Toronto FC

[Scotty]

great atmosphere at this game on the weekend - just added a match report and some pics for anyone thats interested

[Glebeict]

  Watched the first half on TV ,then had to go out. It looked like Toronto might win , so I was

  sorry to see KC scored in the second half.

[clacher_holiday2]

all seems pretty similar to the other mls franchises.  ive no idea what will happen with toronto fc, read alot online regarding footballs development in north america and although the will is definitely there in the cities that have teams it doesnt necessarily mean theres a future in it.

many people say that the leagues clubs arent ready to go it independently and trade openly on the international player markets, the biggest fear being that every team will eventually be bought by foreign clubs or businessman who have no interest in football whatsoever.  though it has and will again hold the league back from attracting the right players and investment, i think the people who say that are probably right!  i dont like watching mls games because i dont like american commentators, the games are often boring and the fans/stadiums all seem a bit legoland to me.  the 'atmosphere' created tends to come more from peer pressure and a collective feeling fan groups need to put on a show because thats whats supposed to happen at football games, rather than there being genuine passion for the team.

that probably sounds like a pretty negative and whingin partypooper of a thought but im allowed an opinion though i could see why most mls fans dont give a crap what somebody from outwith their league has to say about it, as im probably not saying anything that hasnt been said a million times over or fans there dont already know.

last game of football i attended was the st mirren v dunfermline game on monday night, there were only half the number of people in love street than in tornoto but the pre-match tension was something no amount of scarf waving or organised singing sections could ever recreate despite the quality of football, the stadium, the league etc.. there was still atmosphere even though hardly anyone made an attempt to sing, they were too nervous!  itll take generations before a sh1te match like the one i was at on monday could ever be played out in north america from a supporters stand point, which is what football is all about

the point to all of this..?    ive seen enough of major league football to know i dont want any part of it, which im sure will leave the new league and myself happy  :014:

[luvgravy]

Give it time.  Thing is with Toronto, you probably have a more international audience then some of the other MLS cities.  Hopefully, this means a more footie savvy audience.

It wasn't the prettiest game of football ever played, but it was a pretty decent soccer game  :004:

Scotty...should be at the game on the 12th again it seems (same seat you found me in as last time)...

[Scotty]

Friendlies just announced against Benfica (in a couple of weeks) and Aston Villa in July ..... as well as Canada V Argentina (U20) this Friday ......

Gravy - I know you are coming a long way, but if you can make it to the Wheatsheaf pre or post match you would no doubt enjoy it

[clacher_holiday2]

yeah i know itll change in time and it has a better chance of taking off in toronto than i nalot of the other mls cities, im just taking a rare chance to be a snob about scottish football!

90% games played in this country mean nothing for the most part and have no atmosphere at all, the rest (such as the saints v dung relegation scrap) are in the 10% that no franchised league or new clubs could ever recreate in terms of emotion and atmosphere. 

good luck with toronto

[Glebeict]

  3-1 win vs Chicago yesterday. Celebrations were fantastic . Free seat cushions used as

    Frisbees.

[Scotty]

Yup - yesterdays game had everything ..... 20000+ crowd again, the seat cushion frisbees when the team scored, 4 goals, 2 sendings off, a streaker (almost), as well as the pitch on fire when some ersehole lobbed flares onto it .... but through it all the stewards in the supporters section were courteous and friendly and did their job well ... which was to ensure our safety and help us with any queries we might have as opposed to laying down the law and acting like someone important.

[Scotty]

Gravy - did you make it to the sheaf ? was sure I saw you heading back down Bathurst as I came out onto the patio .... shorts and a white ICT top perchance ? you were too far away to hear me shouting to you.

I threw a quick site up with photos from the games if anyone is interested ........ TORPICS.COM

[luvgravy]

That sounds like me.

I made it pre and post (though not long post....just needed a couple good walks to make sure I was sober enough to drive home.

Great game....i was still hoarse the next day from cheering.

[NigeyBear]

Does the season break off the same time as ours?

I am going over to Toronto at the end of June and am currently looking at what sports are in season.

[Scotty]

Season goes from April - October so it gels pretty well with the close-season in Scotland  :003:

June fixtures are

2nd (SAT) @ 3:30pm V Colorado (H)

6th (WED) @ 7:00pm V New York (H)

17th (SUN) @ 1:00 PM V Dallas (H)

23rd (SAT) @ 7:30PM V New England (A)

July is a month where all games are away games because of the U20 world cup - not sure of fixtures for that.

If you are looking for tickets, I would get yourself onto one of the supporters sites (U-Sector / Red Patch) to see if anyone has spares - single game tickets are hard to come by and depending on the crowd on the day you may or may not get a good deal from the touts outside. If you can get them, sections 112 and 113 are the places where all the noise comes from.

see torpics.com - a little photo site I threw together for links to the main supporters site.

[Scotty]

PS - as to other sports .... Hockey is long gone by June (in Toronto at least as they never seem to qualify for the post-season Stanley cup), Basketball is also finished but there is always Baseball where the Blue Jays are blowing hot and cold at the minute. Worth going to see a game if Roy Halladay is pitching as he seems to win, but if you hear the name Josh Towers - stay away as he always loses.

Toronto played again last night and made it two wins in a row .... after demolishing Chicago on Saturday by a 3-1 margin, last night was a lot tighter as they played Houston (current champions) and beat them 1-0. It was pissing rain and felt very 'scottish' but still a crowd of 19000+ showed up to the open air stadium .... great fun.

If you do get to a game and make it to 113 look out for at leat two ICT supporters .... myself who normally has on an ICT Baseball cap and Polo Shirt and Luvgravy who usually has on a blue or white ICT top ......

doing my 'Scottish team count' .... so far I have met supporters of the following teams who are all going to the TFC games regularly .....

