1973 National Soccer League season

Season1973

Champions

Toronto Croatia (regular season, 4th title)
Toronto Hungaria (playoffs, 1st title)

League cupToronto Hungaria

Top goalscorerJohn Fahy (24)
Keith Summers (24)^[1]

National Soccer League
Season	1973
Champions	Toronto Croatia (regular season, 4th title) Toronto Hungaria (playoffs, 1st title)
League cup	Toronto Hungaria
Top goalscorer	John Fahy (24) Keith Summers (24)^[1]
Best goalkeeper	Blagoje Tamindžić^[1]
← 1972 1974 →

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]

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]

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 its 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 the Ottawa Tigers were suspended in late August after incurring financial problems.^[1]^[16]^[17]

Teams

Team	City	Stadium	Manager
Hamilton City	Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton Croatia	Hamilton, Ontario	Brian Timmis Stadium^[18]	Sid Sokles^[19]
Hamilton Italo-Canadians	Hamilton, Ontario	Brain Timmis Stadium^[18]
London City	London, Ontario	Cove Road Stadium
Montreal Cantalia	Montreal, Quebec	Verdun Stadium^[20]	Franco Gallina^[21]
Ottawa Tigers^{[note 1]}	Ottawa, Ontario	Mooney's Bay Sports Complex^[22]	Sandro Rausa^[23]
Serbian White Eagles	Toronto, Ontario	CNE Stadium^[24] Stanley Park Stadium^[24]	Mladen Sarić^[25]
Srbija Kitchener	Kitchener, Ontario
St. Catharines Heidelberg	St. Catharines, Ontario	Club Heidelberg Field^[26]	Alex Crawley^[16]
Toronto Croatia	Toronto, Ontario	CNE Stadium^[24] Stanley Park Stadium^[24]	Vladimir Šimunić^[7]
Toronto First Portuguese	Toronto, Ontario	CNE Stadium^[24] Stanley Park Stadium^[24]	Enidio Graca^[27]
Toronto Homer	Toronto, Ontario	CNE Stadium^[24] Stanley Park Stadium^[24]
Toronto Hungaria	Toronto, Ontario	CNE Stadium^[24] Stanley Park Stadium^[24]
Toronto Italia	York, Ontario	York Stadium^[9]	Giovanni Fanello^[28]
Toronto Melita	Toronto, Ontario	CNE Stadium^[24] Stanley Park Stadium^[24]
Toronto Polonia	Toronto, Ontario	CNE Stadium^[24] Stanley Park Stadium^[24]
Toronto Ukrainians	Toronto, Ontario	CNE Stadium^[24] Stanley Park Stadium^[24]

Team	Outgoing coach	Manner of departure	Date of vacancy	Position in table	Incoming coach	Date of appointment
Montreal Cantalia	Ricardo Musci^[29]	replaced	July, 1973		Franco Gallina	July, 1973
Toronto Italia	Hector Marinaro, Sr.^[30]	replaced	July, 1973		Giovanni Fanello	July, 1973
St. Catharines Heidelberg	John Santesso^[31]	replaced	August 25, 1973	1st	Alex Crawley^[32]	August 25, 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 ,	[^[33] Report]	Carlos Jorge	Stadium: Stanley Park Stadium Attendance: 871

October 14, 1973	Serbian White Eagles	2–1	Toronto Homer	Toronto, Ontario
	Stojanovic ,	[^[33] Report]	Peter Testepasis	Stadium: Stanley Park Stadium Attendance: 1112 Referee: John Highet

October 14, 1973	Toronto First Portuguese	4–1	London City	Toronto, Ontario
		[^[34] Report]		Stadium: Stanley Park Stadium

October 15, 1973	Toronto Hungaria	2–1	St. Catharines Heidelberg	Toronto, Ontario
	Fahy Allan Callender	[^[35] 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	[^[36] 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 ,	[^[37] Report]	Stojanovic	Stadium: Stanley Park Stadium

Finals

October 19, 1973	Toronto Croatia	1–2	Toronto Hungaria	Toronto, Ontario
	Solak 93'	[^[38] 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.^[39] The league decided to award the cup to Toronto Hungaria as they were leading the match before it was abandoned.^[39]

Finals

October 21, 1973	Toronto Croatia	1–3	Toronto Hungaria	Toronto, Ontario
	Arslanovic	[^[40] Report]	Mario Garcia , Polyviou	Stadium: Stanley Park Stadium Attendance: 3341 Referee: Bill Divorski

Canadian Open Cup

References

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

October 28, 1973	Toronto Croatia	3–1	Toronto West Indies United	Toronto, Ontario
	Peric 5', 12', 70'	[^[43] Report]	Clarence Prendes 25'	Stadium: Stanley Park Stadium Attendance: 1103

v t e Canadian National Soccer League
Clubs	Bradford Marshlanders Brampton Kicks Brantford City Brantford Cockshutts Buffalo Blazers Canadian National Railway Chile Lindo Corinthians Detroit Besa Fergus General Motors Guelph Taylor-Forbes Hamilton Austins Hamilton British Imperials Hamilton Cougars Hamilton Croatia Hamilton Homer Hamilton Hungaria Hamilton Italo-Canadians Hamilton Primos Hamilton Steelers Hamilton Stelcos Hamilton Thistles Hamilton Westinghouse FC Hamilton White Eagles Kenwoods Kitchener Concordia Kitchener Kickers Kitchener Maple Leafs Kosova Albanians Liptons London City London CNR London German Canadians London Marconi McKinnons Montreal Alouettes Montreal Cantalia Montréal Carsteel Montreal Castors Montreal CNR Montreal Concordia Montreal Hungaria Montreal Maroons Montreal Sparta Montreal Stars Montreal Ukrainians Nacional Latino North York Rockets North York Talons Oakville CW Oshawa Italia Ottawa Sons of Italy Ottawa Tigers Quebec Selects Queen City Richmond Hill Kick Scarborough Astros Serbian White Eagles FC Soccer Portugais du Quebec St. Andrews/Earlscourt St. Catharines Heidelberg St. Catharines (Roma) Wolves Sudbury Sudbury Cyclones Sudbury Italia Toronto Abruzzi Toronto Azurri Toronto Blizzard Toronto British Consols Toronto Canadian Scots Toronto Canadians Toronto City Toronto CNR Toronto Congasco Toronto Croatia Toronto East End Canadians Toronto England United Toronto Estonia Toronto Falcons Toronto First Portuguese Toronto Greenbacks Toronto Hakoah Toronto Hellas Toronto Hungaria Toronto Inter-Roma Toronto Italia Toronto Italian Virtus Toronto Jets Toronto Macedonia Toronto Macedonians Toronto Malta United Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maroons Toronto Melita Toronto Mississauga Hungaria Toronto Oakwoods Toronto Olympia Toronto Panhellenic Toronto Polish White Eagles Toronto Polonia Toronto Scottish Toronto Serbians Toronto Sparta Toronto Supra Toronto St. Andrews Toronto Transit Commission Toronto Tridents Toronto Ukrainians Toronto Ulster United Toronto White Eagles Le Tricolore de Montréal Welland Welland Lions Croatia Willy Overland Windsor Rovers Windsor Stars Windsor Teutonia Windsor Wheels Winnipeg Fury Woodbridge
Seasons	1926 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997
Miscellaneous	Rogers Cup Open Canada Cup CSA CSL Reserve Division

1973 National Soccer League season

Teams

Coaching changes

Standings

Playoffs

Quarterfinals

Semifinals

Finals

Cup

Finals

Canadian Open Cup

References

External links

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