1973 National Soccer League season

The 1973 National Soccer League season was the fiftieth season under the National Soccer League (NSL) name. The season began in May and concluded in late October with Toronto Hungaria defeating Toronto Croatia for the NSL Championship. Toronto Hungaria repeated their success by defeating Croatia for the NSL Cup, which marked the organization's first league double.[2] Although Toronto Croatia was defeated in the postseason, they still managed to secure the regular-season title and qualified for the Canadian Open Cup.[3][4] In the Canadian Open Cup final Toronto successfully defended the title for the third consecutive season by defeating Challenge Trophy finalists Toronto West Indies United.[5]

National Soccer League
Season1973
Champions
League cupToronto Hungaria
Top goalscorerJohn Fahy (24)
Keith Summers (24)[1]
Best goalkeeperBlagoje Tamindžić[1]
← 1972
1974 →

Toronto Croatia was scheduled to participate in the 1973 CONCACAF Champions' Cup against Club América, but the series of matches failed to materialize.[6][7] Stanley Park Stadium was employed for the final time as the Toronto clubs transferred their home venue to the CNE Stadium in 1974.[8] The league experienced a further increase in match attendance.[9]

Overview

The National Soccer League (NSL) was embroiled in a dispute with the Toronto Indoor Soccer League over the usage of players during the offseason.[10] The NSL teams forbade their contracted players from participating in the indoor league without the consent of their clubs.[11] Despite the ban, many NSL players ignored the decision and continued playing in the indoor league.[12][13] The league increased in membership to 17 teams with the approval of additional teams in Toronto, and Montreal.[12] The NSL expanded into Quebec with the return of Montreal Cantalia, and the Toronto representatives were Toronto Melita and Toronto Polonia.[12] Melita previously competed in the Toronto & District Soccer League.[14]

Several teams were rebranded with Hamilton Apollos becoming Hamilton City, and Toronto Olympia was renamed, Toronto Homer.[12] London City acquired the NSL franchise rights from London German Canadians, and Toronto Hellas had their franchise revoked.[12] The league had an increase in match attendance with Serbian White Eagles, and Toronto Croatia averaging the most.[9][8] The season also marked the final time the Toronto-based clubs would utilize Stanley Park Stadium as their home venue as the municipal government decided to convert the field into a park.[8] The league administration addressed the continuing fan violence throughout the NSL with league president Joe Piccininni committing to placing stiffer fines the following season.[15] The league table was modified after Ottawa Tigers were suspended in late August.[1]

Teams
Team City Stadium Manager
Hamilton City Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton Croatia Hamilton, Ontario Brian Timmis Stadium[16]
Hamilton Italo-Canadians Hamilton, Ontario Brain Timmis Stadium[16]
London City London, Ontario Cove Road Stadium
Montreal Cantalia Montreal, Quebec Verdun Stadium[17] Franco Gallina[18]
Ottawa Tigers Ottawa, Ontario Mooney's Bay Sports Complex[19] Sandro Rausa[20]
Serbian White Eagles Toronto, Ontario CNE Stadium[21]

Stanley Park Stadium[21]

 Mladen Sarić[22]
Srbija Kitchener Kitchener, Ontario
St. Catharines Heidelberg St. Catharines, Ontario
Toronto Croatia Toronto, Ontario CNE Stadium[21]

Stanley Park Stadium[21]

 Vladimir Šimunić[7]
Toronto First Portuguese Toronto, Ontario CNE Stadium[21]

Stanley Park Stadium[21]

 Enidio Graca[23]
Toronto Homer Toronto, Ontario CNE Stadium[21]

Stanley Park Stadium[21]
Toronto Hungaria Toronto, Ontario CNE Stadium[21]

Stanley Park Stadium[21]
Toronto Italia York, Ontario York Stadium[9] Giovanni Fanello[24]
Toronto Melita Toronto, Ontario CNE Stadium[21]

Stanley Park Stadium[21]
Toronto Polonia Toronto, Ontario CNE Stadium[21]

Stanley Park Stadium[21]
Toronto Ukrainians Toronto, Ontario CNE Stadium[21]

Stanley Park Stadium[21]

Coaching changes
Team Outgoing coach Manner of
departure		 Date of
vacancy		 Position in table Incoming coach Date of
appointment
Montreal Cantalia Ricardo Musci[25] replaced July, 1973 Franco Gallina July, 1973
Toronto Italia Hector Marinaro, Sr.[26] replaced July, 1973 Giovanni Fanello July, 1973

