ASSOCIATION FOOTBALL or SOCCER

The term "soccer" came into use in England during the 1880s by university men from Oxford and Cambridge. The use of "association football" as distinct from "rugby football" was already in practice, and "soccer" became a colloquialism formed by extending the second syllable of "association." While football is the more common name for the sport in Britain, soccer is still used today and one of the world's leading football magazines, published in England is called "World Soccer." The term "soccer" is used extensively in Canada and the United States to distinguish it from Canadian and American style football and is also widely used in Australia where the soccer team is known as the Socceroos.

CANADIAN SOCCER HISTORY

Just what form Association Football, or soccer, took in Canada in the early years of the game is hard to determine. Even in Britain before the formation of The Football Association in 1863, teams played to a variety of rules, and the same would have been true in Canada. A game was played in Toronto in 1859 between the St. George's Society and a team of Irishmen. Games were played in New Westminster in 1862 and in Victoria in 1865. But in the lack of evidence to the contrary, the game in Canada as we know it today has it's roots in a game played in Toronto in 1876. Much more research into the history of the game all across the country needs to be done, but in the meantime the following time line traces some of the highs and lows in the history of soccer in Canada.

1876 - First game played under "London Association Rules" between teams representing the Toronto Lacrosse Club and the Carlton Cricket Club takes place on Parliament Street in Toronto. The term London Association refers to The Football Association of England formed in London, England in 1863, who developed the first standard set of rules.

1877 - The first Dominion Football Association was formed in Canada with teams in the Toronto area represented. This association lasted around three seasons before seemingly fading away. However, copies of a book remain containing the rules and regulations of the Dominion Football Association that published in Toronto in 1879. This was the first national football association formed outside the British isles.

1880 - The Western Football Association (WFA) was formed in Berlin (now Kitchener), Ontario. This organization was to play a major role in the development of soccer throughout southern Ontario for many years. Particularly before and just after 1900, the WFA had teams all over western Ontario in the small towns and villages. They included Seaforth, Mildmay, Listowel, Woodstock, Ingersoll, Brussels, Dundas, Aylmer, Ayr, Tavistock, Preston, Galt and of course Berlin.

1885 and 1886 - The Western Football Association sent teams to New Jersey to play teams from the American Football Association, then the unofficial governing body of soccer in the United States. In 1885 the WFA and AFA played outdoor and indoor games. In an unofficial international in 1885 Canada defeated the U.S. in East Newark, N.J. 1-0, one year later the U.S. won 3-2 on the same field. Teams from these two organizations played one another regularly in the years that followed, sometimes in Canada and other times in the U.S.

1888 - A team of players from the Western Football Association represented Canada on a tour of the British Isles. The tour was highly successful with the Canadians winning nine games, and losing nine games, while five ended in ties. All but one of the 17 players who made the trip were born in Canada, the exception being tour organizer David Forsyth, who was brought to Canada when he was one year old. Almost all of these players had outstanding careers in their own fields later in life.

1890s - WFA teams played teams from Chicago, both at home and away in 1891, and took part in the soccer competition at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. The second tour of the British Isles by players from the WFA one that also included players from the AFA took place in 1891 and lasted from September to January, but was nowhere near as successful as in 1888. On the west coast the earliest clubs were formed in Victoria and Nanaimo

1896 - Manitoba Football Association formed on March 19 in Brandon. The first president was J. Shoemaker of Carberry, the secretary W.A. Harvey of Winnipeg.

1898 - A team from Carberry, Manitoba toured Ontario, playing in Wingham, Clinton, Seaforth, Berlin, Burlington, Bright, Toronto and Deseronto.

1901 - The Ontario Football Association (today's Ontario Soccer Association) was formed in Toronto and the competition for the Ontario Cup began. The first President was Henry Crawford, a schoolteacher. The second Walter Thomson, who was a member of the teams that went to Britain in 1888 and 1891.

1902 - Winnipeg Shamrocks tour Ontario playing in Berlin, Galt, Toronto, Cornwall, and Ottawa along with one game in Montreal, Quebec.

