VI. THE LEAGUE AND ITS SUCCESSES.
— Ernest Needham | 19/10/1899 —

If Mr. W. Macgregor, the founder of the League, divined that it would raise football to the level of cricket as a national sport, he must have been a very far-seeing man. Ilis efforts to place the game on a well-organised basis have been eminently successful, and deserve grateful recognition from all those who find football an inducement to manly exertion, and from the thousands whose interest in it leads them into more healthy excitement than they obtain in the public-house and skittle-alley. Were any proof of the improved status of the game needed, a comparison of the numbers attending matches would be sufficient testimony, from the two or three thousand once following the doings of purely local teams, to the scores of thousands over the whole country now enthusiastic over the victories of their pet combinations of carefully selected players. 

A UNIQUE RECORD.

Playing in the League in the first year of its existence, the Preston North End team proved themselves champions, and established a record of unbroken success never since approached. The teams of that time certainly could not have been so nearly equal in merit as ours of to-day; and indirectly we owe to the League the equalising of strength which does so much to give football results their charming un- certainty. In other words, the importance of league matches has led to such an equal distribution of talent that seldom is a result an absolutely foregone conclusion; rather is it the result of a true sporting conflict of teams as nearly equal as possible — when the decision of the fates, as expressed in goals, has been in favour of the players who best used their opportunities and put forth their utmost endeavours. That is what spectators should pay their gate money to see — "a good match," in every sense of the term, and not a mere walk-over by an over-powering team, even though they may be favourites. The difference in the disposition of crowds outside the ropes is considerable, but an all-round improvement in tone is easily to be seen, and if we can only keep the gambling element down, I am sure we shall see applause given wherever deserved: this is the true sportsmanlike treatment which will lead the players to show their best form.

A glance at the history of the League will help to show how the good results we have noted have been brought about. It was early apparent that the more sustained interest in the matches played in the League tournament attracted great numbers of spectators, and hence brought financial success. The Everton team made a speculation on this, and secured fine players by paying good salaries. The result was inevitable, and they quickly rose to the top of the League table. This example was soon followed by Sunderland, and with such success that they were champions in two successive years, and again after giving way to Aston Villa for a season. All this pointed clearly to one thing that the richest clubs, or the most speculative, must soon get the best players, and attain an impregnable position. Had this process continued it would have been suicidal, and interest would soon have died out. But here came in the wisdom of the League Committee. They opposed the buying up of all the good men by making the transfer of a player dependent on the will of the committee who held his engagement, and who had probably discovered and developed him. Thus an originally poor team, poor in pocket and poor in talent, may, by hanging on to the good youngsters, gradually strengthen themselves until they secure public notice and the sun of prosperity shines in the shape of big gates. At the present time the majority of clubs in the first division can put teams into the field as nearly as possible equal in merit, and it is to this doubtless, and therefore to the League, that football owes its popularity.

EFFECT ON PLAYERS AND PROFESSIONALS.

Another agreeable feature, agreeable to the individual player, and pleasing to every honest man, is the ability of committees through public patronage to adequately reward those who devote their time and energy to the game as professionals. They have been called "modern gladiators," and certain it is that in the danger they face, and in the skill called for, the term is not misapplied. Too frequently also their careers are as short and merry, before the public at least, as those of the old Roman wielders of the sword, net and trident. The League has also had a good effect for players. Consequent on this is the improvement in the style of play seen in matches. It is no part of our intention to discuss here the merits of past and present football — that must be left for future consideration. For the present it is only necessary to direct attention to the marvellous pitch of excellence to which the modern "passing game" has been brought, and to the precision and speed of shots at goal by our best forwards. To what other cause than to the proper interpretation of the wishes and intentions of the powers of the League can we describe the cultivation of such perfection? Here, as everywhere, we see brute force giving way before intelligence, and the efforts of each side being put out to circumvent the other through skill and generalship, instead of each man going to his opponent with the deliberate intent to render him hors de combat. The rules of the game are so framed as to render the penalties for ruffianism prohibitive, and yet room is left for spirited play to such an extent that it is impossible to accuse the authorities of "grandmotherly" legislation. Again the executive councils of leagues direct their energies to placing their series of games on a firm basis, so that every player and every club shall be forced to do their utmost in the arena or run the risk of total extinction.