Standings
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Toronto Croatia (C) 30 22 4 4 71 23 +48 48 Qualification for Playoffs
2 Serbian White Eagles 30 22 1 7 66 21 +45 45
3 Toronto First Portuguese 30 17 8 5 52 33 +19 42
4 Toronto Hungaria (O) 30 17 7 6 68 35 +33 41
5 Toronto Italia 30 16 5 9 55 37 +18 37
6 Toronto Homer 30 14 8 8 58 35 +23 36
7 London City 30 12 9 9 47 43 +4 33
8 St. Catharines Heidelberg 30 12 7 11 37 39 −2 31
9 Hamilton Croatia 30 10 9 11 55 53 +2 29
10 Toronto Melita 30 8 10 12 37 45 −8 26
11 Toronto Ukrainians 30 9 5 16 45 48 −3 23
12 Hamilton City 30 8 7 15 39 58 −19 23
13 Montreal Cantalia 30 8 7 15 39 58 −19 23
14 Hamilton Italo-Canadians 30 4 9 17 20 64 −44 17
15 Srbija Kitchener 30 4 5 21 29 77 −48 13
16 Toronto Polonia 30 5 3 22 30 83 −53 13
Updated to match(es) played on October 30, 1973. Source: http://canadiansoccerleague.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/NSL_1921_1992.pdf
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners

Playoffs

Quarterfinals
October 13, 1973 Toronto Croatia 2–1 Toronto Italia Toronto, Ontario
Mirko Basic , [[27] Report] Carlos Jorge Stadium: Stanley Park Stadium
Attendance: 871
October 14, 1973 Serbian White Eagles 2–1 Toronto Homer Toronto, Ontario
Stojanovic , [[27] Report] Peter Testepasis Stadium: Stanley Park Stadium
Attendance: 1112
Referee: John Highet
October 14, 1973 Toronto First Portuguese 4–1 London City Toronto, Ontario
[[28] Report] Stadium: Stanley Park Stadium
October 15, 1973 Toronto Hungaria 2–1 St. Catharines Heidelberg Toronto, Ontario
Fahy
Allan Callender 		[[29] Report] Daniel McIntosh Stadium: Stanley Park Stadium

Semifinals
October 16, 1973 Toronto Croatia 2–1 Toronto First Portuguese Toronto, Ontario
20:30 Branko Trtanj
Solak 		[[30] Report] Emilio Hernandez Stadium: Stanley Park Stadium
Attendance: 1500
Referee: Bob Hughes
October 17, 1973 Toronto Hungaria 2–1 Serbian White Eagles Toronto, Ontario
Fahy , [[31] Report] Stojanovic Stadium: Stanley Park Stadium

Finals
October 19, 1973 Toronto Croatia 1–2 Toronto Hungaria Toronto, Ontario
Solak 93' [[32] Report] Allan Callender 2'
Molnar 7'		 Stadium: Stanley Park Stadium
Attendance: 2313

Cup

The cup tournament was a separate contest from the rest of the season in which all seventeen teams took part. The finals for the cup were to consist of a two-legged match but were scrapped after the first match was abandoned due to fan violence.[33] The league decided to award the cup to Toronto Hungaria as they were leading the match before it was abandoned.[33]

Finals
October 21, 1973 Toronto Croatia 1–3 Toronto Hungaria Toronto, Ontario
Arslanovic [[34] Report] Mario Garcia ,
Polyviou 		Stadium: Stanley Park Stadium
Attendance: 3341
Referee: Bill Divorski

Canadian Open Cup

The Canadian Open Cup was a tournament organized by the National Soccer League in 1971 where the NSL champion would face the Challenge Trophy winners to determine the best team throughout the country.[5] The 1974 edition served as a qualifier match to determine the Canadian representative to the CONCACAF Champions' Cup.[35] Toronto Croatia was the NSL representative for the third consecutive year while their opponents were the Toronto & District League champions Toronto West Indies United.[36] The Vancouver Firefighters were the 1973 Challenge Trophy winners and originally were invited to participate, but declined which allowed the Challenge Trophy runner-ups Toronto West Indies United to compete for the title.[36]

October 28, 1973 Toronto Croatia 3–1 Toronto West Indies United Toronto, Ontario
Peric 5', 12', 70' [[37] Report] Clarence Prendes 25' Stadium: Stanley Park Stadium
Attendance: 1103