1903 - Galt Football Club tours southern Manitoba. Games were played in Winnipeg, Gretna, Manitou, Plum Coulee, Crystal City, Pilot Mound, Deloraine, Hartney, Brandon, Souris, Gladstone and Portage la Prairie.

1904 - Galt Football Club from the WFA won the gold medal at the Olympic Games held in St. Louis, Missouri. Only three teams took part with Galt defeating two American teams from St. Louis. Galt, now a prt of the city of Cambridge, beat Christian Brothers College 7-0 and St. Rose 4-0. The first true British Columbia Football Association was formed in Victoria on December 29, 1904. The first President was Prof. Davidson of New Westminster. The original BCFA, formed in 1890, only involved teams from Vancouver Island. 1905 - The first tour to Canada by a British team occurred when a team made up of amateur players, and named the Pilgrims, played in Montreal, Hamilton, Niagara Falls, Berlin and Galt. The game against Galt was billed as for the Championship of the World and ended ina 3-3 tie before nearly 4,000 fans in Galt. There was controversy early in the tour as the rules of the game in Canada, even then, differed from those in use in Britain.

1906 - The Saskatchewan Football Association was formed on Good Friday in Indian Head. The first president was W.J. Winning of Wapella. The Alberta Football Association (later known as the Central Alberta Football League) was formed on May 14, in Red Deer, with J.A. Fairley of Innisfail as president. The famous English amateur team known as the Corinthians made the first of a number of tours to Canada playing in Montreal and across southern Ontario, including a game in Seaforth (near Stratford). Later Corinthians tours took place in 1911 and 1924 with the team playing all across Canada, including one game in the small mining town of Cobalt on Lake Timiskaming in Northern Ontario.

1907 - The People's Shield, the closest thing to a national championship at that time, came into being in 1907 and was won by Calgary Caledonians who also won in 1908 and 1909. Con Jones and Will Ellis started the Pacific Coast League with teams in Vancouver, Nanaimo, Ladysmith, Victoria and Seattle. The Alberta Amateur Association Football Association was formed in High River on June 10, representing teams in Southern Alberta with Dr. J.A. Ings being elected president. The organization formed in Red Deer, the previous year ended up only representing teams in Central Alberta.

1909 - The two Alberta associations merged at a meeting held in Red Deer on April 30th to become the Alberta Amateur Football Association with J.W. Ward of Edmonton as president. An all-star team from California arrived in Vancouver by boat and played six games in British Columbia against Vancouver (twice), Nanaimo, Ladysmith, Victoria and a B.C. all-star team. The B.C. teams won two and lost three with one tie. In October of that year B.C. returned the favour and sent an all-star team to play in San Francisco.

1910 - The British Columbia Professional Football League was formed with teams in Vancouver, Victoria, Ladysmith and Nanaimo. The first professional game in Canada was played in Vancouver on March 25, when the Vancouver Callies and Rovers met at Recreation Park, with the Callies winning 3-0.

1911 - The Province of Quebec Football Association (PQFA) was formed in Montreal on April 12, 1911, with Fred Barter becoming its first president. Playing a leading role was Frank Calder, then the secretary of the Montreal and District League. Later Calder became the first president of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Alberta Amateur Football Association was incorporated at its annual meeting held in Edmonton April 17 with the Rev. R. Pearson being elected president.

1912 - The founding meeting of the Dominion of Canada Football Association (DCFA) was held in Toronto on May 24 when provincial soccer executives laid the foundation of what is today's Canadian Soccer Association. Present were Frederick A. Barter, honorary president of the Province of Quebec Football Association, Fred R. Davies, president of the PQFA, H.W.C. Gausden, president of the Toronto and District League, Tom Robertson, secretary-treasurer of the Ontario Football Association, and Norton H. Crow, secretary of the Amateur Athletic Union. A draft constitution was adopted and the following temporary officers elected. J.D. Pratt, Winnipeg, honorary president, Fred A. Barter, Montreal, president, Tom Robertson, Toronto, secretary-treasurer.

