HE CHINA MAIL, SEPTEMBER 2, 1937.
SCOTTISH SOCCER PROSPECTS DUNDEE LIKELY SPRING A BIG SURPRISE
ABERDEEN'S TRAGIC LOSS
WAS UNFORTUNATE
PROSPECTS for the coming football season are brighter than ever. True
last season finished on a common note with Rangers champions and Cetlic Cup-holders; but the team of the season were Aberdeen, and the best football team, for a short and inspired spell, were the Heart of Midlothian. And if we could be sure of an extended Tynecastle challenge, we could look forward to one of the greatest seasons in memory.
LAST SEASON AT THIS TIME I SUGGESTED THAT THE RANGERS WERE ON THE WANE BECAUSE OF LACK OF RESERVES FIT TO FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE GREAT IBROX PLAYERS OF THE PAST HALF-DOZEN SEASONS. THIS SEEMED LIKE- LY TO BE PROVED AT ONE TIME, BUT THE DISCOVERY OF M'KIELOP, A GRAND YOUNG HALF-BACK, AND THE REJUVENATION OF MPHAIL MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE. NOW, TWELVE MONTHS LATER, I STILL FEEL, AND WITH A YEAR MORE ADDED TO THE VITAL PART OF MY ARGUMENT, THAT THE RANGERS WILL BE LUCKY INDEED, IF THEY CAN OBTAIN UNBROKEN SERVICE FROM "VETERANS SUCH AS GRAY, SIMP,
SON, BROWN, AND MPHAIL.
ing the sides they do, and there are few more popular clubs.
United), who may help balance to the team.
bring
Coats is one of the best centra
forward in the country, and a good deputy has been secured in Gilbert Holland, the Ordinance Survey man- who played amateur for Tranent Juniors, Queen's Park, and Albion Rovers.
Left-back Wanted
The new manager, like nearly every other manager, requires yet a Sound left back. Should he be successful in search, the Dens Park men are as likely as any to make a big splash in the coming [season.
With the possible exception of Falkirk, there is little one expects from the regained clubs. Certainly the two who have gained promotion M'Killop stepped into Meikle-
do not appear to be particularly John's place very readily; Drys-t
well equipped. Ayr United "mop- dale, the ex-Tranent Junior,
Of other clubs, one looks to Third ped up the Second Division, but made a useful deputy for Simp-
Lanark and Clyde to stage revivals. that sort of thing has often blinded son; M'Donald came back to
Neil Dewar's return to Cathkina club to their real needs. form as a defender; and Thorn-
Park was badly needed. Everyone Morton's mainstay may still be ton, a schoolboy, made fleeting!
will welcome this great personality, Hugh Smith, the former Celtic in- and successful appearances
the list, but I will leave the Edin-whose strength and experience will side forwards, who was one of the in the forward line. Yet it isburgh teams until next week The be more than ever valuable with few who could hold the ball to ad- -doubtful how Rangers will shape welter of queries associated with the "Warriors" relying upon youth-vantage in the lower League laid should they experience very real necastle and Easter Road require ful and somewhat alight wing pairs. season. hardship through injuries neces-a lot of space to themselves. Clyde, who also make a bit of a corn- sitating many changes at the one time.
Stenhousemuir
Falkirk Half-backs again Falkirk, however, have been re- ting very wisely, and may gain fresh fame for half-backs. But. (Dun- fermline Athletic) and Pherson (Sheffield United) assure them of strong and thoughtful middle line support for their smart forwards. Manager Craig. though, may be Conningham as manager may make good full back.
