Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Wednesday 8 December 1915, page 13


DISTRICT FOOTBALL.

THE LEAGUE'S PREPARATIONS.

By OLD BOY

the Victorian Football League, having decided to institute its district scheme next season, lins a sub-committee working out details. Already club secretaries are looking round to see what recruits they can gather in from the various clubs in their districts. To almost every League ground there is attached a junior club, most of them belonging to the Metropolitan, Amateur Football Association. Leading League delegates have long cast longing glances on the organisation which has resisted the blandishments of the professional, and various suggestions have been made whereby players can be

interchangeable between the two bodies. That is to say, that a man shoulder. allowed to play with ins'Leugne team one Saturday, even as a professional, and then return to his metal politely learn the following week as an amateur. ''"The managers of the Metropolitan As-ociillifin, liovveVor. do not regard pinfebsionnlif-UKiih.11,-louie which may be discarded at will, find their mica provide that a man who has accepted money for football must 'stand Aluwn awhile to purge his evidence before he may re-enter the ranks" of amateurism. The time of proba-tion is short enough in all conscience, in fact it is to slight that it ran hardly he said to be adequate. The Lunatic authorities, however, are not content with this system, and demand free transfer between the two bodies. In fact, they contend that the Metropolitan Association must not as a feeder to the League, and are prepared to subsidise the clubs using the ground which they themselves are permitted to occupy'. The matter has been approached very delicately, and so the two cliiDb-Poulh Yarra (who play at St. Kilda) and Beverley (who play at Ainsliemond) have reported to the honorary secretary of the Metropolitan Amateur- Association (Mr. George Steward) that they have been "approached." l

The Metropolitan Association has already announced that it will not resume its premiership competition until the war is over, and it feels that, in view of this decision, the Victorian Football League, by its sub-committee, is not playing the game by approaching its clubs in the way they have been. The Metropolitan Association was founded in 1892. and it is not prepared to be absorbed by the League, is would be the case under the proposed arrangement. It has maintained its independence for nearly 25 years, and it is not likely that it will be content to be simply swallowed up by the professional body, especially after it has taken a definite stand in the cause of ama-tourism. At the present time, when all young men who can should be encouraged to enlist, it seems strange that the League should be busying itself in trying to make' arrangements for next winter, when so many young Australians are giving their

lives for the Umpire.

It is likely that a special meeting of the Metropolitan Amateur Association will be convened in a few days to consider the

situation.