1940–41 in Mandatory Palestine football

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Football in Mandatory Palestine
Season1940–41
← 1939–40 Mandatory Palestine 1941–42 →

The 1940–41 season was the 14th season of competitive football in the British Mandate for Palestine under the Eretz Israel Football Association.

During the season, no official competitions were held due to disagreements between Hapoel and Maccabi factions in the IFA,[1][2] and the teams played only in friendly matches and tournaments.

Non-EIFA tournaments[edit]

Melchett Cup[edit]

The annual cup competition for Maccabi clubs was played during September 1940. In the final, played at the Maccabiah Stadium, Maccabi Tel Aviv had beaten Maccabi Nes Tziona 2–1 with goals from Gaul Machlis and Herzl Fritzner, while Avraham Schneiderowitz scored for Nes Tziona.[3]

Autumn Cup[edit]

This cup competition was announced by FA executive Arthur Baar as a way to have the teams playing throughout the crisis in the FA.[2] Most Maccabi teams chose not to participate, instead competing in their own league.

The competition was played as a two-legged knockout competition. Hapoel Tel Aviv and a British military team, named after its captain, Mr. Watson, qualified for the final. The British team won the first leg, played on 18 January 1941,[4] while Hapoel Tel Aviv won 3–1 in the return leg to win the cup.[5]

National Shield[edit]

This league competition, also nicknamed "Ersatz League",[6][7] was set up by Maccabi as a replacement for the Palestine League.

At the top, 9 teams, from the previous season's top division and Liga Bet, as well as a team representing the Sarona police force, competed for the National Shield (Hebrew: מגן הארץ, Magen HaAretz). The competition was held between November 1940 and July 1941.

The second level was divided into a Samaria (north) and Sharon (south) division, with the winners competing for a prize donated by Palestine Brewery and called Nesher Cup.[2] Maccabi Zikhron Ya'akov won the Samaria division,[8] Maccabi Netanya won the Sharon division, as well as being awarded the cup itself.[9][10]

League table[edit]

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GR Pts
1 Maccabi Petah Tikva 16 10 4 2 41 13 3.154 24
2 Maccabi Rehovot 16 10 4 2 34 14 2.429 24
3 Beitar Tel Aviv 16 10 2 4 39 22 1.773 22
4 Maccabi Tel Aviv 16 7 5 4 42 28 1.500 19
5 Sarona Police 16 9 1 6 34 24 1.417 19
6 Degel Zion Tel Aviv 16 5 4 7 21 24 0.875 14
7 Maccabi Rishon LeZion 16 5 4 7 25 29 0.862 14
8 Hakoah Tel Aviv 16 2 1 13 14 65 0.215 5
9 Maccabi Nes Tziona 16 1 1 14 11 42 0.262 3

References[edit]

  1. ^ Shohat, Elisha (2006). 100 Years of Football 1906-2006. p. 111.
  2. ^ a b c A Crisis in the National Football Association HaBoker, 10 November 1940, via archive.football.org.il (in Hebrew)
  3. ^ Maccabi T.A. Wins Melchett Cup for 1940 HaBoker, 29 September 1940, via archive.football.org.il (in Hebrew)
  4. ^ Mr. Watson Team Wins the Autumn Cup HaBoker, 19 January 1941, via archive.football.org.il (in Hebrew)
  5. ^ Hapoel Tel Aviv Wins the Autumn Cup HaBoker, 2 February 1941, via archive.football.org.il (in Hebrew)
  6. ^ "Ersatz" League Surprises[permanent dead link] The Palestine Post, 26 November 1940, Historical Jewish Press
  7. ^ "Ersatz" League Trophy Handed to Abshalom[permanent dead link] The Palestine Post, 1 July 1940, Historical Jewish Press
  8. ^ Maccabi Zikhron Ya'akov at the Top of the League of Nesher Cup for the Samaria Division HaBoker, 2 March 1941, via archive.football.org.il (in Hebrew)
  9. ^ "סכסוך מסביב למגן-נשר" [Disagreement Concerning Nesher Shield]. HaMashkif (in Hebrew). Tel Aviv. 28 August 1941. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  10. ^ "מסביב ל"מגן נשר"" [Concerning "Nesher Shield"]. Omer (in Hebrew). Tel Aviv. 2 September 1941. Retrieved 19 August 2021.