At Dundee, the advent of Andy another who would like to find a
Dundee's Good Prospects
There remain Motherwell as like-ler in the junior market, require ly challengers for honours, and it very little to make them a top-notch must be borne in mind that they, side. Noble (ex-St Bernards) and Celtic Unlimited
like the Hearts, bad brilliant spells Gillies, the youngster of overnight feltic, on the other hand, always! appear to have an unlimited reserve record score in their last game. In Stewart has developed into
last season, and routed Celtic by a fame, make a grand left wing, and strength, although to have them a M'Culloch er Johnstone they have half-back, real force one would like to be sure! a likely successor to Ferrier on the that M'Grory's successor was ready left wing, and the signing of Ste- and standing by in R. Murray from wart, ex-St. Johnstone, gave them a
burly and clever centre forward; Buchan and Delaney make the
a difference, but it was seen that St. Johnstone always provide best right wing pair in Scottish who will get plenty of goals if well
he would require several ready-good football, and should do supported. football to-day, and if the left wing
made players for a variety of posi-agam, although Manager Muir are erratic, there is always avail-
tions before a Dens Park side could head's urge will be missing. In con- able M'Donald, who has true Celtic Reserve strength of Fir Park is be put into the lists with any contrast, Hamilton Academicals are not versatility. The rear divisions are good, though possibly not entirely (fidence.
so neat, yet gain results. They, too, probably more adequately covered adequate. Motherwell have some Already he has signed Regan (ex-have their troubles. by strong reserves, and I would unhappy weeks from a financial Partick Thistle and Manchester favour the grand blend of youth point of view, and everything de- City), who was outside right to Kilmarnock, Arbroath, Queen of and experience at Parkhead rather pends upon their Cup runs. They Tommy Walker with Linlithgow the South, and Partick Thistle are than the Ibrox team for a sustained, are to be congratulated upon field- Rose, and MMenemy (Newcastle all in a state of transition, and it hard season
Unhappy Weeks
FOOTBALL FORM GUIDE
State Of Transition
is difficult to see what can be ex- pected from them, just as it is al ways dificult to anticipate how Queen's Park will do. This past few months the amateurs have lost
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Tragic Loss To Aberdeen, runners-up in both League and Cup, one must accord sympathy for the tragic loss of Beynon, their smart right winger.
A comprehensive guide to the form of all clubs in the First the services of several outstand They were not just skilful enough Division of the Scottish League will be found in the appended table, ing men, including Crawford and at wing half-back to stand the To assist in comparing the teams, details of how they have fared Dodds. The spread of Bugby in the strain last term, and they had a in their previous matches are given..”
schools affects Hampden more than weakness at left back. If Temple
The letters W, E and D. indicates matches won, lost and any other place; and it is exceed- improves in the latter position, drawn, respectively Games played at home are indicated in ingly difficult for them to get re- many of their worries will be over. capital letters, while away games are denoted by ordinary type, cruits of the necessary standard. Much, of course, depends on that The figures in brackets denote the position held by that team at the One of the ost notable at pre- little jack-in-the box Falloon, aleonclusion of last season, an asterisk denotes that the team has sent is Duncan, the former Tranent player of the most unlovely third-been promoted, and a dagger that that team has been relegated back football, but, at the same time. one of the most effective. Forward the hard-hitting Strauss can take to the right wing and Lang can hold the left
I see that the Dons made forward- experiments in South Africa think with a view to finding place for Armstrong and rep him by a bigger and more forceful leader. With their present half- backs, however, one cannot Aberdeen forsaking their present policy of a defensive game coupled with sudden, fast attacks. In some respects they have too few moves fare well against the hest of the bigger teams.
Edikurgh Queries The Heartshould come next
see
Dundee (9) ▼WWx Hearts (5) WdwW Motherwell (ID DWY Kangers (1) DwdwD Celtic (3) INDI Falkirk (7) DWLY T. Lanark (6) DWI Ayr (-) IWwl Hamilton (8) WEBW -Kilmarnock WW~~
Partick (13) IWWI.. St Mirren (16) IWDd. Aberdeen (2) wlw. Queen O'S (18) DidL St Johnstone (12) IWld. Queen's PR (15) D[=} Arbroath (14) Ellw
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