Former Falmouth football secretary Colin Jose has died in Canada

Colin, a quiet and highly respected character, was one of the best-known faces in local football in the Falmouth and Penryn area during the early 1960s, but it was in Canada and throughout North America that Colin, an author and journalist, was to become a household name.

He was instrumental in helping to compile and shape the history books of North American football and was renowned for writing numerous biographies and collating statistics for Canadian soccer heroes and personalities.

He was a founding member of The Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum (now known as the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame) and he served on the executive committee of the International Federation of Football History and Statistics.

Before emigrating to Canada, Colin was the popular secretary of Falmouth Docks Football Club when, during its heyday, each week it fielded three teams and was a magnet for young footballers keen to get their boots on the first rung of football which could eventually lead to playing at a senior level.

Colin originally emigrated to Canada in 1957, living first in Hamilton and then in Moose Jaw before he returned to Falmouth fairly soon after, but the lure of Canada proved too great and he eventually returned in 1964 and two years later married Karen with the couple raising their family in Hamilton, Ontario.

Colin was one of the best-known faces in local football in the Falmouth and Penryn area during the early 1960s (Image: Supplied) His love of football followed him to Canada and although the sport was not particularly popular at that time, Colin’s enthusiasm as an historian and statistician of the game transformed its profile to such an extent that his name is now synonymous with every level of football in Canada.

Colin was inducted as a member of the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame and a Canada Soccer Life Member, as well as being Canada soccer’s press officer from 1972 to 1982 and the nation’s unofficial soccer historian for over 30 years.

He served as the official statistician for the Canadian national teams, was the official statistician and historian of the old Canadian Soccer League, and was liaison officer on the FIFA press and publications committee. He provided soccer research to CBC for the Montréal 1976 Olympic Games and served on the National Organising Committee (media relations) for the FIFA u16 World Tournament in Canada in 1987.

Among many of the awards he received was the Canada Soccer President’s Award in 2007, the Ontario Soccer President’s Award in 1986 and 2015, and the Soccer Québec Centennial Medal in 2011.

Colin spent the last few years of his life in London, Ontario, where he passed away peacefully on September 14.

“Words can’t describe how much he will be missed,” said daughter Carla Willson. “He lit up every room with the twinkle in his eyes, his mischievous smile and his witty sense of humour.

“The world knew him as an author, journalist, and one of the most respected historians of soccer in North America. I was so proud of all of his accomplishments, but even prouder to be his daughter. He was loving and kind and the best dad a girl could ask for.”