After World War I, a recession occurred, resulting in many layoffs by the local mines.  The newly unemployed men, many of whom were soccer players, were forced to leave Sudbury in search of work.  This resulted in hardships for the league as they attempted to put together a decent team.  A junior soccer team was established to help keep soccer alive in Sudbury, but a feud between the junior and senior leagues over player allotments effectively ended soccer in the area by 1923.

Soccer reappeared the following spring in 1924, when attempts were made to reorganize the Sudbury and District Football Association.  The economy was improving and people were returning to the area.  Soon, there were enough athletes to form teams in Sudbury, Coniston, Espanola, North Bay, Capreol, and Creighton.  When competitions began, games were often very close, making for interesting matches.  This helped to propel a comeback for the sport and served to attract the interest of former spectators.

An annual match was established between the Sons of England and the Sons of Scotland all-star clubs.  This match further increased fan attendance, providing a forum for national competitiveness to resurface.

The new S.D.F.A. developed a Northern Ontario Championship trophy (known as the Star Cup) to accompany the competitions for the Anderson Cup (the league championships) and the Evans Cup.

Teams were largely comprised of English and Scottish players, however, some Canadians managed to successfully take part in the sport.

With the S.D.F.A. league back in full swing, the executives secured special train rates for athletic teams traveling to towns within the league's competing district.

• Soccer Gets a Boost