, unless there are at such +moment of playing or throwing in at least three of his opponents nearer +their own goal line. A player is not out of play in the case of a corner +kick, or when the ball is kicked off from the goal, or when it has been +last played by an opponent. A player cannot be out of play in his own +half of the ground. + +7. When the ball is played behind the goal line by a player of the +opposite side, it shall be kicked off by any one of the players behind +whose goal line it went, within that half of the goal area nearest the +point where the ball left the field of play; but if played behind by any +one of the side whose goal line it is, a player of the opposite side +shall kick it within one yard of the nearest corner flagstaff[B]. In +either case an opponent shall not be allowed within six yards of the +ball until it is kicked off. + +[B] (The corner flag must not be removed when a corner kick is taken.) + +8. The goalkeeper may, within his own half of the field of play, use his +hands, but shall not carry the ball. The goalkeeper shall not be charged +except when he is holding the ball or obstructing an opponent, or when +he has passed outside the goal area. The goalkeeper may be changed +during the game, but notice of such change must first be given to the +referee. + +(If the goalkeeper has been changed without the referee being notified, +and the new goalkeeper shall handle the ball within the penalty area, a +penalty kick must be awarded.) + +9. Neither tripping, kicking, nor jumping at a player shall be allowed. +A player (the goalkeeper excepted), shall not intentionally handle the +ball under any pretence whatever. A player shall not use his hands to +hold or push an opponent. Charging is permissible, but it must not be +violent or dangerous. A player shall not be charged from behind unless +he is obstructing an opponent. + +10. When a free kick has been awarded, the kicker's opponents shall not +approach within six yards of the ball, unless they are standing on their +own goal line. The ball must at least be rolled over before it shall be +considered played, _i.e._, it must make a complete circuit or travel +the distance of its circumference. The kicker shall not play the ball a +second time until it has been played by another player. The kick-off +(except as provided by Law 2), corner kick, and goal kick shall be free +kicks within the meaning of the law. + +11. A goal may be scored from a free kick which is awarded because of +any infringement of Law 9, but not from any other free kick. + +12. A player shall not wear any nails, except such as have their heads +driven in flush with the leather, or metal plates, or projections, or +gutta percha on his boots, or on his shin guards. If bars or studs on +the soles or heels of the boot are used they shall not project more than +half an inch, and shall have all their fastenings driven in flush with +the leather. Bars shall be transverse and flat, not less than half an +inch in width, and shall extend from side to side of the boot. Studs +shall be round in plan, not less than half an inch in diameter, and in +no case conical or pointed[C]. Any player discovered infringing this law +shall be prohibited from taking further part in the match. The referee +shall, if required, examine the players' boots before the commencement +of a match. + +[C] (Wearing soft india rubber on the soles of boots is not a violation +of this law.) + +13. A referee shall be appointed, whose duties shall be to enforce the +laws and decide all disputed points; and his decision on points of fact +connected with the game shall be final. He shall also keep a record of +the game and act as timekeeper. In the event of any ungentlemanly play +on the part of the players the offender, or offenders, shall be +cautioned, and if further offence is committed, or in case of violent +conduct, without any previous caution the referee shall have power to +order the offending player off the field