Page:Association Football and How to Play It (1908) by John Cameron.djvu/10

8 Park of Glasgow, took part in the final contest in 1884 and 1885, but were beaten by the Blackburn Rovers in both cases. After that the Cup had a long sojourn in the North, and it was not until 1901 that my old club, Tottenham Hotspur, managed to bring it back to the South. Again, since then, the North have had a monopoly of it, and Southern enthusiasts are longing for it to have its resting-place somewhere in the South.

Another epoch in the game was the starting of the League system of playing matches. The idea came from the fertile brain of Mr. W. MacGregor, who is familiarly known as the Father of the League. This system undoubtedly proved a great success, and although loyal amateurs still play in the same friendly style the public took to it immensely, as is well shown by the difference between the attendance at league and friendly matches. Senior, junior, and school-boys' are the names of the leagues now existing, not to mention tradesmen's and shopkeepers' Thursday afternoon associations. The mere fact that at Cup-ties and International matches the attendance has been over 100,000 is convincing testimony to the winter pastime's popularity. A record crowd assembled at Hampden Park, Glasgow, last April to see England v. Scotland, the attendance reaching 130,000, and the sight was a most magnificent one. Before the close of my preface I should like to express my regret at the separation of a portion of the Amateur Element from the Parent Body last year, and, personally, I could see no reason for their so doing—I can only say, "The pity of it." Again, football and charity are synonymous, and it would surprise many critics if the total amount of money collected by clubs and associations was reckoned up. The last match in aid of charity was played at Stamford Bridge, between Manchester United and Queen's Park Rangers, and realised over £1,000, and I think that speaks for itself.