1976 National Soccer League season

The National Soccer League (NSL) expanded its boundaries outside of Canada with a franchise based in Buffalo, New York, known as the Buffalo Blazers. The NSL made further territorial gains with a return to Northern Ontario with the acceptance of the Sudbury Cyclones. The previous time the NSL was active in the northern region was in the 1971 season.{{Cite news|last=Pascal|first=Randy|date=June 20, 2020|title=The Sudbury Cyclones and their semi-pro soccer stint|page=B1|work=Sudbury Star|url=|access-date=}} Both Buffalo and Sudbury were placed in the Second Division.

Though the league expanded beyond the Montreal–Windsor Corridor, the membership decreased from 21 teams to 18. The slight decrease resulted from Srbija Kitchener and Toronto Melita taking a leave of absence when both clubs were suspended by the Ontario Soccer Association (OSA) for payments to amateur players. The two other departing clubs were the Ontario Selects, and Toronto Ukraina took a two-year sabbatical and returned for the 1978 season. Further changes included the relocation of Oakville United to Toronto and the addition of another team in the Niagara region, as Hamilton City became known as Welland Lions Croatia.{{cite news|date=May 21, 1976|title=Sports - Soccer|page=64|work=Ottawa Citizen}} Another notable change occurred with the renaming of Toronto Homer to Toronto Panhellenic.

Several changes were implemented to the league's structure with the approval of a new constitution, which transferred more voting power from the league's executive committee to the league ownership.{{Cite news|last=Kernaghan|first=Jim|date=January 24, 1976|title=Soccer league's new plan gives owner more power|page=D3|work=Toronto Star}} Reports were also circulating of the creation of a league commissioner to replace Joe Piccininni as league president, but Piccininni resumed his duties throughout the season.{{cite news|last=Vyhnak|first=Carola|date=September 20, 1976|title=Stadium honors Allan Lamport|page=B1|work=Toronto Star}} The regular-season schedule was revised to prevent interlocking play between the First and Second Division teams, but both divisions were permitted to play one another in the NSL Cup.{{cite news|date=January 13, 1976|title=Stars likely to play 18-game schedule|page=18|work=Windsor Star}} Restrictions were also placed on the allowance of five imported players to each team.{{cite news|date=March 31, 1976|title=Ottawa Tigers hope to boost soccer interest|page=38|work=Ottawa Journal}}

{{Col-begin}}

{{Col-2}}

{{Location map+|Canada Southern Ontario|width=400 |float=center|caption=Location of NSL teams outside of Toronto for the 1976 NSL season.
10px

|places=

{{Location map~|Canada Southern Ontario||lat=42.904722 |long= -78.849444 |label=Buffalo |position=right|mark=Blue pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|Canada Southern Ontario||lat=43.251389 |long= -79.830278 |label=Hamilton |position=left|mark=Blue pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|Canada Southern Ontario||lat=42.9837 |long=-81.2497 |label=London |position=left|mark=Blue pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|Canada Southern Ontario||lat= 45.370307|long= -75.692185|label=Ottawa |position=right|mark=Blue pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|Canada Southern Ontario||lat=43.183333 |long= -79.233333|label=St. Catharines |position=right|mark=Blue pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|Canada Southern Ontario||lat=46.49 |long= -81.01|label=Sudbury |position=bottom|mark=Blue pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|Canada Southern Ontario||lat=43.64 |long=-79.42 |label=TORONTO |position=right|mark=Red pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|Canada Southern Ontario||lat=42.983333 |long=-79.233333 |label=Welland |position=left|mark=Blue pog.svg}}

{{Location map~|Canada Southern Ontario||lat=42.2939 |long= -83.0191 |label=Windsor |position=left|mark=Blue pog.svg}}

}}

{{Col-2}}

{{Location map+ |Canada Southern Quebec |width=400 |float=center |caption=Locations of teams in Quebec for the 1976 NSL season.|places=

{{Location map~ | Canada Southern Quebec |lat= 45.554119|long= -73.636631 |label=Montreal |position=left|mark=Red pog.svg}}

}}

{{Col-end}}

== Standings ==

{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL

|res_col_header=Q

|winpoints=2

|team1=ITA|name_ITA=Toronto Italia

|team2=MON|name_MON=Montreal Castors

|team3=PAN|name_PAN=Toronto Panhellenic

|team4=POR|name_POR=Toronto First Portuguese

|team5=WIN|name_WIN=Windsor Stars

|team6=LON|name_LON=London City

|team7=SER|name_SER=Serbian White Eagles

|team8=MAC|name_MAC=Toronto Macedonia

|team9=HAM|name_HAM=Hamilton Croatia

|team10=WEL|name_WEL=Welland Lions Croatia

|win_ITA=17|draw_ITA=7|loss_ITA=3|gf_ITA=53|ga_ITA=13|status_ITA=C

|win_MON=16|draw_MON=5|loss_MON=6|gf_MON=47|ga_MON=18

|win_PAN=15|draw_PAN=7|loss_PAN=5|gf_PAN=46|ga_PAN=19|status_PAN=O

|win_POR=14|draw_POR=5|loss_POR=8|gf_POR=51|ga_POR=27

|win_WIN=11|draw_WIN=6|loss_WIN=10|gf_WIN=47|ga_WIN=31

|win_LON=10|draw_LON=8|loss_LON=9|gf_LON=44|ga_LON=40

|win_SER=10|draw_SER=6|loss_SER=11|gf_SER=38|ga_SER=48

|win_MAC=8|draw_MAC=5|loss_MAC=14|gf_MAC=33|ga_MAC=49

|win_HAM=4|draw_HAM=3|loss_HAM=20|gf_HAM=26|ga_HAM=68|status_HAM=R

|win_WEL=3|draw_WEL=2|loss_WEL=22|gf_WEL=18|ga_WEL=88|status_WEL=R

|col_Q=#ACE1AF|text_Q=Qualification for Playoffs

|result1=Q|

|class_rules=1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

|update=September 30, 1976

|source=http://canadiansoccerleague.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/NSL_1921_1992.pdf