of play, and shall transmit the +name or names of such player or players to his or their National +Association, who shall deal with the matter. The referee shall have +power to allow for time wasted, to suspend the game when he thinks fit, +and to terminate the game whenever by reason of darkness, interference +by spectators, or other cause he may deem necessary. But in all cases in +which a game is terminated he shall report the same to the Association +under whose jurisdiction the game was played, who shall have full power +to deal with the matter. The referee shall have power to award a free +kick in any case in which he thinks the conduct of a player dangerous, +but not sufficiently so as to justify him in putting in force the +greater powers vested in him. The power of the referee extends to +offences committed when the play has been temporarily suspended and when +the ball is out of play. + +(Persistent infringement of any of the laws of the game is ungentlemanly +conduct within the meaning of this law. All reports by referees to be +made within three days after the occurrence (Sundays not included), and +reports will be deemed to be made when received in the ordinary course +of post.) + +14. Two linesmen shall be appointed, whose duty (subject to the decision +of the referee) shall be to decide when the ball is out of play, and +which side is entitled to the corner kick, goal kick, or throw-in; and +to assist the referee in carrying out the game in accordance with the +laws[D]. In the event of any undue interference or improper conduct by a +linesman the referee shall have power to order him off the field of play +and appoint a substitute, and report the circumstances to the National +Association having jurisdiction over him, who shall deal with the +matter. + +[D] (Linesmen where neutral should call the attention of the referee to +rough or ungentlemanly conduct, and generally assist him to carry out +the game in a proper manner.) + +15. In the event of a supposed infringement of the laws the ball shall +be in play until a decision has been given. + +16. In the event of any temporary suspension of play from any cause, the +ball not having gone into touch or behind the goal line, the referee +shall throw it down where it was when play was suspended, and the ball +shall be in play when it has touched the ground. If the ball goes into +touch or behind the goal line before it is played by a player, the +referee shall again throw it down. The players on either side shall not +play the ball until it has touched the ground. + +17. In the event of any infringement of Laws 5, 6, 8, 10, or 16, or of a +player being sent off the field under Law 13, a free kick shall be +awarded to the opposite side from the place where the infringement +occurred. In the event of any intentional infringement of Law 9 outside +the penalty area or by the attacking side within the penalty area, a +free kick shall be awarded to the opposite side from the place where the +infringement occurred. In the event of any intentional infringement of +Law 9 by the defending side within the penalty area, the referee shall +award the opponents a penalty kick[E], which shall be taken from the +penalty kick mark under the following conditions:-- + +All players, with the exception of the player taking the penalty kick +and the opponents' goalkeeper, shall be outside the penalty area. The +opponents' goalkeeper shall not advance beyond his goal line. The ball +must be kicked forward. The ball shall be in play when the kick is +taken, and a goal may be scored from a penalty kick; but the ball shall +not be again played by the kicker until it has been played by another +player. If necessary, time of play shall be extended to admit of the +penalty kick being taken. A free kick also shall be awarded to the +opposite side if the ball is not kicked forward or is played a second +time by the player who takes the penalty kick until it has been played +by another player. The