1973 National Soccer League season explained

Competition:National Soccer League
Season:1973
Shield:Toronto Hungaria
Shieldtitle:League cup
League Topscorer:John Fahy (24)
Keith Summers (24)
Best Goalkeeper:Blagoje Tamindžić[1]
Prevseason:1972

The 1973 National Soccer League season was the fiftieth season under the National Soccer League (NSL) name. The season began in May and concluded in late October with Toronto Hungaria defeating Toronto Croatia for the NSL Championship. Toronto Hungaria repeated their success by defeating Croatia for the NSL Cup, which marked the organization's first league double.[2] Although Toronto Croatia was defeated in the postseason, they still managed to secure the regular-season title and qualified for the Canadian Open Cup.[3] [4] In the Canadian Open Cup final Toronto successfully defended the title for the third consecutive season by defeating Challenge Trophy finalists Toronto West Indies United.[5]

Toronto Croatia was scheduled to participate in the 1973 CONCACAF Champions' Cup against Club América, but the series of matches failed to materialize.[6] Stanley Park Stadium was employed for the final time as the Toronto clubs transferred their home venue to the CNE Stadium in 1974. The league experienced a further increase in match attendance.

Overview

The National Soccer League (NSL) was embroiled in a dispute with the Toronto Indoor Soccer League over the usage of players during the offseason.[7] The NSL teams forbade their contracted players from participating in the indoor league without the consent of their clubs.[8] Despite the ban, many NSL players ignored the decision and continued playing in the indoor league.[9] [10] The league increased in membership to 17 teams with the approval of additional teams in Toronto, and Montreal. The NSL expanded into Quebec with the return of Montreal Cantalia, and the Toronto representatives were Toronto Melita and Toronto Polonia. Melita previously competed in the Toronto & District Soccer League.[11]

Several teams were rebranded with Hamilton Apollos becoming Hamilton City, and Toronto Olympia was renamed, Toronto Homer. London City acquired the NSL franchise rights from London German Canadians, and Toronto Hellas had their franchise revoked. The league had an increase in match attendance with Serbian White Eagles, and Toronto Croatia averaging the most.[12] The season also marked the final time the Toronto-based clubs would utilize Stanley Park Stadium as their home venue as the municipal government decided to convert the field into a park. The league administration addressed the continuing fan violence throughout the NSL with league president Joe Piccininni committing to placing stiffer fines the following season.[13] The league table was modified after the Ottawa Tigers were suspended in late August after incurring financial problems.[14] [15]

Teams

TeamCityStadiumManager
Hamilton CityHamilton, Ontario
Hamilton CroatiaHamilton, OntarioBrian Timmis Stadium[16] Sid Sokles[17]
Hamilton Italo-CanadiansHamilton, Ontario
London CityLondon, OntarioCove Road Stadium
Montreal CantaliaMontreal, QuebecVerdun Stadium[18] Franco Gallina[19]
Ottawa Tigers Ottawa, OntarioMooney's Bay Sports Complex[20] Sandro Rausa[21]
Serbian White EaglesToronto, OntarioCNE Stadium[22] Stanley Park StadiumMladen Sarić[23]
Srbija KitchenerKitchener, Ontario
St. Catharines HeidelbergSt. Catharines, OntarioClub Heidelberg Field[24] Alex Crawley
Toronto CroatiaToronto, OntarioCNE Stadium Stanley Park StadiumVladimir Šimunić[25]
Toronto First PortugueseToronto, OntarioCNE Stadium Stanley Park StadiumEnidio Graca[26]
Toronto HomerToronto, OntarioCNE Stadium Stanley Park Stadium
Toronto HungariaToronto, OntarioCNE Stadium Stanley Park Stadium
Toronto ItaliaYork, OntarioYork Stadium[27] Giovanni Fanello[28]
Toronto MelitaToronto, OntarioCNE Stadium Stanley Park Stadium
Toronto PoloniaToronto, OntarioCNE StadiumStanley Park Stadium
Toronto UkrainiansToronto, OntarioCNE StadiumStanley Park Stadium

Coaching changes

TeamOutgoing coachManner of
departure		Date of
vacancy		Position in tableIncoming coachDate of
appointment
Ricardo Musci[29] replacedJuly, 1973Franco GallinaJuly, 1973
Hector Marinaro, Sr.[30] replacedJuly, 1973Giovanni FanelloJuly, 1973
John Santesso[31] replacedAugust 25, 19731stAlex Crawley[32] August 25, 1973

Playoffs

Finals

Cup

The cup tournament was a separate contest from the rest of the season in which all seventeen teams took part. The finals for the cup were to consist of a two-legged match but were scrapped after the first match was abandoned due to fan violence.[33] The league decided to award the cup to Toronto Hungaria as they were leading the match before it was abandoned.

