The final week of our North American odyssey took us to two MLS games. That is Major League soccer for the uninitiated. The latest incarnation of football (soccer) in the USA.
Toronto isn’t in the USA I hear you say. Well, I know that, but it seems Canadian sides play in US competitions and Toronto are no exception!
This game fitted in nicely with our plans for a number of reasons:
i) Toronto is near Niagara Falls and we planned to visit Niagara and Toronto
ii) Philadelphia Union are my adopted MLS side
iii) It’s a game to go to.
I should probably explain my connection with Philadelphia…. Back in 2010 (and 2011,2012 and 2013) I took part in the US Police Unity Tour bike ride from New Jersey to Washington DC. Late on day 2, we rode over a huge bridge, the Commodore Barry Memorial Bridge. Underneath that bridge was a sports stadium. A few enquiries revealed it was the home of Philadelphia Union, an MLS team.
I planned my return to New York from the 2011 Unity tour so that I could take in a game at Philadelphia. I parked at the ground, got a match ticket and somehow ended up in the Sons of Ben Tailgate Party. I have no idea how I got in without paying (apart from climbing the fence, avoiding the laser alarms and hiding from the security staff…..). I was however made incredibly welcome and fed and given lots of beers. The Sons of Ben are the supporters group for Philadelphia and named after Benjamin Franklin.
Inside the ground, they occupy the riverside end and spent the whole 90 minutes making lots of noise and giving incredible support to their team. They reminded me of Newcastle United fans- great support that sadly is not matched by the performances of the team. The game ended up a 2-1 win for Philadelphia against Chicago Fire (Note that Tom!). I had a great day out and enjoyed what I thought was a one off experience.
In 2013 after another Police unity Tour ride, I was with my mother, sister and brother (who co-incidentally were in the USA on holiday), driving to stay in Philadelphia for a couple of nights on way back to New York. Driving along, at the last minute, I diverted off the interstate to show them the Commodore Barry Bridge and I parked in the Philadelphia Union Car Park to view the bridge. Whilst in the Car Park I saw a sign saying that the Union were at home to LA Galaxy that night. This was too good an opportunity to miss, so that night my brother and I drove down to the game.
After parking up, and getting tickets for the game, I was walking round the ground explaining to my brother that it’s not like in the UK as there would be no away fans given it was a midweek match and such a huge distance. My brother replied “ What no LA Galaxy Fans? “ as he said this we bumped into a group of between 50 and 100 LA Galaxy Fans who had made the trip and were staying on for the game that weekend at New York Red Bulls. That night Union lost to a strong LA Galaxy side who had Robbie Keane starring for them. Once again the Sons of Ben gave incredible support.
So when planning this year’s road trip, the chance to take in 2 Union games was too good to miss. I got in touch with the sons of Ben to try to meet up with them. Incredibly the organiser of the group is from about 2 miles away from where I now live on the London/ Essex borders! A small world indeed.
So after the previous night’s unscheduled stop in Detroit for the baseball, we had a longish drive to Toronto from Detroit this morning. We finally crossed the border into Canada arriving in Windsor Ontario and headed up the 401 towards London, Ontario and on towards Toronto.
Arriving in Toronto we checked into our hotel where we had a reservation for a room with two beds. This was confirmed at reception. They then gave us a key to a room with one double bed. A quick revisit to reception and the matter was corrected with them giving us a key to a room with one double bed….A further return to reception this time by Tom the Rottweiler and we finally got a room with two beds.
One Union fan suggested meeting at The Football Factory. By coincidence our hotel was just up the street from here. We had a couple of beers here and met said Union fan and his son, attending his first ever game. We got the bus outside to the ground. Apparently away fans had been told to be at the ground 2 hours before kick-off before they could be taken to their seats! Yes really. Common sense prevailed and well under an hour before kick-off we went into the ground. Our seats, in the away section were, just like in England the worst seats in the ground. At the back of the top tier in the corner. Still there were only around 20-30 Union fans there. Most had made a week of the trip and were staying in Niagara. Despite the small numbers (big numbers if you are an MK Dons Fan I suppose), the Union fans made lots of noise and there was lots of banter, both amongst themselves and with the Canadians sitting nearby. The Canadians retort was “This is our house” To which the Union response was, “Well buy me a beer then”.
Talking of beer… the chap bringing round beers kept stopping several rows before he got to us and refused to climb the rest of the way. Clearly he didn’t think away fans drink….Clearly Canadians do not understand football properly.
