1970 National Soccer League season
Season | 1970 |
---|---|
Champions |
|
League cup | Toronto First Portuguese |
Top goalscorer | Nino Flamini (25)[1] |
← 1969 1971 → |
The 1970 National Soccer League season was the forty-seventh season under the National Soccer League (NSL) name. The season began in late April and concluded in early November with the NSL Championship final. The regular-season title was clinched by Toronto Croatia by finishing first throughout the regular season.[2][3] In the playoffs, the championship title was won by Hamilton Croatia after defeating Toronto Croatia.[4] The NSL Cup was secured by Toronto First Portuguese after defeating Toronto Hellas.[5][6]
Overview
[edit]Before the commencement of the season, a dispute emerged between the National Soccer League (NSL) and the Ontario Soccer Association (OSA) over a variety of issues during the OSA's annual meeting.[7] At the meeting, the NSL's delegation requested that the league receive more representatives in future OSA meetings and a percentage of the gate earnings from friendly matches involving touring European teams.[7] All of the NSL's requests were denied, and in addition, the league was required to recruit match officials from the local Referees Society.[7] The league's circuit become centered around a Montreal–London corridor with the league expanding to the Ottawa region for the first time in its history.[8]
The Ottawa franchise was given to Ottawa Sons of Italy, who were the 1969 champions of the Ottawa-Rideau Soccer League.[9][10] Hamilton received further representation with the acceptance of Hamilton Apollos and Hamilton Croatia.[8] Hamilton Croatia previously competed in the Inter-City Soccer League.[11] The NSL retained its presence in Quebec with the Portuguese de Quebec of Montreal replacing Montreal Inter-Italia.[8] Two notable absentees were Toronto Italia and Sudbury Italia as both were given a leave of absence to settle their financial troubles.[8][12] Another departing club was Arsenal Portuguese Oakville.
Reports were also circulating of a potential national Canadian championship featuring champions from the NSL, and the Western Canada Soccer League.[12] The NSL began to experience an increase in match attendance since their initial decrease and stagnation in the mid-1960s.[13][4] The Toronto-based teams at Stanley Park averaged the highest amount with an average of 1000 per match followed by London which averaged around 680 spectators.[4]
Teams
[edit]- ^ Rodrigues was First Portugal's head coach at the start of the season then later joined Toronto Croatia
Coaching changes
[edit]Team | Outgoing coach | Manner of departure |
Date of vacancy |
Position in table | Incoming coach | Date of appointment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Toronto Croatia | Marijan Bilić[27] | End of caretaker spell | Arthur Rodrigues |
Standings
[edit]Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Toronto Croatia (C) | 26 | 20 | 3 | 3 | 75 | 19 | +56 | 43 | Qualification for Playoffs |
2 | Hamilton Croatia (O) | 26 | 16 | 8 | 2 | 67 | 24 | +43 | 40 | |
3 | Serbian White Eagles | 26 | 17 | 5 | 4 | 60 | 26 | +34 | 39 | |
4 | Toronto First Portuguese | 26 | 15 | 4 | 7 | 56 | 37 | +19 | 34 | |
5 | London German Canadians | 26 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 55 | 29 | +26 | 32 | |
6 | Toronto Hellas | 26 | 13 | 5 | 8 | 49 | 36 | +13 | 31 | |
7 | Hamilton Homer | 26 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 48 | 36 | +12 | 31 | |
8 | Ottawa Sons of Italy | 26 | 9 | 6 | 11 | 39 | 49 | −10 | 24 | |
9 | Toronto Hungaria | 26 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 42 | 43 | −1 | 22 | |
10 | Soccer Portugais du Quebec of Montreal | 26 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 23 | 45 | −22 | 19 | |
11 | Toronto Ukrainians | 26 | 7 | 3 | 16 | 34 | 51 | −17 | 17 | |
12 | Hamilton Apollos | 26 | 6 | 4 | 16 | 25 | 57 | −32 | 16 | |
13 | Kitchener Kickers | 26 | 5 | 3 | 18 | 31 | 84 | −53 | 13 | |
14 | Toronto Olympia | 26 | 1 | 1 | 24 | 23 | 91 | −68 | 3 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners
Playoffs
[edit]Finals
[edit]November 1, 1970 | Toronto Croatia | 0–3 | Hamilton Croatia | Toronto, Ontario |
[[4] Report] | Arpad Hoffman Karol Martisek , |
Stadium: Stanley Park Stadium |
Cup
[edit]The cup tournament was a separate contest from the rest of the season, in which all fourteen teams took part. The tournament would conclude in a final match for the Cup.
