1987–88 Nemzeti Bajnokság I Explained

Competition:Nemzeti Bajnokság I
Season:1987–88
Winners:Budapest Honvéd
Relegated:Debreceni MVSC
Kaposvár
Continentalcup1:European Cup
Continentalcup1 Qualifiers:Budapest Honvéd
Continentalcup2:UEFA Cup
Continentalcup2 Qualifiers:Tatabánya
Újpesti Dózsa
Continentalcup3:Cup Winners' Cup
Continentalcup3 Qualifiers:Békéscsaba
League Topscorer:Béla Melis (19)
Matches:240
Total Goals:621
Prevseason:1986–87
Nextseason:1988–89

Statistics of Nemzeti Bajnokság I for the 1987–88 season.

Overview

It was contested by 16 teams, and Budapest Honvéd FC won the championship under headcoach Bertalan Bicskei. The 19th district team went undefeated at home throughout the entire campaign, only conceding 2 goals at the Bozsik Stadion. In March Tatabánya defeated Honvéd 1-0 at the Bányász (miner) Stadion, blowing the title-race wide open. Tatabánya would win 5 our of their next 7 encounters, but a 4-week winless streak at the end of the season destroyed their momentum. Honvéd confirmed their championship status on the 1st of June, obliterating Kaposvár Rákóczi 5-1. Kálmán Kovács scored four goals during the game.

Match-fixing Scandal

In October of 1989, news emerged of suspicious game results regarding the 1988/89 season. This was the second match-fixing related scandal in the hungarian top-flight, the first one having happened in 1984. The legitimacy of the results of some teams having to fight relegation, such as that of Debreceni VSC, Fehérvár and Zalaegerszeg have been called into question.

47 people were called in to questioning about DVSC's results. Although no serious prison sentences were given out to any of the players placed under suspicion, the scandal still casts a large shadow over the perception of football and the fairness of it in the country in the 1980's.

League standings

Statistical leaders

Top goalscorers

RankScorerClubGoals
1 Béla MelisDebreceni MVSC19
2 György SzeibertMTK-VM18
3 Kálmán KovácsBudapest Honvéd17
4 Pál FischerFerencvárosi TC15
5 József KiprichTatabányai Bányász14
Gyula PlotárTatabányai Bányász14
7 Béla IllésHaladás VSE12
László SzabadiVasas SC12
9 Gábor PölöskeiMTK-VM11
Péter RuboldGyőri ETO FC11
István VinczeTatabányai Bányász11

References