References
  1. "National Soccer League 1926 to 1992" (PDF). canadiansoccerleague.ca. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2014-06-28. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
  2. 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.
  3. "CSL Past Champions" (PDF). canadiansoccerleague.ca. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-04-14. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  4. "Croatia wins NSL pennant". Toronto Star. October 4, 1973. p. C3.
  5. Jose, Colin (1998). Canadian Encyclopedia of Soccer - Keeping Score. Vaughan, Ontario: Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum. p. 121. ISBN 0-9683800-0-X.
  6. "Croatia to play 2-game series against Americana of Mexico". The Globe and Mail. September 11, 1973. p. 37.
  7. Kernaghan, Jim (May 25, 1973). "This soccer club's success merely widens its horizons". Toronto Star. p. 18.
  8. Waring, Ed (December 10, 1973). "Eight of NSL's ten teams will call CNE Stadium home". The Globe and Mail. p. S2.
  9. Waring, Ed (July 4, 1973). "Soccer crowds grow, NSL secretary feels 250,000 draw possible". The Globe and Mail. p. 33.
  10. Kernaghan, Jim (February 6, 1973). "Indoor soccer loop players defy threats of suspension". Toronto Star. p. 37.
  11. Kernaghan, Jim (January 5, 1973). "Five teams in indoor soccer". Toronto Star. p. 15.
  12. "Indoor loop ignores NSL player ban". The Globe and Mail. February 5, 1973. p. S5.
  13. Waring, Ed (February 6, 1973). "Players defy ban, play indoor soccer". The Globe and Mail. p. 32.
  14. Kernaghan, Jim (May 15, 1973). "Metros hope to improve materially by taking on such teams as Lazio". Toronto Star. p. 21.
  15. Kernaghan, Jim (October 26, 1973). "Crackdown on soccer violence". Toronto Star. p. C4.
  16. "Fans unruly, NSL referee halts match". The Globe and Mail. June 8, 1973. p. 39.
  17. Onorato, Andre (May 12, 1973). "Cantalia returns to local soccer". Montreal Gazette. p. 14.
  18. Onorato, Andre (July 7, 1973). "Cantalia sets sight on two weekend wins". Montreal Gazette. p. 10.
  19. Brown, Dave (May 3, 1973). "Out of the Dark". Ottawa Journal. p. 50.
  20. De Marinis, Mariano (June 9, 1973). "Ottawa Tigers' franchise quite alive and kicking". Ottawa Journal. p. 18.
  21. Nickleson, Al (May 11, 1973). "College Bowl moves to CNE as mod sod gets more use - 17 NSL Games". Toronto Star. p. 18.
  22. Kernaghan, Jim (April 19, 1973). "9 Yugoslavian imports boost soccer club's bid". Toronto Star. p. 20.
  23. Clifford, Dale (July 30, 1973). "Tigers bow on disputed penalty". Ottawa Citizen. p. 15.
  24. "6 Metros will face Italian Army team". The Globe and Mail. July 18, 1973. p. 45.
  25. Onorato, Andre (May 9, 1973). "Reborn Cantalia team will play in interprovincial soccer loop". Montreal Gazette. p. 44.
  26. Kernaghan, Jim (May 10, 1973). "Italia prepared for top role". Toronto Star. p. 17.
  27. Waring, Ed (October 15, 1973). "Serbian White Eagles win 2-1 on disputed penalty-kick goal". The Globe and Mail. p. S5.
  28. "Soccer scores". Toronto Star. October 15, 1973. p. B5.
  29. "Hungaria wins playoff spot in NSL action". Toronto Star. October 16, 1973. p. D6.
  30. Kernaghan, Jim (October 17, 1973). "Croatia wins rough NSL semi". Toronto Star. p. C4.
  31. "Hungaria win sparked by Fahy". The Globe and Mail. October 18, 1973. p. 48.
  32. Waring, Ed (October 20, 1973). "Hungaria wins over Croatia in NSL final". The Globe and Mail. p. 41.
  33. Kernaghan, Jim (October 26, 1973). "Crackdown on soccer violence". Toronto Star. p. C4.
  34. "Violence puts premature end to NSL final at Stanley Park". The Globe and Mail. October 22, 1973. p. S5.
  35. Kernaghan, Jim (July 12, 1975). "Eagles want to win but it is costly". Toronto Star. p. D5.
  36. Koep, Bob (October 29, 1973). "Croatia strikes early to win". Toronto Star. p. B6.
  37. Waring, Ed (October 29, 1973). "'Rain ends West Indies' breakaway threat: Croatia takes third Canadian crown in a row". The Globe and Mail. p. B7.
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