referee may refrain from putting the provisions +of this law into effect in cases where he is satisfied that by enforcing +them he would be giving an advantage to the offending side. If, when a +penalty kick is being taken, the ball passes between the goal posts +under the bar, a goal shall not be nullified by reason of any +infringement by the defending side. + +[E] (A penalty kick can be awarded irrespective of the position of the +ball at the time the infringement is committed. In the event of the ball +touching the goalkeeper before passing between the posts when a penalty +kick is being taken at the expiry of time, a goal is scored.) + + +Definition of Terms. + +A place kick is a kick at the ball while it is on the ground in the +field of play. + +A free kick is a kick at the ball in any direction the player pleases +when it is lying on the ground. + +A place kick, a free kick, or a penalty kick must not be taken until the +referee has given a signal for the same. + +Carrying by the goalkeeper is taking more than two steps while holding +the ball or bouncing it on the hand. + +Knocking on is when a player strikes or propels the ball with his hands +or arms. + +Handling and Tripping--Handling is intentionally playing the ball with +the hand or arm; and tripping is intentionally throwing, or attempting +to throw, an opponent by the use of the legs, or by stooping in front of +or behind him. + +Holding includes the obstruction of a player by the hand or any part of +the arm extending from the body. + +Touch is that part of the ground on either side of the field of play. + + +WALTER WATTS AND CO., LTD., PRINTERS AND BOOKBINDERS, LEICESTER. + + + + +[Illustration: BOVRIL] + +Speedy on the "wing"--strong in defence--accurate in every shot at +goal--players keep in excellent form by training on =BOVRIL=. + +And for warding off the colds and chills to which the spectators are +susceptible BOVRIL has been found invaluable. + + +=ON TOP!= My System is "ON TOP." + +This is an accepted fact, acknowledged and guaranteed by the Editors of +the following magazines of Physical Culture:-- + +="HEALTH & STRENGTH."= +="C. B. FRY'S."= +="APOLLO'S."= +="VIM."= +Also ="SUNDAY STRAND,"= ="METHOD,"= and ="THE CAPTAIN."= + +=C. B. FRY, Esq., England's Premier Athlete=, says: "You may try Mr. +Inch's system with every confidence." + +=THE STRONGEST MAN ON EARTH (Arthur Saxon)= says: "I will personally +undertake, from my knowledge of your course, that each pupil who enrolls +will be entirely satisfied with results." + +=15,000 PUPILS= + +endorse these statements, and I think that the above proves that my +system has, by sheer merit, climbed to the topmost rung of the Physical +Culture ladder of fame. + +=IF YOU SUFFER= + +from any physical defect or ailment, or desire improved strength and +development, in your own interests you should get in touch with me. To +the average Physical Culturist or business man I offer a splendid +investment. Individual attention guaranteed. My book is free! Write now, +and ask for "HEALTH AT HOME" and terms for special course. + +=T. INCH=, Physical Culture Expert, Dep. A.F. =The Broadway, Fulham, +LONDON, S.W.= + + +The Way to Live + +HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS + +BY Georges Hackenschmidt. + +In which the famous Athlete and Wrestler lays down common-sense and +healthful rules of living for all classes of the community. This work +embodies a most careful study of life, and each rule is based upon the +opinions of recognised experts. + +This is not a Crank Way of Living, but + +THE RIGHT WAY. + +As a supplement to his work Hackenschmidt details the Story of his Life +in concise and interesting form. + + +WITH OVER FIFTY ILLUSTRATIONS. + +=Price, 2s. 6d.= + +Limited Souvenir Autograph Edition, =5s.= each. + + +[Illustration] + +="SAGA"= + +=THE RELIABLE SPORTS HOUSE.= + +=The "SAGA" (Regd.)