1975 Tampa Bay Rowdies season

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Tampa Bay Rowdies
1975 season
President Flag of the United States.svg George W. Strawbridge, Jr.
Head coach Flag of Italy.svg Eddie Firmani
Stadium Tampa Stadium
NASL Division: 1st
Playoffs: Champions
U.S. Open Cup Did not enter
Top goalscorerLeague:
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Derek Smethurst (18 goals)
All:
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Derek Smethurst (21 goals)
Highest home attendance22,710
(Aug. 16 vs. Miami)
Lowest home attendance5,281
(May 28 vs. Denver)
Average home league attendance12,064
← first season
1976  →

The 1975 Tampa Bay Rowdies season was the first season of the club's existence.

Contents

Kit

During the outdoor campaign occasionally a random Rowdies player could be seen wearing the collarless jersey [1] used by all players during the 1975 indoor season earlier in the year, but by season's end the full-collar style that would become so familiar in all of Tampa Bay's later NASL campaigns eventually took over. [2] The striping sequence on the sleeves was also different. Tampa Bay would not wear a cuff-style collar again until the 1986–87 American Indoor Soccer Association season. [3]

Club

Roster

No.PositionPlayerNation
1 GK Paul Hammond Flag of England.svg  England
1 GK Mike Hewitt Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland
1 GK Bob Stetler Flag of the United States.svg  United States
2 DF Farrukh Quraishi Flag of England.svg  England
3 DF Alex Pringle Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland
4 MF John Boyle (capt.) Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland
5 DF Malcolm Linton Flag of England.svg  England
6 DF Mike Connell Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
7 MF Bernard Hartze Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
8 MF Randy Garber Flag of the United States.svg  United States
9 FW Clyde Best Flag of Bermuda.svg  Bermuda
10 FW Stewart Scullion Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland
11 FW Doug Wark Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland
12 FW Derek Smethurst Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
13 DF Stewart Jump Flag of England.svg  England
14 FW John Sissons Flag of England.svg  England
15 MF Mark Lindsay Flag of England.svg  England
16 DF John Bluem Flag of the United States.svg  United States
17 FW Eddie Austin Flag of the United States.svg  United States
18 DF Arsène Auguste Flag of Haiti.svg  Haiti
18 MF Eddie Firmani Flag of Italy.svg  Italy

Management and technical staff

Honors

The Rowdies received eight individual honors following the 1975 NASL season.

Review

The 1975 North American Soccer League season was the Tampa Bay Rowdies first outdoors. The expansion Rowdies had only recently completed a successful debut in the 1975 indoor tournament, by finishing as runners-up. With Eddie Firmani as coach and John Boyle as team captain, they opened outdoor play by splitting a pair of preseason friendlies versus the San Antonio Thunder.

Tampa Bay's first regular season match was played at Tampa Stadium against the Rochester Lancers before 12,133 paying customers (and another 3,000-plus, who were there for free). Their first ever goal was scored by Derek Smethurst in the opening half. The first goal conceded by the Rowdies occurred at the 27:59 mark when Tommy Ord put one past Tampa Bay goalie Mike Hewitt. The game remained tied 1–1 at the end of 90 minutes. At 3:45 of golden goal overtime, second-half substitute, Alex Pringle, recorded the teams' first ever game-winning goal. The game also saw Firmani (age 41) insert himself into the lineup with about one minute remaining in regulation. This was because several players had been delayed in Europe, causing the Tampa Bay roster to be a bit thin for the match. [4]

The Rowdies success carried on as they went on to record winning streaks of six and seven games during the regular season. Tampa Bay finished the year tied with the Portland Timbers for the best record in the league with a mark of 16–6. The winning ways continued into the playoffs as they did not concede a single goal in any round. They defeated Toronto Metros-Croatia, 1–0, in the quarterfinals. That was followed by a 3–0 dismantling of 1974 league runners-up, and Florida Derby rival, Miami Toros in the semifinal, which sent them into the Soccer Bowl.

The Soccer Bowl '75 championship match featured the two teams with the best records in the NASL, the Rowdies and Portland. Coincidentally both squads were also expansion teams. Behind a stingy defense and a pair of second half goals by Arsène Auguste and Clyde Best, Tampa Bay came away the victors, 2–0. Defender Stewart Jump was named man of the match. This would be the Rowdies only outdoor NASL championship.

