1976 National Soccer League season explained

Competition:National Soccer League
Season:1976
Shield:Toronto Panhellenic
Shieldtitle:League cup
League Topscorer:Emmanuel Kulu - Second Division- (21)[1]
Prevseason:1975

The 1976 National Soccer League season was the fifty-third season under the National Soccer League (NSL) name. The season began in late April and concluded in early October with Toronto Panhellenic securing the double (NSL Championship, and NSL Cup) by defeating Toronto First Portuguese in a two-match series for the NSL Championship.[2] In the NSL Cup final, Panhellenic defeated Toronto Italia, while Italia successfully defended the First Division title by finishing first in the standings.[3] [4] [5] In the Second Division, Hamilton Italo-Canadians defeated Toronto Croatia for both the division title and NSL II Championship.[6]

Toronto Italia and Serbian White Eagles were both scheduled to participate in the 1976 CONCACAF Champions' Cup, and the NSL was sanctioned by the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) for the season.[7] [8] The NSL was operative in Northern Ontario, Quebec, and expanded into the United States with a franchise in Buffalo, New York.[9] [10]

Overview

The National Soccer League (NSL) expanded its boundaries outside of Canada with a franchise based in Buffalo, New York known as the Buffalo Blazers. The NSL made further territorial gains with a return to Northern Ontario with the acceptance of the Sudbury Cyclones. The previous time the NSL was active in the northern region was in the 1971 season.[11] Both Buffalo, and Sudbury were placed in the Second Division.

Though the league expanded beyond the Montreal–Windsor Corridor the membership still decreased from 21 teams to 18. The slight decrease was a result of both Srbija Kitchener, and Toronto Melita taking a leave of absence when both clubs were suspended by the Ontario Soccer Association (OSA) for making payments to amateur players. The two other departing clubs were the Ontario Selects, and Toronto Ukraina took a two-year sabbatical and returned for the 1978 season. Further changes included the relocations of Oakville United to Toronto, and the addition of another team in the Niagara region as Hamilton City became known as Welland Lions Croatia.[12] Another notable change occurred with the renaming of Toronto Homer to Toronto Panhellenic.

Several changes were implemented to the league's structure with the approval of a new constitution which transferred more voting power from the league's executive committee to the league ownership.[13] Reports were also circulating of the creation of a league commissioner to replace Joe Piccininni as league president, but Piccininni resumed his duties throughout the season.[14] The regular-season schedule was revised to prevent interlocking play between the First and Second Division teams, but both divisions were permitted to play one another in the NSL Cup.[15] Restrictions were also placed on the allowance of five import players to each team.[16]

Teams

TeamCityStadiumManager
Buffalo BlazersBuffalo, New YorkLackwanna Stadium[17] Alex Perolli[18]
Hamilton CroatiaHamilton, OntarioBrian Timmis Stadium[19]
Hamilton Italo-CanadiansHamilton, OntarioIvor Wynne Stadium[20]
London CityLondon, OntarioCove Road StadiumGraham Sawyer[21]
Montreal CastorsMontreal, QuebecMarquette Park[22] Jarbas Faustinho[23]
Ottawa TigersOttawa, OntarioMooney's Bay Park[24] Sandro Rausa[25]
Serbian White EaglesToronto, OntarioLamport Stadium[26] John Dempsey[27]
Sudbury CyclonesSudbury, OntarioFulvio Stepancich[28]
St. Catharines HeidelbergSt. Catharines, OntarioHeidelberg Stadium[29] Alex Crawley[30]
Toronto CroatiaToronto, OntarioLamport Stadium[31]
Toronto FalconsToronto, OntarioLamport Stadium[32]
Toronto First PortugueseToronto, OntarioLamport Stadium
Toronto ItaliaYork, OntarioYork Stadium[33] Fiorigi Pagliuso[34]
Toronto MacedoniaToronto, OntarioLamport Stadium[35]
Toronto PanhellenicToronto, OntarioLamport Stadium[36] Luiz Villa[37]
Toronto PoloniaToronto, OntarioLamport Stadium[38]
Welland Lions CroatiaWelland, OntarioPlymouth Park[39] Ivica Tanković[40]
Windsor StarsWindsor, OntarioWigle Park[41] Windsor StadiumIvan Marković[42]

Coaching changes

TeamOutgoing coachManner of
departure		Date of
vacancy		Position in tableIncoming coachDate of
appointment
Sudbury CyclonesPeter Gallo[43] replacedFulvio StepancichMay, 1976
Buffalo BlazersAl Block[44] replacedJune 1, 1976Vincent Lauricella[45] June 1, 1976
Toronto Italia Arthur Rodriguesreplaced1st in JulyFiorigi PagliusoJuly 9, 1976
Windsor Stars Roy Cheethamfired 8th in August Ivan MarkovićAugust 5, 1976

Standings

Second Division

Playoffs

Finals

Cup

The cup tournament was a separate contest from the rest of the season, in which all eighteen teams took part. The tournament would conclude in a final match for the Cup.

Finals

Promotion and relegation matches

The promotion and relegation system utilized by the National Soccer League operated with the last-placed team in the First Division being automatically relegated, while the Second Division champion would receive an automatic promotion to the First Division.[46] The second last team in the First Division would play in a series of matches against the runner-ups in the Second Division to determine which team would be relegated or promoted.

