by Andy Fraser

OWNING A franchise in the North American Soccer
League is akin to playing with a hand grenade from
which the pin has been long removed. Exciting for
those who like adventure, but a real downer for the

normal among us.

Assailed on all! sides by the
spectre of complete collapse,
overloaded with debt, largely
ignored by the media, the
owners of the remaining few
could be lkened to the
privates who spent too long
in the trenches in the war and
have come down with severe
trauma often = called shell
shock.

And yet, with the corpse of
the Seattle Sounders still not
cold, there was Clive Toye,
president of the Toronto
Blizzard. saying Thursday
night that a six or eight team
league would sull) be viable
and in fact, ‘then we would
get down to business with the
right people’.

Toye. who has been
around the league since 1968
and who signed Pele and
Beckenbauer to the Cosmos

is a hard nosed realist
who started off as a jour-

nalist in England, a fact
which should not be held
against him.

Since discovering the

wacky world of the NASL,
he has seen some colossal
blunders by owners who suf-
fered from the more money
than brains malady, yet has
still managed to see a future
for the game in North
America.

Toye sees more teams go-
ing down but it doesn’t
change his viewpoint. He sees
the need for the league to
purge itself on the remaining
weak franchises in order to
get down to the ‘tempered-by
fire’ few who can then begin
to build a league from the
forundation up rather from
the clouds down.

Barbara Barton F.B.C.O.
Optometrist

is pleased
to announce the opening
of her new office

for the practice of

tometry

September 1, 1983.

Lynn Valley Mall.

#105- 1258 Lynn Valley Road.

North Vancouver V7J 2A3

Tues-Friday
984-6087

Happy 40th
Birthday
INGA
Love Glenn &

Arlene, Wayne
& Sandy

than money

Professional
succeed

will
in North America.
But it will take time, money

soccer

and people who love the

‘game. The number of kids

and adults playing the game,
the interest growing among
the parents, and the few solid
franchises will nurture along
the game that is the most
popular in the world.

No one can deny that the
collapse of the Sounder fran-
chise is anything but a
disaster. It was a solid club
building a strong tradition as
well as a great rivalry with the
Whitecaps. Yet one man
basically destroyed this club.
It will be interesting to see if
the many many thousands in
Seattle who have fallen for
the game will be enough to
overcome the inane failings
of the ex-owner and revive
the game in Seattle.

In the meantime, there are
new plans underway. The
concept introduced briefly by
Peter Bridgwater of having a
number of clubs from around
the world competing = with

NASL club with points to
count in league standings has
considerable merit and would
add that international flavor
that makes the game so ex-
clung to many.

Another posttive mave
would be to drop the Team
Canada concept. Molson’s
and the Canadian Soccer
Association have helped
screw up another excellent
fledgling franchisé in Mon-
treal by their delusions and
dreams. Admit the blunder
and try to rebuild in Quebec.

When Jock Stein passed
through this way with the
Scottish National team a
while back he wondered
aloud why the NASL
wouldn’t) go to Scotland
(where else ) and pick up
some of the fine young
players in the first and second
divisions who play part time,
give them a full time salary
which would sull) be con-
siderably cheaper than the
present budgets which are
paying out for many of the
middle-aged.

‘You want stars ques-
tioned Stein. ‘When these
kids start scoring goals you'll
have stars” The boss) of
Scotland’s national team
claims that the game is about
attitude and running - both
attributes of voung legs. The
game needs pace an_ the
young players could provide
it.

The media concerns are a
separate problem. Soccer is

ANNOUNCEMENT

Ray

Barber Shop
Patrons of the
Capilano Mall

it is with deep regret that | am tarced to move my

business location

1 will be re-opening at my new

location at 111 East 2nd St N V. about
September 15th Thank you all so much for your
business for over 15 years | took forward to

serving you in the future

988-1412

linda & Brad Eoane are
pleased to announce the birth
of thet first son, Brandan
hee Born Sept 8 l0ibs
602 Speciol thanks to the
wonderful staff at LGH

986-6222

‘ ‘
B28 ey .

Candice
Baker are pleased to an

and Ruasell

nounce the amtval of Erte
deffrey on Aug 25 werghing
9 tbs Proud parents are Don
na and Dace. Special thanks
to Dr dames King, Grace
Hospttal

R.1. Robinson

ongratulations!

For ad rates and deadlines call Classifieds

Wendy and Chrie
Christensen would like to
bestow hearthul thanks for the
lowe and kindness shown to
them by then family friends
and neighbours tn the recent
passing «of thet beloved
daughter Liea Marte

“@ phone Suzanne Christenson at 922-5433.

B3 - Sunday, September 11, 1983 - North Shore News

not a North American game
and is treated with con-
siderable disdain by many
(though not the regular soc-
cer writers an Vancouver).
The others appear to have a
tear ot that which ts dit-
ferent. Otherwise how could
a team that has a 24-6 record
and going into their first
playot! game be relegated to
inside sports page behind

monton Eskimos and Mon-
treal Expos

The league is in trouble,
but people like Toye and
Bridgwater and many others
who love the game are willing
to put their careers and
reputations on the line to see
it succeed. For those with the
money and the toughness it's
actually a. rather exciting
time. But if is not a game, nor
a time, for the weak of heart.

such local teams as the Ed-

‘CARNAUBA
WAX
&
POLISH

SCOUTS CANADA

INFORMATION
HOT LINE

§/9-5/21

*y Lou
980-7413
NEWMAN AUTOMOTIVE

717 W. 15th ST.
NORTH VAN

(behind stardust roller rink}

1983/84 SOCCER PLAYER REGISTRATION
PEE WEE GIRLS AND BOYS
AGES 6 to 10

wena

we:
a
x

Registration forms available at the West
Vancouver Recreation Centre, or phone

Pee Wee Girls - Bill Woods - 922-6087
Pee Wee Boys - Dick Biggar - 921-9228

_ For registration for boys and giris age 11 years and up —

an, y

rs
i

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enough nedurs ie ‘heating
bill by ax much as "75%, «

1 we Weighs 130 pounds for easy removal for Mmaigtenance and s

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* Does net couse creosote, problem, tn firebox or chimney.
# Fine bung. in, firebox where (tis, designed to,
Does not require hearth extaristons to 16 inches,
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OUP H ay

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FOR A WARM RECEPTION

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4