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Toronto Blizzard (1971–1984)

March 08, 2023

For the second team to use the name, see Toronto Blizzard (1986–1993).

The Toronto Blizzard were a professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that played in the North American Soccer League.

Toronto Blizzard
Full nameToronto Blizzard
Nickname(s)Blizzard
Metros
Metros-Croatia
Founded1971
Dissolved1984
StadiumVarsity Stadium,
Exhibition Stadium (1979–1983)
Indoor:
Maple Leaf Gardens
Capacity21,739 (Varsity)
54,741 (Exhibition)
Indoor:
16,845
LeagueNorth American Soccer League

History

The Toronto Metros joined the NASL in 1971.[1] Their home field was Varsity Stadium.

In 1975, 50% of the team was purchased for $250,000 by the Toronto Croatia of the National Soccer League, and the team became the Toronto Metros-Croatia.[2] The club won the 1976 Soccer Bowl championship. However, they continued to struggle at the gate. In mid September 1976, it was reported that team owed $100,000 to the Ontario government and $95,000 to the metropolitan Toronto government, that several star players were free agents and the team might fold.[3]

The Global Television Network purchased 85% of the struggling Toronto Metros-Croatia on February 1, 1979 for $2.6 million.[4][5][6] Following the purchase, Toronto Croatia returned to the NSL as a separate club. With only 7 of the 26 players from the 1978 roster staying, the NASL team was renamed the Toronto Blizzard following the takeover. Under the new ownership, attendances nearly doubled.[6] From 1979 to 1983 the Blizzard played home games at Exhibition Stadium before returning to Varsity Stadium for the 1984 NASL season.[7][8]

The Blizzard were members of the NASL until 1984, the last year of league operations. The team were runners-up for the league championship in 1983, losing the Soccer Bowl to the Tulsa Roughnecks 2–0 in front of nearly sixty thousand people at Vancouver's BC Place Stadium. They were runners-up again in 1984 when they lost to the Chicago Sting two games to none in a best of three championship series. The club was coached in these final two years by Bobby Houghton, assisted by Dave Turner and featured Roberto Bettega, David Byrne, Cliff Calvert, Pasquale De Luca, Charlie Falzon, Sven Habermann, Paul Hammond, Paul James, Conny Karlsson, Victor Kodelja, Trevor McCallum, Colin Miller, Jan Möller, Jimmy Nicholl, Ace Ntsoelengoe, Randy Ragan, Neill Roberts, John Paskin, Derek Spalding, and Bruce Wilson in its lineup.

The Blizzard qualified for the play-offs on only two other occasions, in 1979 and 1982, losing in the first round each time. Prominent players during the first four years included Clyde Best, Željko Bilecki, Jimmy Bone, Roberto Bettega, Drew Busby, David Byrne, Cliff Calvert, Tony Chursky, David Fairclough, Colin Franks, George Gibbs, Jimmy Greenhoff, Steve Harris-Byrne, Graham Hatley, Victor Kodelja, Sam Lenarduzzi, Peter Lorimer, Ivan Lukačević, Drago Vabec, Mike McLenaghen, Willie McVie, Alan Merrick, Charlie Mitchell, Juan Carlos Molina, Jan Möller, Francesco Morini, Ace Ntsoelengoe, Bobby Prentice, Randy Ragan, Neill Roberts, Malcolm Robertson, Peter Roe, Jomo Sono, Gordon Sweetzer, Blagoje Tamindžić, Jose Velasquez, and Bruce Wilson.

The Metros-Croatia fielded a team in NASL's indoor league in 1975[9] and 1976,[10] as did the Blizzard from 1980 through 1982.[11]

In 2010, the 1976 Soccer Bowl winning team was inducted into the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame.