}}

{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL

|res_col_header=Q

|winpoints=2

|team1=HAM|name_HAM=Hamilton Italo-Canadians

|team2=CRO|name_CRO=Toronto Croatia

|team3=POL|name_POL=Toronto Polonia

|team4=BUF|name_BUF=Buffalo Blazers

|team5=OTT|name_OTT=Ottawa Tigers

|team6=SUD|name_SUD=Sudbury Cyclones

|team7=FAL|name_FAL=Toronto Falcons

|team8=STH|name_STH=St. Catharines Heidelberg

|win_HAM=19|draw_HAM=1|loss_HAM=1|gf_HAM=50|ga_HAM=11|status_HAM=COP

|win_CRO=14|draw_CRO=3|loss_CRO=4|gf_CRO=48|ga_CRO=27|status_CRO=P

|win_POL=11|draw_POL=2|loss_POL=8|gf_POL=38|ga_POL=21

|win_BUF=9|draw_BUF=2|loss_BUF=10|gf_BUF=37|ga_BUF=50

|win_OTT=9|draw_OTT=1|loss_OTT=11|gf_OTT=36|ga_OTT=40

|win_SUD=7|draw_SUD=4|loss_SUD=10|gf_SUD=27|ga_SUD=32

|win_FAL=4|draw_FAL=2|loss_FAL=15|gf_FAL=18|ga_FAL=47

|win_STH=2|draw_STH=3|loss_STH=16|gf_STH=16|ga_STH=42

|col_Q=#ACE1AF|text_Q=Qualification for Playoffs

|result1=Q|

|class_rules=1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.

|update=September 30, 1976

|source=http://canadiansoccerleague.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/NSL_1921_1992.pdf

}}

===Finals===

{{Football box collapsible

| round =

| date = October 7, 1976

| time =

| team1 = Toronto Panhellenic

| score = 0–1

| report = [{{Cite news|date=October 8, 1976|title=Portuguese tops Panhellenic 1-0 on Barros goal|page=28|work=The Globe and Mail}} Report]

| team2 = Toronto First Portuguese

| goals1 =

| goals2 = Barros {{goal}}

| penaltyscore =

| penalties1 =

| penalties2 =

| stadium = Lamport Stadium

| location = Toronto, Ontario

| attendance = 3000

| referee =

| result =

}}

{{Football box collapsible

| round =

| date = October 10, 1976

| time = 15:00

| team1 = Toronto First Portuguese

| score = 0–1

| report = [ Report]

| team2 = Toronto Panhellenic

| goals1 =

| goals2 = Alberto Gerez {{goal}}

| penaltyscore = 2–4

| penalties1 = Mike Boorman {{goal}}

| penalties2 = Alberto Gerez {{goal}}
Araquem de Melo {{goal}}
Kozak {{goal}}

| stadium = Lamport Stadium

| location = Toronto, Ontario

| attendance = 5000

| referee =

| result =

}}

The cup tournament was a separate contest from the rest of the season, in which all eighteen teams took part. The tournament would conclude in a final match for the Cup.

===Finals===

{{Football box collapsible

| round =

| date = September 20, 1976

| time =

| team1 = Toronto Italia

| score = 2–3

| report = [ Report]

| team2 = Toronto Panhellenic

| goals1 = Di Pede {{goal}}
Loparić {{goal}}

| goals2 = Fernando Barbosa {{goal}}
Araquem de Melo {{goal}}, {{goal}}

| penaltyscore =

| penalties1 =

| penalties2 =

| stadium = Lamport Stadium

| location = Toronto, Ontario

| attendance = 4000

| referee = Bill Devorski

| result =

}}

The promotion and relegation system utilized by the National Soccer League operated with the last-placed team in the First Division being automatically relegated, while the Second Division champion would receive an automatic promotion to the First Division.{{Cite news|last=Heppell|first=Jim|date=August 26, 1977|title=First place within reach|page=18|work=Ottawa Journal}} The second last team in the First Division would play in a series of matches against the runner-ups in the Second Division to determine which team would be relegated or promoted.

===Matches===

{{Football box collapsible

| round =

| date = October 6, 1976

| time =

| team1 = Hamilton Croatia

| score = 2–2

| report = [{{Cite news|date=October 11, 1976|title=Panhellenic gains title using kicks|page=B8|work=Toronto Star}} Report]

| team2 = Toronto Croatia

| goals1 =

| goals2 =

| penaltyscore =

| penalties1 =

| penalties2 =

| stadium = Brian Timmis Stadium

| location = Hamilton, Ontario

| attendance =

| referee =

| result =

}}

{{Football box collapsible

| round =

| date = October 10, 1976

| time =

| team1 = Toronto Croatia

| score = 1–0

| report = [ Report]

| team2 = Hamilton Croatia

| goals1 = Harvey {{goal}}

| goals2 =

| penaltyscore =

| penalties1 =

| penalties2 =

| stadium = Lamport Stadium

| location = Toronto, Ontario

| attendance =

| referee =

| result =

}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.rsssf.org/usadave/cnsl.html RSSSF CNSL page]
• [https://thecnsl.com/1976-2/ thecnsl.com - 1976 season]

{{Canadian National Soccer League}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:National Soccer League 1976 Season}}

Category:1976–77 domestic association football leagues

National Soccer League

1976