- ICT

- Celtic

- Rangers

- Dunfermline

- St Mirren

- St Johnstone

[luvgravy]

If you're interested in the June 17th game...I may know of a few tickets...there's a bunch of us who have a Stag weekend planned for Boston that weekend.

Scotty.....I've managed to get to all 3 league games so far (not bad for not having seasons).  Will be there again Saturday too in my kilt this time.  The south end is really starting to shape up nicely with their chanting/singing.

[luvgravy]

Oh...and I have an extra ticket for section 224 for the Benfica game if you know of someone who wants it ;)  Reasonable pricing is all I ask (slightly under face).

[SMEE]

Out of intrest, how much does it cost to get into the Toronto Fc games? What sort of level would you say is the standard?  Ya know..........SPL standard or maybe higher....like.... Highland League? :blah01:  :crazy07:

[Scotty]

season tickets range from $200 up to $1700 at the half-way line. (see here: http://toronto.fc.mlsnet.com/t280/tickets/seating/)

Individual tickets in the season book are marked at either $15 / $30 depending on the opposition (international tickets were announced later as $110).

My season ticket in section 113 (singing section) cost a total of $220 - about £100 ...... that gives me 10 'normal' home games (@$15 each), 5 'premium' home games (@$30 each), 1 U20 friendly (@$30) and two international friendlies [benfica and Aston Villa] (@$110 each) ..... or as they would say over here .... "a 550 dollar value for only $220 ....." There are also discounts on merchandise, a free scarf, a limited edition 1st season 'pin', a couple of wristbands and more.

The books/tickets themselves are of a good quality and you get to retain the whole ticket after entering the ground - they just scan the barcode as if you were in Tesco - so my inaugural season book will still be in pristine condition years from now. You can also print out the ticket via the Ticketmaster website up to 2 hours before kickoff if you have lost/forgotten the original or use the same site to send an electronic version of the ticket to a friend/colleague etc if you cant make the game. Its a very advanced and user friendly system.

At the equivalent of £7 each for normal games and £15 to see the better teams (including David Beckham's LA Galaxy) the season tickets are incredible value and the PR and merchandising of the club has been excellent.

As for the level of play ... after watching the first couple of (away) games on TV I thought "uh-oh ... this looks bad" but now, a few weeks later, the side is beginning to gel and they are looking pretty good. I would say that most SPL clubs would beat them right now as the skill level isnt quite there but with a marked improvement in every game so far, by the end of the season perhaps they might be bottom six SPL or top half division 1 ... certainly far higher than Highland League

However - the standard of refereeing does make SPL refs look wonderful

favourite chants from wednesday night when TFC beat MLS champs Houston Dynamo ..... pretty quick witted some of these guys

"....I'm blind ! ... I'm Deaf ! ..... I wanna be a ref"  - as I said, refs are crap

"Huuuuuugh-Stonnnn ...... you have a problem ........" 

[NigeyBear]

Cheers guys. 

  I'm going on the 23rd so it seems I just missed them although I'm pretty sure Scotland under 20's are playing during the fortnight after that?

  I certainly plan on seeing the Blue Jays - I became a big fan of them; and the Leafs in hockey, during my previous visits to Canada.

  Once again, cheers for the info!

[Scotty]

I'm pretty sure Scotland under 20's are playing during the fortnight after that?

unfortunately, Scotland are playing the opening rounds in British Columbia - 3500 miles west of Toronto. They might manage games in Toronto in the latter stages depending on how they qualify (or if).

[Scotty]

Interesting site in the Wheatsheaf before yesterday's game against DC United .... did I hear someone say "luvgravy" ???

[attach=1]

[Scarlet Pimple]

Saw the Chicago game on local TV- in Vancouver-not bad at all.

The standard of play for the teams probably Division 1 standard, hardly higher than that though.

Good atmosphere,.

Lots of excitement.

Scarlet

[Alex MacLeod]

Programme about them on Skysports 1 right now

[Scotty]

Lost 1-2 to New York Red Bulls tonight :( ..... Scottish connection - ex Rangers player Claudio Reyna is captain and another ex ger Ronald Wattereus is keeper (but was out injured tonight) ...

Despite losing two goals in the second half, it was a decent game and Toronto played one of the slickest passing games I have seen in a long time ... at least in the first half ... second half it was a different TFC and it allowed league leaders NY to grab a couple of goals.

[Scarlet Pimple]

Well, you certainly are getting the crowds in Toronto, Scotty.

The venue for the recent U20 Spain V Brazil match was at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby here in B.C. and the commentator quoted a capacity of 10,000.

They must have put in more bleacher seats to get it as high as that. The average Whitecaps game apparentlyattracts about 4000 with a stadium capacity  for normal operations of about 7,000.

Scotland were indeed dire and very disappointing. A Scottish journalist said in his blog that the Scottish lads were more intertested in girls than in developing their game.

Watching the likes of Japan and Chile was a revelation. Total ball control with the players always looking confident and comfortable when they got the ball.

Scotland has simply languished in complacency and on this display here in Canada must face the anguished fact that they are way behind the standards of development of other  nations. Perhaps the fact that most South American boys grow up in poverty may have something to do with it but they certainly work very hard on all their skills from a very young age. They also love the game and it shows. Being a master is important to them, not so for the Scottish boys I am afraid.

:020:

[chris123]

Stick this date in your diary

08/05 - Sunday Toronto FC vs Los Angeles Galaxy 7:30 p.m. 

I think 08/05 means the 5th of august, rather than the 8th of May