1984 North American Soccer League season

Last updated
North American Soccer League 1984 season
Season1984
Champions Chicago Sting
(2nd title)
Premiers Chicago Sting
most total points
*San Diego
best Won/Loss record
Matches played108
Goals scored427 (3.95 per match)
Top goalscorer Steve Zungul
(20 goals)
Highest attendance52,621
Tampa Bay at Minnesota
(May 28)
Lowest attendance2,267
Tampa Bay at San Diego
(August 12)
Average attendance10,759
← 1983
Final Season →

The 1984 North American Soccer League season was the 72nd season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer, the 17th with a national first-division league, in the United States and Canada. It would be the 17th and final season of the NASL.

Contents

Changes from the previous season

New teams

Teams folding

Teams moving

Name changes

Season recap

By 1983, the NASL had shrunk to half of the 24 teams that made up the league in 1980. The ongoing salary war with the Major Indoor Soccer League had taken its toll, along with shrinking attendances and a lack of interest from American network TV broadcasters. [1] The league made plans to have both an outdoor and indoor presence, with a 24-game outdoor season and 40-game indoor season scheduled for 1984 and beyond. [2]

The off-season following the 1983 outdoor playoffs saw three more teams fall by the wayside: the Montreal Manic, [3] Seattle Sounders [4] and Team America [5] would all fold. The Fort Lauderdale Strikers decided to move to Minnesota because of a lack of suitable indoor arenas in Southeastern Florida. [6] Things had gotten so bad for the league that the champion Tulsa Roughnecks almost folded two weeks after winning the Soccer Bowl. They survived, thanks to a fundraiser that put $65,000 in the team's coffers. [7] The league would soldier on with nine teams. While there would not be huge changes on the field, the single game Soccer Bowl would be no more. The league moved to a best-of-three championship series format, as was done back in the 1971 Final. [8] The revised NASL playoff format had the two division winners and the two next best teams qualify. The four teams would be seeded 1 through 4. [9]

When the season finally got underway in May, the nine teams were bunched together for most of the year as six teams finished within five points of each other. A hoped-for renaissance in New York never materialized, as the return of former Cosmos coach Eddie Firmani did not lead the team back to the playoffs. Rumors about a possible return by Pelé proved to be without merit. However, not everyone struggled on the field. In Oakland, Steve Zungul and Branko Segota were able to translate their talents from the MISL to the outdoor game, finishing 1–2 in the league's scoring race. Zungul would earn league MVP honors despite the Golden Bay Earthquakes' last-place finish. For the fifth time (and second year in a row), the NASL's points system rewarded a team other than the one with the best record (Chicago instead of San Diego) the regular season title and number one playoff seed. Moreover, Toronto and Minnesota also had better won-loss records than Chicago. Minnesota would not even qualify for the playoffs, despite having a better record than both Chicago and Vancouver. [10]

The Chicago Sting won the last NASL title with a two-game sweep over the Toronto Blizzard. [11] The Sting needed a last-second victory over the Cosmos in their regular season finale to qualify for the playoffs [12] and knock New York out. In the playoffs they won a deciding game over the Vancouver Whitecaps, who themselves only made the playoffs thanks to the Cosmos' loss. Vancouver's Bob Lenarduzzi scored the quickest goal in NASL playoff history 46 seconds into the match, but Chicago rallied for the win. [13]

There were still plans for a 1985 outdoor season as the year ended, but the departures of Chicago Sting, Minnesota Strikers, New York Cosmos and the San Diego Sockers to the MISL for the indoor season made that difficult. [14] The Cosmos left both the NASL and MISL on February 22. [15] A month later, on March 28, 1985, the NASL suspended operations when only Toronto and Minnesota were interested in fielding teams for a 1985 "outdoor" season. [16] [17]

Regular season

W = Wins, L = Losses, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, BP = Bonus Points, Pts= point system

6 points for a win, 4 points for a shootout win, 0 points for a loss, 1 point for each regulation goal scored up to three per game.

