May 26, 1948 – New England All-Stars 0:6 Liverpool FC, North Tiverton, R.I. (Att.: 8,000)
Liverpool FC compiled an 11-0-0 record (63-14 goal differential) on an eight-city tour of the U.S. and Canada from May 16-June 20, 1948.
Goals: Al Stubbins 2, Bill Fagan 2, Jack Balmer, Priday. Note: Joe Feicha (Ludlow Lusitano) goal disallowed (offside).
May 26, 1954 – Eastern Seaboard All-Stars 0:6 Chelsea FC, Fall River, Mass.
Roma improved its record in Boston-area exhibitions to 2W-1L-0D since 1972. Liverpool has a 4W-2L-0D record in New England since 1946. Goal: Marco Borriello 90’. [Read more…] about July 23, 2014 – AS Roma 1:0 Liverpool FC at Fenway Park (Att.: 37,000)
Liverpool FC compiled an 11-0-0 record (63-14 goal differential) on an eight-city tour of the U.S. and Canada from May 16-June 20, 1948.
Goals: Al Stubbins 2, Bill Fagan 2, Jack Balmer, Priday. Note: Joe Feicha (Ludlow Lusitano) goal disallowed (offside).
May 26, 1954 – Eastern Seaboard All-Stars 0:6 Chelsea FC at Fall River
Liverpool compiled a 10-0-0 record (70-10 goal differential) from May 11-June 12, 1946 on its first U.S. tour. South African Robert Priday (2) and Jack Balmer scored for Liverpool in this match in Fall River, Mass. Joey Chapiga redirected a Quinn free kick past Cyril Sidlow and Ed Souza cut the deficit late. [Read more…] about May 22, 1946 – New England All-Stars 2:3 Liverpool FC at Bigberry Stadium (Att.: 7,000)
Steve Nicol was a true believer in a 4-4-2 alignment, having experienced exceptional success with the formation while playing for Liverpool FC. Nicol was faithful to the setup into his third Revolution season, but this match convinced him to go to a 3-5-2. The switch did not pay off immediately, but proved to be crucial to the Revolution’s progress. [Read more…] about May 15, 2004 – Columbus Crew 1:0 Revolution (Att.: 16,694)
The Maschinos and Wallendas, noted acrobat/high-wire performing families, appear to have provided most of the starting lineup for the circus team in this soccer match at Sullivan Square in Charlestown.
Goals: Solo 2, Morgan; W. Otaris, A. Wallenda, Repinski.
Circus XI included: F. Wallenda rb & J. Wallenda ch. L. Maschina lb, W. Maschino lh, A. Maschino rh, H. Maschino rif.
May 8, 1964 – Boston Metros SC 1:8 Liverpool FC at Everett Stadium (Att.: 15,000)
The Boston Globe listed attendance at 10,000, “the biggest crowd of people to ever watch a soccer game in the Boston area.” Several sources who were at the game as players or spectators are convinced the crowd was greater than 10,000. Frank Mirisola, a South Boston businessman and former Boston SC player/long-time supervisor of referees for the Boston Public Schools league, said he “saw the ticket receipts and it was 15,000 … it wasn’t quite full.” The stadium held 18,000 on bleacher seats, according to Sal LoGrasso, a former Boston SC and Boston Minutemen defender.
Boston SC, which went by the “Metros” in ’64, was organized by Umberto Atria, who owned Sal’s Pizza on Cambridge Street and had coached Boston & District league power Boston Italia, and Gino Carpintieri, once a high-level local player while working as an illustrator at the Globe. Atria coached the team, recruiting players from Toronto Italia. The Boston team proved no match for Liverpool, but went on to finish second to the Ukrainian Nationals in the ASL standings with a 9W-1L-3D record, reaching the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open Cup. The Boston team competed in the ASL through the 1968 season, its demise coinciding with the advent of the Boston Beacons, who lasted one season in the NASL.
Liverpool was the reigning champion of England and would go on to win the 1965 FA Cup. Some of the Reds were on international duty (Roger Hunt, Gordon Milne, Peter Thompson), skipping Liverpool’s U.S. tour and playing for England (including a 10-0 win over the U.S. May 27, 1964). The Liverpool team, coached by Bill Shankly, that visited the Boston area included regulars Alan A’Court, 21-year-old Alf Arrowsmith, Jerry Byrne, Ian Callaghan, Phil Chisnall, Phil Ferns, Chris Lawler, goalkeeper Tommy Lawrence, Ronnie Moran, Ian St. John, Tommy Smith, Willie Stevenson, Ron Yeats, plus Bobby Graham, 19, and Gordon Wallace, 20, who were on the verge of breaking through to the first team. The Globe listed the Liverpool team’s average age at 23.