NUMBER OF LEAGUES.

The number of leagues in existence is a matter for wonder, and the work they do in fostering the game is of incalculable benefit. Yet in one sense they have been productive of many misnomers. There is in the football world no qualification of residence necessary, as in county cricket. Hence we find at one time a Sunderland. team composed almost entirely of Scotchmen, and in every case many importations from other localities, so that the name of any team is frequently only indicative of its head-quarters. Do not let us disagree with this natural result of the absence of restrictions, for it has made the game and its exponents cosmopolitan, at least to the English world. The benefit of its working is strikingly seen in the rapid rise of football in the southern counties during recent years. The former drafting of the most prominent players into northern clubs has awakened southern committees to the possibilities of the system, and they are availing themselves of it to strengthen their representatives. The original English League was composed of Lancashire and North-Midland clubs. Their vitality was so stimulated by alliance that, one only of them has passed from existence — the Accrington club — the others having, in almost every case, maintained their position in the First Division or the Second. Now we have a flourishing Southern League which has to divide its competitors into two divisions, and so equal in strength are they becoming that I believe the Northern — that is the English — and the Southern Leagues will ultimately combine, and regroup themselves into two divisions, North. and South.

Smaller clubs are able to unite in minor and district leagues, and by thus locally fighting their way to the front, they may in time be able to seek and obtain entrance to the position of members of the premier leagues. Then the proudest of football honours will be open to them, and the loyal players who have the grit to stick to their first loves will reap a rich reward of praise beyond even the possible monetary consideration. Hitherto the weaker clubs have suffered much in the loss of promising players, for the scouts of the leaders are, and must be, ever on the look out for new blood. In fact the junior leagues may be regarded as having formed, up to the present, feeders for the greater ones, or reserve leagues. In this they have filled a useful position, one that they will always find more or less unavoidable, and one that has really done much to serve scientific football, though at times it loses something of purely local interest. However this latter, as pointed out, has only been replaced by a wider consideration. The measures to prevent the "poaching" of players are gradually being made stronger, and in time we may see some quite local teams rise to high positions.

THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION.

The English League was preceded in point of time by the Football Association, and the two organisations exist side by side at the present time. Their working is perforce largely hand in hand, so much so that an emergency committee, composed of Messrs. J. C. Gregg, C. Crump, and C. W. Alcock, is empowered to act for both. The rules of the game, as framed by the Association, are adopted by the League, and the experience of both affects any alterations found necessary. The reward for the champions of the League, as is well known, takes the form of a Cup, while the winners of the English Cup, and also the runners-up, are personally awarded medals. Great interest centres every year in the Inter-league matches, especially in English v.; Scotch the proceeds of these matches are appropriated to defray the working expenses of the League — and they deserve every support.

The actual control of any match is in the hands of a referee and linesmen. Great is the power, and great the responsibility of those officials. They are selected by the League before the commencement of the season, from the nominations of the clubs. A shorter list of names has been selected for the coming season, and this should result in greater satisfaction all round. It is evident that the success of any referee depends on his accurate knowledge of the rules and their application, and his readiness to give a decision in accordance with them. Hence the necessity for incessant practice with teams, and as there are fewer referees more employment must fall on each, with benefit. The decision of the referee in many cases depends on that of the linesmen, so there is a great need for efficiency in both. Hence I am glad to note that some men are appointed to both duties. The distribution of these important officials between the various matches is always made so as to secure perfect neutrality, and I think I may say that no body of men is freer from all suspicion of unfairness and jobbery. It is unreasonable to expect perfect accuracy in every instance, and indeed there are frequently times in play when only one man, and that not the referee, knows the truth, but I think that every player's duty is to accept the decision given as honest judgment, and, in popular parlance, "to play to the whistle."