By "Scrvraron"
The Easter week-end is the most trying in the British soccer season. With the end of the season in sight. the struggle for promotion is more intense, while the fight to gain safety and avoid relegation means a big strain on the players of those clubs in the last six places in the table.
None of the leading clubs in the first division won both of the games they played on Friday and Saturday Arsenal only managed to gain one point and retain the leadership, with Preston North End and Wolverhampton, who gained three points from their games, each a point behind the leaders. Charlton failed to gain a point and as a result dropped in the table, Middlesbrough gained only one point, Brentford three, as did Bolton Wanderers.
At the bottom of the table, none of the relegation candidates succeeded in gaining full points from the two games. Huddersfield, who are the cup finalists, join the Champions, Manchester City, at the bottom of the table, both having 31 points, with Portsmouth at the bottom with 30
Points, Everton were successful in Obtaining three points, as were Birmingham. Grimsby obtained two, whilst West Bromwich Albion failed to obtain a point.
Second Division In the Second Division the position at the top is equally interesting. Asto Villa, who had only one game, head the table with 49 points, whilst Manchester United drop from second to fourth place, having obtained only one point. Sheffield United gained three, and Coventry two, to tie each other in second place with 48 pom's. Aston Villa and Coventry have still two holiday games to play Plymouth Argyle would appear to have reached safety as the result of gaining three points. Swansea, who only gained one point, have to meet the Villa on Monday and Tuesday, and the Swans appear to be doomed io join Cardif City in the Third Division. Notts Forest are a point ahead of the Swans and cannot regard themselves as safe. Blackburn Rovers and the Wednesday obtained two points to increase their total to 33. These teams meet each other on Monday and Tuesday.
Third Division The only leading clubs in the Third Division Southern to gain four point were Watford and Reading, whilst Queen's Park Rangers gained three to permit Watford to hold the joint leadership with them. Brighton and Bristol City both obtained three points from their two games.
The position in the Northern Section is also an interesting one. Oldham obtained four points, being the only leading club in the Division to They are only a point behind the joint leaders, Hull City and Tranmere Rovers who have 47 points these latter clubs, together with Doncaster Rovers, obtained three out of a possible four points. Rotherham only obtained two, whilst Gateshead failed to register a point. Incidentally the Tynesiders lost their unbeaten home record, going down to Doncaster Rovers by the odd goal in five.
In Scotland In the Scottish League the relegation position is providing more interest than the championship, whic! appears to be safe in the keeping of Celtic. Queen's Park, the famous amateur side, must be causing the faithful of Hampden plenty of uneasiness, and their prospects of avai ing relegation do not appear to be very bright. Six Clubs each have 31 points, Ayr, Kilmarnock, Clyde, Queen of the South, St. Mirren and Dundee, with Hamilton having 30 points. Morton cannot avoid relegation, having only 15 points, but with no less than eight clubs all struggling to avoid the second bottom place, the relegation problem of the Scottish League is the most interesting in *he five senior divisions.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.