 -Premiers (most points).  -Best record.  -Other playoff team.  -Tied for best record but did not qualify for playoffs.
Eastern DivisionWLGFGABPPtsHomeRoad
Chicago Sting 13115049441206-67-5
Toronto Blizzard 14104633351179-35-7
New York Cosmos 13114342391159-34-8
Tampa Bay Rowdies 915436135879-30-12
Western DivisionWLGFGABPPtsHomeRoad
San Diego Sockers 14105142401189-35-7
Vancouver Whitecaps 131151484311710-23-9
Minnesota Strikers 14104044351158-46-6
Tulsa Roughnecks 1014424638988-42-10
Golden Bay Earthquakes 816616249954-84-8

Scoring Leaders

GP = Games Played, G = Goals (worth 2 points), A = Assists (worth 1 point), Pts = Points

PlayerTeamGPGAPts
Steve Zungul Golden Bay Earthquakes24201050
Branko Šegota Golden Bay Earthquakes24181147
Ron Futcher Tulsa Roughnecks2318844
Karl-Heinz Granitza Chicago Sting24161244
Peter Ward Vancouver Whitecaps24161042
Ade Coker San Diego Sockers2216739
David Byrne Toronto Blizzard20121337
Alan Willey Minnesota Strikers2415434
Jean Willrich San Diego Sockers2252030
Roberto Bettega Toronto Blizzard2381329

Leading Goalkeepers

Note: GP = Games played; Min - Minutes played; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; W = Wins; L = Losses; SO = Shutouts

PlayerTeamGPMinGAGAAWLSO
Paul Hammond Toronto Blizzard211937251.161477
Hubert Birkenmeier New York Cosmos222007341.501392
Tino Lettieri Minnesota Strikers181622281.551084
Victor Nogueira Chicago Sting181663301.62993
Winston DuBose Tulsa Roughnecks221931381.7710124
Paul Bradshaw Vancouver Whitecaps242161461.9213114
Jim Gorsek San Diego Sockers151369322.10770
Arnie Mausser Tampa Bay Rowdies232100572.449143
Bill Irwin Golden Bay Earthquakes211964542.487142

All-NASL Teams

First Team  Position  Second TeamHonorable Mention
Hubert Birkenmeier, New York G Paul Hammond, Toronto Paul Bradshaw, Vancouver
Andranik Eskandarian, New York D Dwight Lodeweges, Minnesota Gregg Thompson, Tampa Bay
Johan Neeskens, New YorkD Victor Moreland, Tulsa Fernando Clavijo, Golden Bay
Kevin Crow, San DiegoD Bob Lenarduzzi, Vancouver Dan Canter, New York
Bruce Wilson, TorontoD Terry Moore, Tulsa Barry Wallace, Minnesota
Ray Hudson, Minnesota M Pato Margetic, Chicago Kaz Deyna, San Diego
Frans Thijssen, VancouverM Jimmy Nicholl, Toronto Brian Quinn, San Diego
Vladislav Bogicevic, New YorkM Fran O'Brien, Vancouver Ace Ntsoelengoe, Toronto
Steve Zungul, Golden Bay F Alan Willey, Minnesota Carl Valentine, Vancouver
Karl-Heinz Granitza, ChicagoF Branko Šegota, Golden Bay Roberto Cabañas, New York
Peter Ward, VancouverF David Byrne, Toronto Ron Futcher, Tulsa

Playoffs

Top team from each division qualified automatically. The next two teams with the highest point totals qualified regardless of which division they were in. [18]

Bracket

Semifinals
Best-of-3		 Soccer Bowl Series '84
Best-of-3
          
1 Chicago Sting 0 34
4 Vancouver Whitecaps 11 3
1 Chicago Sting 23–
3 Toronto Blizzard 1 2 –
2 San Diego Sockers 1 0 –
3 Toronto Blizzard 21–

