THE CHINA MAIL, JANUARY 20, 1989.
Home Football Tables Welsh Rugby Union And
To Date
5 11 45 48 21
8 9 24 40 20
8 11 31 45 20
Newport
Third Division (South)
Queen's P.R.
Bournemouth
P. W. D. L. F. A. Pts.
8 60 36 33 4 42 26 32 8 44 28 30 7 38 25 30 7 62 43 29
Crewe
P. W. D. L. F. A. Pts. 24 10
23 5
22 6
7 8 45 36 26 7.7 47.29 25 7 31-23 25 6 8 33 35 24
5 10 27 42 21
4 10 30 30 20
5 8 36 39 19
5 11 26 37 17 23 4 5 14 21 35 13 Division (North)
P. W. D. L. F. A. Pts.
4 25 17 4 56 24 38 22 13 6 3 51 25 32 24 13
9 56 37 29
9 43 42 27
Alban Davies' Case
(By AIR MAIL)
(By FIRST UP)
THEN only a year or two ago the Scottish Rugby Union excom- municated two Border players nothing much was said by any- stringent rul- It was accepted as an inevitable happening by ing body who call a spade a spade, and recognise a shovel as being the same thing. Why there should be any surprise when the Welsh Union take similar strong action on the question of professionalism is difficult to understand.
Nevertheless, the recent expulsion of Alban Davies, the Cardiff full back, from the game seems to have aroused a measure of sym- pathy. Some expressions of astonishment that the Welsh Union should be so drastic have been made to the writer, and in the One On" made similar comment. leader column recently "Looker must frankly admit being of the opinion that there is not the slightest reason for these expressions of sympathy, and that the Welsh Union could, under the circumstances, take no half measures.
One vital fact has been overlooked
by those who feel Davies has been the victim of Jethart justice. First of all,į it would be as well to quote.what Da- vies said when informed of the decision of his Union. His reported statement was: "I lost three days, work, as I left Cardiff on the Tuesday and the
First Division
P. W. D. L. F. A. Pts.
Derby Everton.
25. 15
5 5 48 28 85
4
3 40 24 86
24 15
2
7 48 28 32
Wolves
24 11
7
6 43 20 29
Liverpool
25 11
7.7 44 38 29
Crystal Pal. Brighton Reading
23 13 5 3 24 13
6 43 28 81
8 42 31 29
25 9 10
6 42 34 28
Middlesbro'
25 11
6
8 56 41 28
Aldershot
23 10 8
5 31 27 28
Chariton
23 11
A
8 33 31 26
Northampton..
24 12
3
8 37 35 27
one.
Leeds
24 10 G
8 41 48 26
Swindon
23 11
Stoke
25
9
7
9 41 48 25
23 9
Aston Villa
24 10
4
10 41 38 24
Notts C.
22 10
5
Sunderland
24 9
6
9 32 36 24
Cardiff
23
9
Arsenal
23
7
9.
7 25 22 23
Watford
24 8
6 10 36 31 22
Bolton
24 7 9
8 40 37 23
Bristol C.
24
8
6 10 36 37 22
Manchester U. 24
7
9
8 36 34 23
Exeter
87
宁
8 8 46 58 22
Grimsby
24
8. 7
9 34 41 23
Mansfield
23
8
Huddersfield
25 8
5 12 34 37 21
Port Vale
22 8
Preston
23
8
5 10 30 37 21
Southend
20
7
Blackpool
24 7
7 10 30 41 21
Chelsea
24 8
Clapton O. Ipswich
22
5
7 10 24 28 19
22 7
Portsmouth
23
22
5
5.10 27 32 19 6 11 22 34 18
Leicester
25 6
Brentford
23
Birmingham
7 5 11 32 49 19 25 7 4 14 53 36 18
Bristol R. Torquay Walsall
7 12 25 27 17
Second Division
Third
Blackburn
Sheffield U.
Newcastle
Coventry
Wednesday
26 15 3 25 11 10 25 13 4 24 13 4 24 12 5
Barnsley Southport Bradford C.
....
3
8 52 32 29
24 16 1
Doncaster
23 10
9
4 43 28 29
West Brom.
24 13 3
8 62 46.29
Oldham
24 13
2
9 48 39 28
Manchester C.
24 12
3
9 64 50 27
New Brighton
25 11
5
Luton
24 12
3
9 46 39 27
Stockport
22 10
6
6 52 37 26
Tottenham
24 10
7
7 40 35 27
Hull
23 11
4
8 51 42 26
Fulham
28 10
6
7 36 30 26
Chester
22 10 5
7 53 42 26
Burnley
26
9
8
9 33 37 26
Barrow
25 11
3' 11 43. 46 25
West Ham
24 10
5
9 44 33 25
Rotherham
Chesterfield
24 10
5
9 38 36 25
Wrexham
25 11 25 10
Bradford
25 8 8
24.9
Millwall
24 8
7 9 38 33 23
25 10
Plymouth
24
9
Bury
26 6
9 10 32 45 21
Carlisle
23 8
Southampton
24
Swansea
23
7 5 12 34 49 19 4 10 9 28 46 18
Lincoln
24
6
Gateshead
23
7
Notts F.
