'We're a soccer community:' International Summer Series a hit in St. John's, plants seed for future opportunities
Located in St. John's, N.L., and nestled between Quidi Vidi Lake and two cemeteries, King George V Park is hallowed ground for the province's footballing community. It's Newfoundland and Labrador's oldest football specific stadium. It's hosted national and international events, ranging from Canada Soccer's Challenge Trophy to the 1987 FIFA U-16 World Championship. And it's also the site of Canada's historic 1985 victory over Honduras, which qualified the country for its first World Cup appearance.
On Sunday, King George V fittingly played host to the first match of the Halifax Wanderer's International Summer Series, a roving football exhibition of sorts which pits the CPL club's U-21 squad against opposition from Europe. Over 4,500 fans attended the match, packing the historic grounds for a spirited display between the Wanderers and recently promoted English Premier League side Ipswich Town. The size of the crowd — which featured youth players from every local association as well as a healthy number of Wanderers kits — spoke to the interest the event had garnered.
"We're a soccer community," said Brian Murphy, chair for the St. John's Soccer Club. "This is a major, major event for us. We're really pleased by the size of the crowd today."
The atmosphere at King George V was electric. A second half rocket by Ben Marsh helped push the mood from celebratory to boisterous as the Wanderers defeated Ipswich 2-1. Given the province's footballing history — and the support from the community on Sunday — St. John's seems the type of city that might have an appetite for CPL expansion.
Murphy agreed, adding it'll take serious investment for the league to expand to St. John's but that the city has the population to support a CPL club.
"There has been talk over the years," he said. "Halifax is in the (CPL) and there's some talk that investors are looking at getting involved and bringing a professional team to St. John's. It's only in the talking stages right now but I think, as you can see, the interest is here. The seed has been set."
Speaking to the St. John's Telegram ahead of the match, Wanderers sporting director Matt Fegan said the Summer Series is a great event to test out prospective expansion markets. It's also an opportunity for the Wanderers to build connections across Atlantic Canada.
"The idea of building connections with Newfoundland is obviously important," said Fegan. "I think this sort of gives an appetizer, a little bit, for people that are in the area to see what's possible and try to grow the game."
The right people were certainly in attendance to gauge the market. Wanderers founder and president Derek Martin made the trip from Halifax and was present throughout the weekend. This is an important note as Martin is the chair for the league's expansion committee; being on the ground will have given him valuable firsthand experience.
Interest was also buoyed by St. John's native Owen Sheppard, who was wearing the captain's armband for the Wanderers. Since leaving the island, he'd won a national championship with Cape Breton University and been selected first overall in the 2024 CPL - U Sports draft.
Having grown up as a member of St. John's Soccer Club, Murphy said Sheppard's return with the Wanderers provided tactile proof of what young players can achieve with hard work and dedication. In fact, he added, some local players had a firsthand opportunity to work with some of Halifax's coaching staff to get a taste of a professional environment.
Murphy said he had a chance to speak to Martin and relayed he hopes the Wanderers come back next year. The 4,500 fans in attendance were proof that there's an appetite for professional football that the Wanderers — or maybe a club of their own, one day — could help satisfy.
"We're hoping they're going to make this a yearly stop on their series," said Murphy.
The Wanderers' International Summer Series continues with further stops in Sydney, Cape Breton, Moncton, N.B., Charlottetown, P.E.I., and Halifax, N.S.
Cover Photo Credit: Halifax Wanderers FC
