Although the Canadian Championship showdown between the Halifax Wanderers and Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC may be the first-ever matchup between the two teams, this isn’t a case of strangers meeting for the first time.

The connections run deep, with a handful of Wanderers developing their skills through the Toronto FC Academy all the way through the senior squad. Then there’s Port Williams, Nova Scotia’s very own Jacob Shaffelburg, a member of the Canadian Men’s National Team and a young star on Toronto FC.

“I’m so grateful for TFC and the people there,” says Wanderers defender Mateo Restrepo. ”They were kind of my family away from home, they helped me not only become a better player but a better man, a better individual.”

Restrepo first joined the TFC Academy in 2011, playing with the under-14s and remained in the system until 2015. The mentorship he received over those four years is something that’s stuck for Restrepo both in life and football.

“I pretty much watch all their games still and have a couple friends that still play on the teams. It’s a pretty special connection.”

Restrepo also holds a place in the history books from his time with the academy in 2014 when Toronto FC Academy played to a 1-1 draw against Vaughan Azzuri in the inaugural match of League1 Ontario.

“I got the first red card, it shouldn’t have been a red card… I guess I have that to my name now, first red card of League1 history. Something to tell my grandkids I guess,” Restrepo says with a laugh.

During his time with the academy, the defender played with a number of teammates who now play professionally, including Mark-Anthony Kaye (Colorado Rapids, MLS), Mo Babouli (Forge FC) and Dapo Afolayan (Bolton Wanderers, EFL League One). Another one of those former academy teammates is now a current teammate with the Wanderers: Aidan Daniels.

“Aidan, I’ve known since I was little. His dad was my coach for a little bit actually, when we were young,” says Restrepo. “Having him here is such a blessing. It just feels like a family member is here with me. It’s been great to show him around and to integrate him into the team”

From Toronto to the Wanderers family

“It’s been great, (Mateo) has been such a help in the transition for me, coming from the USL to here, He’s always been a role model for me,” says midfielder Aidan Daniels after training at the Wanderers Grounds.

“I always looked up to him, just the way he carries himself as a person and as a player. Even living with him too, he’s gotten me into some good habits already. He’s made the transition fairly easy and so have the other guys.”

A year younger than Restrepo, Daniels joined the TFC Academy in 2012 and was there for just over four years, then progressed through the system, signing a second-team contract with TFC II, then eventually signing a first-team deal with Toronto FC.

“The professionalism I’ve learned from the coaches, from the players there — you hold yourself accountable to everything. And that’s a standard on the football pitch and in life. Holding yourself to a high standard and expecting the best from yourself every single day,” Daniels says as he reflects on his seven years with the club.

“Honestly one of the biggest things in the Toronto FC philosophy is just respect — for yourself and for others. Those definitely stuck with me and have continued to propel my career. I try to implement those every day in training or in games and just in everyday life.”

The Canadian midfielder made his debut for Toronto FC on April 13, 2018, in a match against Houston Dynamo before being loaned to Ottawa Fury.

“Since I joined the academy, that’s all I ever wanted, was to sign for the first team and make my debut. I was very blessed to get that opportunity. I’m just grateful that it unravelled that way and I’m super happy I can say I have an MLS debut. Obviously, that’s the level I want to get to and accumulate games. But I’m happy to be here in CPL and playing for the Wanderers. (The MLS debut) was a great moment for me and my family,” says Daniels.

Now Daniels has the opportunity to play against his former team, a team where he’s still in touch with some of the younger players on the Toronto FC roster. Although Daniels didn’t re-sign and was eventually released by TFC, he says there are no hard feelings and it was time for him to move on. Now, it’s time to focus on a meaningful match for Daniels, personally, as well as the entire Wanderers club — a match that sold out in fewer than 24 hours after tickets went on sale to the general public.

“I’m really excited for them to come into town, see all the guys again and play against them because I haven’t done that since I left the club. I’m just really looking forward to that. I know the guys are really excited for that game and we’re going to put our best foot forward and hopefully get a result.”

The Shaffelburg Connection

Toronto FC winger Jacob Shaffelburg grew up in Nova Scotia, playing youth soccer for Valley United SC before leaving the province to attend high school at Berkshire School in Sheffield, Mass. While at the prep school, Shaffelburg was on the same 4×400 relay track and field team as Toronto FC’s Ifunanyachi Achara and Halifax Wanderers midfielder Mohamed Omar.

“It’ll be a special feeling for (Shaffelburg), the game being here in Halifax. I think the game, if it were to be in Toronto, it would be a special feeling for a number of us as well,” says Mohamed Omar.

“Jacob is one of the people who reached out to me when I first signed here, just telling me great things about Halifax, just telling me I should be really excited to be in Halifax, play for the Wanderers. I know he’ll definitely be relishing the feeling of playing in front of friends and family. But at the same time, he knows we’re coming out to win the game and they’re coming out to win the game, so we’re ready to do whatever it takes,” Omar says.

Shaffelburg played for an under-23 Halifax Wanderers Atlantic Selects in the summer of 2018 when the team faced a Fortunua Dusseldorf under-21 squad visiting from Germany. The match ended in a Wanderers 3-2 win, with the decisive goal coming from Shaffelburg in penalties.

Like Shaffelburg, Omar spent time in the Toronto FC Academy system throughout his career. He joined the academy in late 2013 and would train with the team during breaks at the Berkshire prep school. When Omar was playing at the University of Notre Dame, he moved up a level and would train with Toronto FC II during breaks.

“I’m always grateful to some of my youth coaches there, just because they helped me develop and take my game to levels I never thought would be possible. So a lot of my success that I’ve had in recent years and continue to have can certainly be attributed to my time in the academy, really developing and maturing on and off the field,” reflects Omar.

Even more connections

Defender Colin Gander also spent time in the Toronto FC Academy from 2013 to 19. The first-year Wanderer also played with Toronto FC III in League1 Ontario in 2018 and 2019. Fellow Wanderers first-year Ryan Robinson also was a member of the Toronto FC Academy, making eight appearances with Toronto FC III in the 2018 season.