SHOOTING STARS
3 - Goerge Stevenson (Scotland & Motherwell)
Unknown | 15/09/1930

What to do with our boys? Make football players of them. And how shall we teach them the theory? Give them a man who knows. Equip him with black-board and chalk. The march them out for a practical demonstration and tell them to fix their eyes on a master of the craft.

Ah, where shall we find one? At Fir Park, at Motherwell — his name, Goerge Stevenson. Our George — not Motherwell's George, but everybody's George.

A NATIONAL TYPE

For here is a national type. He belongs to Scotland. Observe his magical footwork, his sinuous body action, the cool, methodical ease of modement, the change of course without jerk or hesitancy — like a mechanical vessel that answers obediently to the helm.

Call him fore and aft rig. He sails into it, smoothly, but gathering speed as he goes, the ball close at foot, under perfect control. Right up to the waiting half-back, a quick glide away to avoid the tackle, then a low, sweet pass to the partner who knows exactly what is coming to him.

A TEAM MAN

But not always. No slave to the wing game is George. Overdone, the best wing play that ever was can be neutralised by a wary defence. George knows it — instinctively.

He is one of a team, not out for the glory of self or of self and partners.

Watch him attentively. See how he seems to cruise on to the rocks of watchful degfnders. A delusion. Away to the right the ball is swept, snappily, unerringly.

And see how he attains his end without fuss or flurry. Football to George is no cave-man's game. It is a game for gentlemen to play and he plays it like one.

EVERYBODY'S GEORGE

That is why he is Everybody's George — including those who are his sworn foes for the moment. Fearless yet fair, he compels a straight deal. If there is trouble going, he can look after Number One.

As a figure of a man in football outfit there are few more presentable. He looks the part of an athlete. Compact of frame, limbs finely proportioned to his 5ft. 9in., he is built to last.

Temperamental? No. His disposition is to play the game as a game. He leans to gentility of deportment, and does not shed that characteristic even when circumstances call for a high-tension effort.

ALWAYS THE SAME

If you saw him play for the Scottish League against the Football League a season ago, or at Wembley, in the second half, on that cloudy day of April last, you saw George Stevenson with his "blood up" — and he was still Gentleman George.

Now, if we had a lot more of his kind — but, why repine? We are thankful for George.