John McGrane
Encyclopedia
John McGrane is a retired Scottish-Canadian soccer defender
who played nine North American Soccer League
seasons and seventeen times for the Canadian national soccer team
. He also played in the Montreal Olympics
.
. Raised in the United Kingdom
until 1966, where his Scottish father John McGrane Sr. played professional soccer, McGrane and his family moved to Canada when he was 12. He grew up in Hamilton, Ontario
where he was spotted by then Simon Fraser coach John Buchanan. McGrane played collegiately at Simon Fraser University
where he was a 1975 First Team NAIA
All-American. He also earned NAIA MVP honors his Freshman season.
He began his professional career with hometown Hamilton City in the National Soccer League. A winger in the early part of his career Mcgrane was soon converted to defender
as he played 1977 through 1981 with the Los Angeles Aztecs
. In the fall of 1981, he moved to the Montreal Manic
where he played one NASL indoor season and then two outdoor seasons. In 1983, he moved to the Chicago Sting
for the NASL indoor season, then was sent to the Minnesota Strikers
for the 1984 outdoor season. In the fall of 1984, the Strikers moved to the Major Indoor Soccer League and McGrane played one season for the Strikers in that league. He retired in September 1985.
of the Canadian Soccer League in their inaugural season of 1990. For two seasons he then was head coach and General Manager of the CSL's Hamilton Steelers of the Canadian Soccer League. Upon retiring from professional soccer McGrane established two companies called SOCCERWORLD SYSTEMS and SoccerWorld Hamilton which owns, builds, and manages indoor soccer facilities in North America and Europe. He is married to Brenda with four children Hollyn, John, Kerri and Wes.
On Saturday April 26, 2008, John was inducted into the Canada's Soccer Hall-of-Fame in Vaughn, Ontario - not only for his service to Canada's national teams and as a pro player but as well for his support of Canadian soccer post-career. He also has a book planned and a foundation in place for new Canadians. His service to soccer in Canada covered 30 years. He is currently the CEO of Soccer World Systems, a chain of indoor soccer facilities.
He is a member of the Ontario Soccer Association Hall of Fame.
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
who played nine North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
seasons and seventeen times for the Canadian national soccer team
Canada men's national soccer team
The Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions at the senior men's level. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association and compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football .Their most significant...
. He also played in the Montreal Olympics
Football at the 1976 Summer Olympics
Final results for the Football competition at the 1976 Summer Olympics held in Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, and Sherbrooke. Groups A, C and D had only three teams instead of four, as Nigeria, Ghana and Zambia national teams adhered to African-led boycott of the Games against the participation of New...
.
Club career
McGrane was born in ScotlandScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Raised in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
until 1966, where his Scottish father John McGrane Sr. played professional soccer, McGrane and his family moved to Canada when he was 12. He grew up in Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
where he was spotted by then Simon Fraser coach John Buchanan. McGrane played collegiately at Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
where he was a 1975 First Team NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
All-American. He also earned NAIA MVP honors his Freshman season.
He began his professional career with hometown Hamilton City in the National Soccer League. A winger in the early part of his career Mcgrane was soon converted to defender
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
as he played 1977 through 1981 with the Los Angeles Aztecs
Los Angeles Aztecs
The Los Angeles Aztecs were a soccer team that competed in the North American Soccer League from 1974-81. The team was based in Los Angeles, California and part-owned by Elton John.-History:...
. In the fall of 1981, he moved to the Montreal Manic
Montreal Manic
Montreal Manic were a soccer team based out of Montreal that played in the NASL. They played from 1981 to 1983. Their home field was Olympic Stadium...
where he played one NASL indoor season and then two outdoor seasons. In 1983, he moved to the Chicago Sting
Chicago Sting
The Chicago Sting was an American professional soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois. The Sting played in the North American Soccer League from 1975 to 1984 and in the Major Indoor Soccer League from in the 1982-83 season and again from 1984 to 1988...
for the NASL indoor season, then was sent to the Minnesota Strikers
Minnesota Strikers
The Minnesota Strikers was an American professional soccer team located in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area. The team played one season in the North American Soccer League and 4 seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League....
for the 1984 outdoor season. In the fall of 1984, the Strikers moved to the Major Indoor Soccer League and McGrane played one season for the Strikers in that league. He retired in September 1985.
National team
McGrane started both of Canada's 1976 Montreal Olympics games at forward as the team suffered two loses.Coach
McGrane was coach of the expansionKitchener SpiritKitchener Spirit
The Kitchener Spirit was a team in the Canadian Soccer League in 1990. In 1991, they were re-named the Kitchener Kickers. They played in Kitchener, Ontario....
of the Canadian Soccer League in their inaugural season of 1990. For two seasons he then was head coach and General Manager of the CSL's Hamilton Steelers of the Canadian Soccer League. Upon retiring from professional soccer McGrane established two companies called SOCCERWORLD SYSTEMS and SoccerWorld Hamilton which owns, builds, and manages indoor soccer facilities in North America and Europe. He is married to Brenda with four children Hollyn, John, Kerri and Wes.
On Saturday April 26, 2008, John was inducted into the Canada's Soccer Hall-of-Fame in Vaughn, Ontario - not only for his service to Canada's national teams and as a pro player but as well for his support of Canadian soccer post-career. He also has a book planned and a foundation in place for new Canadians. His service to soccer in Canada covered 30 years. He is currently the CEO of Soccer World Systems, a chain of indoor soccer facilities.
He is a member of the Ontario Soccer Association Hall of Fame.