Semifinals

Higher seedSeriesLower seedGame 1Game 2Game 3*(higher seed hosts Games 1 and 3)
Chicago Sting 2 - 1 Vancouver Whitecaps 0–1 (OT)3–14–3September 18 • Comiskey Park • 5,484
September 23 • BC Place Stadium • 14,753
September 28 • Comiskey Park • 10,139
San Diego Sockers 0 - 2 Toronto Blizzard 1–20–1xSeptember 18 • Jack Murphy Stadium • 4,204
September 21 • Varsity Stadium • 12,460

Soccer Bowl Series '84

Higher seedSeriesLower seedGame 1Game 2Game 3*(higher seed hosts Games 1 and 3)
Chicago Sting 2 - 0 Toronto Blizzard 2–13–2xOctober 1 • Comiskey Park • 8,352
October 3 • Varsity Stadium • 16,842

Game One

Chicago Sting 2–1 Toronto Blizzard
Margetic Soccerball shade.svg50:06' (Seninho, Granitza)
Rojas Soccerball shade.svg85:20' (Seninho)		 Wilson Soccerball shade.svg15:23' (Byrne, DeLucca)
Attendance: 8,352
Referee: David Socha (USA) [20] [21]

Game Two

Toronto Blizzard 2–3 Chicago Sting
Paskin Soccerball shade.svg70:55' (Ntsoelengoe)
Bettega Soccerball shade.svg72:28' (Byrne, Ntsoelengoe)		 Simanton Soccerball shade.svg16:47' (Granitza)
Margetic Soccerball shade.svg67:58' (Gray, Rojas)
Margetic Soccerball shade.svg81:33' (Rojas)
Attendance: 16,842 [23]
Referee: Bill Maxwell (USA) [24] [25]


1984 NASL Champions: Chicago Sting

Playoff Scoring Leaders

GP = Games Played, G = Goals (worth 2 points), A = Assists (worth 1 point), Pts = Points

PlayerTeamGPGAPts
Pato Margetic Chicago Sting56113
Karl-Heinz Granitza Chicago Sting53612
Manny Rojas Chicago Sting5237
Ace Ntsoelengoe Toronto Blizzard4135
David Byrne Toronto Blizzard4124
Roberto Bettega Toronto Blizzard4124

Playoff Leading Goalkeepers

Note: GP = Games played; Min - Minutes played; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals against average; W = Wins; L = Losses; SO = Shutouts

PlayerTeamGPMinGAGAAWLSO
Paul Hammond Toronto Blizzard436061.50221
Zoltan Toth San Diego Sockers218031.50020
Victor Nogueira Chicago Sting545981.60410
Paul Bradshaw Vancouver Whitecaps327972.33120

Post season awards

Team Attendance Totals

"text-align: center;"ClubGamesTotalAverage
Vancouver Whitecaps 12182,49415,208
Minnesota Strikers 12171,15114,263
New York Cosmos 12153,80712,817
Toronto Blizzard 12137,42011,452
Tampa Bay Rowdies 12131,19410,933
Golden Bay Earthquakes 12123,38310,282
Chicago Sting 12100,5128,376
Tulsa Roughnecks 1293,5677,797
San Diego Sockers 1268,4225,702
OVERALL1081,161,95010,759

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North American Soccer League (1968–1984)</span> Defunct major soccer league in the United States and Canada

The North American Soccer League (NASL) was the top-level major professional soccer league in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984. It was the first soccer league to be successful on a national scale in the United States. The league final was called the Soccer Bowl from 1975 to 1983 and the Soccer Bowl Series in its final year, 1984. The league was headed by Commissioner Phil Woosnam from 1969 to 1983. The NASL laid the foundations for soccer in the United States that helped lead to the country hosting the 1994 FIFA World Cup and the set-up of Major League Soccer (MLS) in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Major Indoor Soccer League (1978–1992)</span> Indoor soccer league in the United States

The Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL), known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the United States that played matches from fall 1978 to spring 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1977–1983)</span> American soccer team (1977–1983)

The Fort Lauderdale Strikers was a professional soccer team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They competed in the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1977 to 1983. They played their home matches at Lockhart Stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minnesota Strikers</span> Defunct American soccer club

