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Canadian Soccer Urban myths.


Former Champ

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I'm trying to track down any kinda info or confirmations about some of the storys I've heard about Canadian soccer over the years. The problem with information is that 50% of it is false.

1) I believe it was in an interview with Brian Budd 15+ years ago he talked about the pitch being invade by armed troops during a match in Central America, something about a civil war. It would have been in the 70's, not sure if it was a WCQ.

2) I heard a story from a believable source that while Graham Leggat was coaching in Canada, he arranged a friendly match (without spectators) with the Rolling Stones while they were on tour. Toronto Metros or Edmonton Drillers are the likely candidates.

I might have a couple more.

Thanks

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I'll don't think I'll be phoning any folks for now, but thanks John. I'll troll around here for a bit. I know for sure that there are at least 10 Canadian soccer fans older than me.

I mean garsh... I'm just a prairie boy and Brian Budd was the worlds greatest athlete for years.

3) Canadian players have been fired from thier European club teams for agreeing to play for Canada. (Jason Bent in Germany rings a bell)

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quote:Originally posted by gwallace76

What about Clark? Didn't he get dropped by his team when he went to the Confederations cup, and was a last minute call up due to injuries?

Clarke was "strongly encouraged" by Osieck to not play in Ireland because of the low level.

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quote:Originally posted by Daniel

Clarke was "strongly encouraged" by Osieck to not play in Ireland because of the low level.

Yeah I think he was on trial somewhere, in Denmark or something Scandinavian, when he left his trial to warm the bench for Osieck at the last minute. I don't think he ever made the field in that tournament.

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quote:Originally posted by Current Champ

I'm trying to track down any kinda info or confirmations about some of the storys I've heard about Canadian soccer over the years. The problem with information is that 50% of it is false.

1) I believe it was in an interview with Brian Budd 15+ years ago he talked about the pitch being invade by armed troops during a match in Central America, something about a civil war. It would have been in the 70's, not sure if it was a WCQ.

2) I heard a story from a believable source that while Graham Leggat was coaching in Canada, he arranged a friendly match (without spectators) with the Rolling Stones while they were on tour. Toronto Metros or Edmonton Drillers are the likely candidates.

I might have a couple more.

Thanks

Re: # 1) I believe this is referred to as "The Soccer (Football) War". It involved Honduras and El Salvador in WC qualifiers during the late-60s wherein pitch battles broke during a couple of the matches due to heated political battles between the two countries, that then boiled over into military conflict. You can Google the rest.

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There was also this incident:

"Dec. 6, 1976 - Port-au-Prince, Haiti; At a World Cup qualifier between Haiti and Cuba, the visitors scored and a Haitian fan set off a firecracker. Fans thought it was gunfire and panicked, knocking down a soldier, whose gun went off and killed a small boy and girl in the crowd. Further panic caused two people to be trampled to death, and one man died jumping over a wall. The soldier committed suicide. "

Canada played a World Cup Qualifier aroudn that time in Port Au Prince as well.

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Paul Fenwick was shown the door by Greenock Morton for leaving the club to join Canada during the 2000 Gold Cup. He got the last laugh as he transferred up a division to Hibs.

As far as the other two haven't heard either of those two stories, but they could easily be true.

Mind you I think yr older than I am champ.

cheers,

matthew

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quote:Originally posted by gwallace76

Fans thought it was gunfire and panicked, knocking down a soldier, whose gun went off and killed a small boy and girl in the crowd.

...The soldier committed suicide. "

That has got to be the most tragically depressing thing I've heard in a while, and I watch the news!

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quote:Originally posted by Winnipeg Fury

Anyone remember the club ? :)

Clarke played for St Patrick's Athletic F.C.

But wikipedia also said the following, which I wasn't aware of:

"In 1998, he joined League of Ireland club St. Patrick's Athletic F.C.. He scored his only goal v Bray Wanderers in May 1999 to clinch the league title for St. Pats.

After the 1999 season, Clarke moved again, this time to the Hampton Roads Mariners. At the time, he was attempting to join clubs in several European leagues, including England, Denmark and Austria, but he had difficulty gaining a work permit. In July 2000, he signed with Longford Town. However, he left the team and returne to Canada in August[1] when Canadian national team coach Holger Osiek threatened to not call him into the national team.[2] Clarke then decided to sign with the Edmonton Drillers of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL)." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Clarke_(athlete)

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quote:Originally posted by franx

I've never heard of the story about the friendly against the rolling stones, but I did play in a friendly against Iron Maiden....does that count ????

Maybe.... hmmmm..... old rock bands all start to look alike after a while.[8D] That might actually be cooler. If you are shy you can pm me the details.:)

I'd considered the "soccer war", but the story I remember with Canada had no shots actually fired, and the Canadian team just calmly walked away to the dressing room without incident.

Thanks y'awl.

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quote:Originally posted by Current Champ

Maybe.... hmmmm..... old rock bands all start to look alike after a while.[8D] That might actually be cooler. If you are shy you can pm me the details.:)

I'd considered the "soccer war", but the story I remember with Canada had no shots actually fired, and the Canadian team just calmly walked away to the dressing room without incident.

Thanks y'awl.

Well Brian Budd only played in 7 or 8 games. He may have been on the bench for a few others though.

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quote:Originally posted by redhat

Clarke played for St Patrick's Athletic F.C.

But wikipedia also said the following, which I wasn't aware of:

"In 1998, he joined League of Ireland club St. Patrick's Athletic F.C.. He scored his only goal v Bray Wanderers in May 1999 to clinch the league title for St. Pats.

After the 1999 season, Clarke moved again, this time to the Hampton Roads Mariners. At the time, he was attempting to join clubs in several European leagues, including England, Denmark and Austria, but he had difficulty gaining a work permit. In July 2000, he signed with Longford Town. However, he left the team and returne to Canada in August[1] when Canadian national team coach Holger Osiek threatened to not call him into the national team.[2] Clarke then decided to sign with the Edmonton Drillers of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL)." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Clarke_(athlete)

I think Jeff Clarke tried to get on with Darlington (DeVos' first English club) for the 2000/2001 season after his stint in Ireland side but was rejected as he could not get a work permit.

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quote:Originally posted by Current Champ

I mean garsh... I'm just a prairie boy and Brian Budd was the worlds greatest athlete for years.

For those too young to remember, ABC in the States ran a junk sports show in the 70's called "Superstars" that threw together well-known athletes into a decathlon competition of sorts to determine (we assume) the world's greatest all-round athlete.

Brian Budd won the thing something like three years in a row, so they banned him from competing again the next year !!

This was the same event in which Joe Frazier famously came close to drowning in the swimming competition. He later admitted he couldn't swim.

Too funny.

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