24
5 6 13 30 55 16
York
24
6
5 13 33 55 17
Norwich
23 7
1 15 27 55 15
25
4
2 19 28 64 10
Hartlepools Accrington
25 6 25 2
3 15 33 61 15 4 19 22 52 8
Rangers Hearts
26 15
3
866 44 33
Aberdeen
27 14
5
8 70 45 33
Falkirk
27 13
Б
Queen O'S,
26 13
Celtic
Kilmarnock
Hamilton
Motherwell'
Try it and you'll sing too!
Hibernians
27 12
4 11 56 50 28
Partick
28 12
3 11 48 55 27
Clyde
26 12
2 12 55 54 26
PIEMMEN
St. Johnston
26 10
4 12 54 61 24
LATHER
Third Lanark .
26 8
7 11 50 68 23
St. Mirren
26
8
5 13 39 53 21
Ayr
26
7 6 13 49 62 20
Queen's Park..
25
7
Arbroath
28
5
Albion
266 27 7
Tranmere
9 41 47 24
4 11 28 26 22
Darlington Rochdale Halifax
24 77
2 12 41 42 24 3 12.38 53 23
5 10 43 56 23
3 12 57 48 23 .7 10 22 30 21
4 11 37 57 20
8 10 37 49 20
4 12 38 45 18
THE SMOOTH COMFORT OF
MENNEN LATHER SHAVE
MAKES ANY MAN SINGI
IT WILTS YOUR WHISKERS - AND HOW !
SHAVE
Plain-or Menthol-iced for extra coolness
ЗАРВ23
RW
Scottish League (First Division)
P. W. D. L. F.A. Pts. 26 19 5 3 92 44 43
Raith
9 55 49 31 5. 8 48 43 31 25 12 6 7 71 36 30 26 12 6 8 51 5330 27 13 4 10 48.48 30 27 12
5 10 63-56 29
4 14 37 55 18
7 16 31 60 17
4 16 41 68 16.
2 18 51 75 16
Kine-Exakta
200
200
Fert
Exakta
Jhagae
Dresdays
HELMUT NOCHT
ST. GEORGE'S BUILDING
7, CHATER ROAD.
game was played on Thursday." The which player made further remarks, are of no consequence, but before re- vealing where he made an incriminat- ing remark one naturally asks some obvious questions, prefaced by one in- teresting fact.
YES, WHY?
When C. F. Grieve called off from Major R. V. Stanley's team G. Roberts was invited to fill the vacancy, but he declined because he was unable to be absent from business for one day. One day, it should be noted, and when other players have gone from Scotland to take part in this game they have tra- velled to Oxford and back on. succes- sive nights. Why should Davies have to leave Cardiff, according to his state- ment. two days before the -match? Cardiff to Oxford is no longer a jour-
players ney than the Border
from Hawick, Kelso, and Jedburgh had to make when they went to St. Andrews left for the trial. The South team their homes in the morning and re- turned in the evening, being absent from their employment only one day. Why should Davies require to leave his work for three days?
WHERE DAVIES ERRED
Moreover, Davies Was under no obligation to play if it was not con- venient. One could quote instances of players who have had to decline invita- tions to take part in international matches because they could not leave their employment, and did not D. J. Macrae withdraw from this afternoon's trial because he had examinations? Some may still say that, even so, Da- vies was harshly treated, so after the manner of a popular weekly wireless feature it can be revealed where he gave himself away. Davies said: "I lost three days work, as I left Cardiff on the Tuesday and the game was played on Thursday." The game was played on the Wednesday, November 23.
Then, as regards the previous case of W. H. Hopkins, his excuse was he signed a form in order to get rid of a Dersistent Rugby League agent. What would have happened if Border play- ers taking part in the Selkirk trial, not to mention many who have long ago laid their boots aside, had done the same and advanced the same excuse?
The one ense of harsh official action in modern times concerned Neil Mac- phorson, whose gold watch doubtless still keeps excellent time. It was un- fortunate that the Newport interna- tional forward, who was most popular with the S.R.U. officials of his day, should be the victim of circumstances outwith his control. It was the town authorities, not the club, who present- ed the watches to the "Invincibles." vet who can say the Scottish Union were wrong in insisting that the Inter- national Board draw the line. The S.R.U. long ago made a similar ruling. about seven-a-side rewards, yet it is a peculiar thing that a player can win a prize in kind by successfully kicking goals in a competition at some of the Border tournaments but only gain a modal if his team reach the final of the sports;
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