Year-by-year team record

Metros

Year League W L T Pts Reg. Season Playoffs Avg. Attendance
1971 NASL 5 10 9 89 3rd, Northern Division did not qualify 5,922[12]
1972 NASL 4 6 4 53 4th, Northern Division did not qualify 7,173[12]
1973 NASL 6 4 9 89 1st, Northern Division Lost Semifinal (Philadelphia) 5,961[12]
1974 NASL 9 10 1 87 2nd, Northern Division did not qualify 3,458[12]

Metros-Croatia

Year League W L T Pts Regular Season Playoffs Avg. Attendance
1975 NASL indoor 2 1 — 2 4th, Region 1 (in Dallas) did not qualify
1975 NASL 13 9 — 114 2nd, Northern Division Lost Quarterfinal (Tampa Bay) 6,271[12]
1976 NASL indoor 1 1 — 2 3rd, Midwest Regional (in Chicago) did not qualify
1976 NASL 15 9 — 123 2nd, Atlantic Conference, Northern Division Won 1st Round (Rochester)
Won Division Championship (Chicago)
Won Conference Championship (Tampa Bay)
Won Soccer Bowl '76 (Minnesota) 		6,079[12]
1977 NASL 13 13 — 115 1st, Atlantic Conference, Northern Division Lost Conference Semifinal (Rochester) 7,336[12]
1978 NASL 16 14 — 144 3rd, National Conference, Eastern Division Lost 1st Round (Vancouver) 6,233[12]

Blizzard

Year League W L T Pts Reg. Season Playoffs Avg. Attendance
1979 NASL 14 16 — 133 3rd, National Conference, Eastern Division Lost Conference Quarterfinal (New York) 11,821[12]
1979/80 NASL Indoor did not enter
1980 NASL 14 18 — 128 3rd, National Conference, Eastern Division Won 1st Round (Los Angeles)
Lost Quarterfinal (Chicago) 		15,040[12]
1980/81 NASL Indoor 5 13 — — 4th, Northern Division did not qualify 5,702
1981 NASL 7 25 — 77 4th, Eastern Division did not qualify 7,287[12]
1981/82 NASL Indoor 8 10 — — 2nd, American Conference, East Division did not qualify 5,142
1982 NASL 17 15 — 151 3rd, Eastern Division Lost 1st Round (Seattle) 8,152[12]
1982/83 NASL Indoor Season cancelled
1983 NASL 16 14 — 135 3rd, Eastern Division Won 1st Round (Vancouver)
Won Semifinals (Montreal)
Lost Soccer Bowl '83 (Tulsa) 		11,630[12]
1983/84 NASL Indoor did not enter
1984 NASL 14 10 — 117 2nd, Eastern Division Won Semifinals (San Diego)
Lost Championship (Chicago) 		11,452[12]

Championships

Ownership

Head coaches

Assistant coaches

Notable players

After the NASL

On March 28, 1985, the NASL officially suspended operations for the 1985 season, when only Toronto and Minnesota Strikers were interested in playing.[19] In the meantime Blizzard owners York-Hanover purchased Dynamo Latino of the National Soccer League with the intention of renaming them the Toronto Blizzard. Though the Blizzard franchise had never actually folded, they had ceased operations for several months between these incarnations and NSL regulations did not permit a name change in the midst of the season. The following season (1986) Dynamo Latino began play as the Toronto Blizzard. A history of this team can be found at Toronto Blizzard (1986–93).

References

  1. ^ "Toronto enters soccer team in U.S. league". The Globe and Mail. 1970-12-11.
  2. ^ Waring, Ed (1975-02-06). "Toronto Croatia purchases 50% share of soccer Metros". The Globe and Mail.
  3. ^ "NASL champ Metros reported disbanding". Democrat and Chronicle. 16 September 1976. p. 3D. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  4. ^ Labow, Jeffery (1979-02-01). "95% of shareholders in favor Sale of Metros approved". The Globe and Mail.
  5. ^ Labow, Jeffery (1979-02-06). "NASL gives Global unanimous support". The Globe and Mail.
  6. ^ a b Wangerin p.192
  7. ^ Beard, Randy (April 25, 1979). "Blizzard Hope Revenge Snowballs The Rowdies". Evening Independent. p. 1C. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  8. ^ Beard, Randy (May 4, 1984). "Down 3 more teams, but NASL is stronger". Evening Independent. p. 6C. Retrieved July 3, 2016.
  9. ^ Lewis, Micheal (March 30, 1975). "Lancers bow to Toronto's surge". Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. p. 2D. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  10. ^ "Metros-Croatia split two games". The Globe and Mail. 1976-03-15.
  11. ^ Labow, Jeffery (1982-01-20). "NASL officials feeling good despite splotches of red ink". The Globe and Mail.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Jose, Colin (2001). On-Side - 125 Years of Soccer in Ontario. Vaughan, Ontario: Ontario Soccer Association and Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum. p. 129.
  13. ^ "THROWBACK THURSDAY | Toronto Metros-Croatia Win First NASL Title By Canadian Side In 1976". Retrieved 2018-06-02.
  14. ^ "Toronto Metros prove point in capturing soccer title". Montreal Gazette. August 30, 1976. p. 16. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
  15. ^ Colin Franks NASL profile
  16. ^ Dave Needham profile
  17. ^ Alex Cropley profile
  18. ^ Duncan Davidson profile
  19. ^ "NASL suspends operations for 1985" page 1D Minneapolis Star and Tribune March 29, 1985