The Dominion of Canada Football Association (DCFA) came into being at a meeting held in Winnipeg from July 9 to 13. The following officials were elected. Honorary president E. Baily Fisher (Winnipeg); president Fred A. Barter (Montreal) ; vice president S. Larkin, (Winnipeg); secretary-treasurer, Tom Robertson (Toronto). Executive Members. Tom Watson (Toronto), Malcolm McLean (Shoal Lake), H. Craig Campbell (Montreal), J.W. Ward (Edmonton). The first president Frederick Barter was a journalist. The first secretary Tom Robertson, a Toronto draftsman.

1913 - On January 6, the DCFA became a member of FIFA. Fort William (now Thunder Bay) was chosen as the site for the second annual meeting held September 1-5. The first competition for the Connaught Cup, the first true national championship, was held at the same time in the same city and won by Norwood Wanderers of Winnipeg. On February 7, the Nova Scotia Football Association was formed in Halifax with T.J. Wilkinson the first president.

1914 - On August 15, a second British Columbia Football Association was formed in Victoria, the 1904 edition having become defunct, sometime between 1909 and 1913.

During these, and the immediate preceding years, the game in Canada saw a conflict between those in favour and those against professional soccer. The DCFA was a member of the Canadian Amateur Athletic Union, which was opposed to professional soccer and professional sports in general. But the DCFA was also a member of FIFA, the governing body of world soccer, an organization that supported the growth of both amateur and professional soccer, thus bringing the DCFA into conflict with the CAAU. In October of 1914 the DCFA resigned from the CAAU. Meanwhile the BCFA opted for remaining an amateur organization, and rejected joining the DCFA.

1914-18 - During the years of the First World War soccer continued to be played across Canada while soccer players in their hundreds joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Many of them did not return from the conflict in Europe. Hugh Cairns, from Saskatoon, was awarded the Victoria Cross, Joe Newton, from Hamilton, the Distinguished Conduct Medal and Jimmy Montgomerie, from Montreal, the Military Medal.

1919 - 1920 During these years conflict arose on the B.C. soccer scene between David Leith, former president of the BCFA, and Con Jones, who formed his own provincial association. This conflict spilled over into 1920, with the Jones group applying to be affiliated with the DCFA. His application was approved by then DCFA President Craig Campbell, leaving the BCFA out in the cold. The dispute brought Jack Russell, representing the BCFA, and Con Jones, before a meeting of the DCFA held in February, which upheld Campbell's decision. However, the BCFA would not recognize the ruling. The matter was eventually settled and organized soccer in B.C. became member of the national governing body for the first time in 1920. However, B.C. teams did not enter the Connaught Cup until 1921.

1921 - A Scottish Football Association all-star team toured Canada from coast to coast winning every game including one against a Canadian all-star team in Montreal on July 9 by a narrow margin. The professional American Soccer League is formed in New York City, a league whose teams eventually featured many Canadian players.

1923 - Some sections of the game in Ontario broke away from the DFA and formed a new body known as The Canadian Football Association. The CFA lasted for 18 months before peace was restored between the CFA and the DFA.

1924 - The Canadian national team toured Australia playing six "tests". The team sailed from Victoria on April 10 and returned on August 23, having played 27 games of which 11 were won, 8 lost and 8 ended in ties. Of the "tests" Canada won two, Australia three and one game was tied. Canada did not play Australia again until July 31, 1993 in a World Cup qualifying game in Edmonton.

1925 - Canada played the United States in Montreal, winning 1-0 on a goal from Ed McLaine. A return game was played in Brooklyn, New York in November with the U.S. winning 5-1.

1926 - The National Soccer League was formed with teams in Ontario and Quebec. Canada played the U.S. in Brooklyn once again and lost 6-2. A team representing the English Football Association toured Canada for the first time. Andy Stevens, from Toronto, playing for the New Bedford Whalers of the American Soccer League, became the league's leading goalscorer with 44 goals in 39 games.

1927 - The Canadian national team toured New Zealand playing four internationals. The team played 22 games between May 25 and July 30, winning 19, and losing only two, with one tie. On January 12, with soccer i n British Columbia in turmoil, the DFA appointed a commission to run soccer on the west coast. The commission consisted of Bob Samson, Bill Ellis and Dave Leith. A commission ran soccer in B.C. from then until 1971. A team representing the Scottish Football Association toured Canada.

