1975 Tampa Bay Rowdies season explained

Club:Tampa Bay Rowdies
Season:1975
Manager: Eddie Firmani
Mgrtitle:Head coach
Chairman: George W. Strawbridge, Jr.
Chrtitle:President
Stadium:Tampa Stadium
League:NASL
League Result:Division: 1st
Playoffs: Champions
Cup1:U.S. Open Cup
Cup1 Result:Did not enter
League Topscorer:
Derek Smethurst (18 goals)
Season Topscorer:
Derek Smethurst (21 goals)
Highest Attendance:22,710
(Aug. 16 vs. Miami)
Lowest Attendance:5,281
(May 28 vs. Denver)
Average Attendance:12,064
American:true
Pattern B1:_collargreen
Pattern La1:_tbrowdies12h
Pattern Ra1:_tbrowdies12h
Pattern Sh1:_green_border
Pattern So1:_hoops_green_2
Leftarm1:006600
Body1:ffffff
Rightarm1:006600
Shorts1:FFFFff
Socks1:FFF200
Pattern B2:_tbrowdies13h
Pattern La2:_tbrowdies12h
Pattern Ra2:_tbrowdies12h
Pattern Sh2:_norwich1617h
Pattern So2:_hoops_green_2
Leftarm2:006600
Body2:006600
Rightarm2:006600
Shorts2:006600
Socks2:FFF200
Pattern B3:_greencollar
Pattern La3:_tbrowdies13h
Pattern Ra3:_tbrowdies13h
Pattern Sh3:_green_border
Pattern So3:_hoops_green_2
Leftarm3:006600
Body3:ffffff
Rightarm3:006600
Shorts3:FFFFff
Socks3:FFF200
Prevseason:first season
Nextseason:1976

The 1975 Tampa Bay Rowdies season was the first season of the club's existence.

Kit

During the outdoor campaign occasionally a random Rowdies player could be seen wearing the collarless jersey[1] used by all players during the 1975 indoor season earlier in the year, but by season's end the full-collar style that would become so familiar in all of Tampa Bay's later NASL campaigns eventually took over.[2] The striping sequence on the sleeves was also different. Tampa Bay would not wear a cuff-style collar again until the 1986–87 American Indoor Soccer Association season.[3]

Club

Management and technical staff

Honors

The Rowdies received eight individual honors following the 1975 NASL season.

Review

The 1975 North American Soccer League season was the Tampa Bay Rowdies first outdoors. The expansion Rowdies had only recently completed a successful debut in the 1975 indoor tournament, by finishing as runners-up. With Eddie Firmani as coach and John Boyle as team captain, they opened outdoor play by splitting a pair of preseason friendlies versus the San Antonio Thunder.

Tampa Bay's first regular season match was played at Tampa Stadium against the Rochester Lancers before 12,133 paying customers (and another 3,000-plus, who were there for free). Their first ever goal was scored by Derek Smethurst in the opening half. The first goal conceded by the Rowdies occurred at the 27:59 mark when Tommy Ord put one past Tampa Bay goalie Mike Hewitt. The game remained tied 1–1 at the end of 90 minutes. At 3:45 of golden goal overtime, second-half substitute, Alex Pringle, recorded the teams' first ever game-winning goal. The game also saw Firmani (age 41) insert himself into the lineup with about one minute remaining in regulation. This was because several players had been delayed in Europe, causing the Tampa Bay roster to be a bit thin for the match.[4]

The Rowdies success carried on as they went on to record winning streaks of six and seven games during the regular season. Tampa Bay finished the year tied with the Portland Timbers for the best record in the league with a mark of 16–6. The winning ways continued into the playoffs as they did not concede a single goal in any round. They defeated Toronto Metros-Croatia, 1–0, in the quarterfinals. That was followed by a 3–0 dismantling of 1974 league runners-up, and Florida Derby rival, Miami Toros in the semifinal, which sent them into the Soccer Bowl.

The Soccer Bowl '75 championship match featured the two teams with the best records in the NASL, the Rowdies and Portland. Coincidentally both squads were also expansion teams. Behind a stingy defense and a pair of second half goals by Arsène Auguste and Clyde Best, Tampa Bay came away the victors, 2–0. Defender Stewart Jump was named man of the match. This would be the Rowdies only outdoor NASL championship.

Competitions

NASL regular season

Division standings

width=30Eastern Division width=30width=30width=30width=30width=30width=30width=30Qualification
1Tampa Bay Rowdies221664627+19135NASL Playoffs
2Miami Toros221484730+17123
3Washington Diplomats2212104247-5112
4Philadelphia Atoms2210123342-990
5Baltimore Comets229133452-1887

Overall League Placing

width=30PosClub width=30Pldwidth=30Wwidth=30Lwidth=30GFwidth=30GAwidth=30GDwidth=30Pts
1align=left Portland Timbers221664327+16138
2align=left Tampa Bay Rowdies221664627+19135
3align=left Seattle Sounders221574228+14129
4align=left Miami Toros221484730+17123
5align=left Boston Minutemen221394129+12116

Match reports

NASL Playoffs

Match reports

Notes and References

  1. http://www.nasljerseys.com/images/Rowdies/Rowdies%2075%20Home%20Qarashi,%20Eddie%20Engerth,%20Dips.jpg Nasl Jerseys image
  2. Web site: Derek Smethurst, Doug Wark vs Cosmos 1975 (Image).
  3. http://www.nasljerseys.com/images/2015/Rowdies%2086-87%20Road%20Team.jpg Nasl Jerseys Team image
  4. News: Austin . Jim . Fans Rally For Rowdies . April 28, 1975. Evening Independent. 1-C . 2016-04-28.