Colin Jose
July 11, 1936—September 14, 2024

We are deeply saddened to report that Colin Jose died onSaturday evening September 14. He was 88 years old. Colin was born in Falmouth, Cornwall an historic seafaring town in the South West of England where he trained as an electrician on the docks. In 1957, aged 21, he emigrated to Canada initially working in Moose Jaw before he returned to the UK. He later moved back to Canada and worked for Westinghouse in Hamilton and later Camco.

He retired from Camco in October 1992 after which he spent most of his time in libraries doing research to record the history of soccer in Canada and United States. Colin became a well known soccer historian, researcher,writer and pundit––a source of expert knowledge to the media. including TV, newspapers as well as academics, researchers and writers across the world.

Colin was a one man factory of soccer history. Much of his work done via dogged research through microfiche newspaper files, hardcopy records and his network of sports historians and statisticians in other countries.
As Historian of The Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum (later transferred to Canada Soccer) it would not have existed in its original form were it not for
Colin’s research. His work was the “Engine Room” that fuelled its
activities under founding Chair Bill Hoyle.

Colin wrote multiple books and reference works on the history of soccer in Canada and the US. Kevan Pipe, a previous Chief Operating Officer for Canada Soccer once famously observed that Colin was the Encyclopedia
Brittanica of Canadian Soccer. Canada Soccer have noted Colin’s multiple roles. To name a few : member of the Executive Committee of the International Federation of Football History and Statistics.; Official statistician for Canada Soccer’s National Teams; liaison officer on the FIFA press and publications committee. As well as the National Organising
Committee (Media Relations) for the FIFA U-16 World Tournament
Canada 1987.

Among his many awards he was inducted into Canada’s Soccer Hall of Fame in 2009 and twice received The President’s Award from Ontario Soccer. In the US he was Historian Emeritus of the National Soccer Hall of Fame and his towering impact is deservedly acknowledged by the US Media
Award named after him. Colin is and will remain a widely respected and admired historian. A reputation earned and richly deserved with multiple awards to recognize his staggering contribution to the history of our
sport in Canada and the US.

But he was also our friend and colleague. We knew him as a kind,thoughtful man—although always willing to get a little “sparky” when necessary! He had a patient determination that rarely faltered. Always considerate of others he had a welcome smile, a gracious demeanour and a quick wit. He was a charming and wholly decent man we were honoured to know. And yet, for each one of us, no matter what we worked at, no matter our fame or infamy we are first and last someone’s child, partner, parent In 1966 Colin married his wife Karen. November 2024 will mark their 58th Anniversary.…
And so we leave the last words to Colin’s daughter Carla to speak of her Dad and to the privilege the rest of us had knowing Colin Jose as a friend and colleague.

It is with a heavy heart that I share that after a long battle with dementia, my Dad took his last breaths last night. Words can't describe how much he will be missed. He lit up every room with the twinkle in his eyes, his mischievous smile and his witty sense of humour. He always knew how to make people laugh and won the hearts of so many throughout his life. 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, kind and the best Dad a girl could ask for."