1928 - The Dominion of Canada Football Association resigned from FIFA and remained outside the world governing body until 1946. In doing so Canada followed the example of British Associations in a dispute over broken time payments to amateurs. Hamilton's Robert "Whitey" McDonald is signed by Glasgow Rangers, who spotted him while on tour in North America. McDonald remained with the famous Scottish club until he retired in 1939. During that time he won four Scottish F.A. Cup medals and four Scottish championship medals.

1929 - With the soccer governing bodies in Quebec in conflict, the DFA appointed a commission to run soccer in the province. Members of the commission were James Keith, T.G. Brown, Tom Mitchell, F.R. Davies and John Somerville. A team representing the Welsh Football Association toured Canada from coast to coast.

1930 - The 1930s brought with it the Great Depression and it hit Canadian soccer hard. The DFA struggled financially and couldn't afford to hold annual meetings in 1932 and 1933 and from 1935 to 1940. In those years business was conducted by mail, including the election of presidents. At one point president Len Peto of Montreal loaned the DFA a considerable sum of money to stave off bankruptcy. The money was later repaid.

1931 - Montreal born goalkeeper Joe Kennaway signed for Glasgow Celtic and was an immediate success. Kennaway played for Celtic from 1931 to 1939 winning three Scottish F.A. cup medals and two Scottish championship medals. He played four times for the Scottish League team and also for Scotland against Austria at Hampden Park in 1933.

1933 - Toronto Scottish, led by Andy Stevens, won the North American club championship, beating U.S. champions St. Louis Stix, Baer and Fuller at Chicago's Soldier Field 2-1.

1935 - The National Soccer League expanded into Northern Ontario, thus creating three divisions. Because of the Depression many players from the Toronto-Hamilton area in particular had moved north to find work, and had strengthened the teams in the mining areas. Falconbridge Mines, Frood Mines and Timmins Dome Mines became powerful teams on the national scene.

1939-1945 - World War Two devastated soccer all across Canada and the DFA along with many provincial associations ceased to exist. When it was all over an era had passed and Canada's soccer world had changed.

1946 - The first annual meeting of the DFA after the war took place in Winnipeg, with Fred Crumblehulme of Calgary being elected president. Unfortunately before the year had ended Fred died and his place was taken by vice president Bob Walker of Montreal. In this year the North American Professional Soccer League was formed with teams from Canada and the U.S. taking part. The Toronto Greenbacks represented Canada but the league only lasted for two seasons.

1957 - Canada entered the FIFA World Cup for the first time and met the United States and Mexico in qualifying for the finals in Sweden in 1958. Canada won its first World Cup game 5-1 against the U.S. in Toronto, but played Mexico twice in Mexico City, for financial reasons, and lost 2-0 and 3-0. In the final game Canada beat the U.S. 3-2 in St. Louis, but it is Mexico who advance to the next round. This is the first time Canada has formed a national team in 30 years.

1960 - The Canadian national team toured the Soviet Union playing games in Moscow, Kharkov, Donetsk and Leningrad. On the way home the team stopped in Britain and played Dundee and West Bromwich Albion. Canada entered and then withdrew from the 1962 World Cup competition forfeiting the $250 entry fee and was fined $100.

1961 - The Eastern Canada Professional Soccer League was formed with four teams. Toronto City, Toronto Italia, Montreal Cantalia and Hamilton Steelers. The league lasted from 1961 to 1966. Montreal Concordia played in the International Soccer League of New York for one season.

1967 - Two coast to coast professional leagues are formed in the U.S. both involving Canadian teams. The National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) had a team in Toronto, the Falcons, while the United Soccer Association (USA) had teams in Vancouver, the Royal Canadians and Toronto City.

1968 - The North American Soccer League began play after the NPSL and the USA merged late in 1967. There were two Canadian teams Toronto Falcons and Vancouver Royals. Both folded at the end of the season when the league dropped from 17 teams down to five. After missing the qualifying rounds for the 1962 and 1966 World Cup's, Canada entered the 1970 competition, beating the U.S. and Bermuda in Toronto, playing a tie in Bermuda and losing to the U.S. in Atlanta, to be eliminated.