External links

  • Gallery of Toronto Blizzard jerseys on NASLJerseys.com

Bibliography

  • Wangerin, David. Soccer in a Football World: The Story of America's Forgotten Game. WSC Book (2006).

March 08, 2023
toronto, blizzard, 1971, 1984, second, team, name, toronto, blizzard, 1986, 1993, toronto, blizzard, were, professional, soccer, club, based, toronto, ontario, canada, that, played, north, american, soccer, league, toronto, blizzardfull, nametoronto, blizzardn. For the second team to use the name see Toronto Blizzard 1986 1993 The Toronto Blizzard were a professional soccer club based in Toronto Ontario Canada that played in the North American Soccer League Toronto BlizzardFull nameToronto BlizzardNickname s BlizzardMetrosMetros CroatiaFounded1971Dissolved1984StadiumVarsity Stadium Exhibition Stadium 1979 1983 Indoor Maple Leaf GardensCapacity21 739 Varsity 54 741 Exhibition Indoor 16 845LeagueNorth American Soccer LeagueHome coloursAway colours Contents 1 History 1 1 Year by year team record 1 1 1 Metros 1 1 2 Metros Croatia 1 1 3 Blizzard 2 Championships 3 Ownership 4 Head coaches 5 Assistant coaches 6 Notable players 7 After the NASL 8 References 9 External links 10 BibliographyHistory EditThe Toronto Metros joined the NASL in 1971 1 Their home field was Varsity Stadium In 1975 50 of the team was purchased for 250 000 by the Toronto Croatia of the National Soccer League and the team became the Toronto Metros Croatia 2 The club won the 1976 Soccer Bowl championship However they continued to struggle at the gate In mid September 1976 it was reported that team owed 100 000 to the Ontario government and 95 000 to the metropolitan Toronto government that several star players were free agents and the team might fold 3 The Global Television Network purchased 85 of the struggling Toronto Metros Croatia on February 1 1979 for 2 6 million 4 5 6 Following the purchase Toronto Croatia returned to the NSL as a separate club With only 7 of the 26 players from the 1978 roster staying the NASL team was renamed the Toronto Blizzard following the takeover Under the new ownership attendances nearly doubled 6 From 1979 to 1983 the Blizzard played home games at Exhibition Stadium before returning to Varsity Stadium for the 1984 NASL season 7 8 The Blizzard were members of the NASL until 1984 the last year of league operations The team were runners up for the league championship in 1983 losing the Soccer Bowl to the Tulsa Roughnecks 2 0 in front of nearly sixty thousand people at Vancouver s BC Place Stadium They were runners up again in 1984 when they lost to the Chicago Sting two games to none in a best of three championship series The club was coached in these final two years by Bobby Houghton assisted by Dave Turner and featured Roberto Bettega David Byrne Cliff Calvert Pasquale De Luca Charlie Falzon Sven Habermann Paul Hammond Paul James Conny Karlsson Victor Kodelja Trevor McCallum Colin Miller Jan Moller Jimmy Nicholl Ace Ntsoelengoe Randy Ragan Neill Roberts John Paskin Derek Spalding and Bruce Wilson in its lineup The Blizzard qualified for the play offs on only two other occasions in 1979 and 1982 losing in the first round each time Prominent players during the first four years included Clyde Best Zeljko Bilecki Jimmy Bone Roberto Bettega Drew Busby David Byrne Cliff Calvert Tony Chursky David Fairclough Colin Franks George Gibbs Jimmy Greenhoff Steve Harris Byrne Graham Hatley Victor Kodelja Sam Lenarduzzi Peter Lorimer Ivan