Page:Association Football and How to Play It (1908) by John Cameron.djvu/42

40 before a match starts twenty players have to wait for the dilatoriness of the other two. Of course there are exceptional circumstances which are excusable, but the unpunctuality of the players in junior and amateur matches has done a great deal of harm from a spectatorial point of view. Professional clubs soon realise this point, and much of their success in league matches is due to players and officials being invariably ready to start at the advertised time of kick off. If a professional is late a severe penalty is imposed upon him, and the Football League are most autocratic in knowing that the referee and linesmen are always there at the correct time, and if they are late they are liable to be fined. Regarding training for juniors, it only behoves a boy to be thoroughly fit and well. If he indulges in some summer game, such as cricket, tennis, or golf, or if he plays regularly lawn tennis, he should start the season quite fit and well. If, however, he feels in the summer not inclined to follow any of these pastimes, he ought to go in for walking or swimming, so as to reduce his weight, and thus enable him to go on the field and play as usual. In recent years one has heard and read a great deal about special training, and I may remark that special training is not really necessary, even from a professional point of view. What is necessary is to keep the players well together, regular hours for meals, and off to bed in good time. It is the esprit de corps that must be cultivated. The junior who is at business all the week should require but little training. His match on the Saturday, if he leads