Colin Jose
Colin Jose publishes the
History Of Canadian Soccer Website
When Real Madrid play against Toronto FC on August 7, it will not be the first time that the club has played in Canada. It will be the second.
The first time was on August 25, 1961 in Vancouver against Toronto City. Yes that’s right Toronto City.
This was the first year of the Eastern Canada Professional Soccer League so chances are that Toronto City provided the opposition because it was thought that they would provide the best opposition.
At the start of that season, Toronto City had such stars as Scottish international goalkeeper Tommy Younger, English internationals Stanley Matthews and Johnny Haynes, Scottish international Jack Mudie and Northern Ireland international Danny Blanchflower in the line up.
But long before Toronto City played Real Madrid all but Tommy Younger had gone home, as a result it was a team of little known players mostly from Britain that faced the men in white shirts.
The game was played at old Empire Stadium and the attendance was 24,264. Real won 5-1 on goals from Puskas 2, Di Stefano, Del Sol and Gento. Alec Marshall scored for Toronto. It was 1-1 at half time. Ticket prices were $2, $3 and $4.
The pre-game Real line up, as it was in the Vancouver Sun of August 25, 1961 was; Rogelio Dominguez – Isidor Sanchez, Pedro Casado – Jose Vidal, Jose Santamaria, Enrique Pachin – Justo Tejada, Luis Del Sol, Alfredo Di Stefano, Ferenc Puskas and Francisco Gento.
However the game report said that Puskas did not play in the first half and Di Stefano did not play in the second. The actual game line ups are not in the Vancouver Sun.
The pre game Toronto line up was Tommy Younger – David Caldwell, Tommy McGlennon – Willie Huberts, Andy Fraser, Allan Ashberry – Errol Crossan, Alec Marshall, Peter Smethurst, Bobby Johnstone, Allan Harvey.
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