Trinidad and Tobago

I love the way that this team group is set up in the 2-3-5 pyramid formation.
Test cricketer Ellis Achong is at outside left.
It's also good to see a player in spectacles at left half.

Martinez Shield

Trinidad 1936

Britain gave the world football, but as we have seen, her own colonies did not embrace it to the extent that they became significant powers in football, or even play the game as their national sport.

To British minds the Caribbean will always be more associated with cricket.

There was, however, throughout the colonies in The West Indies, a healthy interest in the association game. 

An international match was played between Trinidad & Tobago and  British Guiana (sic) as early as 1905.  regular internationals did not come to the area until the 1920s.

To quote the press of the day an 'Intercolonial Football Tourney' was introduced in 1923. This was the Martinez Shield. 

As a result of arrangements between the Association and the sister Colonies of Demerara and Barbados it is likely that this year will mark the institution of Intercolonial Football between the Colonies.

Trinidad Guardian 01.07.23

The first tournament was played in Trinidad in 1923. Barbados were unable to make it, infact Trinidad and Demerara were the sole contenders for the first 5 editions of the shield. They played 3 matches:

Trinidad  1-1  Demerara
Trinidad  1-0  Demerara
Trinidad  2-0  Demerara

The Martinez Shield was next contested in Demerara in 1925, Trinidad retaining the trophy by winning 2 games to the hosts' 1. 


Another  3 match series back at Trinidad in 1926 saw Trinidad winning 2, with one draw.  In 1928 Trinidad made it 4 in a row,  again winning 2 games to 1 in Demerara. 

Demerara first won the Martinez Shield in 1929. A 5 game series in Trinidad went as follows: 

Trinidad  0-0  Demerara
Trinidad  0-1  Demerara
Trinidad  3-1  Demerara
Trinidad  1-1  Demerara
Trinidad  0-1  Demerara

The Shield finally became a triangular tournament in 1931. Hosts Demerara retained the trophy, whilst new boys Barbados took some heavy beatings. Test Cricketer Ellis Achong was in the Trinidad side, and scored plenty of goals:  

Trinidad  7-1  Barbados
Demerara  1-1  Trinidad
Demerara  9-0  Barbados
Trinidad  5-1  Barbados
Demerara  7-0  Barbados
Demerara  2-0  Trinidad

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Demerara	4	3	1	0	19	1	7
Trinidad	4	2	1	1	13	5	5
Barbados	4	0	0	4	2	28	0

The following year the Shield was contested in Barbados. Demerara were the winners for the third time in succession, but Barbados were greatly improved, beating Trinidad and drawing with Demerara:

Demerara  1-0  Trinidad
Barbados  1-0  Trinidad
Barbados  0-1  Demerara
Barbados  2-2  Demerara
Trinidad  2-1  Demerara 
Barbados  1-3  Trinidad

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Demerara	4	2	1	1	5	4	5
Trinidad	4	2	0	2	5	4	4
Barbados	4	1	1	2	4	6	3

In 1933 Trinidad returned to their winning ways in front of a home crowd:

Barbados  0-2  Demerara
Trinidad  1-1  Demerara
Trinidad  3-1  Ba rbados 
Trinidad  1-0  Demerara 
Demerara  5-2  Barbados
Trinidad  6-0  Barbados

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Trinidad	4	3	1	0	11	2	7
Demerara	4	2	1	1	8	4	5
Barbados	4	0	0	4	3	13	0

Football in Trinidad and Tobago

Casuals FC

TO-DAY will mark the beginning of a new era in the history of sport when the first football match in the League competition which will be contested by the Casuals and Clydesdale teams, which are admittedly the strongest combinations in the local world of football. The recent formation of an Amateur Football Association among the various football clubs in the colony has certainly created greater popular interest in that form of outdoor sport, while tending in itself to lift the game to a higher standard of efficiency by means of open competition in league matches between the respective football units. The cricket season has practically closed and for the next three months, football will be the centre of attraction of our sport-loving community. Strictly speaking, football is more or less in its infancy in this colony, but with the practical sympathy and general interest which it has already awakened, there is evidence that in the not distant future, the game will take that high position in the arena of local sport to which its peculiar attractions so fully entitle it. To-day's game which will be played on "Casuals" ground, will start at 5 p.m. punctually with the formality of the "kicking off" of the ball by the President of the Association; preparatory to which, at five minutes before call of time, the teams will be lined up at their respective goals. The players are requested to turn up at 4.45 p.m., so as to avoid delay in starting. Ample seating accommodation will be made for ladies attending. The teams are as follows:—

CASUALS—(Colours: Maroon and White). Linesman, Mr. T. Jackson. Goal, E.M. Legge; Backs, D. M. Anderson, F. N. Brierly, (capt.); Half-Backs, N. Farian, A. McCracken, R. Johnstone; Forwards, W. H. Eccles, G. D. Owen, J. R. Rochford, Revd. W. E. Smith, G. A. Brierly. Reserves, B. Athill, E. Sanderson.

CLYDESDALE—(Colours: Black and White). Linesman, Mr. A. B. Knowles. Goal, J. B. Todd; Backs, J. Penrich (capt.), J. Simpson; Half-Backs, C. Thavenot, J. H. Hoadley, W. Adam; Forwards, G. Logie, H. Bullock, H. W. Knox, P. Taylor, Wm. Stewart. Reserves, A. H. Cochrane, H. Ewalt.

Mr. Felix Leotaud will be the Referee.

Port-of-Spain Gazette 19.9.08