Minute Book

															250

			Now came the letter asking if Mercer was available and willing to play at Wembley. It
		may again surprise those who talk of "Everton defying the F.A." to know that we wrote as
		follows :-

			"My Board regret that owing to the fact that we are playing Liverpool in the semi-final of the
		Lancashire Cup on Saturday, the 13th inst., our player, Mercer, will not be available for the Wembley
		game.

			We would also like to state our deprecation of the references that have appeared in to-day's
		newspapers with regard to the selection of the above-named player for this match, and of the miscon-
		struction of our reply to you, and would assure the F.A. that these references were entirely unauthorised
		by this Club.
										Yours faithfully,
											THEO KELLY."

		(This last paragraph refers to the statement published in certain newspapers that "Everton
			defy the Association.")

		The Football Association replied:-

			"Your letter of the 1st inst., intimating that your player, Mercer, will not be available for the
		above-named match at Wembley on the 13th April, has been received and will receive attention.

										Yours faithfully,
												S. F. ROUS."

			This letter was dated the 2nd April, and we received no further communication from
		the F.A. until the evening of the 12th April, when we received a telegram from them, stating
		that Mercer must play at Wembley and not for his Club.

			The matter was decided by Sergt. Mercer's Commanding Officer, who granted him leave
		to play at Goodison Park.

			(We may add that we have always been sympathetic to the "Red Cross" cause, as
		is instanced by the fact that not only have we lent our ground and players for these games, but
		on at least four separate occasions, have provided the equipment for one of the teams engaged.)

			During the nine days prior to the receipt of the telegram from the F.A. we were subjected
		to some very unfair criticism by a certain section of the Press, and it is to uphold the good name
		of our Club that we feel bound to state our case.

							Signed by  ERNEST GREEN (Chairman).
								   ANDREW COFFEY.
								   W. C. GIBBINS.
								   DR. C. S. BAXTER.
								   GEORGE EVANS, J.P.
								   THOMAS PERCY, Lieut., R.A.O.C.
								   ALDERMAN A. GATES, J.P.
								   W. R. WILLIAMS.



										Confirmed as correct
										    E. Green
										    Chairman