Toronto were top of the table, but that did not show from the way they played. For the majority of the game, they were outplayed by Toronto and deservedly led for most of the game. Sadly, the equalised in the second half. Still, a point away at the league leaders is not a bad result.
The ground itself was a 3 sided affair with a slightly odd stand behind one goal and three ordinary stands. The ground BMO Fields is a new build ground with very steeply angled stands down the sides. There is no formal segregation.
As with baseball and NFL, the cost of drink was not cheap, but it was available and you were able to drink it in your seats.
So, after the game we got the train into Toronto, but it seemed the majority of the Toronto fans were heading away from the city. A Great night out in Toronto which has a thriving nightlife and we ended back in The Football Factory for a last half dozen beers.
Fast forward, a week, trips up the CN Tower in Toronto, looking down on the Blue Jays baseball game, trips to Niagara Falls, dinner with a Canadian friend etc. and we were in New York City. Saturday was match day and the Union were playing away to the New York (Jersey?) Red Bulls. Despite the name, Red Bulls do not play in New York City, in fact they do not play in New York State. They play in New Jersey. It was an evening kick off. We were to meet the Sons of Ben sometime after 3pm at the Ground for a tailgate party. This gave us hours to enjoy the day, so we had a trip to one of my favourite coastal places, Coney Island. To someone of my vintage, it is forever associated with the film Warriors.
I last went to Coney Island in November 2006. It looked a bit of a sad case back then. The fairground was very run down. However, the beach was great and the boardwalk was attractive. Fast forward to 2016 and it is regenerating. The Fun fair has been revitalised. It was looking like a place on the up. It was rather pleasant to sit and have a hotdog and chips on the boardwalk whilst looking up the football results and finding Spennymoor had won in the FA Cup, Newcastle had won and as its Saturday Sunderland hadn’t. All in all life seemed good at that point.
We made our way back to the World Trade Centre and the stunning new station there to get a train out to New Jersey for the game. The station and the area around it has seen better days. We wandered to the ground, had a look round it, and then walked back to the station to visit the off licence to get drink for the tailgate party. A ½ litre bottle of vodka and 2 bottles of coke for not much more than the price of a can of bud light in the ground.
The 200 or so Union fans arrived outside the turnstiles for the tailgate party, unloading crates of alcohol and food from the bus. We were made to feel very welcome guests by this great bunch of fans. They clearly have a disdain for the Red Bulls as apparent by the 3 banners hung outside the turnstiles which read:
SOME HATE TRUMP
SOME HATE CLINTON
BUT WE ALL HATE RED BULLS
Like the week before at Toronto, we were required to enter the ground early and to be escorted to our seats. Apparently security had to be tight. So tight that my bag was not searched and in fact our tickets were not checked. We were not supposed to be in the Philadelphia End, but at the other end of the ground!
Inside the ground, another concrete new ground, there was little to say about the ground. It looked better inside than it did from outside. I think Red Bulls must be twinned with Sunderland given the number of empty seats in the ground. Whilst soccer has taken off in a big way in the USA, even since my last visit in 2013, it has seemingly not taken off here.
The game itself resulted in a 3-2 win for Red Bulls, which definitely flattered them. However, the abiding memory for me was the incredible support the Sons of Ben gave their team. Two hours plus of singing and chanting. I could even forgive them for the drum. In fact I was stood next to the drummer chatting with him.
After the game, the Union fans were forced to remain in their seats, not even allowed to go to the seats until the ground had been cleared!
Summing up the 2 away games I attended. The grounds were modern and lots of catering. Alcohol was allowed even watching the game, but the general attitude towards away fans was one of contempt. They were tolerated by the clubs rather than welcomed. I had in my mind the way we used to be treated in England before the Hillsborough Disaster, which as you know was partly brought about by the contempt for football fans.
This was a troubling reflection on what otherwise was a great couple of games.
One positive was no one bothered if you stood or not in the Sons of Ben section. Another reminder of watching Newcastle away from home. Truth be told it’s probably the same for most clubs in England. In fact, should away section not just be terraced as everyone just stands at away games?
I recommend anyone to go to a Philadelphia Union game to see / meet the Sons of Ben. The passion and energy from those fans is something we seem to have lost at many English clubs. The drinking on the terraces also brought back many memories of football matches past in England.
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| Coney Island |
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| Coney Island |
