BUMPING INTO PREMIER LEAGUE STAR THOMAS McGILL AT LOCAL YARD SALE REAL THRILL IN HOCKEY-MAD MUSKOKA

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

GRAVENHURST — Hockey stars are a dime a dozen in Muskoka in summer.

But it’s a real thrill when you bump into a Premier League football player browsing a local yard sale.

Saturday Canadian Thomas McGill, a keeper with the Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club, which plays in the Premier League the top tier of English football, was with his dad and proud grandfather Wayne McGill, of Gravenhurst, a former GHS teacher.

On Thursday he was named by Canada’s National Men’s Team when it announced its  selection of 26 players who will represent Canada in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup.

It’s his second time representing his home country at the competition.

Thomas McGill, 25, is the grandson of proud grandparents Wayne and Barb McGill, who have been overseas many times to see him play. And he visits them often in Gravenhurst.

He was out and about with his 84-year-old grandpa and his dad, Shane, 59, who is a Canadian Forces C-130 Hercules pilot just posted to Colorado for three years.

Thomas was on his way to report to the National Team camp June 12 in Vancouver.

Thomas McGill picked up a bottle of maple syrup at the Bifocals Band yard sale in Bracebridge while out with his proud grandpa Wayne who was sporting his grandson’s Brighton team jersey with his son Shane. PHOTO Mark Clairmont

Born in Belleville (his dad was stationed in nearby Trenton) he moved to England when he was 13 to pursue a professional football/soccer career. His mother is English.

Which explains his slight accent when Wayne introduced us at a yard sale in Bracebridge yesterday.

He said he was excited to help Canada as the CANMNT chases its first trophy since 2000.

“It’s great honour and I’m thrilled to represent Canada.”

He joined Brighton & Hove Albion’s academy in 2014 at aged 14. And has made six appearances for the England under-17 national team. He was called up to the England under-19 squad, before confirming his allegiance to Canada in 2023 after accepting a call-up.

Brighton sealed a place in the 2023–24 UEFA Europa League for their first European qualification in the club’s history. In June 2023, Brighton announced McGill had signed a new two-year contract with a one-year option to remain at the club. He earned six international caps for the England under-17s.

In March 2023, McGill accepted a call-up to the senior Canada side ahead of two CONCACAF Nations League matches against Curaçao and Honduras. In June 2023, he received another call-up to Canada, as part of the final squad for the Nations League Finals in Las Vegas. On June 19, 2023 McGill was called-up to the final squad for his first 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

McGill joins Canada’s two other Gold Cup goalkeepers Maxime Crépeau, from the Portland Timbers and Dayne St. Clair from Minnesota United FC. PHOTO CANMNT

Canada beats Ukraine 4-2 Saturday

Yesterday Canada began its play in the inaugural Canadian Shield, where they beat  Ukraine 4-2 with different lineup. Tuesday that group are at home to face Côte D’Ivoire at BMO Field in Toronto.

For Concacaf, Canada has been drawn into Group B for the Gold Cup, where they will face Honduras, El Salvador, and Curaçao in the Group Stage of the region’s premier international tournament.

Canada’s competition will begin on 17 June as they take on Honduras at Vancouver’s BC Place before traveling to Houston for matches against Curaçao on 21 June and El Salvador on 24 June. The Group B winner and runner-up will advance to the knockout stage.

About CONCACAF

The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football is one of FIFA’s six continental governing bodies for association football. Its 41 member associations represent countries and territories mainly in North America, including the Caribbean and Central America, and, for geopolitical reasons, 3 nations from the Guianas subregion of South America–Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana (an overseas region of France). The CONCACAF’s primary functions are to organize competitions for national teams and clubs, and to conduct the World Cup and Women’s World Cup qualifying tournaments.

COMMENT:

Great story, Mark!
I taught with Wayne at GHS and remember when Shane and his sister, Kathy, were students there.
Bonnie Parkhill

 

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