1985 National Soccer League (Canada) season

The 1985 National Soccer League season was the sixty second season under the National Soccer League (NSL) name. The season began in May 12, 1985 and concluded in early October, 1985 with the NSL Championship final where Toronto Italia successfully defended their title against Windsor AC Roma.[1] London Marconi secured the regular season title by finishing first in the standings, and Toronto Dinamo won the NSL Cup.[2][3][1]

National Soccer League
Season1985
Champions
League cupToronto Dinamo
← 1984
1986 →

After the conclusion of the 1984 season the North American Soccer League (NASL) ceased operations with former NASL member Toronto Blizzard joining the National Soccer League as the league remained one of the few professional soccer leagues operating throughout the country.[4]

Overview

The demise of the American based North American Soccer League (NASL) in 1984 brought about a significate change to the Canadian soccer landscape as the NASL contained several Canadian teams throughout its existence.[5] Once the NASL ceased operations Canada was without a national major soccer league as its previous attempt at organizing a domestic national league in 1983 failed after a single season.[6][7] In relation to the void of a national top tier league the Ontario based National Soccer League (NSL) announced its intentions of expanding nationally, and received corporate sponsorship from Molson Brewery.[8][9] The NSL was aided with the addition of former NASL club Toronto Blizzard as the club's original owners purchased the NSL franchise rights of Dinamo Latino in June, 1985, but operated under the name of Toronto Dinamo as the name change required the approval of the league's board of directors.[10][11] The NSL managed to expand into Quebec through an affiliated league known as the Quebec National Soccer League (LNSQ), which officially debuted the following season.[12][13]

Simultaneously the Canadian Soccer Association (CSA) also began making preliminary plans for a potential domestic national soccer league in order to address the void.[14] Though the NSL ownership was attempting national expansion several of their noted clubs (Toronto Croatia, Toronto Dinamo, Toronto Italia, and Toronto Panhellenic) submitted applications to the CSA supported league.[15] The plan was officially sanctioned by the CSA with the league expected to debut for the 1987 season, but unfortunately the majority of the NSL clubs were rejected as the CSA adopted a policy to Canadianize the league with no ethnic affiliated clubs.[16][17] Only Toronto Dinamo under it previous name as the Toronto Blizzard was granted a franchise.[17] The membership in the NSL increased to eight teams with Windsor AC Roma being granted a NSL franchise, which marked the return of professional soccer to Windsor, Ontario since the 1978 season when the Windsor Stars competed in the league.[18]

Teams
Team City Stadium Manager
London Marconi London, Ontario Cove Road Stadium Charlie Spence[19]
St. Catharines Roma St. Catharines, Ontario Club Roma Stadium Jimmy Douglas[20]
Toronto Croatia Etobicoke, Ontario Centennial Park Stadium[4] Branko Mileunic[21]
Toronto Dinamo Toronto, Ontario Lamport Stadium[4] Dave Turner[22]
Toronto First Portuguese Toronto, Ontario Lamport Stadium[4]
Toronto Italia Etobicoke, Ontario Centennial Park Stadium[4]
Toronto Panhellenic Toronto, Ontario Lamport Stadium[4] Mike Ristich[23]
Windsor AC Roma Windsor, Ontario Windsor Stadium[24] Gus Moffat[25]

Coaching changes
Team Outgoing coach Manner of
departure		 Date of
vacancy		 Position in table Incoming coach Date of
appointment
Windsor AC Roma Ilario Bontorin[26] resigned April 24, 1985 preseason Gus Moffat[27] April 30, 1985
Toronto Dinamo Louis Caruso[28] replaced July 1985 3rd in July Dave Turner July, 1985


Playoffs

Finals
October 12, 1985 Windsor AC Roma 1–1 Toronto Italia Windsor, Ontario
17:00 Ian Parratt Report Herberth Gallo Stadium: Windsor Stadium
October 14, 1985 Toronto Italia 1–0 Windsor AC Roma Etobicoke, Ontario
Risnita  69' Report Stadium: Centennial Park Stadium

References
  1. 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.
  2. "CSL Past Champions – Canadian Soccer League". canadiansoccerleague.ca. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  3. "1985 NSL Season" (PDF). canadiansoccerleague.ca.
  4. Ormsby, Mary (April 30, 1985). "Local league plans to revive pro soccer within 5 years". Toronto Star. p. F7.
  5. "SOCCER; Pro loop attracts eight so far". Ottawa Citizen. October 2, 1985. p. F6.
  6. Ormsby, Mary (September 16, 1985). "Soccer players triumphant but many now unemployed". Toronto Star. p. B3.
  7. Davidson, James (September 21, 1985). "Caution expressed by soccer group". The Globe and Mail. p. S3.
  8. Dellarocca, Stan (April 30, 1985). "NSL makes ambitious plans for national expansion in 1986". The Globe and Mail. p. S2.
  9. Ormsby, Mary (April 30, 1985). "Local league plans to revive pro soccer within 5 years". Toronto Star. p. F7.
  10. Dellarocca, Stan (June 13, 1985). "Varsity gets soccer team, after all". The Globe and Mail. p. M10.
  11. Davidson, James (December 13, 1985). "Blizzard reborn as team in NSL". The Globe and Mail. p. D17.
  12. Meagher, John (October 2, 1985). "Quebec-Ontario soccer league eyed". Newspapers.com. Montreal Gazette. p. 19. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
  13. "NSL adds farm system, creates Quebec league". Newspapers.com. Windsor Star. December 16, 1985. p. 31. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
  14. Davidson, James (September 18, 1985). "Soccer league takes formative step". The Globe and Mail. p. S2.
  15. Davidson, James (September 19, 1985). "Toronto stuffs CSA entry box for proposed soccer league". The Globe and Mail. p. S3.
  16. Davidson, James (September 24, 1985). "Soccer league questioned". The Globe and Mail. p. S2.
  17. Davidson, James (November 19, 1985). "New loop to present pro soccer in May '87". The Globe and Mail. p. C3.
  18. Hall, Dave (January 21, 1985). "Roma entry returning Windsor to NSL". Newspapers.com. Windsor Star. p. 27. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  19. Waddell, Dave (October 4, 1985). "Back four lead Roma past London". Newspapers.com. Windsor Star. p. 33. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
  20. Waddell, Dave (September 28, 1985). "Tough at home, Roma on to next round". Windsor Star. p. 15.
  21. Waddell, Dave (July 29, 1985). "Tactics change frees Perciballi for Roma victory". Windsor Star. p. 21.
  22. Koep, Bob (August 27, 1985). "Soccer win gives Dinamo big lift". Toronto Star. p. F3.
  23. Waddell, Dave (July 22, 1985). "Roma earns tie on opponents mistake". Windsor Star. p. 27.
  24. "What They Did". Newspapers.com. Windsor Star. February 6, 1985. p. 23. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
  25. "Moffat to coach AC Roma". Newspapers.com. Windsor Star. April 30, 1985. p. 23. Retrieved 2020-12-16.
  26. Nelson, Jim (April 24, 1985). "Roma's commitment causes coach to quit". Newspapers.com. Windsor Star. p. 21. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
  27. "Moffat to coach AC Roma". Newspapers.com. Windsor Star. April 30, 1985. p. 23. Retrieved 2020-12-16.
  28. Caton, Mary (July 15, 1985). "Agostini brilliant in Roma's victory over Dinamo". Newspapers.com. Windsor Star. p. 23. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
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