Football & how to play it, etc

U
FOOTBALL DESCRIBED
WHEN IS THE
FOOTBALLER
AT HIS BEST ?
Ages of Famous Players.
"Youth will be served" is a truism that
is specially applicable to football. In the
great winter pastime the veteran stage is
early reached, and it is generally reckoned
that when a player has seen his twenty-
fifth birthday his skill and usefulness are
on the down grade. But is this assumption
correct? Let us take a run through the
records of the game, and see if we can find
the age when a footballer rhay be said to
be at his best.
Vigorous Veterans.
" Ned" Doig, of Sunderland fame, may
be
said to be the doyen of football players.
Born in
1
1.868, he is still in the front rank of
goalkeepers--a lively veteran of 36
years. But goalkeepers on the wrong sides
of 30 are not uncommon. Trainer, of Pres-
ton North End, was 37 before lie gave up
the-game;• Sutcliffe and Reader performed
well until they were within five years of 40 ;
while J. VV. Robinson, who is in his 35th
year, is yet fit to be entrusted with the goal
against Scotland.
Bassett, who played for Nest Bromwich
Albion for 16 seasons and for England 16
times, was only 20 when he made his first
appearance
-
for England against Scotland ;
then for eight years in succession he took
the field against the Thistle, but she was past
his best when he was 27. And his wing
partner Bloomer ; what of him ? The Derby
County crack was first "capped" in 1895
when he was 21, and lie was one of the Eng-
lish team that visited Scotland at Pa.rkhead
last April. He scored a great goal, it is
true, but he was not so clever as
,
he used to
be, and at 29 he may be put down as being
in the veteran stage.
John Goodall played ten seasons for
Derby County, and when 33 years of age
he scored a magnificent goal for England
against Scotland at Parkhead in 1896. But
then John was a wonder; an all-round
sportsman, ideal dribbler and lightning
shot at goal, enthusiastic angler, fine
cricketer, capital pigeon shot, and expert
cueist•. He was also a staunch teetotaller,
and played as well when he was 30 as ever
he did. And it: must not be forgotten that
he was with Preston North End when they
secured their never-to-be forgotten records.
Ten years ago Nick Smith and Jahn
Drummond helped Glasgow Ranaers to -yin
the Scottish Cup, and only last April they
appeared in the Scottish final. But although,
these stalwarts are past their best, they
have had a, long innings.. Drummond got
his first cap in 1892, and nine years later
lie was honoured with his place against
Scotland's natural enemy.
Still Going Strong.
Then there is Harry Wood, of Wolver-
hampton Wanderers and Southampton
fame. Boric in 1868, he `seems to be en-
dowed with perennial youths- Foe sixteen
years he has played first-class football, and
only three seasons ago he played the game
of his life at Bury in an English Cup tie.
Third Lanark—last year's Scottish League
cliampions—have to thank their veterans
for their proud position. No one did more a..
for them than versatile Hugh I'Vilson. p`our-
teen years ago he was a. Scottish interna,
tionalist ; in the early nineties he was ono
-
of the " team of all the talents;?? in 1897 he
was " capped" against
Englh_nd
;- -and yet
last season he was the liveliest and trickiest
of the Cathkin brigade.
T
ru
ly
a vigorous
veteran. John Campbell_ and. "Sandy"
M`Mahon formed the left wing. for Scotland
against England in 1893;, but eleven years
afterwards they were still. in. harness.
Campbell was the star artiste. of the Third
Lanark forward line last-
:
.season_, and if not
quite so active as he was. ill. fhi� palmy days,
he still demonstrated that, a, player is not
done at 33.
Wonderful Records.
James hiller went to Sunderland in
1890; he helped the Tynesiders to many
victories, gained every honour that it was
possibl6 to attain, with the exception of an
English Cup badge, and it was only the
other day that he gave up the game for
good. John M'Pherson, the famous Notts
Forest lialf-back, played first-class football
until he was 36, and had nine inter-county
caps and 18 medals.
"Bob" Holmes, of Preston North End,
was born in 1867, and up to a couple of
years ago 'he was playing as well as ever.
John Holt, the little marvel, was 35 before
he gave up the game. He appeared
regularly in the Everton team f
or
nina seasons, and before that he saw
service with Church, Blackpool, Bootle,
and afterwards with 'Reading. Boyle,
the famous Everton half-back of half
a dozen , years ago, who is 33 years of