Representing the Football Association of Canada, it was composed of some of the top Canadian players at the time, and was best known for having played several games against the Harvard Crimson in the 1870s.
[6][7][8] The 15-man starting lineup for Canada was made up of the following players: Esdale, Eardley-Wilmot, Clouston, Creighton, Tatlow, Thomas, Gough, Taylor, McGibbon, Price, McGachen, Campbell, McLaren, Stewart and Ross; The Boston Globe noted that Taylor and McGibbon were both from McGill, Price "resides in Quebec", while the others were players from Montreal.
[3] The game was played on the Montreal cricket ground, under the Canadian rules, with the 15 Harvard players listed in the positions of "tenders", "half-tenders" and "rushers".
The ball would come up, and the Canadian defence, in the nick of time, would seize their opportunity, and by a 'rush' bring it to mid-field, and by a little sharp play pass it to one of the rushers, and down it would go, making things lively ...
But soon the Canadians began to show the effects of the knocking about of the train, while the superb condition of the Harvards served them in good stead ... [after] three-quarters of an hour's hard play ... with the wind in their favor, the Harvard men in a short time put the ball down to the Canadians' goal; there was a short, sharp scrimmage, and the ball was cleverly thrown to Seamans, that prince of kickers, who kicked the goal for his side ...
"[21] The Ottawa Daily Citizen said that Canada was at a "great disadvantage" due to having not practiced enough together, and also noted that several players from Ontario were not as well-trained as advertised, although it stated that Perram, captain, was an exception, whom they described as playing a "splendid game ... there was admittedly no rival for him on the Harvard side.