Tottenham Hotspur blanked the Ontario All-Stars 7-0 on May 25, 1957. It was the third match on Spurs’ North American tour and their second match in Canada. In their previous match in Canada the English tourists had beaten the Essex County All-Stars 11-1 in Windsor, Ontario.

The exhibition match at Varsity Stadium in Toronto attracted a crowd of 9,000 soccer fans. Tottenham scored an early goal three minutes into the match through centre-forward Bobby Smith. Despite the early setback the Ontario team played well throughout the first half and the two teams left the field with the visitors leading 1-0.

Tottenham’s manager Jimmy Anderson was said to have given his team a lashing at half-time.

The enthusiastic home crowd got their hopes of an even match dashed five minutes into the second half. Tottenham’s inside right Tommy Harmer headed in a goal to make it 2-0. Harmer had toured Canada in the summer of 1952 with Tottenham.

Bobby Smith followed up with three goals in quick succession for Tottenham Hotspur. Alfie Stokes also scored for Tottenham. The final score was 7-0.

The referee was Ray Morgan.

Read about the 1957 National Soccer League season here.


Ontario All-Star roster:

Goalkeeper Jim Nicholl (Hamilton); fullbacks J. Sexton (Hamilton), Alex Shaw (Toronto Thistles); half-backs Ostap Steckiw (Rochester Ukrainians), B. Bennett (Belfast United), Walter Zakaluzny (Toronto Thistles); forwards J. Giffen (Belfast United), M. Csurgó (Hamilton Hungaria), Johnny Richmond, F. Gear, Myron Bereza (Rochester Ukrainians). Subs: W. Robinson (Toronto Thistles), J. McManus (Windsor), Lawrie.