About Us

Welcome to Royal York FC, your soccer training and development club. Here at Royal York FC we pride ourselves on delivering top class training sessions resulting in match day excellence. Whatever your age or level of play, our philosophy is simple – we're here to help you develop. We strive to deepen your love of the beautiful game using a skills-first approach.

Leon Brown
Founder & President

Born in Birmingham, England, Leon has been involved in soccer internationally for over 30 years. He signed his first professional contract with England’s Bristol Rovers in 1980. This was followed by a professional career that took him to Sweden, Malta, Iceland and New Zealand. He ended his professional run with the Winnipeg Fury in 1987. After his professional playing days, he spent the next 10 years as a semi-professional soccer player. Since 1997, he has been playing amateur soccer with various recreational and competitive teams in the greater Toronto Area. He relishes the excitement of playing soccer any place, any day, and at any time – playing the beautiful game is still something he looks forward to and considers himself fortunate to be able to do.

Leon's youth coaching career began in Toronto in 2003. An accredited coach, he has extensive experience developing young soccer players, both girls and boys, of various ages and levels of experience. He believes that a player must be fully competent in the basic soccer techniques in order to play the game properly and enjoy it at its fullest. He has a highly motivational style that brings out the best in individuals or players within a team unit. He strives for all the teams that he comes into contact with to achieve an intelligent passing and highly technical style of play. His love of soccer translates to his approach to coaching and preparation; he is determined to develop players coming into the club into the best players that they can possibly be.

As President of Royal York FC, Leon has personally selected all of our coaches, and ensures that they will have the utmost regard for quality soccer coaching, focusing on technical development of players in a positive learning environment.

Dexter C. Gilmore
Technical Director

Royal York FC is thrilled to welcome Dexter C. Gilmore as our Technical Director. A highly skilled technical mentor, Dexter brings a wealth of National level playing and coaching experience, as well as a passion for soccer development to our club. Dexter travelled to High Point University in North Carolina to play soccer, where he was a 2 time All-American, and where he also earned his Bachelor of Science in Physical Education. He has played for various teams in the Canadian National Soccer League and the Ontario Soccer League, amongst others. A Certified Fitness Trainer, Dexter is also a Certified Pre-B Coach. Previous professional coaching positions include a tenure as the fitness trainer for the Reno Football Club in the Jamaican National Premier League, and from 2006 to 2009, Dexter was the U17 and U20 Boys trainer, and the U17 Girls coach for the Jamaica National Football Federation.

Dexter’s ability to communicate soccer concepts, from the basic to the most technical, is second to none. His engaged, hands-on style is highly motivational. Dexter’s proven record of developing soccer coaches and players will lead us in continuing to foster a culture of technical excellence at Royal York FC.