The Minnesota Strikers were an American soccer team that competed in the North American Soccer League (NASL) for the 1984 season and in the Major Indoor Soccer League from 1984 through 1988. The team was based in Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area and played their outdoor home games at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome and the Met Center for indoor games. Founded in 1967 as the Washington Darts and playing in Miami as the Gatos and the Toros before playing seven season as the Fort Lauderdale Strikers the team left Florida following the 1983 North American Soccer League season. After the 1987–88 season and playing four seasons in the MISL the team ceased operations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicago Sting</span> Former American professional soccer team based in Chicago

The Chicago Sting (1974–1988) was an American professional soccer team representing Chicago. The Sting played in the North American Soccer League from 1975 to 1984 and in the Major Indoor Soccer League in the 1982–83 season and again from 1984 to 1988. They were North American Soccer League champions in 1981 and 1984, one of only two NASL teams to win the championship twice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York Arrows</span> Football club

The New York Arrows were an indoor soccer team that played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) from 1978 to 1984. They won the first four MISL championships.

Willy Roy is a retired American soccer forward and coach. He played for several teams in the National Professional Soccer League and the North American Soccer League in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as the United States national team from 1965 to 1973. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Chance Fry is a retired U.S. soccer forward who began his career straight out of high school with the Seattle Sounders of the North American Soccer League. With the collapse of the NASL, he moved to indoor soccer as well as U.S. minor leagues. Since retiring from playing, Fry has become a college soccer coach. He also earned five caps with the U.S. national team in 1984 and was the 1990 American Professional Soccer League leading goal scorer.

Dan Canter was a U.S. soccer defender. He played three seasons in the North American Soccer League and three in Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned nine caps with the U.S. national team, scoring two goals, between 1983 and 1985.

Andrew Parkinson is a retired American soccer forward born in South Africa who spent time playing in both South Africa and England before immigrating to the U.S. where he played five seasons in the North American Soccer League, two in Major Indoor Soccer League and one in the American Soccer League. Parkinson earned two caps with the U.S. national team in 1984.

Mirko "Mark" Liveric is an American retired soccer forward who spent eight years in the North American Soccer League and seven in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned sixteen caps, scoring three goals, with the U.S. national team.

Gary Etherington is a retired English-American soccer player who began his professional career in the North American Soccer League before moving to the Major Indoor Soccer League. He earned seven caps with the U.S. national team. Since retiring, Etherington has coached youth soccer and is a soccer equipment salesman.

Lawrence Adam Michael Abrahams is an English retired professional footballer who played as a striker in England, the United States, and Australia. In a career which lasted from 1977 to 1987, Abrahams played 283 career league games, and scored 142 league goals.

The 1983–84 North American Soccer League indoor season was the fourth and last in league history. The San Diego Sockers defeated the New York Cosmos for their third straight indoor title, having won the NASL Indoor title in 1981–82 and the MISL title in 1982–83.

The 1982–83 Major Indoor Soccer League season was the fifth in league history and would end with the San Diego Sockers winning their first MISL title. It would be the Sockers' second straight indoor championship, as the club had won the North American Soccer League's indoor league the previous spring.

The 1984–85 Major Indoor Soccer League season was the seventh in league history and ended with the San Diego Sockers winning their second MISL title in three seasons over the Baltimore Blast. It was the Sockers' fourth straight indoor title, as they had also won the North American Soccer League's indoor league in the spring of 1984.

The 1985–86 Major Indoor Soccer League season was the eighth in league history and ended with the San Diego Sockers winning their third MISL title in four seasons over the Minnesota Strikers. It was the Sockers' fifth straight indoor title, as they had also won the North American Soccer League's indoor league in 1982 and 1984.