Competitions

Friendlies

February 8, 19751 South Florida Bulls 1–3 Tampa Bay Rowdies Tampa, Florida
12:00 P.M. Report Hartze Soccerball shade.svg, Soccerball shade.svgStadium: USF Soccer Stadium
April 11, 19752 Tampa Bay Rowdies 2–1 San Antonio Thunder Tarpon Springs, Florida
7:30 P.M. Boyle Soccerball shade.svg65'
Smethurst Soccerball shade.svg75'		 Report p. 3-C Marotte Soccerball shade.svg89:30'Stadium: Tarpon Springs High School
April 13, 19753 Tampa Bay Rowdies 1–3 San Antonio Thunder Winter Park, Florida
1:30 P.M. Forteis Soccerball shade.svg40:32' (o.g.) Report p. 3-C Wolf Soccerball shade.svg9:16' (pen.)
Hylkema Soccerball shade.svg16:35'
Didi Soccerball shade.svg76:10'		Stadium: Sandspur Field
Attendance: 2,000
May 19, 19754 Hartwick/Oneonta All-Stars 1–2 Tampa Bay Rowdies Oneonta, New York
Napolitano Soccerball shade.svg Report Wark Soccerball shade.svg(Lindsay)
Smethurst Soccerball shade.svg(Lindsay)		Stadium: Oneonta State Field
Attendance: 1,000 (est)
December 21, 19755 USSF All-Stars' Coaches 0–1 Tampa Bay Rowdies Orlando, Florida
Report Garber Soccerball shade.svg(Mausser)Stadium: Tangerine Bowl
Attendance: 250 (est)

NASL regular season

Division standings

Pos Eastern Division GP W L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1Tampa Bay Rowdies221664627+19135 NASL Playoffs
2 Miami Toros 221484730+17123
3 Washington Diplomats 2212104247−5112
4 Philadelphia Atoms 2210123342−990
5 Baltimore Comets 229133452−1887

Overall League Placing

PosClubPldWLGFGAGDPts
1 Portland Timbers 221664327+16138
2Tampa Bay Rowdies221664627+19135
3 Seattle Sounders 221574228+14129
4 Miami Toros 221484730+17123
5 Boston Minutemen 221394129+12116

