Statistics of North American Soccer League in season 1975. This was the 8th season of the NASL.
Overview The league comprised 20 teams with the Tampa Bay Rowdies winning the championship.
Pelé joined the New York Cosmos in 1975.
1975 was the first year the league used the term Soccer Bowl for their championship game.
Changes from the previous season
Rules changes The 1975 season saw the removal of tie games. Matches that were level after 90 minutes would go to 15 minutes of sudden death overtime, and then onto penalty kicks if needed.Risolo, Donn (2010). Soccer Stories: Anecdotes, Oddities, Lore, and Amazing Feats. Lincoln, NE. University of Nebraska Press. It would not be until 2000 that a top-tier American soccer league would again allow matches to end in a draw.
New teams Chicago Sting Hartford Bicentennials Portland Timbers San Antonio Thunder Tampa Bay Rowdies
Teams folding None
Teams moving None
Name changes Toronto Metros to Toronto Metros-Croatia* *after merger with Toronto Croatia of National Soccer League
Map of clubs
Regular season W = Wins, L = Losses, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, PT= point system
6 points for a win, 1 point for a shootout win, 0 points for a loss, 1 point for each regulation goal scored up to three per game. -Premiers (most points). -Other playoff teams.
Northern DivisionWLGFGAPTBoston Minutemen 13 9 41 29 116Toronto Metros-Croatia 13 9 39 28 114New York Cosmos 10 12 39 38 91Rochester Lancers 6 16 29 49 64Hartford Bicentennials 6 16 27 51 61
Eastern DivisionWLGFGAPTTampa Bay Rowdies 16 6 46 27 135Miami Toros 14 8 47 30 123Washington Diplomats 12 10 42 47 112Philadelphia Atoms 10 12 33 42 90Baltimore Comets 9 13 34 52 87
Central DivisionWLGFGAPTSt. Louis Stars13 93834115Chicago Sting12103933106Denver Dynamos 913374285Dallas Tornado 913333883San Antonio Thunder 616244659
Western DivisionWLGFGAPTPortland Timbers16 64327138Seattle Sounders15 74228129Los Angeles Aztecs12104233107Vancouver Whitecaps1111382899San Jose Earthquakes 814374883
NASL League Leaders
Scoring
*(2 points per goal, 1 per assist) PlayerTeamAppsGlsAstPts Steve DavidMiami2123652 Derek SmethurstTampa Bay2218339 Gordon HillChicago2116739 Peter WithePortland2216638 Uri BanhofferLos Angeles2014937 Tommy OrdRochester/NY2116335 Ilija MiticDallas/SJ1915333 Ade CokerBoston1510626 Ace NtsoelengoeDenver2110525 John CoyneToronto2271125
Goalkeeping
*(1,260 minutes minimum) PlayerTeamMinSVGASHGAA Shep MessingBoston16391401760.93 Barry WatlingSeattle20321402661.15 Graham BrownPortland19481442651.20 Željko BileckiToronto19491232781.25 Greg WeberVancouver1273951951.34 Mervyn CawstonChicago1586942441.36 Peter BonettiSt. Louis18291892851.38 Sam NusumNew York15541312531.45 Ken CooperDallas18561303241.55 Bob RigbyPhiladelphia18021443241.60
NASL All-Stars
First Team Position Second Team Honorable Mention Peter Bonetti, St. Louis G Ken Cooper, Dallas Barry Watling, Seattle Bob Smith, Philadelphia D Tony Want, Philadelphia Tom McConville, Washington Mike England, Seattle D Stewart Jump, Tampa Bay Dave Gillett, Seattle Werner Roth, New York D Ralph Wright, Miami Graham Day, Portland Farrukh Quraishi, Tampa Bay D Charlie Mitchell, Rochester Brian Rowan, Toronto Arfon Griffiths, Seattle M Barry Powell, Portland John Sissons, Tampa Bay Ronnie Sharp, Miami M John Boyle, Tampa Bay Hugh Fisher, Denver António Simões, Boston M Bobby Hope, Philadelphia Wolfgang Sühnholz, Boston Steve David, Miami F Peter Withe, Portland Clyde Best, Tampa Bay Pelé, New York F Tommy Ord, Roch & NY Derek Smethurst, Tampa Bay Gordon Hill, Chicago F Stewart Scullion, Tampa Bay Uri Banhoffer, Los Angeles
Playoffs All playoff games in all rounds including Soccer Bowl '75 were single game elimination match ups.
Bracket
Quarterfinals August 12Seattle Sounders1–2 (OT)Portland TimbersCivic Stadium • Att. 31,523
August 13Miami Toros2–1 (OT)Boston MinutemenNickerson Field • Att. 2,187
August 13Los Angeles Aztecs1 – 2 (PK, 4–5)St. Louis StarsFrancis Field • Att. 6,119
August 13Toronto Metros-Croatia0–1Tampa Bay RowdiesTampa Stadium • Att. 16,111
Semifinals August 16Miami Toros0–3Tampa Bay RowdiesTampa Stadium • Att. 22,710
August 17St. Louis Stars0–1Portland TimbersCivic Stadium • Att. 33,503
Soccer Bowl '75
1975 NASL Champions: Tampa Bay Rowdies
Post season awards Most Valuable Player: Steve David, Miami Coach of the year: John Sewell, St. Louis Rookie of the year: Chris Bahr, Philadelphia
Attendances
Club Games Total Average San Jose Earthquakes 11 197,194 17,927 Seattle Sounders 11 185,000 16,818 Portland Timbers 11 159,536 14,503 Tampa Bay Rowdies 11 118,005 10,728 New York Cosmos 11 114,949 10,450 Washington Diplomats 11 97,320 8,847 Los Angeles Aztecs 11 91,372 8,307 Vancouver Whitecaps 11 83,369 7,579 Philadelphia Atoms 11 80,047 7,277 Toronto Metros 11 68,985 6,271 St. Louis Stars 11 66,777 6,071 Rochester Lancers 11 58,661 5,333 Miami Toros 11 54,127 4,921 Dallas Tornado 11 50,932 4,630 Boston Minutemen 11 48,643 4,422 San Antonio Thunder 11 48,528 4,412 Chicago Sting 11 47,542 4,322 Hartford Bicentennials 11 40,920 3,720 Denver Dynamos 11 40,194 3,654 Baltimore Comets 11 29,049 2,641
Source:
References
External links Complete Results and Standings