North American Soccer League (NASL) was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984. Beginning in 1975, the league final was called the Soccer Bowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soccer Bowl '81</span> Football match

Soccer Bowl '81 was the championship final of the 1981 NASL season, between the Chicago Sting and the New York Cosmos. The match was played on September 26, 1981 at Exhibition Stadium, in Toronto, Ontario. Following regulation and 15 minutes of golden goal overtime, the match remained tied, 0–0. With that, the game moved to a shoot-out. The Sting won the shoot-out, 2–1, and were crowned the 1981 NASL champions. This was Chicago's first NASL title.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soccer Bowl '84</span> Football match

Soccer Bowl '84, also known as Soccer Bowl Series '84, was the championship of the 1984 NASL season, and the last championship of the original NASL. In a departure from previous years, it was a best-of-three series between the Chicago Sting and the Toronto Blizzard as opposed to a single-game championship. The first game of the series was held on Monday, October 1 at Comiskey Park, in Chicago, Illinois; the Sting won it, 2–1. The second game was played at Varsity Stadium, in Toronto, Ontario on October 3. Chicago won again, this time by a score of 3–2, to sweep the series and claim its second North American championship.

References

  1. ↑ Miranda, Randy (December 18, 1983). "Soccer: It flourishes for participants, but suffers at gate". Lakeland Ledger. p. 6C. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  2. ↑ "Must Play in '84, Sting Is Told". The New York Times . February 10, 1984. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  3. ↑ Phillips, Randy (November 5, 1983). "Molson Sounds Last Call For Manic". Montreal Gazette. p. H-2. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  4. ↑ "Seattle Sounders folding". The Spokesman-Review. September 9, 1983. p. C1. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  5. ↑ "NASL President Denies Team America Disbanded". Palm Beach Post. September 9, 1983. p. D2. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  6. ↑ Marmor, Jon (December 1, 1983). "Strikers' Departure Is Official". Palm Beach Post. p. D1. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  7. ↑ "NASL results: 1 team lost, 1 team saved". Milwaukee Journal. November 5, 1983. p. 12. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  8. ↑ "NASL changes Soccer Bowl format". St. Petersburg Times. September 27, 1983. p. 6C. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  9. ↑ "N.A.S.L. Revises Playoff Format". The New York Times. March 14, 1984. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  10. ↑ "The Year in American Soccer - 1984". Archived from the original on 2013-07-13. Retrieved 2012-06-05.
  11. ↑ "Sting wins Soccer Bowl". Milwaukee Sentinel. October 4, 1984. p. B2. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  12. ↑ Yannis, Alex (September 16, 1984). "COSMOS LOSE TO STING AND MISS PLAYOFFS". The New York Times. p. E11. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  13. ↑ "Sting advances to NASL finals". Milwaukee Sentinel. September 29, 1984. p. B5. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  14. ↑ "MISL takes four NASL teams". Boca Raton News. August 31, 1984. p. 2C. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  15. ↑ "Cosmos pull out of MISL, NASL". Ellensburg Daily Record. February 23, 1985. p. 11. Retrieved 2012-06-02.
  16. ↑ "NASL down to two teams, won't play this season". Eugene Register-Guard. March 29, 1985. p. 2D. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  17. ↑ "NASL suspends operations for 1985" page 1D Minneapolis Star and Tribune March 29, 1985
  18. ↑ "The Evening Independent - Google News Archive Search".
  19. ↑ "Record-Journal - Google News Archive Search".
  20. ↑ "NASL Soccer Bowl 84 - Game 1 (Sting vs. Blizzard) - First Half - YouTube". YouTube . Archived from the original on 2014-01-06. Retrieved 2013-06-29.
  21. ↑ "NASL Soccer Bowl 84 - Game 1 (Sting vs. Blizzard) - Second Half". YouTube .
  22. ↑ "The Day - Google News Archive Search".
  23. ↑ "Ottawa Citizen - Google News Archive Search".
  24. ↑ "NASL Soccer Bowl 84 - Game 2 (Sting at Blizzard) - First Half". YouTube .
  25. ↑ "NASL Soccer Bowl 84 - Game 2 (Sting at Blizzard) - Second Half". YouTube .
  26. ↑ "Record-Journal - Google News Archive Search".

Jose, Colin (1989). NASL: A Complete Record of the North American Soccer League. Derby, England: Breedon Books.

Jose, Colin (2003). North American Soccer League Encyclopedia. Haworth, NJ: St. Johann Press.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.