1971 - Two Canadian teams enter the NASL, Toronto Metros and Montreal Olympique, as the league expands. Eventually there will be five Canadian teams in the league, Toronto Blizzard, Montreal Manic, Edmonton Drillers, Calgary Boomers and Vancouver Whitecaps.

1976 - The Olympic Games were held in Montreal, but the football tournament featured only 13 teams instead of the normal 16 after the African nations boycotted in protest against South Africa's apartheid policies. Canada opened against the Soviet Union in the Olympic Stadium and lost 2-1, the second game is played in Toronto against North Korea and with another loss and Canada was eliminated. The final in the Olympic Stadium was between East Germany and Poland with the Germans winning 3-1. The game was watched by 71,619. The Toronto Metros-Croatia, led by Portuguese star Eusebio, won the championship of the NASL by beating Minnesota Kicks 3-0 at the Kingdome in Seattle.

1979 - The Vancouver Whitecaps won the NASL championship by beating Tampa Bay Rowdies in the final 2-1 at Giants Stadium in New Jersey.

1983 - Toronto Blizzard reached the NASL final, played at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver, but lost 2-0 to the Tulsa Roughnecks.

1984 - Canada having qualified for the finals of the Olympic Football Tournament, being played in the United States, tied with Iraq, lost to Yugoslavia and then beat Cameroon to qualify for the quarter finals. Here the opposition was Brazil and after taking an early lead Canada lost on penalty kicks. Toronto Blizzard reached the NASL final again but lost a two game home and home series to the Chicago Sting. The game in Toronto was the final NASL game as the league folded early in 1985.

1985 - Canada qualified for the World Cup finals for the first time after beating Honduras 2-1 in St. John's, Newfoundland.

1986 - Canada played in the World Cup finals for the first time when the finals were held in Mexico. Playing in Group C, Canada lost 1-0 to France, and 2-0 to both Hungary and the Soviet Union.

1987 - Canada hosted the FIFA World U-17 championship with games in Toronto, Montreal, St. John's (Newfoundland) and Saint John (New Brunswick). Canada lost to Italy, Egypt and Qatar and the Soviet Union beat Nigeria in the final on penalty kicks. The Canadian Soccer League began play with teams in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, North York, Toronto, Hamilton and Ottawa. The league eventually went coast to coast with teams in Halifax and Victoria, but folded at the end of the 1992 season.

1990 - The Vancouver 86ers win the North American Championship beating Maryland Bays 3-2 in the final played in Burnaby. The game was played between the champions of the Canadian Soccer League and the champions of the American Professional Soccer League.

1993 - Following the collapse of the CSL, two Canadian teams, Vancouver 86ers and Montreal Impact, joined the "A" League in the United States.

1995 - Canada qualified for the finals of the second FIFA Women's World Cup played in Sweden. The team lost to England and Norway and tied with Nigeria.

1999 - Canada qualified for the finals of the third FIFA Women's World Cup played in the United States. Canada tied with Japan and then lost to Norway and Russia.

2000 - Canada won the CONCACAF Gold Cup in February beating Colombia 2-0 in the final. In the group competition Canada tied with Costa Rica and South Korea but won the coin toss in a three way tie. In the quarter final Canada beat Mexico 2-1 and in the semi-final Trinidad and Tobago 1-0.

2002 - Canada reached the Gold Cup semi-final for the second time and met the U.S. in the semi-final. The game was scoreless after 120 minutes but the U.S. won the penalty shoot out 4-2. Canada hosted the first ever FIFA World U-19 tournament for women with games in Edmonton, Victoria and Vancouver. The final between Canada and the United States attracted over 55,000 fans to Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium as the U.S. won on a golden goal. Later in the same year Canada and the U.S. met in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final for women, with both countries having already qualified for the Women's World Cup in China in 2003. The U.S. won the Gold Cup on a golden goal.

By: Colin Jose

Colin Jose is the Historian at The Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum in Vaughan, Ontario, and represents Canada and the United States on the Executive Committee of the International Federation of Football History of Statistics in Wiesbaden, Germany. He is the author of eight books including The Story of Soccer in Canada, NASL: A Complete Record of the North American Soccer League, Keeping Score: The Encyclopedia of Canadian Soccer and On-Side: 125 Years of Soccer in Ontario.

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