Finals
[edit]September 27, 1970 | Toronto First Portuguese | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Toronto Hellas | Toronto, Ontario |
Alves 57' Yaúca 120' |
[[28] Report] | John Stampoulidis 62' | Stadium: Stanley Park Stadium Attendance: 7205 Referee: Terry Bell |
References
[edit]- ^ "Flamini winner". Ottawa Citizen. October 19, 1970. p. 15.
- ^ "CSL Past Champions" (PDF). canadiansoccerleague.ca. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-04-14. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
- ^ "Two teammates start a fight, both ejected". The Globe and Mail. October 15, 1970. p. 45.
- ^ a b c d "Soccer league has good year at gate". Toronto Daily Star. 14. November 3, 1970.
- ^ Jose, Colin (2001). On-Side - 125 Years of Soccer in Ontario. Vaughan, Ontario: Ontario Soccer Association and Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum. p. 117.
- ^ Ryan, Allan (September 28, 1970). "Portuguese gets his biggest goal as departure time draws near". Toronto Daily Star. p. 16.
- ^ a b c Waring, Ed (February 23, 1970). "Soccer league loses bid to share revenue". The Globe and Mail. p. 21.
- ^ a b c d "NSL accepts four new teams; three droped". The Globe and Mail. March 2, 1970. p. 20.
- ^ "Sons of Italy join National Soccer League". Ottawa Citizen. March 6, 1970. p. 16.
- ^ "Ottawa Team Enters Pro Soccer Loop". Ottawa Journal. March 10, 1970. p. 14.
- ^ "Hamilton Croatia - History". hamiltoncroatia.com. Archived from the original on 2010-05-12. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
- ^ a b "Selective fhieves take tickets for Celtic-United game". The Globe and Mail. April 24, 1970. p. 31.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Waring, Ed (July 30, 1970). "Brazilian rookie now NSL's Pele". The Globe and Mail. p. 35.
- ^ "Apollos tie Kitchener". Hamilton Spectator. 1 June 1970. p. 18.
- ^ Lovegrove, Don (3 March 1970). "Enter two Hamilton teams in semi-pro soccer league". Hamilton Spectator. p. 18.
- ^ Lovegrove, Don (22 May 1970). "Croatia in home debut". Hamilton Spectator. p. 17.
- ^ "Croatia club huge success this season". Hamilton Spectator. 8 October 1970. p. 26.
- ^ "All soccer teams play". Hamilton Spectator. 25 June 1970. p. 25.
- ^ "London Ontario Competitive Soccer History". www.gcfclondon.com. Retrieved 2021-09-23.
- ^ Meckbach, Bruce (June 9, 1970). "Germans beat touring Darmstadt - Trasia 3-2". London Free Press.
- ^ "Soccer win to Ottawa". Ottawa Citizen. April 27, 1970. p. 19.
- ^ "Ottawa Nips Montreal 2-1". Ottawa Journal. April 27, 1970. p. 14.
- ^ "Sons of Italy Down Hamilton Team 4-1". Ottawa Journal. October 13, 1970. p. 24.
- ^ a b Waring, Ed (27 April 1970). "White Eagles blanked in NSL opener". The Globe and Mail. p. 21.
- ^ "Rodrigues takes post with new club". The Globe and Mail. January 13, 1971. p. 27.
- ^ "Leo Dowhaluk". National Soccer League. 11 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
- ^ Fraser, Terry (July 10, 1970). "Varzim has yielded one goal on tour". Toronto Daily Star. p. 18.
- ^ Waring, Ed (September 28, 1970). "Portuguese win soccer crown in overtime, 2-1". The Globe and Mail. p. 21.