R Whittle – Athletic News 09/09/1889

EVERTON NOTES

Athletic News – Monday 09 September 1889

The following are the list of football players who were suspended by the Football Association until May for signing registration forms for two clubs:
A. Brady, Burnley and Everton.
R. Whittle Southport Central and High Park.
R. Milarvie, Derby County and Burslem Port Vale
M. Bennett, Rotherham and Sheffield Wednesday
W. Tuttersall, Burnley Union Star and Wltton.
W. Wade. Kidderminster Barriers and Kidderminster Olympic.
Everton feel very sore on the point of Brady’s suspension. Brady still asserts that he has not signed any paper for Burnley, and it does seem rather peculiar of the English Association to suspend him without inquiry. Had the Everton executive received any intimation whatever of what was going to transpire, they would have appeared along with Brady, who, by the way, was willing to go, but, instead of that, they chose to suspend him without trial.
The Everton supporters may rest assured that the prestige of the club will be maintained, and probably two new men, each with high credentials, will appear next week.
Most people will, however, agree with the action of the Association, if the men have signed the forms, for it is high time professional football players were taught common sense, and any man who leads clubs astray in this manner deserves suspension for a season.
At the annual meeting of the Football Association in May it was decided to put professionals on the same footing as amateurs in the matter of residential qualification. The Council, however, has the sole right of governing the Cup competition ; and it was necessary that they should give a decision on the matter, so far as the Cup rules went, and they did so—carrying out the resolution of the annual meeting. Professionals will now be able to play in the competition with no other qualification than that of 28 days’ membership. This is exactly how the amateurs stand, and it is another proof that we are to have professionalism open and free. When the competition proper comes round there will doubtless be a few surprises in store for the teams when they step on the field.
Everton is a most unfortunate club in getting across the Football Association, and in most cases with something beyond their control. A couple of years ago they were suspended for wholesale professionalism, and it was a blow almost sufficient to break up the club, but happily that was avoided. Last year they had Dick suspended, and now, just when they have got a splendid team together, comes the intimation that Brady has been given a holiday, whilst on Saturday Parry was ordered off the field by Mr. Crump, and this probably means further trouble.
I am sorry to hear this, for it is certainly very disheartening. I do not for a moment think that Brady has got anything but what be richly deserves if he has signed two forms, nor shall I grumble at Parry’s suspension if he has been guilty of violent conduct, but I do think it is hard on the Everton Club to be continually receiving these blows.