Finals

Canadian Open Cup

The Canadian Open Cup was a tournament organized by the National Soccer League in 1971 where the NSL champion would face the Challenge Trophy winners to determine the best team throughout the country. The 1974 edition served as a qualifier match to determine the Canadian representative to the CONCACAF Champions' Cup.[34] Toronto Croatia was the NSL representative for the third consecutive year while their opponents were the Toronto & District League champions Toronto West Indies United.[35] The Vancouver Firefighters were the 1973 Challenge Trophy winners and originally were invited to participate, but declined which allowed the Challenge Trophy runner-ups Toronto West Indies United to compete for the title.

References

  1. Web site: National Soccer League 1926 to 1992. live. May 22, 2021. canadiansoccerleague.ca. https://web.archive.org/web/20140628214309/http://canadiansoccerleague.ca:80/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/NSL_1921_1992.pdf . 2014-06-28 .
  2. Book: Jose, Colin. On-Side - 125 Years of Soccer in Ontario. Ontario Soccer Association and Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum. 2001. Vaughan, Ontario. 117.
  3. Web site: CSL Past Champions. live. April 30, 2021. canadiansoccerleague.ca. https://web.archive.org/web/20210414193119/https://canadiansoccerleague.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Champions.pdf . 2021-04-14 .
  4. News: October 4, 1973. Croatia wins NSL pennant. C3. Toronto Star.
  5. Book: Jose, Colin. Canadian Encyclopedia of Soccer - Keeping Score. Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum. 1998. 0-9683800-0-X. Vaughan, Ontario. 121.
  6. News: September 11, 1973. Croatia to play 2-game series against Americana of Mexico. 37. The Globe and Mail.
  7. News: Kernaghan. Jim. February 6, 1973. Indoor soccer loop players defy threats of suspension. 37. Toronto Star.
  8. News: Kernaghan. Jim. January 5, 1973. Five teams in indoor soccer. 15. Toronto Star.
  9. News: February 5, 1973. Indoor loop ignores NSL player ban. S5. The Globe and Mail.
  10. News: Waring. Ed. February 6, 1973. Players defy ban, play indoor soccer. 32. The Globe and Mail.
  11. News: Kernaghan. Jim. May 15, 1973. Metros hope to improve materially by taking on such teams as Lazio. 21. Toronto Star.
  12. News: Waring. Ed. December 10, 1973. Eight of NSL's ten teams will call CNE Stadium home. S2. The Globe and Mail.
  13. News: Kernaghan. Jim. October 26, 1973. Crackdown on soccer violence. C4. Toronto Star.
  14. News: Gatecliff . Jack . 20 October 1973 . Through the Sports Gate . 23 . St. Catharines Standard.
  15. News: 28 August 1973 . Club Roma Takes on Nationals . 24 . St. Catharines Standard.
  16. News: June 8, 1973. Fans unruly, NSL referee halts match. 39. The Globe and Mail.
  17. News: Gatecliff . Jack . 10 September 1973 . Slump Continues - Heidelberg Held to Draw . 21 . St. Catharines Standard.
  18. News: Onorato. Andre. May 12, 1973. Cantalia returns to local soccer. 14. Montreal Gazette.
  19. News: Onorato. Andre. July 7, 1973. Cantalia sets sight on two weekend wins. 10. Montreal Gazette.
  20. News: Brown. Dave. May 3, 1973. Out of the Dark. 50. Ottawa Journal.
  21. News: De Marinis. Mariano. June 9, 1973. Ottawa Tigers' franchise quite alive and kicking. 18. Ottawa Journal.
  22. News: Nickleson. Al. May 11, 1973. College Bowl moves to CNE as mod sod gets more use - 17 NSL Games. 18. Toronto Star.
  23. News: Kernaghan. Jim. April 19, 1973. 9 Yugoslavian imports boost soccer club's bid. 20. Toronto Star.
  24. News: 10 May 1973 . Nationals Open Season Sunday . 32 . St. Catharines Standard.
  25. News: Kernaghan. Jim. May 25, 1973. This soccer club's success merely widens its horizons. 18. Toronto Star.
  26. News: Clifford. Dale. July 30, 1973. Tigers bow on disputed penalty. 15. Ottawa Citizen.
  27. News: Waring. Ed. July 4, 1973. Soccer crowds grow, NSL secretary feels 250,000 draw possible. 33. The Globe and Mail.
  28. News: July 18, 1973. 6 Metros will face Italian Army team. 45. The Globe and Mail.
  29. News: Onorato. Andre. May 9, 1973. Reborn Cantalia team will play in interprovincial soccer loop. 44. Montreal Gazette.
  30. News: Kernaghan. Jim. May 10, 1973. Italia prepared for top role. 17. Toronto Star.
  31. News: Gatecliff . Jack . 17 February 1973 . Through the Sports Gate . 25 . St. Catharines Standard.
  32. News: Gatecliff . Jack . 25 August 1973 . Through the Sports Gate . 31 . St. Catharines Standard.
  33. News: Kernaghan. Jim. October 26, 1973. Crackdown on soccer violence. C4. Toronto Star.
  34. News: Kernaghan. Jim. July 12, 1975. Eagles want to win but it is costly. D5. Toronto Star.
  35. News: Koep. Bob. October 29, 1973. Croatia strikes early to win. B6. Toronto Star.

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