In 1888 the Ontario based Western Football Association ( founded in 1880, this was the body behind Canada's earliest representative sides) sent a team to the British Isles.
Ireland
|
||||
01.09.88
|
County Antrim
|
2
|
6
|
Canada
|
03.09.88
|
Distillery
|
2
|
3
|
Canada
|
04.09.88
|
Clarence
|
2
|
3
|
Canada
|
05.09.88
|
Belfast YMCA
|
1
|
1
|
Canada
|
Scotland
|
||||
08.09.88
|
Glasgow Rangers
|
1
|
1
|
Canada
|
11.09.88
|
Queen’s Park
|
3
|
1
|
Canada
|
13.09.88
|
Ayr United
|
4
|
0
|
Canada
|
15.09.88
|
Heart of Midlothian
|
0
|
3
|
Canada
|
18.09.88
|
Scotland XI
|
4
|
0
|
Canada
|
England
|
||||
22.09.88
|
Sunderland
|
0
|
3
|
Canada
|
26.09.88
|
Middlesbrough
|
2
|
3
|
Canada
|
29.09.88
|
Lincoln City
|
1
|
3
|
Canada
|
01.10.88
|
Sheffield FC
|
1
|
1
|
Canada
|
04.10.88
|
Notts County
|
2
|
0
|
Canada
|
06.10.88
|
Newton Heath
|
0
|
2
|
Canada
|
08.10.88
|
Blackburn Rovers
|
4
|
1
|
Canada
|
13.10.88
|
Swifts (London)
|
2
|
2
|
Canada
|
15.10.88
|
Northampton
|
2
|
3
|
Canada
|
17.10.88
|
Oxford University
|
1
|
1
|
Canada
|
20.10.88
|
Old Carthusians
|
1
|
0
|
Canada
|
22.10.88
|
Aston Villa
|
4
|
2
|
Canada
|
27.10.88
|
West Bromwich Albion
|
1
|
0
|
Canada
|
31.10.88
|
Swifts (London)
|
1
|
0
|
Canada
|
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
F
|
A
|
23
|
9
|
5
|
9
|
39
|
41
|
The players:
The players were largely from the professional and academic class. The tour required them to take a 2 month break from employment and also to be in a position to pay $200 per man towards the cost of the tour.
The players were largely from the professional and academic class. The tour required them to take a 2 month break from employment and also to be in a position to pay $200 per man towards the cost of the tour.
Club
|
Position
|
Played*
|
Goals**
|
||
Alexander Garrett
|
Toronto Varsity
|
goalkeeper
|
23
|
||
Carl Kranz
|
Berlin Rangers
|
full back
|
18
|
3
|
|
Solomon Brubacher,
|
Berlin Rangers
|
full back
|
21
|
||
Fred Killer
|
Berlin Rangers
|
full back
|
19
|
||
Dr. Harry Pirie
|
Queen’s University, Dundas F.C
|
half back
|
20
|
1
|
|
Dr. William Burnet
|
Galt F.C.
|
half back
|
1
|
||
T.W. Murray
|
Galt F.C
|
half back
|
4
|
||
Dr. Wilfrid P. Mustard
|
Toronto Varsity
|
half back
|
6
|
||
Dr Edward P. Gordon
|
Toronto Varsity
|
half back
|
14
|
||
Harry Bewell
|
Norwood High School.
|
half back
|
2
|
||
David Forsyth
|
Berlin Rangers
|
forward
|
8
|
2
|
|
Walter Bowman
|
Berlin Rangers
|
forward
|
22
|
3
|
|
Alex Gibson
|
Berlin Rangers
|
forward
|
19
|
3
|
|
Dr Walter P. Thomson
|
Toronto Varsity
|
forward
|
21
|
10
|
|
E.H. Webster
|
Galt F.C
|
forward
|
21
|
3
|
|
Harry P Bingham
|
Berlin Rangers.
|
forward
|
4
|
1
|
|
Tom Gibson
|
Berlin Rangers
|
forward
|
21
|
4
|
|
*The lines ups for some of the games are not
known in full.
** The scorers in 3 games (7 goals) are unrecorded. There was also an own goal.
Noteworthy participants included Walter Bowman, who later became the first overseas professional to play in the Football League, and the leader of the party, David Forsyth.
David Forsyth was born in Scotland, but moved to Canada as a baby. He is often referred to as the Father of Canadian (Soccer) Football. He was a mathematician and high school principal responsible for the foundation of Berlin Rangers. He was also involved in the foundation of The Western Football Association of Ontario.
Despite the strong influence of Scotsmen on football throughout the British Empire, Forsyth was the only member of the touring party who was not actually born in Canada.
Berlin is now known as Kitchener.
Noteworthy participants included Walter Bowman, who later became the first overseas professional to play in the Football League, and the leader of the party, David Forsyth.
David Forsyth was born in Scotland, but moved to Canada as a baby. He is often referred to as the Father of Canadian (Soccer) Football. He was a mathematician and high school principal responsible for the foundation of Berlin Rangers. He was also involved in the foundation of The Western Football Association of Ontario.
Despite the strong influence of Scotsmen on football throughout the British Empire, Forsyth was the only member of the touring party who was not actually born in Canada.
Berlin is now known as Kitchener.
