 | |
| Full name | Toronto City Soccer Club |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1961 |
| Dissolved | 1967 |
| Stadium | Varsity Stadium |
| Owners | Larry Myslivec, Ed Fitken andSteve Stavro |
Toronto City was a Canadiansoccer team based inToronto, Ontario. Between 1961 and 1967, teams using this name competed in both theEastern Canada Professional Soccer League and theUnited Soccer Association.
In 1961, along with industrialist Larry Myslivec and journalist Ed Fitken,Steve Stavro, aMacedonian Canadian businessman who would go on to ownMaple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, formed theToronto City Soccer Club which played in the newly createdEastern Canada Professional Soccer League. During its inaugural season the team featured several prominent soccer players includingNorthern Ireland internationalDanny Blanchflower,England internationalsStanley Matthews andJohnny Haynes andScottish internationalsJackie Mudie andTommy Younger, notable as the last time the England, Scotland and Northern Ireland captains played on the same side. Younger also coached the team. City won the league in 1964, and in November of that year they offered the role of "manager-coach" toStan Cullis.[1] In January 1966 Stavro fell out with the league administrators and withdrew the team from the league.
In 1966 Stavro helped form theUnited Soccer Association and entered a team calledToronto City in the new league. The USA originally intended to launch its league in the spring of 1968. However a rival league, theNational Professional Soccer League, announced it was ready to launch in 1967. Not wanting to lose ground to its rival, the USA decided to fast track its launch. Without any players of its own, it opted to import whole teams fromEurope andSouth America. It was intended that these teams would represent the franchises during the inaugural season, giving them time to build their own squads for the following season.Toronto City was subsequently represented byHibernian of theScottish Football League.[2]
Together withCleveland Stokers,Detroit Cougars,New York Skyliners,Boston Rovers andWashington Whips, City competed in theEastern Division. These teams were actuallyStoke City,Glentoran,C.A. Cerro,Shamrock Rovers andAberdeen respectively. City eventually finished third,[2] behind the Stokers and the Whips. In December 1967 the US and the NPSL merged to form theNorth American Soccer League.[3][4] As a result of this merger some of the USA franchises, includingToronto City folded. This was partly to avoid cities having more than one club in the new NASL, and City lost out to its NPSL rivalToronto Falcons. Stavro sold his team back to the league for $160,000.[5][6]
Note: MP = Matches played, W = Wins, D = Draws, L = Losses, Pts = Points
Toronto City FC in the Eastern Canada Professional Soccer League.
| Season | Division | MP | W | D | L | Pts | League | Playoff Record | Playoffs |
| 1961 | ECPSL | 24 | 11 | 3 | 10 | 25 | 1st in ECPSL | 1W-1D-1L | Lost Semifinals |
| 1962 | ECPSL | 24 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 23 | 2nd in ECPSL | 1W-0D-1L | Lost Final |
| 1963 | ECPSL | 24 | 2 | 6 | 16 | 10 | 6th in ECPSL | - | Missed playoffs |
| 1964 | ECPSL | 24 | 14 | 6 | 4 | 34 | 1st in ECPSL | 4W-0D-0L | Won President's Cup |
| 1965 | ECPSL | 24 | 5 | 6 | 13 | 16 | 5th in ECPSL | - | Missed playoffs |