Results summaries

Results by round

Match reports

April 26, 19751 Tampa Bay Rowdies 2–1(OT) Rochester Lancers Tampa, Florida
Smethurst Soccerball shade.svg13:51' (Sissons)
Pringle Soccerball shade gold.svg93:45' (Boyle)		 Report Ord Soccerball shade.svg27:59' (Jijon)Stadium: Tampa Stadium
Attendance: 12,133
May 3, 19752 Tampa Bay Rowdies 1–0 New York Cosmos Tampa, Florida
Scullion Soccerball shade.svg7:46' Report Stadium: Tampa Stadium
Attendance: 8,378
May 9, 19753 Washington Diplomats 3–0 Tampa Bay Rowdies Washington, D.C.
Ingram Soccerball shade.svg6:17' (Pillinger)
Horton Soccerball shade.svg16:17' (DeLeon)
Horton Soccerball shade.svg18:52' (Barry)		 Report Stadium: Robert F. Kennedy Stadium
Attendance: 10,340
May 14, 19754 Tampa Bay Rowdies 3–1 Boston Minutemen Tampa, Florida
Smethurst Soccerball shade.svg28:55' (Jump)
Best Soccerball shade.svg71:49' (Sissons)
Best Soccerball shade.svg74:44' (Scullion)		 Report Wooler Soccerball shade.svg81:28'Stadium: Tampa Stadium
Attendance: 6,117
Referee: Don DeSalvador
May 17, 19755 Connecticut Bicentennials 1–3 Tampa Bay Rowdies New Haven, Connecticut
Travljanin Soccerball shade.svg78' (H. McCully) Report Smethurst Soccerball shade.svg30' [5]
Boyle Soccerball shade.svg53' (Smethurst)
Best Soccerball shade.svg82' (Quraishi)		Stadium: Yale Bowl
Attendance: 3,410
May 21, 19756 Baltimore Comets 1–2 Tampa Bay Rowdies Baltimore, Maryland
Henderson Soccerball shade.svg5:36' (Aqui) Report Boyle Soccerball shade.svg53:56' (Smethurst)
Smethurst Soccerball shade.svg81:15' (Sissons)		Stadium: Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 3,648
May 28, 19757 Tampa Bay Rowdies 3–2 Denver Dynamos Tampa, Florida
Scullion Soccerball shade.svg3:35' (Sissons)
Ntsoelengoe [6] Soccerball shade.svg42:32' (o.g.)
Scullion Soccerball shade.svg60:21' (Best)		 Report Dawes Soccerball shade.svg17:31' (Flater)
Flater Soccerball shade.svg22:28' (Dawes)		Stadium: Tampa Stadium
Attendance: 5,281
Referee: Larry King
May 31, 19758 San Antonio Thunder 0–4 Tampa Bay Rowdies San Antonio, Texas
Report Smethurst Soccerball shade.svg20:22' (Scullion)
Best Soccerball shade.svg65:55' (Wark)
Garber Soccerball shade.svg70:34'
Hartze Soccerball shade.svg74:58' (Austin)		Stadium: Alamo Stadium
Attendance: 4,619
Referee: Robert Evans
June 6, 19759 Miami Toros 0–1 Tampa Bay Rowdies Miami, Florida
Report Smethurst Soccerball shade.svg56:14' (Boyle)Stadium: Miami Orange Bowl
Attendance: 14,259
June 11, 197510 Tampa Bay Rowdies 0–2 Miami Toros Tampa, Florida
Report David Soccerball shade.svg49:11' (Archibald)
Jordan Soccerball shade.svg79:36' (David)		Stadium: Tampa Stadium
Attendance: 18,654
Referee: Gino D'Ippolito
June 13, 197511 Philadelphia Atoms 1–2 Tampa Bay Rowdies Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
McLaughlin Soccerball shade.svg74:45' (pen.) Report on p. 1-C Best Soccerball shade.svg45:55' (Scullion)
Scullion Soccerball shade.svg84:41'		Stadium: Veterans Stadium
Attendance: 5,819
June 20, 197512 Dallas Tornado 0–0
(4–2 p)		 Tampa Bay Rowdies Irving, Texas
Report Stadium: Texas Stadium
Attendance: 4,179
Penalties
Ley Soccerball shad check.svg
Gore Soccerball shad check.svg
Moore Soccerball shad check.svg
Chadwick Soccerball shad check.svg		Soccerball shad check.svg Smethurst
Soccerball shade cross.svg Garber
Soccerball shad check.svg Connell
Soccerball shade cross.svg Boyle
June 21, 197513 St. Louis Stars 1–1
(3–5 p)		 Tampa Bay Rowdies St. Louis, Missouri
Geimer Soccerball shade.svg11:41' (Burnett) Report Smethurst Soccerball shade.svg41:33' (Connell)Stadium: Francis Field
Attendance: 7,731
Penalties
Burnett Soccerball shade cross.svg
Hawley Soccerball shad check.svg
Matteson Soccerball shad check.svg
Trost Soccerball shad check.svg		Soccerball shad check.svg Smethurst
Soccerball shad check.svg Pringle
Soccerball shad check.svg Jump
Soccerball shad check.svg Connell
Soccerball shad check.svg Scullion
June 28, 197514 Tampa Bay Rowdies 6–1 Baltimore Comets Tampa, Florida
Sissons Soccerball shade.svg8:45' (Lindsay)
Scullion Soccerball shade.svg13:25' (Sissons)
Sissons Soccerball shade.svg34:40' (Scullion)
Smethurst Soccerball shade.svg71:50' (Sissons)
Sissons Soccerball shade.svg78:53' (Hartze)
Scullion Soccerball shade.svg79:20' (Best)		 Report Henderson Soccerball shade.svg26:59'Stadium: Tampa Stadium
Attendance: 8,610
July 12, 197515 Tampa Bay Rowdies 4–0 Baltimore Comets Tampa, Florida
Sissons Soccerball shade.svg(Scullion)
Smethurst Soccerball shade.svg(Boyle)
Smethurst Soccerball shade.svg84:38'
Lindsay Soccerball shade.svg89:20' (Smethurst)		 Report Stadium: Tampa Stadium
Attendance: 13,400
July 19, 197516 Tampa Bay Rowdies 2–1 Philadelphia Atoms Tampa, Florida
Smethurst Soccerball shade.svg3:33' (Best)
Smethurst Soccerball shade.svg17:26' (Scullion)		 Report Bahr Soccerball shade.svg16:32'Stadium: Tampa Stadium
Attendance: 10,103
July 23, 197517 Tampa Bay Rowdies 5–1 Miami Toros Tampa, Florida
Best Soccerball shade.svg19:12' (Sissons)
Sissons Soccerball shade.svg57:40' (Scullion)
Connell Soccerball shade.svg66:50'
Smethurst Soccerball shade.svg72:57'
Smethurst Soccerball shade.svg87:35' (Lindsay)		 Report David Soccerball shade.svg89:57'Stadium: Tampa Stadium
Attendance: 11,415
July 26, 197518 Tampa Bay Rowdies 3–1 Washington Diplomats Tampa, Florida
Scullion Soccerball shade.svg36:25'
Smethurst Soccerball shade.svg72:51' (Best)
Boyle Soccerball shade.svg85:45'		 Report Barry Soccerball shade.svg56:36' (Ingram)Stadium: Tampa Stadium
Attendance: 11,153
July 29, 197519 Philadelphia Atoms 0–1(OT) Tampa Bay Rowdies Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Report Smethurst Soccerball shade gold.svg90:56'Stadium: Veterans Stadium
Attendance: 4,517
August 2, 197520 Washington Diplomats 3–1 Tampa Bay Rowdies Washington, D.C.
Horton Soccerball shade.svg21:23' (Ingram)
Ingram Soccerball shade.svg27:58' (Barry)
Horton Soccerball shade.svg40:13' (Darrell)		 Report Smethurst Soccerball shade.svg5:35'Stadium: RFK Stadium
Attendance: 2,415
August 6, 197521 Tampa Bay Rowdies 0–3 Chicago Sting Tampa, Florida
Report Hill Soccerball shade.svg11:54' (Griffiths)
Hill Soccerball shade.svg37:59'
Allen Soccerball shade.svg88:00' (May)		Stadium: Tampa Stadium
Attendance: 12,761
August 9, 197522 Toronto Metros-Croatia 3–1 Tampa Bay Rowdies Toronto, Ontario
Vieri Soccerball shade.svg10:30'
Ferreira Soccerball shade.svg69:30' (Polak)
Polak Soccerball shade.svg77:15' (Coyne)		 Report Smethurst Soccerball shade.svg11:30' (Best)Stadium: Varsity Stadium
Attendance: 8,248

