“We’ll see what it evolves into,” Abrams continued. “It’s also a process of learning about teams and the great players of the past. This phase of it is sort of a tribute to these players. They are important cultural figures for our time. There’s a beauty in their movements and in the colours that they wear and what it represents to us as we’re watching.”

With a stellar amateur career behind him, Brian Decaire signed with his hometown team in 1982, becoming the first local talent to enlist with the NASL’s Montreal Manic. He spent two seasons with the team and, now almost 30 years removed from the pitch, looks back on his time in the pro ranks with mixed emotions.