= + +(Association or Rugby) =FOOTBALL=. + +[Illustration] + +Finest Selected Scotch Cowhide, specially treated and hand sewn. Best +quality Red Rubber Bladder. The "SAGA" is guaranteed perfect shape and +size. =A MASTERPIECE!= Price =11/6=, Post Free. The ="MARATHON"= Ball, +Round, Sound, and Reliable. Price =9/-=, Post Free. The ="PRACTICE." +Sterling Value.= A Ball for all-round Club play. Price =7/6=, Post Free. + +[Illustration] + +="SAGA" WOOLLENETTE JERSEYS.= + +Latest Patterns and Colours. 5,000 in Stock. + +----=Supplied to all Leading Clubs.=---- + +=2 INCH STRIPES, 1/11, 2/6, 3/6.= Postage 3d. + +Post free, =21/9, 28/-, 37/6= per dozen. + +=PLAIN COLOURS, 1/3, 1/11, 2/6.= Postage 3d. + +Post free, =13/6, 21/9, 27/-= per dozen. + +=A.V. DESIGN JERSEYS, 2/6 & 3/6= each. Postage 3d. + +=RUGBY JERSEYS, 33/-= and =45/-= per doz. Post free. + +[Illustration] + +="SAGA" FOOTBALL KNICKS.= + +WHITE OR NAVY. + +Youths', =1/3, 1/9, 2/-=; All Wool, =3/9=. Postage 3d. + +Men's, =1/4, 1/11, 2/3=; All Wool, =3/11=. Postage 3d. + +Dozens post free. + +[Illustration] + +="SAGA" FOOTBALL BOOTS.= + +Russet Calf, Waterproof Sole, =7/11=. Postage 6d. + +All best made Boots stocked. + +="SAGA" FOOTBALL HOSE.= + +Turned-down Coloured Tops, =101/2d., 1/2, 1/8=, and =2/6= per pair. +Postage 2d. + +=Goal Posts and Nets, Shin Guards, Boundary Posts and Flags, Sweaters, +etc.= See List. =Lists Post Free. Prompt Dispatch.= + +=SPORTS & GAMES ASSOCIATION, +(H.S. Dept.) 56, EDGWARE RD., LONDON.= + + +TRICKS and TESTS of MUSCLES + +BY + +The EDITOR of "HEALTH & STRENGTH." + +A valuable and interesting book which contains material for +entertainment and home-training. Practically no appliances necessary. +The muscles can be kept in trim, while at the same time exhibitions of +muscular skill may be performed by + + :: :: following the hints given. :: :: + +=1s. net.= Post free, =1s. 2d.= + + +SIMPLE STRENGTH TESTS FOR Home Entertainment. + +BY + +The EDITOR of "HEALTH & STRENGTH." + +This collection of useful and diverting tricks follows the lines of +"Tricks and Tests of Muscles," which has met with much favour, and is +now in its + + :: :: third edition. :: :: + +=1s. net.= Post free, =1s. 2d.= + + +THE SPORTS HOUSE +--OF THE-- +WORLD. +GAMAGES +FAMOUS FOOTBALL SPECIALITIES. + +=The "HOLBORN" Football.= + +Stout cowhide hand-sewn case. A strong serviceable ball, complete with +red rubber bladders. No. 4, =5/6=; No. 5, match size, =6/3=. + +=The "ARMY" Football.= + +Specially recommended for barracks and public schools. Capless, eight +sections. The best ball for hard wear, =9/6=; post 4d. + +[Illustration] + +=The "REFEREE" Football.= + +Made in eight sections, finest selected hides. Perfect shape, every ball +guaranteed. Extra strong red rubber bladder, =10/6=. + +[Illustration] + +=ASSOCIATION JERSEYS.= + +=(As worn by all the leading Clubs)= + +No. 1.--Button front plain coloured body with coloured or self-ribbed +neck, =2/3= each; =24/6= doz. + +No. 2.--Plain coloured body with self or coloured-ribbed neck and laced +fronts, =2/11= each; =33/-= doz. For colours in stock see Sports List. + +[Illustration] + +=FOOTBALL KNICKERS.= + +White drill, =1/4=. White swansdown, =1/10=. Boys' sizes ditto, up to +28in., =1/8=. Strong navy serge, =1/4, 1/10=. Super quality navy serge, +=2/11, 3/11, & 5/11=. Boys' ditto, =2/8, 3/8, and 5/8=. Superior +white swansdown, =2/10=. White flannel, =3/11 and 5/11=. Boys' ditto, +=3/8 and 5/8=. Post =4d.= pair. + +=FOOTBALL STOCKINGS.= + +Black or navy, ribbed legs, in various club coloured stripe tops. + +=1/-= pair, =11/6= dozen + +=2/-= " =23/-= " + +=2/6= " =28/6= " + +[Illustration] + +=The "GAMKICK" BOOT.