Toronto-Carib-Soc-History 1

Neville Glanville became the driving force behind the Toronto chapter of the WIU club. Glanville was an influential person in Jamaica sports before migrating to Toronto in 1966. He played both cricket and football and, as a national footballer, was once ranked among the best young cricket prospects in Jamaica. Glanville convinced Tom Sosa to join West Indies United in 1970. They were both at Ryerson University Polytechnic where Sosa was a Lecturer and became the Secretary of WIU. Glanville played his first and only game in the NSL with Sudbury Italia , which ended in a brawl and managed to persuade his teammates of Caribbean descent to stop playing in the NSL. During that break was when he met Mr. Bailey, and the rest is the Toronto Caribbean Soccer History. Can you imagine the feeling of not belonging, and being uncertain of what lies ahead? This sentiment must have resonated deeply with many Black individuals in Toronto during a time of widespread racial prejudice. My own journey in Toronto began with similar feelings. I vividly recall my early days in the city, navigating crowded streetcars where space inexpli cably surrounded me. It was a stark contrast to my life in Jamaica, and I often found myself contemplating returning home. Thanks to a good friend, Charlie Willock—my teammate from Lucas Cricket Club—I found the support I needed.

by Neville Glanville

One of my Jamaican team mates, furious after being struck by an object thrown from the stands, tried to confront the crowd. I urged him to reconsider, knowing the odds were against us. It was at that moment I decided that I did not want to be involved with this. This decision marked the beginning of my efforts to create something meaningful for our community. I gathered my Jamaican teammates and proposed the idea of starting our own team. We played informal scrimmages and even organized indoor games at Ryerson, including one against the university staff. Yet, I felt unfulfilled. I wanted to build something that not only united us but also instilled pride in our Caribbean community.

Charlie transported me to lectures and practices, and grounded me during those very challenging times. Initially, I joined a semi professional soccer team alongside other fellow Jamaicans. My first and ultimately, last match for a predominantly foreign Canadian club was unforgettable, though not for reasons related to the game itself. Before the match even began, both teams were summoned by law enforcement officers on horseback who issued a warning due to tensions running high. Towards the end of the game, a brawl had broken out, sparked by discriminatory actions from spectators.

https://starssoccerreview.com