Geordie Campbell

Geordie Campbell (August 13, 1884 in Glasgow, Scotland – February 21, 1952 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada) was a full back most known for his time in Ontario soccer.

Campell played for the Renfrew Victorias (junior) in Scotland. In Canada he played for Canada Foundry 1903, Toronto Thistles 1904-1911, Toronto Baracas then Toronto Thistles until 1917 and Toronto Scottish 1918-1928.

Career

Campbell is considered to be an outstanding figure in Ontario soccer from 1903 until his retirement from the game and the greatest right back in Canadian soccer history. He played in the Scottish Junior League with the Renfrew Victorias before he came to Canada. He won the Ontario Cup with the Thistles in 1906, 1907, 1908 and 1909, and with Scottish in 1918, 1921 and 1922. Campbell also won a Dominion championship medal in 1921 when Scottish beat the Vancouver Island club Ladysmith in the final. He was selected to play for the Toronto and District Football Association All-Stars against the Corinthians (considered the top English amateur team) on August 18, 1906 at Hanlan's Point Stadium in Toronto. On August 7, 1911, he captained Toronto's all-stars in the upset of Corinthians, winning 3 - 1 at Toronto's Rosedale Athletic Grounds (Rosedale Field). Played with the Toronto all-stars against Scottish FA on May 28, 1921. The local side lost 4 - 1 at Toronto's Island Stadium. He captained Canada against the United States in Montreal on June 27, 1925. Canada won 1 - 0. On September 29, 1928 at Ulster Stadium (formerly located east of Greenwood Avenue and south of Gerrard Street East but torn down after WWII to build housing), Ulster played Scottish in a benefit game termed the George Campbell Testimonial and Field Day and Great Challenge Soccer Game.

Donor of the Campbell Cup one of the premier senior trophies of the Toronto and District League for many years. He is the holder of every medal issued by the Toronto and District Football Association at that time with the exception of the British Consols Trophy. He won 11 Ontario Cup medals, two Dominion (Canadian) Championship medals. Geordie played against every visiting "old country" team up to 1926, and on numerous occasions acted as captain.

He finished second in the voting for Canadian player of the half-century, in 1950.

Inducted as a player into The Soccer Hall of Fame (Canada) in 2000.^[1] He was one of "The First Eleven Players" in this inaugural class of eleven players and eleven builders. Geordie Campbell was the first name called and inducted into the Soccer Hall of Fame. Grandson Ken Campbell accepted on behalf of the Campbell family.

Key game dates and summaries

The Ontario Cup

• 1906 spring - winners - Toronto Thistles
  • August 4, 1906 Toronto Thistles 1 : Dundas Scots 0
  • August 25, 1906 Dundas Scots 2 : Toronto Thistles 1
• 1906 fall - winners - Toronto Thistles
  • October 29, 1906 Toronto Thistles 1 : Dundas Scots 0
• 1907 spring - winners - Toronto Thistles
  • July 27, 1907 Toronto Thistles 2 : Dundas Scots 2
  • August 3, 1907 Dundas Scots 1 : Toronto Thistles 3
• 1909 spring - winners - Toronto Thistles
  • August 14, 1909 Stratford 2 : Toronto Thistles 3
  • August 21, 1909 Toronto Thistles 2 : Stratford 0
• 1918 – winners – Toronto Scottish
  • September 28, 1918 Toronto Scottish 1 : Davenport Albion 0
• 1921 – winners – Toronto Scottish
  • July 2, 1921, at Broadview Field in Toronto Toronto Scottish 4 : Hamilton Independent Labour Party 1
• 1922 – winners – Toronto Scottish
  • October 14, 1922, in Toronto – Game One Toronto Scottish 2 : Hamilton Independent Labour Party 0
  • October 21, 1922, in Hamilton – Game Two Hamilton Independent Labour Party 1 : Toronto Scottish 1

The Carls-Rite Cup

• 1919 – winners – Toronto
  • July 1, 1919, at Alexandra Park in Montreal Montreal 1 : Toronto 1
  • August 4, 1919, at Varsity Stadium in Toronto Toronto 3 : Montreal 0

References