Brittan to Remain with Steel Workers
Harold Brittan, the star center forward of the Bethlehem Steel soccer team, will remain with this clan. Manager Lewis, of the local clan, is credited with the announcement that Brittan has decided to stay here at least for the balance of the season if only for the purpose of assisting Bethlehem to win more titles on the soccer field. Bethlehem is eliminated in the National Cup competition, the trick having been performed by the Erie F. C. However, the American Cup and National League honors are still at stake and the Steel Workers are going to make a determined bid for the laurels of at least one of these classics.
Had Alluring Offers to Leave
Several weeks ago it was announced in these columns that Brittan had alluring offers to leave and the announcement that he is to remain here, if only for the balance of the present season, will no doubt be heralded with keen delight. The playing of Brittan has attracted wide attention, his performances on American soil also apparently reaching the ears of promoters of the Chelsea Soccer Club, of England, with which Brittan was identified before he migrated to this country. It is the Chelsea Club that is anxious to have the crack center forward return to his first love and during the last few days, it is understood, the club has kept the cables busy offering attractive inducements for him to return and help the club in the first division of the English league. For a time it is known Brittan was decided as to his future plans, but the announcement of Mr. Lewis indicates that he has finally decided to stay.
Was a Late Comer to Bethlehem
Brittan, who during the last few weeks caused the Steel Workers such great concern, joined the club near the close of last season and was eligible to participate only in the final game in the National League between Bethlehem and Robins Dry Docks, the team that eliminated Bethlehem in the final of the American cup competition. In this game Brittan enjoyed the distinction of scoring the winning goal. His playing in that contest ranked with the most brilliant ever witnessed. His dribbling and clever handling of the ball was particularly sensational. This year he has proved a tower of strength on the forward line and his loss at this time would no doubt jeopardize the chances of winning the honors in the title races.
Looks Sweet to Soccer Critics
Not only have local enthusiasts appreciated the brilliant performance of Brittan, but the new Bethlehem center forward apparently looks good to all soccer critics. One in particular, Levi Wilcox, who writes soccer dope for the Philadelphia Inquirer, refers to Brittan with this:
"Brittan is at least 25 percent the strength of the Bethlehem attack this season. Most of the plays were goals having eventually been scored have been through Brittan's instrumentality in either hitting the net or making it possible for one of the other forwards to hit the net. He is easily the most finished forward in this country at the present time. And it is the consensus of opinion, among the veteran followers of the game, that he is the most brilliant front liner who ever came here from England, which is saying a mouth full, when we recall such players as Tommy Green, Bob Miller and Horace Pike, who in the hey day of their career were considered English League timber.
Steel Workers Still the Class
There is nothing wrong with the forward line and with the defense at least holding its own, the Bethlehem team is still the class, is the contention of Luther Lewis. He maintains this opinion despite the fact that the team has not been traveling at the pace of other years, but is gradually showing improvement and is confident that in the remaining games the club will be a vastly improved team. The placing of Bethune at right halfback in place of Tommy Murphy, who this season has not played his usual star game, owing to illness, has greatly strengthened the halfback line. Campbell, though not as spry as formerly, owing to years of service, is still considered the best center halfback in the country, while Morrison, at left half, having become accustomed to Bethlehem's style of play, is showing to better advantage. Ferguson, Wilson and Collier, the fullbacks, are still able to hold their own, while Easton is proving a capable utility man in filling the position of Duncan at goal, the latter being out of commission this season suffering with boils. All in all, the management is satisfied that the club is well balanced and will again bring home new laurels.
New Year's Attraction May be Canceled
When the Bethlehem-Robins Dry Dock American Cup game, scheduled for the Bethlehem Steel field on Christmas Day, was postponed until one week later, due to the fact that the Robins and Erie F. C. played a tie National Cup contest and the rules call for replay the following week, there was keen disappointment. However, there was some satisfaction in looking forward to the contest as an appropriate sporting event to be staged in Bethlehem on New Year. This game now appears uncertain and will probably not be definitely decided until the meeting of the National Cup committee on Thursday to act on a protest entered by the Eries in the replay with the Robins, staged yesterday afternoon, and which was won by the Brooklyn aggregation by the score of 5 goals to 3. The game was the fourth round National Cup tie and was played on Todd's Field, Brooklyn, before a crowd of 5,000 fans. Before the game, the Eries lodged a protest on the grounds that the playing pitch was not full sized. Should the National Cup committee act favorably on the protest, it is more than likely that the game will be staged the following Sunday, which naturally would mean the postponement of the American Cup tilt slated for Bethlehem until the following week.