The 1927-28 Westminster Royals were a supremely strong squad that has become legendary in Canadian soccer lore as one of the strongest ever to grace a Canadian pitch. Among the many championships the the Royals won included the 1928 Vancouver and District First Division league championship, Teacher’s Shield, Mainland Cup, Vancouver Exhibition Cup, Province Cup, and OB Allan Cup.

(*Note: The Westminster Royals based out of New Westminster dropped the “New” from their club name likely to differentiate themselves from the basketbal and ice hockey teams of the same name.)

The Royals won the 1928 Challenge Trophy (Connaught Cup) for the Canadian championship in a three-game series in Winnipeg. It marked the first of eight occasions that the Westminster Royals would take the Challenge Cup between 1928 and 1960.

The team was recruited and owned by Alderman Fred Hume, later Mayor of New Westminster and Vancouver.

The 1927-28 Westminster Royals were later voted Canada’s “Soccer Team of the First Half Century” in 1950.

Team Members:
George Anderson, Harry C. Chapman,  Dr. H.L. Collins (club physician), Jack Coulter, Austin Delaney, George Douglas (trainer), A. Hannah, Adam Kerr, R. McDougall, Donald E. McLeod (manager), Les Rimmer, H. Roots, George Russell, Aubrey Sanford, J. Smith, V.W. Sortwell (secretary), Richard ‘Dicky’ Stobbart, Sandy Strang, T. Taylor, Tom Trotter, Dave Turner, F. Vert (treasurer), J. Watson (trainer).