NASL Playoffs

Bracket

Quarter-finalsSemi-finals Soccer Bowl '75
         
W1 Portland Timbers 2
W2 Seattle Sounders 1
W1Portland Timbers1
C1 St. Louis Stars 0
C1 St. Louis Stars 1(5)
W3 Los Angeles Aztecs 1(4)
W1 Portland Timbers 0
E1Tampa Bay Rowdies2
E2 Miami Toros 2
N1 Boston Minutemen 1
E2 Miami Toros 0
E1Tampa Bay Rowdies3
N2 Toronto Metros-Croatia 0
E1Tampa Bay Rowdies1

Match reports

August 13, 1975Quarterfinals Tampa Bay Rowdies 1–0 Toronto Metros-Croatia Tampa, Florida
Best Soccerball shade.svg49:42' (Lindsay) Report Stadium: Tampa Stadium
Attendance: 16,111
August 16, 1975Semifinals Tampa Bay Rowdies 3–0 Miami Toros Tampa, Florida
Scullion Soccerball shade.svg54:33' (Best)
Smethurst Soccerball shade.svg66:58' (Sissons)
Boyle Soccerball shade.svg88:40' (Sissons)		 Report Stadium: Tampa Stadium
Attendance: 22,710
August 24, 1975 Soccer Bowl '75 Tampa Bay Rowdies 2–0 Portland Timbers San Jose, California
Auguste Soccerball shade.svg66:00' (Smethurst)
Best Soccerball shade.svg87:40'		 Report Stadium: Spartan Stadium
Attendance: 17,009

Statistics

Player movement

References

  1. ↑ Nasl Jerseys image
  2. ↑ "Derek Smethurst, Doug Wark vs Cosmos 1975 (Image)".
  3. ↑ Nasl Jerseys Team image
  4. ↑ Austin, Jim (April 28, 1975). "Fans Rally For Rowdies". Evening Independent. p. 1-C. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Boyle Selected Rowdie of Week". St. Petersburg Times. May 20, 1975. p. 7-C. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  6. ↑ Austin, Jim (May 29, 1975). "Tampa Rains On Denver". Evening Independent. p. 1-C. Retrieved April 27, 2016.