AA
HONGKONG FOOTBALL? SUPPLEMENT.
FOOTBALL IN HONGKONG.
THE GREATEST OF WINTER GAMES.
A Word About This Supplement.
Bo re-
With the aponing of the football >enson in Hongkong we make no apology for publishing a special Football Supplement. markable has been the growing popularity of the game in this Colony that it now easily ranks as the most popular of all our sports and largely monopolises public attention throughout the winter months. When one reinembers that only ten years ago there were but live teams in the Senior Division of the League and about eight in the Junior Division, but that during last season there were fourteen teams in the Senior Division and twenty teams in the Junior Division, it is very clearly brought hame how striking has born the spread of the pastime. Not only Britishers, but Chinese, Portuguese, Filipinon, and Indians all join in the game and the enthusiasm with which it is played testifion to the strong appeal it has made to the sporting instincts of all nationalities. On practically every Satur day afternoon last year there were sixteen matches played, the sight playing fields being each used, twice during the afternoon. Regarding the number of spectators, crowds numbering anything up to 4,000 have assembled to watch games in which the Chinese teams have been playing and it is safe to hazard that fully 5,000 people witness a gume of football every Saturday. This easily outstrips the attraction of any other pastime, and "Soccor" roles here, just "as much as at Home, as tho greitost gamu played.
In this Special Number, we have endeavoured comprehensively to cover the whole of the local football world. Owing to the absonoo of several of fl. M. ships on the China Station and to data rogard- ing other teams not being available, it has not bon possible completely to achieve our object, but we have succes led in compiling information, historical and contemporary, which will, wo think, bo read with intorest by all associated with the game hore. who may fail to find roforence to any particular Club with which he is associated or who discovers the omission of some in- torosting fact known to himself, we would enjoin a kindly sympathy, for the work of collection has been arduous and had, of necessity, to be left somewhat incomplete.
To any
Our thanks are due to the officiale of the Hongkong Football Association, Secretaries of Clubs and others who have very willingly assisted us in compiling the information contained in this, Supplo- mont.
UNITED SERVICES LEAGUE.
For Naval And Military Teams.
The naval and military elements
It
gins-Hamilton, R.N., Hun, Secre~ tary and Treasurer, Mr. G. T. May (Military Telephone No. 73). should be added that Mr. May has been Hon. Secretary of the League since 1916-17.
SENIOR WINNERS.
The winners of the Senior
in the Colony find plenty of scope League to date are as follows
for
rivalry in football in the
1912-13 1913-14
matches provided by the United 1914-15 Services League. This body was 1916-16 formed at the Soldiers' Club on October 18th, 1912, and for the first season of its existence it con- sisted of one Division only, the Second Division not being formed until 1913-14. The trophies com. prise a shield for Senior teams And a cup for the Junior Division. The former is the property of the Soldiers' Club and the latter be longs to the League.
In
of the
Royal Englivers.
, D. G. L. I.
Royal Navy. :
.Royal Engineera. .4th K. S. L. 1.
1916--17 1917-18 Hongkong Defence Corps. 1918-19
, Royal Navy. 1919-20 1020-21 1921-22 1022--23 1023-21
.H.M.S. Carlisle. .II.M.S. Hawkins.
......R. G. A.
1st King's Rezt. .H.M.S. Durban.
JUNIOR WINNERS.
From 1914-15 to 1922 there were the first Season
so matches played in the Junior League's existence, the competing Division, neither were any games woro II.M.S. Minotaur, fixed for last season, but the 11.M.S. Defence, H.M.S. Kent, 88th winners for other seasons are:-
teams
Co. R. G. A., 87th Co. R. G. A., 1913-14
83rd Co. R. G. A., Royal Engineers 1922-23
and the X. O. Y. L. I, the latter
running two teams.
The officials for the first year were:-President, tho General
.....D. C. L. I.
...M.9. Hawkins.
Oficer Commanding; Vice-Presi. St. Albans City nftor a poor dent, the Commodoro; Chairman, start hended the Isthmian League Capt. (now Col.) T. A. Robertson, table last season with 39 polats who hold the office until 1917. out of a possible 62.
The present officials are:-Prest. Wycombe Wanderers were the dent, the General Officer Command-most prolific neorors in the lathim
They inz: Vice-President, the Commolan League last season.
Lieut. and scored no fawor than 68 goals Chairman, 'doro; Adjutant Gottam (East Surreys); in the 26 matches on the league Vice-Chairman, Llout.-Comdr. Dou-programme.
TELEGRAPH"
LOCAL FIXTURES FOR THE COMING SEASON.
Dates of Senior and Junior League Matches.
The League season starta in Hongkong to-day; when some in- for teresting matches are down decision The fixtures for the season are as follows:-
FIRST DIVISION. October 4th.