Matches

References

  1. News: 4 October 1976 . Season Ends on High Note for Blazers . 15 . Buffalo News.
  2. News: October 11, 1976. Panhellenic gains title using kicks. B8. Toronto Star.
  3. Web site: CSL Past Champions – Canadian Soccer League. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201030000639/http://canadiansoccerleague.ca/csl-past-champions/. October 30, 2020. 2020-09-06. canadiansoccerleague.ca. en-US.
  4. News: Waring. Ed. September 20, 1976. Italian team refuses to accept trophies from Allan Lamport. S3. The Globe and Mail.
  5. News: September 30, 1976. Italia retains NSL title with win over Hamilton. 58. The Globe and Mail.
  6. News: September 16, 1976. Canadians beat Croatia to again First Division. 51. The Globe and Mail.
  7. Web site: Goloboy. Jim. Stokkermans. Karel. July 2, 2020. Central American Club Competitions 1976. live. 2021-04-11. RSSSF. https://web.archive.org/web/20070106224057/http://www.rsssf.com:80/tablesc/cacups76.html . 2007-01-06 .
  8. News: Waring. Ed. April 6, 1976. Olympic soccer team meets Toronto Italia in exhibition match. 38. The Globe and Mail.
  9. News: May 10, 1976. Tigers blanked by Hamilton. 20. Ottawa Journal.
  10. News: Waring. Ed. December 8, 1975. Meeting recommends NSL commissioner. S8. The Globe and Mail.
  11. News: Pascal. Randy. June 20, 2020. The Sudbury Cyclones and their semi-pro soccer stint. B1. Sudbury Star.
  12. News: May 21, 1976. Sports - Soccer. 64. Ottawa Citizen.
  13. News: Kernaghan. Jim. January 24, 1976. Soccer league's new plan gives owner more power. D3. Toronto Star.
  14. News: Vyhnak. Carola. September 20, 1976. Stadium honors Allan Lamport. B1. Toronto Star.
  15. News: January 13, 1976. Stars likely to play 18-game schedule. 18. Windsor Star.
  16. News: March 31, 1976. Ottawa Tigers hope to boost soccer interest. 38. Ottawa Journal.
  17. News: Billoni. Mike. April 23, 1978. Soccer Club Opens Its Season Today. 47. Buffalo Courier-Express.
  18. News: 16 July 1976 . Blazers Pick Alex Perolli New Coach . 12 . Buffalo News.
  19. News: May 3, 1976. Stars blank Hamilton in NSL opener. 30. Windsor Star.
  20. News: May 19, 1977. Stars help create logjam near top. 57. Windsor Star.
  21. Web site: Graham Sawyer. www.margatefootballclubhistory.com. 2019-06-29.
  22. News: Phillips. Randy. April 30, 1977. Castors start drive for title in soccer. 28. Montreal Gazette.
  23. News: 14 May 1976 . Castors looking for first victory . 27 . Montreal Star.
  24. News: May 10, 1976. Tigers blanked by Hamilton. 20. Ottawa Journal.
  25. News: Bishop. Jim. June 30, 1976. Tigers, Italia play draw. 20. Ottawa Citizen.
  26. News: June 23, 1976. White Eagles ordered to post bond with NSL. S7. The Globe and Mail.
  27. News: June 21, 1976. White Eagles' treatment of coach has British soccer men in a snit. B5. Toronto Star.
  28. News: Kruse. Chuck. May 28, 1977. Cyclones now lose off the field. 18. Sudbury Star.
  29. News: 30 August 1976 . Two Quick Goals Prove Fatal to Buffalo Blazers . 10 . Buffalo News.
  30. News: Drumsta . Peter . 26 April 1977 . New Coach of Blazers, at 39, is in Top Shape . 15 . Buffalo News.
  31. News: June 28, 1976. Croatia extends winning streak to 9 games by blanking Buffalo. S8. The Globe and Mail.
  32. News: July 8, 1976. Sports calendar - Soccer. 47. The Globe and Mail.
  33. News: Waring. Ed. June 8, 1976. Italia beats White Eagles 1-0 on Roe's goal. 37. The Globe and Mail.
  34. News: July 9, 1976. Italia president favors having 2nd NASL team. 38. The Globe and Mail.
  35. News: August 23, 1976. Stars continue surge. 22. Windsor Stars.
  36. News: June 21, 1976. Strategy works for Cheetham. 24. Windsor Star.
  37. News: October 11, 1976. Clutch player in NSL final: Tony Dallas is backbone in Panhellenic win. S5. The Globe and Mail.
  38. News: 16 August 1976 . Toronto Booters Blank Blazers . 16 . Buffalo News.
  39. News: May 8, 2001. Play it again. B2. Welland Tribune.
  40. News: Gatecliff . Jack . 5 June 1976 . Through the Sports Gate - Soccer co-operation . 27 . St. Catharines Standard.
  41. News: May 7, 1976. Stars' Saturday opener moved to Wigle Park. 39. Windsor Star.
  42. News: Hall. Dave. August 5, 1976. Soccer Stars fire coach. 36. Windsor Star.
  43. News: Gallagher. Danny. June 11, 1977. Stepancich makes return. 14. Sudbury Star.
  44. News: 18 March 1976 . Blazers Open May 1 in Canadian Soccer . 16 . Buffalo Evening News.
  45. News: 1 June 1976 . Blazers Play to a Deadlock After Their Coach is Fired . 57 . Buffalo News.
  46. News: Heppell. Jim. August 26, 1977. First place within reach. 18. Ottawa Journal.

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