The Boston team included former U.S. national team goalkeeper Henry Noga, high-level players from South America such as Nestor Caceres and Hector Marinaro Sr., plus Hubert Vogelsinger (future Boston Minutemen coach), and several local players, such as Vincenzo Mauro, who would go on to referee in the 1990 World Cup in Italy. Mauro set up Boston’s goal with a free kick, according to Francis Rosa’s story in the Globe. Oscar Sapis listed as the goal-scorer – his name probably should be spelled “Sapia.”
Four months later, the Beatles would play at Boston Garden to a similar crowd. Rosa’s lede noted “The Red Devils from the land of the Beatles yah-yahed the Boston Metros … 8-1 … ”
Below are lineups published by the Globe.
LIVERPOOL FC: G, Tommy Lawrence; rfb Jerry Byrne; lfbRonnie Moran; rh Phil Ferns; ch Ronnie Yeats; lh Willie Stevenson; or Ian Callaghan; ir Alfred Arrowsmith; cf Ian St. John; il Phil Chisnoll (sic); ol Gordan (sic) Wallace.
Subs: Alan A’Court, Tommy Smith, Bobby Graham, Chris Lawler
BOSTON SC: G Henry Noga; rfb Sal Gulino, lfb Hubert Vogelsinger, rh Hector Fernandez, ch Hector Marianaro (sic), lh Hugo Fernero, or Vincente Nido, ir Nestor Caceres, cf George Havanidis, il Sanchez Garcia, ol Frank DiReda.
Subs: Oscar Sapis, Sal LoGrasso, Vincenzo Mauro
Goals: OG (Vogelsinger) 3d, Chisnoll 29’, Arrowsmith 34’, 53’; Smith 47’, Lawler 50’, St. John 71’, Graham 76’, Sapis 83’.
May 8, 1976 – Hartford Bicentennials 0:3 Boston Minutemen at Dillon Stadium (Att.: 3,632)
May 8, 2010 – Zak Boggs scores two goals in first start. Columbus Crew 3:2 Revolution
NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY
Steve Nicol guided the Revolution to four MLS Cup finals, the 2007 U.S. Open Cup title and 2008 SuperLiga championship in 10 years as head coach. Nicol had a remarkable run with the team, though he never sought to be hired as head coach by the Revolution, even turning down their offer in 1999. [Read more…] about Oct. 24, 2011 – Steve Nicol dismissed as Revolution coach
South African Robert Priday (2) and Jack Halmer scored for Liverpool. Joey Chapiga redirected a Quinn free kick past Cyril Sidlow and Ed Souza cut the deficit with a late goal for the New England All-Stars at Bigberry Stadium in Fall River, Mass.
Liverpool went 10-0-0 (70-10 goal differential) on the tour.
The Reds have a 4W-2L-0D all-time record in New England. They returned for a 6-0 win over the Fall River All Stars May 26, 1948; a 4-0 win over the New England All-Stars in Fall River May 20, 1953; and an 8-1 win over the Boston Metros May 8, 1964. Nearly half a century later, Liverpool played twice at Fenway Park, the home of their current ownership, losing both times to AS Roma.
New England All-Stars 2:3 Liverpool FC at Bigberry Stadium (Att.: 7,000)
TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY
The Boston Globe listed attendance at 10,000, “the biggest crowd of people to ever watch a soccer game in the Boston area.” Several sources who were at the game as players or spectators are convinced the crowd was greater than 10,000. My primary source is Frank Mirisola, a South Boston businessman and former Boston SC player/long-time supervisor of referees for the Boston Public Schools league. Mirisola said he “saw the ticket receipts and it was 15,000 … it wasn’t quite full.” Everett Memorial Stadium held 18,000 on bleacher seats, according to Sal LoGrasso, a long-time Everett resident and former Boston SC and Boston Minutemen defender. [Read more…] about May 8, 1964 – Liverpool FC draws a (15,000) crowd in Boston