North Toronto Nitros Explained

Clubname:North Toronto Nitros
Upright:0.7
Fullname:North Toronto Soccer Club
Nickname:Nitros
Founded:1980
Stadium:Downsview Turf
Mgrtitle:Head Coach
Manager:Marko Milanovic (men)
Billy Wilson (women)
League:League1 Ontario
Season:2023
Position:League, 10th; Playoffs, DNNQ (men)
League, 3rd; Playoffs, QF (women)
Current:2024 League1 Ontario season
Website:https://northtorontosoccer.com/

North Toronto Nitros is a Canadian semi-professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario. The club was founded in 1980 as a youth soccer club and added its men's semi-professional club in League1 Ontario in 2016 and its women's team in the League1 Ontario women's division in 2021.

History

The club was founded in 1980 as a youth soccer club.[1] They updated the club logo in 2019, combining the club logo and Nitros team logo.[2] Originally a youth soccer club, the team added a men's semi-professional team in League1 Ontario in 2016,[3] playing their home games at the University of Toronto's Varsity Stadium.[4] They played their inaugural match on April 30, 2016, on the road against Vaughan Azzurri, which they lost by a score of 2–1.[5] They defeated Aurora United by a score of 5–0 in their home debut.[6]

In 2018, the club departed the league, going on hiatus.[7] Two years later, they were set to return to the league for the 2020 season and also added a women's team to the League1 Ontario women's division for the first time, providing a full senior high-performance pathway for players based in downtown Toronto,[8] however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the season was cancelled, delaying their return (and the women's team's debut) to 2021.[9] [10] They moved their home field to the Downsview Park turf fields.[11]

Squad

[12]

Seasons

Men

SeasonLeagueTeamsRankPlayoffsLeague CupRef
2016League1 Ontario1614–3–53rd, East (4th overall)did not qualifySemi-finals[13]
20171611–3–83rd, East (7th overall)did not qualifyRound of 16
2018on hiatus
2019
2020Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic[14]
2021League1 Ontario151–1–107th, East (14th)did not qualify
20222213–5–34thQuarter Finals
2023219–4–710thdid not qualify

Women

SeasonLeagueTeamsRankPlayoffsLeague CupRef
2021League1 Ontario74–0–86thDid not qualifyNot held[15]
20222010–6–37thDid not qualifyNot held
20231912–2–43rdQuarter-finalsNot held
2024League1 Ontario Premier1011–3–43rdNot heldFinalists

Notable former players

The following players have either played at the professional or international level, either before or after playing for the League1 Ontario team:

Men

Women

Notes and References

  1. Web site: North Toronto Soccer Club. November 15, 2016. The Voyageurs.
  2. Web site: A History of NTSC. North Toronto SC.
  3. Web site: League1 Ontario Growing Again In 2016. February 1, 2016. League1 Ontario.
  4. Web site: Catch Toronto Rush, North Toronto Nitros this season at Varsity Stadium. May 4, 2016. Norm. Nelson. City Centre Mirror.
  5. Web site: April 30, 2016 League 1 Ontario–Vaughan Azzurri vs North Toronto Nitros. May 3, 2016. Robin. Glover. Northern Starting XI.
  6. Web site: Durham spoils League1 Ontario soccer home opener for Aurora United women. May 17, 2016. John. Cudmore. Aurora Banner.
  7. Web site: 2018 League1 Ontario Season To Feature New Format, Divisional Configuration And Several Exciting New Additions. March 14, 2018. League1 Ontario.
  8. Web site: Three new teams join 2020 League1 Ontario Men’s And Women’s divisions. November 19, 2019. Canadian Premier League.
  9. Web site: League1 Ontario cancels Fall season plans for 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions . Canadian Premier League . 8 September 2020 . en-CA . 4 September 2020.
  10. Web site: A Bluffer’s Guide to North Toronto Nitros. October 20, 2022. League1 Ontario.
  11. Web site: North Toronto Nitos. League1 Ontario.
  12. Web site: North Toronto Nitros. League 1 Ontario.
  13. Web site: League1 Ontario Historical Standings Men's Division. Canadian Soccer History Archives.
  14. Web site: League1 Ontario cancels Fall season plans for 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions . . September 4, 2020.
  15. Web site: League1 Ontario Historical Standings Women's Division. Canadian Soccer History Archives.