Toronto Soccer History

[MarkoftheDrink]

Before the Whitecaps game I was seeing a lot of VCWC hype about all of their great tradition and history. How they've been around since '74 and have a winning tradition, winning the Soccer Bowl in '79 something TFC knows nothing about (we won it in '76 btw) blah blah blah.

Anyway I was just looking around at Toronto's history and found these gems:

But one year later [1905], when the Pilgrims, the first English touring team, came to Canada, something rarely mentioned before came to light. Canadian Rules. It seems that over time, teams in Ontario had begun playing to a somewhat different set of rules to those in use elsewhere, at least in Britain. These rules (or to give them their correct name – Laws), permitted more violent play than the laws in use in Britain — laws that allowed for hacking at players’ legs and tripping, while it was quite alright to jump on the back of the player with the ball. The Pilgrims objected. Controversy ensued, but the games seem to have been played at least partly under Canadian Rules. While the Pilgrims were beaten by the Berlin Rangers 2–1, it was the game against Galt that really mattered, a game billed as being “For the Championship of the World.” Played at beautiful Dickson Park on the banks of the Grand River, the game attracted over 3000 spectators and ended in a 3–3 tie.

http://www.canadiansoccerhistory.com...iohistory1.htm



Enjoy!

[TFC07]

Yeah, I find it funny how Vancouver fans go around and talking about their history and act like we don't have soccer history (even though Toronto soccer history is richer than Vancouver). I was kind of disappointed that TSN didn't make an effort about Toronto soccer history in their broadcast like they did with Whitecaps.

[NBS]

Yeah, I find it funny how Vancouver fans go around and talking about their history and act like we don't have soccer history (even though Toronto soccer history is richer than Vancouver). I was kind of disappointed that TSN didn't make an effort about Toronto soccer history in their broadcast like they did with Whitecaps.

If TSN is indeed "all in" with MLS as an investment property, they have a long way to go from what I've seen to this point.

[ExiledRed]

We need to bring back canadian rules.....FIFA be damned.

[billyfly]

Also

http://www.redpatchboys.ca/forums/sh...hlight=History

[billyfly]

And remember this idea:

http://www.redpatchboys.ca/forums/sh...light=Blizzard

[billyfly]

And the Kings of Toronto

http://www.redpatchboys.ca/forums/sh...hlight=Croatia

[boban]

Yeah, I find it funny how Vancouver fans go around and talking about their history and act like we don't have soccer history (even though Toronto soccer history is richer than Vancouver). I was kind of disappointed that TSN didn't make an effort about Toronto soccer history in their broadcast like they did with Whitecaps.

True, but CBC 4 years ago should have done that for the 1st game of TFC back then. I was disappointed they didn't.

[TOBOR !]

Vancouver have linked this venture with their history from the outset - something that MLSE didn't do with TFC.

[Juanito]

^^

That's probably why. MLSE wanted to distance themselves from anything previously done. I'm not sure if it is good or bad.

[icecoldbeer]

Why didn't Vancouver link themselves with the Columbus Clan F.C. since Sam Lenarduzzi played with them...oh wait, I know why...its already taken by the KKKrew!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbus_Clan_F.C.

[Macksam]

^^

That's probably why. MLSE wanted to distance themselves from anything previously done. I'm not sure if it is good or bad.

Good. The first four years of TFC alone would have sullied the Blizzard name.

[FOGES]

Always love to see a shout out to the Galt squad. 1904 olympic football champions. i remember some clown at the Sun wrote an article about how the team was from toronto, but clearly the medals reside here in Cambridge....on the banks of the Grand River.

Canadian soccer runs deeper than most believe. Thanks for that film clip! Amazing!

[MarkoftheDrink]

Also

http://www.redpatchboys.ca/forums/sh...hlight=History

I too was looking for the Toronto City logo and I found this:



http://www.sportslogos.net/logo.php?...g631npfyr6ecnk

Not sure if it's really Toronto City's logo or maybe a different version of the Toronto Falcons logo or the inspiration for the name Toronto Falcons.

Considering all the failures in Toronto's pro soccer history I can't really blame MLSE for wanting a clean slate, but considering the team seems to be here to stay it might be time to revisit things.

[MarkoftheDrink]

We need to bring back canadian rules.....FIFA be damned.

Haha I think we had enough of that last year, it was called Preki-ball.

[TFCRegina]

Isn't Galt FC from Toronto?

I believe they're the only Canadian team to win a [Gold] Medal in an Olympics...

Nevermind, from Cambridge, ON.

[FOGES]

^^^Galt is the largest of the 3 'boroughs' that make up Cambridge.

I tried a couple of years ago to organize something to honour that team, but like everyone else, no one gives a crap that one of the great early football teams was from right here in So. Ontario. wtf

[Juanito]

I had NO IDEA that football had such roots in Ontario. I guess that is part of the problem.

[Milky]

Toronto FC actually have a nice little memorabilia section in their stadium that documents some of the history of football in this country. Naturally, this section is not assessable to the general public.

[MarkoftheDrink]

Toronto FC actually have a nice little memorabilia section in their stadium that documents some of the history of football in this country. Naturally, this section is not assessable to the general public.

Lol, nice.

[Ivan]

I've heard this before but I think it was mentioned in a recent Globe article, too: the first soccer/football association outside of the UK and Ireland was in Canada, based in Toronto

[nfitz]

The roots of the current CSL go back at least to 1926. I'm less sure of what happened before 1926 - though both the Globe and Mail and Toronto Star are on-line back to the 1800s, so easy to read about it.

Somewhere on the Internet is some great film footage of an 1930 Toronto Ulster United international friendly against Glasgow Rangers at the old Ulster Stadium in Leslieville. It was discussed here or on Big Soccer two or three years ago. Though to be fair Rangers played in Vancouver and Victoria as part of the same tour.

There's a great website of Canadian soccer history - http://www.canadiansoccerhistory.com from the guy who had the article in the programme for Saturday's game.

[Gazza]

People conveniently forget that while with Toronto City, Sir Stanley Matthews mimed a "call my agent" gesture after a goal in reference to his ongoing contract negotiations.

[Oldtimer]

People conveniently forget that while with Toronto City, Sir Stanley Matthews mimed a "call my agent" gesture after a goal in reference to his ongoing contract negotiations.

Who conveniently forgets it? I bet 99.99999% of this board never knew about it.

Anyways, that would have been a classless move. Even for a lord.

[Bars92]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UCXKE5ojsU

ULSTER BOY!!!!

[boban]

Good. The first four years of TFC alone would have sullied the Blizzard name.

Not to mention MC's name.


Note: this was not the final as title may suggest.

[boban]

here's a video history of Toronto soccer to some classic April Wine.

[noochie]

Good thread. We seem to get blasted by whitecaps supporters as a hockey town, yet they forget (very conveniently) that in their teams prime, they saw the lowest average attendance in 1982... also the year that the Canucks made their first Stanley Cup final appearance. Coincidence? Maybe...

Then the next year... as the NASL began to teeter they ended up tying a franchise record in wins with 24 in the year that the Soccer Bowl was being hosted in Vancouver with record attendance crowds... only to be upset in the first round of the playoffs by an underdog (can't remember who that opponent was ).

Needless to say... after the loss that franchise was never quite the same.