1952 Lochiel Soccer Club

The 1952 Lochiel Soccer Club has been nominated for inclusion into the Glengarry Sports Hall of Fame this year. The nomination is representative of the team’s dominance in the Glengarry Soccer League during the years 1949-1959. One of the reasons for its success was the strong nucleus of seven players who were with the club throughout most of the period and helped the team to greatness.

Included in that group, for the years which statistics from the GSL are available, were three players who won several year-end award nights. One won scoring titles, one was named Most Valuable Player, one was named most Gentlemanly Player and another one was named Best Goalkeeper on four separate occasions and tied on another. The team was the best at scoring and keeping the ball out of their own net. The club was also fortunate in having strong support from other players. One year there were two Lochiel players tied for the runner up in scoring. It seemed that when an experienced player retired, he was replaced by a youngster with potential.

In the 11 years covered, Lochiel ended the season in first place 10 times, won the Glengarry Cup, emblematic of the league championship, 10 times and the Greenspoon Cup, a challenge trophy, nine times. The club went undefeated for three seasons. However, all good things must come to an end. Age began to tell on the nucleus of experienced players and some of them moved away for business reasons.

Also, the reserve of young replacements was no longer available. Thus time and circumstances spelled the end of Lochiel’s dominance in the Glengarry Soccer League.