Lukacevic Drago Vabec Mike McLenaghen Willie McVie Alan Merrick Charlie Mitchell Juan Carlos Molina Jan Moller Francesco Morini Ace Ntsoelengoe Bobby Prentice Randy Ragan Neill Roberts Malcolm Robertson Peter Roe Jomo Sono Gordon Sweetzer Blagoje Tamindzic Jose Velasquez and Bruce Wilson The Metros Croatia fielded a team in NASL s indoor league in 1975 9 and 1976 10 as did the Blizzard from 1980 through 1982 11 In 2010 the 1976 Soccer Bowl winning team was inducted into the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame Year by year team record Edit Metros Edit Year League W L T Pts Reg Season Playoffs Avg Attendance1971 NASL 5 10 9 89 3rd Northern Division did not qualify 5 922 12 1972 NASL 4 6 4 53 4th Northern Division did not qualify 7 173 12 1973 NASL 6 4 9 89 1st Northern Division Lost Semifinal Philadelphia 5 961 12 1974 NASL 9 10 1 87 2nd Northern Division did not qualify 3 458 12 Metros Croatia Edit Year League W L T Pts Regular Season Playoffs Avg Attendance1975 NASL indoor 2 1 2 4th Region 1 in Dallas did not qualify1975 NASL 13 9 114 2nd Northern Division Lost Quarterfinal Tampa Bay 6 271 12 1976 NASL indoor 1 1 2 3rd Midwest Regional in Chicago did not qualify1976 NASL 15 9 123 2nd Atlantic Conference Northern Division Won 1st Round Rochester Won Division Championship Chicago Won Conference Championship Tampa Bay Won Soccer Bowl 76 Minnesota 6 079 12 1977 NASL 13 13 115 1st Atlantic Conference Northern Division Lost Conference Semifinal Rochester 7 336 12 1978 NASL 16 14 144 3rd National Conference Eastern Division Lost 1st Round Vancouver 6 233 12 Blizzard Edit Year League W L T Pts Reg Season Playoffs Avg Attendance1979 NASL 14 16 133 3rd National Conference Eastern Division Lost Conference Quarterfinal New York 11 821 12 1979 80 NASL Indoor did not enter1980 NASL 14 18 128 3rd National Conference Eastern Division Won 1st Round Los Angeles Lost Quarterfinal Chicago 15 040 12 1980 81 NASL Indoor 5 13 4th Northern Division did not qualify 5 7021981 NASL 7 25 77 4th Eastern Division did not qualify 7 287 12 1981 82 NASL Indoor 8 10 2nd American Conference East Division did not qualify 5 1421982 NASL 17 15 151 3rd Eastern Division Lost 1st Round Seattle 8 152 12 1982 83 NASL Indoor Season cancelled1983 NASL 16 14 135 3rd Eastern Division Won 1st Round Vancouver Won Semifinals Montreal Lost Soccer Bowl 83 Tulsa 11 630 12 1983 84 NASL Indoor did not enter1984 NASL 14 10 117 2nd Eastern Division Won Semifinals San Diego Lost Championship Chicago 11 452 12 Championships EditNorth American Soccer League Soccer Bowl 1976 Divisions 1973 1977 Conference 1976Ownership EditJohn Fisher 1971 74 Sam Paric 1975 78 Global Television Network 1979 81 Karsten von Werseb 1981 84 Head coaches Edit Graham Leggat 1971 72 Arthur Rodrigues 1972 74 Frank Pike 1975 indoor season only Ivan Markovic 1975 76 13 Marijan Bilic 14 1976 interim Domagoj Kapetanovic 1976 1978 Ivan Sangulin 1977 Keith Eddy 1979 81 Bob Houghton 1982 84 Assistant coaches Edit Dave Turner 1982 84 Notable players Edit Juan Carlos Molina Ivair Ferreira Clyde Best Nick Albanis Aldo D Alfonso Zeljko Bilecki Brian Budd Tony Chursky Pasquale de Luca Charlie Falzon Tibor Gemeri Sven Habermann Graham Hately Robert Iarusci Paul James Victor Kodelja Sam Lenarduzzi Trevor McCallum Mike McLenaghen Dave McQueen Colin Miller Randy Ragan Peter Roe Gordon Sweetzer Gordon Wallace Bruce Wilson Renard Moxam Cliff Calvert David Fairclough Colin Franks 15 George Gibbs Jimmy Greenhoff