Aubrey Sanford

Aubrey Carmen Sanford... his father was a clergyman... he was 79 years old when he passed away in Vancouver, BC on 5 January 1985... worked as comptroller at Cunningham’s Drug Stores... a three-time Dominion Cup winner with the Westminster Royals as a player (1928, 1930, 1931) and a two-time winner as team manager (1953 and 1955)... in 1950, his 1929 team Westminster Royals was named Canadian soccer’s “Best in 50 Years” in a poll by The Canadian Press... was in fact the first Dominion of Canada Championship winner who went on to become president of the Canadian Soccer Association (1969)... in spring 1971, he was hospitalized after being struck by an automobile...

served as the 24th President of the Canadian Soccer Football Association (1969-72)... posthumously honoured by the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame... honoured by the BC Sports Hall of Fame and posthumously honoured by the Soccer Hall of Fame of British Columbia... posthumously named in his honour, Canada Soccer’s Aubrey Sanford Meritorious Service Award is presented in recognition of a distinguished contribution to the work of the Canadian Soccer Association in the promotion and development of soccer in Canada... posthumously named in his honour, the BC Soccer Aubrey Sanford Award...

as noted in 1928 in the Winnipeg Free Press, he was “a huge fellow (who) is sound rather than showy and has a ponderous kick which saves his backs lots of work”... wrote Andy Lytle for the Vancouver Sun of the 1931 Dominion championship, “Winnipeg critics rank him the best in the Dominion on his series showing”...

wrote Eric King in 1971, “Mr. Sanford’s many years as a chartered accountant have proven to be of immense value to Canada Soccer. His leadership, direction and counselling with respect to the financial well being of the Association has enabled the National Executive Committee to budget wisely and plan programs which are within the means of the Association’s financial resources”... wrote Eric King in 1985, “it was in (Aubrey’s) area of accounting that he made his biggest contribution to the work of the Canadian Soccer Association“... also wrote King in 1985, Aubrey “never sought the limelight; he derived pleasure from working on the Association`s accounts in his beautiful home in Vancouver. That was how he wanted to make his contribution to the game, both with BC Soccer in the early 1960s and as President of Canada Soccer from 1969-72“... said Dave Fryatt in 1985, “Aubrey was probably the most respected man in Canadian soccer in the latter half of this century. Most of his legislative work was done behind the scenes as he didn’t care for the limelight”...