A criticism of the present system of importing footballers from the Dominions and Colonies without imposing a period of years as residential qualification was launched by Mr, W. W. Hart who presided at the 50th annual meeting of shareholders of Birmingham Football Club, Limited at St. Andrews, Birmingham, on Friday. In his speech he said he noticed with regret that there was a tendency on the part of some of our leading clubs to import players 2 from South Africa, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. He felt that should be deplored, because they should be satisfied to draw upon what he called our legitimate field for our players.
He considered it a great blot_on English football that after the F.A. hat for years been trying to popularize the game throughout the Empire, "star" players there should be snapped up and brought into English football, He knew the argument of the League clubs that, whereas they must pay £5,000 to £10,000 for a star player here one from the Colonies would cost only £100, but he wanted to see the F.A. take similar steps to those it took' in stopping the importation of Continental players—by imposing a two year residential qualification. He hoped the Birmingham club would continue its preference for local players and he was sure that in that case its prosperity would remain undiminished.
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