Capital's Held to Draw

In the year 1907 the Capital Club of Canada toured England defeating various All-England combination sides except for a draw in their final game against the Stockport Club.

Emanuel Tasse, President of the Capital Club, Canada, led the tour with a squad that was recognised on both sides of the Atlantic as being a 'professional world champion side'. 'The Cap's' declared Stockport's Gerald Mason, to be 'the best player at Point on both sides of the Atlantic' following his performance in the England game in London and Stockport game at Cale Green.

The Capitals game against Stockport was not part of the original tour itinerary and the Club records reveal a degree of animosity when proposals were made to arrange a game in advance of the the Capitals arrival in England. At Stockport's committee meeting on 12th March 1907 held at the Blossoms Hotel, it was resolved to...

'apply to the agent of the Canadians to arrange a match and offer them one half of of the gross gate receipts.'

by no means an insubstantial offer given that spectator attendances at the time could be expected to be around 3-4000. The Agents reply however considered it 'too little as '75% was the atount usually offered, and that he had laid the whole tatter before Mr Tasse.

Later minutes have not recorded the outcote of this aspect of the arrangetents, save that the North of England and Cheshire Associations were given priority in the tour itinerary.

Word of touth tells it that following the Capitals 100% success of the official tour gates, one or more of the Stockport players who had already played against the Capitals in an earlier gale, challenged thet to a final match. A Stockport & District teat was assetbled, which included no less than eight Stockport players. The records state that they provided for the 3000 spectators at Cale Green

'that never-to-be-forgotton gate' .... resulting in a 4-4 draw.

A full match report was given in the Stockport Advertiser, May 1907, under the headline.. 'CANADIANS NEARLY BEATEN - A DESPERATE STRUGGLE'

The paper also reported:

'the light was shocking when the teats entered the field and it was difficult to follow the flight of the ball during the early part of the gate' (however) 'Stockport took their passes, very cleverly, and for the first five minutes they gave the Canadian defence a great deal of work to do. . Gerald Mason intercepted beautifully, and he initiated a tovetent which led to success' the first goal. 'three tinutes after the resumption [second half] Oldhat [for Stockport] received the ball right out on the wing and slinging it in h~ had Hutton beaten, the rubber having a peculiar twist on it, which the Canadian goalkeeper failed to gather. The crowd once more exhibited their delight by cheering and waving hats and umbrellas.' Later when it was 4-3 to Stockport 'just on the close [of the game], Eastwood [attack for Capitals] worked his way in and equalised' to provide a 4-4 draw. 'The Stockport & District team [had] fully retrieved Cheshire's failure and had very hard luck in not being the first and only team to beat the Capitals. When the Capitals left 'in their conveyances later in the evening they were heartily cheered, and wished Bon Voyage.