Police v. H.A. Kow.con v. Surreys. "Tamar" .. Club. China "A" v. China "B." October 11th.
RA. v. Kowloon. China "A" v Police. Club v. China "B" Surreys v. "Tamir."
October th.
Kowloon v. Club. Police v. Surreys. "Famar" v. China "A." Chinn "B" v. R.A.
October 25th.
Club v. Police. Surreys v. China, "A." China "B" 4. Kowloon. R.A. v. "Tamar."
November 1st. Kowloon v. "Tamar." Police v. Chins "B." R.A. v. China "A." Club v. Surreys.
November 8th. Surreys v. R.A. China "A" w. Club. Kowloon v. Police. China "B" v. "Tamar."
November 15th, Kowloon v. Chinn "A" Club v R.A, Pollec v. "Tamar." Surreys China "R."
November 29th, R.A. v. Police. Surreys v. Kowloon. Club v. "Tamar," China "A" v. China "H" December 6th.
Kowloon v. R.A. Police v. China "A." China "B" v. Club. "Tamar" v. Surreys.
December 13th,
Club v. Kowloon. Surreys v. Police. China "A" v. "Tomar." R.A. v. China "B." December 20th. Police, v. Club.
China "A" v. Surreyn. Kowloon v. China "B." "Tamar" v. R.A.
December 27th. "Tamar". Kowloon. China "B" v. Police. China "A" v. R.A. Club v. Surreys.
January 3rd.
R.A. v. Surreys. Club v. China "A." Police v. Kowloon. "Tamur" v. China "B,"
February 7th China "A" v. "Kowlona. R.A. v. Club. "Tamar". Police. China "B". Surreys, SECOND DIVISION. October 4th, Sacred Heart v. Kowloon. South China "A" v. Surreys. University v. Club de
Club v. Surreys. Drums v. University.
November 15th.
South China "A" v. Drums. South China "B" v. Sacred
Heart. University v. St. Joseph's "A." Club v. St. Joseph's "." Club de Recre.o "A" v. Kowloon. Surreys v. Club de Recreo "B." November 22nd. Drums v. Souts China "B," Sacred Heart v. Surreys,
AN INTERESTING RETROSPECT.
THE GROWTH OF LOCAL FOOTBALL.
Past and Present Contrasts.
In the early days of football in during this period, were, in the to inter-school Hongkong matches were restricted mnin, confined to "friendlies" between the Hong-games.
The Chinese spectator was con- kong Club, Kowloon, the Y.M.C.A. and the Services. The pubiic dis-spicuous by his absence, and the played te interest und it was occasional few who did manage, to not uncommon to see football and find their way to Happy Valley, golf being played on the Valley were naturally quite mystified as to the object for which twenty-two University v. South China "A"at one and the same time..
Rugby provided the greater at-men were running after a singlo Cub de Recreio "A" v. Club.
What a contrast to-day! When Kowloon v. Club de Recrélo "traction in those carly days, and bail. Recrelo "A."
good support was often accorded St. Joseph's "A" y, bË.
Joseph's "the Services XV, who had a ground the South China Athletic eleven allotted to them occupying the take the field, it is quite the usual position where the present football thing to see about five thousand of their supporters present, each and arounds are marked out.
South Chins "B" v. Club. Drums v. St. Joseph's "B." St. Joseph's "A" v. Club de
Recreio "B," October 11th. Club de Recreio "A" v. St.
Joseph's "B."! Drums v. St. Joseph's "A" Sacred Heart v. South
China "A.": Club de Recreio "B" v, Club. South China "B" v. University. Kowloon v. Surreys.
October 18th.
St. Joseph's "B" v. Saered
Heart. South China "A" v. Club de
Recreio "A.": Surreys v. St. Joseph's "A." Club v. Drums.
University v. Club de
Recreio "." Kowloon v. South China "B." October 25th, South China "B" . Scuth
China "A." St. Joseph's "A" v. Club, St. Joseph's "B" v. Surreys. Club de Recreio "B" v. Club
do Recreio "A." Kowloon v. University, Drums v. Sacred Heart.
November 1st. Surreya v. Drums. University. Sacred Heart. Club v. Kowloon. South China "A" v, Club do
Recrein "B." Club do Recreio "A" v. St.
Joseph's "A." South China "g" v. St.
Joseph's "B." November 8th, St. Joseph's "A" w. South
China "A." Club de Recreio "B" v. South
China "B," St. Joseph's "B" v. Kowloon. Sucred Heart v. Club de
Recreio "A."
November 29th, South China "A" v. Kowloon, South Chinn "B" v. St.
