President: Harold Ballard, Toronto
First vice-president: John Longworth, Hamilton
Second vice-president: John Parkinson, Toronto
Secretary: Bill Simpson, Toronto
Treasurer: Al Agnelli, Toronto
Directors:
Duncan Beattie, Hamilton Steelers
Pete Bosa, Toronto Italia
Steve Stavro, Toronto City
Aldo Cecchi, Montreal Cantalia
Review of the season
The Eastern Canada Professional Soccer League was formed in Toronto on Thursday March 2, 1961. It started with Toronto Italia leaving the National Soccer League to join Toronto City and Hamilton Steelers. It was expected that Montreal Cantalia would also join the league.
Montreal Cantalia lost its home opener against Hamilton Steelers on Sunday May 14. An estimated crowd of 5,000 saw the Steelers win 2-1.
The opening game in Toronto was played on Saturday night May 20, with Toronto Italia beating Toronto City 3-2. 16,509 fans watched the game at Varsity Stadium.
Toronto City won the regular season league championship based on goal average over Montreal Cantalia.
Final standings
GP | W | T | L | GF | GA | Pts | |
Toronto City | 24 | 11 | 3 | 10 | 45 | 41 | 25 |
Montreal Cantalia | 24 | 10 | 5 | 9 | 47 | 44 | 25 |
Hamilton Steelers | 24 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 45 | 45 | 24 |
Toronto Italia | 24 | 9 | 4 | 11 | 43 | 45 | 22 |
Leading goalscorers
Player | Club | Goals |
1. Peter Smethurst | Hamilton Steelers | 16 |
2. Ismael Ferreira | Montreal Cantalia | 12 |
3. Bruno Bertolin | Toronto Italia | 11 |
3. Ambrose Morgan | Toronto City | 11 |
5. Cannavaccioulo | Hamilton Steelers | 9 |
Fausto Rosello | Montreal Cantalia | 6 |
Juarez Dante | Montreal Cantalia | 5 |
Semi-finals
September 21, 1961 Hamilton
Montreal Cantalia 4 (Nick Filippone 2, Ante Kosta, Andy Toth)
Hamilton Steelers 1 (Keith Vickers)
September 23, 1961 Delorimier Stadium, Montreal
Montreal Cantalia 4 (Ante Kosta 2, Andy Toth, Nick Filippone)
Hamilton Steelers 1 (Gunnar Pinkenelle)
Cantalia won series
September 23, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Attendance:
Toronto City 0
Toronto Italia 0
September 25, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Attendance: 3,668
Toronto City 2 (Ambrose Morgan, Willie Huberts)
Toronto Italia 1 (Ken Smith)
September 27, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Attendance: 3,758
Toronto City 2
Toronto Italia 6
Italia won series
President’s Cup
September 30, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Attendance: 5,000
Toronto Italia 1 (Ken Smith)
Montreal Cantalia 1 (Ante Kosta)
October 8, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Attendance: 5,435
Referee: Ray Morgan
Toronto Italia 1 (Graham McInnes)
Montreal Cantalia 2 (Nick Filippone, Emil Erbach)
October 9, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Montreal Cantalia 3 (Emil Erbach, Andy Toth, Nick Filippino)
Toronto Italia 0
Montreal Cantalia won the President’s Cup
Exhibition games
May 21, 1961 Delorimier Stadium, Montreal
Montreal Cantalia 1
Birmingham City 0
Match report
May 25, 1961 Civic Stadium, Hamilton
Hamilton Steelers 2
Birmingham City 4
Match report
June 7, 1961 Lansdowne Park, Ottawa
Montreal Cantalia 3
Stade de Reims 5
Match report
June 11, 1961 Hamilton
Hamilton Steelers 1
Stade de Reims (France) 8
Match report
June 18, 1961 Ottawa
Attendance:
Referee:
Ottawa & District All-Stars 1 (Johnny Szabo)
Montreal Cantalia 6 (Ros Valentino 4, Fausto Rosello, Jorge Sanchez)
June 21, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Toronto Italia 0
Stade de Reims 9
Match report
June 22, 1961 Delorimier Stadium, Montreal
Montreal Cantalia 1
Stade de Reims 4
Match report
June 24, 1961 Varsity Stadium, Toronto
Toronto City 2
Stade de Reims 1
Match report
June 30, 1961 Empire Stadium, Vancouver
British Columbia All-Stars 1
Toronto City 7
Match report
August 25, 1961 Empire Stadium, Vancouver
Real Madrid 5
Toronto City 1
Match report
Match reports
Date | Home | Away |
14/05/1961 | Montreal Cantalia 1 | Hamilton Steelers 2 |
![]() | ||
20/05/1961 | Toronto City 2 | Toronto Italia 3 |
![]() | ||
24/05/1961 | Toronto City | Montreal Cantalia |
28/05/1961 | Montreal Cantalia 4 | Toronto Italia 2 |
30/05/1961 | Toronto Italia 0 | Toronto City 1 |
01/06/1961 | Hamilton Steelers P | Montreal Cantalia P |
04/06/1961 | Hamilton Steelers 1 | Toronto City 4 |
![]() | ||
07/06/1961 | Toronto Italia 1 | Hamilton Steelers 4 |
![]() | ||
11/06/1961 | Montreal Cantalia 2 | Toronto City 2 |
![]() | ||
17/06/1961 | Toronto Italia 1 | Toronto City 3 |
![]() | ||
28/06/1961 | Toronto City 1 | Hamilton Steelers 1 |
05/07/1961 | Toronto Italia 2 | Toronto City 1 |
09/07/1961 | Montreal Cantalia 2 | Toronto City 4 |
![]() | ||
12/07/1961 | Toronto City 2 | Montreal Cantalia 1 |
13/07/1961 | Hamilton Steelers 3 | Toronto Italia 2 |
17/08/1961 | Hamilton Steelers 3 | Toronto City 4 |
27/08/1961 | Montreal Cantalia 1 | Toronto Italia 1 |
30/08/1961 | Toronto Italia | Hamilton Steelers |
06/09/1961 | Toronto City 0 | Toronto Italia 1 |
![]() | ||
13/09/1961 | Montreal Cantalia | Toronto Italia |
20/09/1961 | Toronto Italia 0 | Toronto City 1 |