Steve Harris Byrne Jimmy Kelly Alec Lindsay Alan Merrick Dave Needham 16 Phil Parkes Brian Talbot Dick Howard Nikos Sevastopoulos Conleth Davey Dave Henderson Alessandro Abbondanza Roberto Bettega Francesco Morini Marino Perani Damian Ogunsuyi Jimmy Nicholl Jose Velasquez Juan Carlos Ramirez Gaston Eusebio Robert Godoka Jimmy Bone Drew Busby Alex Cropley 17 Duncan Davidson 18 Peter Lorimer Willie McVie Charlie Mitchell Bobby Prentice Malcolm Robertson Derek Spalding David Byrne Ace Ntsoelengoe John Paskin Neill Roberts Jomo Sono Julius Sono Geoff Wegerle Tore Cervin Conny Karlsson Jan Moller Gungor Tekin Dan Counce Paul Hammond Jimmy McAlister Alan Merrick Derek Spalding Arno Steffenhagen Sead Susic Blagoje Tamindzic Filip Blaskovic Drago Vabec Ivica Grnja Ivan Lukacevic Damir Sutevski Vojin Lazarevic Stjepan LoparicAfter the NASL EditOn March 28 1985 the NASL officially suspended operations for the 1985 season when only Toronto and Minnesota Strikers were interested in playing 19 In the meantime Blizzard owners York Hanover purchased Dynamo Latino of the National Soccer League with the intention of renaming them the Toronto Blizzard Though the Blizzard franchise had never actually folded they had ceased operations for several months between these incarnations and NSL regulations did not permit a name change in the midst of the season The following season 1986 Dynamo Latino began play as the Toronto Blizzard A history of this team can be found at Toronto Blizzard 1986 93 References Edit Toronto enters soccer team in U S league The Globe and Mail 1970 12 11 Waring Ed 1975 02 06 Toronto Croatia purchases 50 share of soccer Metros The Globe and Mail NASL champ Metros reported disbanding Democrat and Chronicle 16 September 1976 p 3D Retrieved 5 April 2022 Labow Jeffery 1979 02 01 95 of shareholders in favor Sale of Metros approved The Globe and Mail Labow Jeffery 1979 02 06 NASL gives Global unanimous support The Globe and Mail a b Wangerin p 192 Beard Randy April 25 1979 Blizzard Hope Revenge Snowballs The Rowdies Evening Independent p 1C Retrieved July 3 2016 Beard Randy May 4 1984 Down 3 more teams but NASL is stronger Evening Independent p 6C Retrieved July 3 2016 Lewis Micheal March 30 1975 Lancers bow to Toronto s surge Rochester Democrat and Chronicle p 2D Retrieved July 12 2017 Metros Croatia split two games The Globe and Mail 1976 03 15 Labow Jeffery 1982 01 20 NASL officials feeling good despite splotches of red ink The Globe and Mail a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Jose Colin 2001 On Side 125 Years of Soccer in Ontario Vaughan Ontario Ontario Soccer Association and Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum p 129 THROWBACK THURSDAY Toronto Metros Croatia Win First NASL Title By Canadian Side In 1976 Retrieved 2018 06 02 Toronto Metros prove point in capturing soccer title Montreal Gazette August 30 1976 p 16 Retrieved July 9 2022 Colin Franks NASL profile Dave Needham profile Alex Cropley profile Duncan Davidson profile NASL suspends operations for 1985 page 1D Minneapolis Star and Tribune March 29 1985External links EditGallery of Toronto Blizzard jerseys on NASLJerseys comBibliography EditWangerin David Soccer in a Football World The Story of America s Forgotten Game WSC Book 2006 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Toronto Blizzard 1971 1984 amp oldid 1137392234, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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