There is no doubt as to the
In 1897, the community presented every one of them perfectly pre- Joseph's "A" the longkong Challenge Shield for pared to challenge the refereo on St. Joseph's "B" v. University. compelition. The trophy stimulat-such a controversial point as that Club de Recreio "B" v. Drums.fed the Interest both of players and of the Offside Law. Club de Recreio "A" v. Surreyu-spectators, though, generally speak- Club v. Sacred Heart. December 6th. St. Joseph's "B" v. South
China "A" Surreys v. South China "B," Kowloon v. St. Joseph's "A." Sacred Heart v, Club do
December 13th South China "A" v. Club. Club de Recreio "A" v. South
Ching "B. St. Joseph's "A" v. Sacred.
Heart. Club de Recreio "B" v. St.
Joseph's "B." Drums v. Kowloon. Surreys v. University,
ing, the game failed as an attrac-enthusiasm which the Chinese tion except for the regular few, showed when the question of the and almost all the Shield games South China Athletle Association were played on the arena of the was first mooted, and when this H.K.F.C. The stand of that Club body came into being, it was cot had about one-third the capacity long, before, by dint of assiduous of the present scating accommoda- practice, they demonstrated their Recreio "Btion, and except on the occasion possibilities. Since that time they Drums v. Club do Recrofo "A." of the Shield Final there was never have improved by leaps and any difculty in obtaining a seat. bounds, and newcomers to the University v. Club,
It is to Q. M. S. Andrews, of Colony in these days are frankly "The Buffs" who were stationed Injamazed at their prowess, while the the Colony in 1909, that the publle Australian and Home papers com- indebted for the formation of mented very favourably on their the Hongkong League. The first football during the Australian tour meetings were held in the Y.M.C.A, which they completed last year.
The Inter-port game between rosms in Alexandra Buildings, when Mr. A. P. Storrle, a promin-Ilongkong and Shanghal now look-- ent Y.M.C.A. player of that day.ed upon as an annual fixture, has Ho always been regarded as the big was elected Hon. Secretary, held the position for several years, match of the season, although and it was due almost entirely to formarly it might have been con. hia ability and keenness, that the sidered in all truth, a fixture be- Lengua was established on a firm tween the Hongkong-F. C. and the Shanghal F. C. Form having basis.
Among the clubs who took part lovelled up considerably, the games in the new tournament were the now are, as they should be, really Royal Engineers, and for many representative, and further attrac seasons they were able to turn out tion has been imparted to the en- an eleven which compared favour counter by the presentation of a jably with the other branches of magnificent cup for annual com- the "Hongkong the Services, despite the fact that petition by the latter had at least three times Telegraph."
With the inauguration of the the number of players they were
Hongkong Football Association able to call upon, if necessary.
The Y.M.C.A, eleven was com- some sixteen years ago, the organi. posed of a number of men from sation of Hongkong football im- the Staff and Departments, the re-proved enormously, and it can mainder being clvillans. Amongst indeed be said that the parent body these latter could be found Mosers. has done its work consistontiy wel], If the number of spectators A. T. Hamilton, R, C. Barlow, and
December 20th, Kowloon v. Sacred Heart. Surreys v. South China "A." Club du Recreio "A" v.
University, Club v. South China "B." St. Joseph's "B" v. Drums. Club de Recreio "B" v. St.
Joseph's "A." December 27th. Sacred Heart v. St. Joseph's "B." Club de Recreio "A" v, South
China "A." St. Joseph's "A". v. Surreys. Drums v. Club. Club do Recreio "B" v.
University, South China "B" v. Kowloon,
(Continued on Page 8)
"Back again Oct: 1924
J. McCubbin. It is to these gentle-fattending the various matches men that much of the credit for week by week is to be taken as any getting the Chinese to participate Indication, it is abundantly clear in the British national game is due, that football has now come to be though, as can be well understood, recognised as the Winter sport of
between Chinese the Colony. the matches
NEW COMPETITIONS.
The other competition will be known as the Lee Wah Competl tion, a challenge cup having been kindly put up by the Log Wah Juwellery Company. This trophy will be competed for by teams selected by the Hongkong Football Additional interest will be creat-Association, the games to be play-
Two Further Trophies Donated.
ed this season in local footballfed as Interpert trial matches on from the fact that two new Com- the knock-out system. This should petitions are to be ran, for which be the means of testing out men have been for the Interport games and cups magnificent
materjaliy_help those with whom generously donnied.
One of these competitions will be the selection of teams will rest.
The dates for the playing of the known na the "Sunday Herald"! Charity Cup Competition, which semi-finals of the Lai Wah Gup will be offered for competition Competition have been provision- amongat international teams, the ally fixed as follows:-ist semi- gate-money in those matches to be anal, November 22nd: 2nd semi- devoted to charity. This compati-Anal, January 17th. The final will tion is minde possible through the in all probability be played on
February 21st. kind offer of a cup by the pro-
Matches for the International prietors of the "Sunday, Herald," and it should provide some excel-Charity Shield will be played on December 20th, February 28th, and lent contests.
March 21st.
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