Sport

ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL AGAIN
Clubs To Watch
By Our Sports Correspondent
Now that most of the professional footballers have been recalled for training, except, of course, those cricketing footballers who are considered to be -fit and allowed licence to continue their cricket until the end of the season, we may expect some real summer weather.
For many years past " soccer " players have sweltered in high temperatures, during their first three or four matches, while cricketers have oiled their bats and packed them away with regret.
Already the Scottish League has completed three games, and Ireland two.
To-morrow, the English teams will restart, and for eight months (until May next year) we shall experience, once again, the thrill of League Football and, later, the Cup-ties.
Our favourites will, of course, have our first thoughts, and presuming their publicity men have been active during the " close" season, will have had our attention all through the summer.
Opening Matches
In the League, Division I, the Arsenal, and Brentford open the season at home while Sunderland and Derby County (the champions and runners-up) travel to Sheffield and Birmingham respectively, and are opposed by Sheffield Wednesday and West Bromwich Albion.
Every club is naturally optimistic of its chances during the coming winter, and many transfers to strengthen them have been effected since last season. Aston Villa, for the first time in the long history of the club, fight for promotion in the Second League, and as the battle will probably be fierce, they may experience some difficulty in obtaining the necessary lead to re-enter the higher circles. Clubs, with impressive form, have been trying for several years, Tottenham, Sheffield United, West Ham, and Leicester, especially, finding the return no easy task.
In an effort to avoid relegation Aston Villa paid approximately £40,000 in six weeks for seven players: Griffiths (Middlesbrough), Hodgson (Liverpool), Phillips (Wolves), Williams (Huddersfield), Massie (Hearts), Cummings (Partick Thistle), and PaIethorpe (Sheffield Wednesday).
That cinderella of clubs, Charlton Athletic, state that they are relying on the players who helped them to obtain promotion; but the struggle is long, and Brentford, who made a similar statement, found it necessary to purchase players hurriedly, and fill the weak places in the team.
In the Third Division (Northern) the leaders at the season's close, will again prove themselves dour fighters. but one of the four leading sides. Chester. Trannuw, Liman, and Axicpon shatei be
leaving for League II, when the season again ends.
It will be remembered that Luton, Reading, Queen's Park Rangers, and Crystal Palace, all raised the hopes of their followers to the clouds during some games last season, only to lower them to the depths in others; but Luton has been within a fraction of promotion for several
seasons. They are such prodigal producers of talent, both new, and that spurned by other clubs, of which they have such an aptitude to mould to their style, that it must surely be their year.
Promising Teams
Among clubs to watch are Manchester City, Portsmouth and West Bromwich in League I, Sheffield United and Tottenham (considerably handicapped by injuries last season) in League II, and Brighton and Hove Albion in League III (Southern), besides Oldham Athletic and Darlington in League III (Northern). These have gathered together young players who should give a very good account of themselves.
It is an amazing feature of the financial
ability of the Northern Section clubs, that in spite of the small " gates " they receive for most of the season, each club returns the following year, hoping for a better season. With the good fortune to secure a Cup-draw against a team of the Arsenal or Sunderland standing, worries fade from the secretary's, or more often secretary-manager-player's mind, as he knows that the evil genius, finance, will be at least laid low for a time.
We shall not have the fixtures battle again this year, to enliven the game, as the Football League have reached an arrangement with the representatives of the " Pools."
The re-arrangement of fixtures at a moment's notice last year, reflected harshly on some clubs, as " needle matches were not advertised sufficiently in advance to allow the stand tickets to be sold out, and consequently the clubs suffered financial loss.
International
The international fixtures for the corning season are Scotland and Germany at Hampden Park, Wednesday, October 14th, 1936. Wales v. England, in Wales, Saturday, October 17th, 1936. England v. Ireland, in England, Wednesday, November 18th, 1936. Scotland v. Wales, in Scotland, Wednesday, December 2nd, 1936. Wales v. Ireland, in Wales, Wed nesday, March 17th, 1937. Scotland v. England, at Hampden Park, Saturday, April 17th, 1937.
England, therefore, will have only one game on a home ground this year, which which makes our prospect of heading the international table unlikely.