De Engelse Pers over Ajax:
Bonthuis „DE BLAUWVOS"
AJAX TOO GOOD FOR WINDSOR.
Seven internationals in Dutch side.
Never before have Windsor and Eton played against a side
containing seven internationals as they did on Sunday when
the Ajax team, the champions of Holland, defeated them by
eight goals to nil before a crowd of over 15.000. The game was
played in the afternoon in a temperature of 85 degrees.
Ajax 8 v. Windsor Eton 0.
Ajax play on a stadium built on similar lines to Highbury
with the whole of the ground terraced and every person having
a seat with a cushion. The flags of Britain and Holland on
alternate poles, placed right the way round the terracing
completed the scene, when before over 15.000 white shirted
roaring spectators, the teams marched out side by side. On
the ground the band played the national anthem, followed
by the Dutch national anthem. The Windsor players then
presented their Dutch opposite numbers with silver cuff links
and the Captain of Ajax handed George Harman a beautifully
designed silk pennant, commemorating the visit and the
match.
Ajax paid Windsor the compliment of playing their full side,
including the seven men picked for the Holland XI to meet
Switzerland next month. Against such opposition no one could
reasonably expect an amateur team to hold their own. Jack
Reynolds, the Ajax coach, who may be remembered by some
readers as the old Sheffield Wednesday and Grimsby star, told
the Windsor officials frankly that he considered Ajax equal
to any English 3rd or 2nd Division side and reckoned they
would beat a large number of First Division teams.
The playing pitch was as level as a billiard table and had
been watered consistently. Armed mounted policemen on duty
at the four corners of the pitch were a novelty for the English
players, as was the line of substitutes the Dutch had ready
should any casualties occur.
Ajax started the game at a cracking pace and it was soon
pretty obvious that they meant to get ahead at the earliest
possible moment. Windsor stood up to the initial onslaught
well and had just as much of the game as their opponents.
Keeling nearly scored but Keizer, the old Arsenal goalkeeper,
brought off a sensational save. Windsor hung on until the
twenty-ninth minute, when a very quick passing movement
caught them on the hop and the first goal was scored. After
this the Windsor defence collapsed and at half-time the giant
score board registered Ajax 6, Windsor 0'.
In the second half, Windsor fared better and Harman and
Keeling should have scored, but the chances were missed. Ajax
added two more goals. The Ajax' scorers were Bruins, Michels
and Drager, two each; Fischer and Van Dijk.
The game was very clean and there was hardly a single foul.
Brilliant positional play carried out at lightning speed was
the secret of the Ajax success. The writer has never seen a
side combine with such brilliancein fact, the only comparison
one can think of is the Scotland team of the Jackson-James
era. Price, Cooper and Adams took the honours in the Windsor
defence, but the forward line was most disappointing.
The teams were:
Ajax: Keizer; Potharst and Van der Linden; Van de Hart,
Van der Veen and Stoffelen; Fischer, Michels, Bruins, Van Dijk
and Drager.
Windsor and Eton: Price; Petrie and Strowger; Adams,
Cooper and Russell; Griffiths, Harman, Avery, Keeling and
Mills.
A. F. STRIKKERS
BONTBEWARING
MODERNISEREN Koninginneweg 255,
REPARATIE Amsterdam-Zuid
Telef. 95701
DUTCH GIVE THE „ROYALISTS" A GREAT RECEPTION.
Visitors impressed by facilities for the game at the great
Ajax Stadium in Amsterdam.
Mayor's hope that the games may cement friendship.
Since last Friday the Windsor and Eton Football Club have
been on tour in Holland and thanks to the grand hospitality
of the Ajax F.C.their hosts, the Windsor contingent have
enjoyed a wonderful time which will never be forgotten by
any of the party. A telegram was sent to the King, the Patron
of the Club, during the tour and messages of greeting were
exchanged by the Mayor of Windsor and the President of the
Ajax Club. The party returns to Windsor, crossing from the
Hook by the night ship, on Saturday, and Windsor be reached
by mid-day on Sunday.
Windsor and Eton were defeated by the Ajax Club on Sun
day by 80, and drew at The Hague 33 on Wednesday. A
report of the first game appears on page six.
The party left Windsor by motor-coach on Friday afternoon.
In addition to the thirteen players were the President of the
Club, (Captain Basil Hill-Wood) and Mrs. Hill-Wood, Mr. F.
Brazier (chairman) and Mrs. Brazier, Mr. Leslie Lightfoot
(hon. secretary), Mr. S. Hiscock (treasure), Mrs. Hiscock,
Mr. C. Marden and Mr. E. Minchin, hon. secretary of the tour.
At Liverpool Street Station Mr. W. Huggett of the Corin
thian League was on the platform to see the party off and
wish them a successful trip. By a coincidence the Walton
and Horsham F.C. also members of the Corinthian League
travelled over on the same ship.
The arrival.
Shortly after dawn on Saturday the Hook of Holland was
reached, and at eleven o'clock the party arrived at Amsterdam.
On the station to meet the train were representatives of the
Dutch F.A. and the Ajax F.C. The party were conducted to
the Hotel Suisse, which was the headquarters for the whole of
the visit.
A special welcome luncheon was given by the Ajax F.C.
Mr. M. J. Koolhaas, the president of Ajax, expressed the great
pleasure it gave them to have Windsor and Eton as their
guests. His club were proud to be the champions of the Nether
lands and they were meeting Windsor immediately before they
embarked on a tour of Sweden and Norway.
Mr. Basil Hill-Wood and Mr. Brazier spoke of the pleasure
it gave them to be in Holland, explaining that it was the
Club's first foreign tour.
Club colours.
In the afternoon the players were taken to the Ajax Stadium
and were most impressed with the huge stands and commo
dious gymnasium, recreation room, café and dressing rooms.
No professional ground in this country is fitted up on more
elaborate lines. The committee rooms with special offices
for the officials are full of the trophies won by Ajax and round
the walls are draped the pennants of every Club met on the
field.
Windsor are sending a silk red and green pennant to join
those of such famous clubs as West Ham United, Derby
County and leading continental sides.
The full facilities were put at Windsor's disponal and the
team had a training spell under the watchful eye of Jack
Reynolds who is recognized as one of the most brilliant
coaches ever to leave England for the Continent.
How the Dutch learn.
Under the Ajax management there are twenty-two football
pitches, and on these pitches the boys learn the game from
Jack Reynolds and are graded class by class until they reach
the ambition of every footballer in Amsterdam, to play for
one of the Ajax premier elevens.
On Saturday evening a dinner was given in honour of the
Club.
On Sunday after the game the teams dined together and on
Monday a trip to the Zuider Zee and all the many islands
proved very popular. Lunch was provided on the steamer and
tea taken at one of the towns. In the evening another lavish
dinner followed and after that the officials were entertained
to a round of the city's night haunts.
Most friendly.
On Tuesday Haarlem was visited for a day 'at the seaside
