On Sunday 15 May 1977 former Portuguese international star Marinho made his debut in Canadian soccer. On that day the First Portuguese Canadian Club from Toronto visited Mic Mac Park in Windsor to take on Windsor Stars. Marinho had signed for the Toronto First Portuguese club earlier in the week.
However, the star of the match turned out to be former Scottish League fullback Ian Sneddon. Playing in a sweeper role Sneddon totally put Marinho out of the match.
The headline in the Windsor Star newspaper the following day read “Sneddon steals the show”. The paper described how “he (Marinho) was completely outplayed by Sneddon”. The match finished in a 1-1 tie.
Four minutes into the game Windsor Stars’ forward Alan Hopes scored. 27 minutes into the match Joao Moniz scored for First Portuguese.
Stars’ player-coach Jim Townsend said in a comment after the match that “Ian was fantastic today”
600 soccer fans turned up for the match for the match that ended in a 1-1 tie,
Line-ups (not confirmed):
Windsor Stars:
Tim Wignot – goalkeeper; Dan Palumbo – fullback; Doug Pollard – fullback; Ian Sneddon – sweeper; ??? – defender; John Russo – midfielder; Jim Townsend; ??? – forward; Alan Hopes – forward; Sid Wallace – striker; ??? – forward.
Subs: Not known
First Portuguese:
Victor Ferreira – goalkeeper; ???; ???; ???; ???; Jim Douglas – midfield; ???; ???; Joao Moniz – forward; ???; Marinho – forward; ???.
Subs: Not known
Source:
The Windsor Star, May 16, 1977