= + +Expressly designed to give ease and pliability when playing, support to +the ankles, and a firm grip of the ground, ensuring great power when +kicking. In Scotch chrome, waterproof soles, cane waists, solid hide +toes, bars or studs. Men's, =8/6=; Boys' sizes, 2 to 5, =7/6=; postage +6d. Other patterns and qualities in stock. Men's sizes from =4/11= to +=12/6= pair. + +FOR ALL OTHER +=FOOTBALL REQUISITES= +SEE OUR 124-PAGE +NEW SPORTS LIST +POST FREE. + +A.W.GAMAGE LTD. +HOLBORN. + +& + +BENETFINK LTD. +CHEAPSIDE. + +LONDON.EC. + + +THE + +Modern Rugby Game + +and + +How to Play It. + +By + +E. GWYN NICHOLLS, + +The Famous Welsh International. + + +This is a thoroughly practical treatise by a player of world-wide +renown, and is supplemented by instructive illustrations. + +Every position on the field is discussed by Mr. Nicholls, who places his +wide experience at the disposal of the aspiring Rugbyite in a lucid and +complete manner. + +The Welsh mode of play, upon which the modern Rugby game is based, is +fully described, while the subject of strategy is handled with the +ability begotten of expert knowledge. + +Price =1s.= Post free, =1s. 2d.= + + +BALL-PUNCHING + +BY + +"GUNNER" MOIR. + +Containing instructions for a variety of strokes and exercises by + +BRITAIN'S HEAVY-WEIGHT BOXING CHAMPION. + +=6d. Post free, 7d.= + + +Simple Indian-Club Exercises + +Simple Dumb-Bell Exercises + +BY + +=STAFF-SERGT. MOSS= + +(Late Headquarters Gymnastic Staff, Aldershot). + +=6d. each. Post free, 7d.= + +These handbooks contain a number of illustrated exercises of great +service to the beginner. + + +"UNCLE BOB" SERIES: + +ROUND SHOULDERS and How to Cure Them. + +KNOCK-KNEES and BOW-LEGS. + +FOOT AILMENTS and Care of the Feet. + +LEG DEVELOPMENT. + +Careful instructions and remedial treatment are given in these little +treatises. + +=6d. each. Post free, 7d.= + + +TEXT-BOOK OF + +WEIGHT-LIFTING + +BY + +Arthur Saxon + +THE STRONGEST MAN IN THE WORLD. + +This book, containing detailed and illustrated instructions for lifts of +all kinds, is an authoritative and invaluable guide to aspiring +athletes. + +=1s. net.= Post free, =1s. 2d.= + + +=TRAINING FOR ATHLETICS=, with 16 plates. The most Complete and +Authoritative Manual of Training ever published. Most of the authors are +World's Champions. The following are the contributors: W. G. GEORGE, +Running; TOMMY BURNS, Boxing; J. WOLFFE, Swimming; MISS SANDERSON, +Fencing; G. W. OLLEY, Cycling; W. G. EAST, Rowing; ARTHUR SAXON, +Weight-Lifting; T. BURROWS, Club-Swinging; J. CARROLL, Wrestling; "RAKU" +UYENISHI, Ju-Jutsu; A. SHRUBB, Long Distance Running; A. T. YEOUMANS, +Walking; J. HIGGINS, Jumping; GUNNER MOIR, Bag Punching. =2s. 6d.= net; +post free =2s. 9d.= + +=MY SYSTEM=, by J. P. MULLER, Ex-Lieut. Royal Danish Engineers, with 44 +illustrations (from photographs). Showing how splendid health may be +acquired and maintained by 15 Minutes' Exercise a Day. Price =2s. 6d.=; +post free =2s. 9d.= Chart and Exercises (on cardboard), =6d.=; post free +=7d.= + +=THE FRESH-AIR BOOK.=--A new and remarkable work by J. P. MULLER. +Profusely illustrated with numerous photographs. Price =2s. 6d.=; post +free =2s. 9d.= + +=TEXT-BOOK OF SWIMMING=, by "JAPPY" WOLFFE, the Famous Channel Swimmer +and Long Distance Champion of the World. =1s.= net; post free =1s. 2d.= + +=TEXT-BOOK OF WRESTLING=, by ERNEST GRUHN, Hon. Instructor to the German +Gymnasium. Late Amateur Champion Wrestler of England. With 42 whole-page +illustrations printed on good paper, suitable for the pocket or library. +=1s.= net; post free =1s. 2d.= + +=SCIENTIFIC BOXING AND SELF-DEFENCE=, by TOMMY BURNS, Heavy-weight +Champion of the World. Forty full-page photographs, specially posed for +by Burns. His own notions of successful fighting and ring generalship, +together with his methods of training and a history of his fights, are +clearly and admirably expressed. Price =2s. 6d.= net; post free =2s. +9d.= A few copies of the Edition-de-Luxe, containing the Author's +Autograph, can still be had. Price =5s.= net. + +=THE EUSTACE MILES SYSTEM OF PHYSICAL CULTURE, with Hints as to Diet.= +By EUSTACE MILES, M.A., Amateur Champion Tennis and Racquets, 1902. +Author of "Ten Rules of Health." With two Charts of Exercises for the +perfection of the body, physical and mental, for men, women and +children. 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