1975 Tampa Bay Rowdies season

Tampa Bay Rowdies
1975 season
President United States George W. Strawbridge, Jr.
Manager Italy Eddie Firmani
Stadium Tampa Stadium
NASL Division: 1st
Playoffs: Champions
U.S. Open Cup Did not enter
Top goalscorer League:
South Africa Derek Smethurst (18 goals)
All:
South Africa Derek Smethurst (21 goals)
Highest home attendance 22,710
(Aug. 17 vs. Miami)
Lowest home attendance 5,281
(May 28 vs. Denver)
Average home league attendance 12,064
1976 →

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

Club

No. Position Player Nation
1 Goalkeeper Hammond, PaulPaul Hammond      England
1 Goalkeeper Hewitt, MikeMike Hewitt      Scotland
1 Goalkeeper Stetler, BobBob Stetler      United States
2 Defender Quraishi, FarrukhFarrukh Quraishi      England
3 Defender Pringle, AlexAlex Pringle      Scotland
4 Midfielder Boyle (capt.), JohnJohn Boyle (capt.)      Scotland
5 Defender Linton, MalcolmMalcolm Linton      England
6 Defender Connell, MikeMike Connell      South Africa
7 Midfielder Hartze, BernardBernard Hartze      South Africa
8 Midfielder Garber, RandyRandy Garber      United States
9 Forward Best, ClydeClyde Best      Bermuda
10 Forward Scullion, StewartStewart Scullion      Scotland
11 Forward Wark, DougDoug Wark      Scotland
12 Forward Smethurst, DerekDerek Smethurst      South Africa
13 Defender Jump, StewartStewart Jump      England
14 Forward Sissons, JohnJohn Sissons      England
15 Midfielder Linday, MarkMark Linday      England
16 Defender Bluem, JohnJohn Bluem      United States
17 Forward Austin, EddieEddie Austin      United States
18 Defender Auguste, ArsèneArsène Auguste      Haiti
18 Midfielder Firmani, EddieEddie Firmani      Italy

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.[1]

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

NASL preseason friendlies

NASL regular season

Standings

Pos Eastern Division GP W L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Tampa Bay Rowdies 221664627+19135 NASL Playoffs
2 Miami Toros 221484730+17123
3 Washington Diplomats 2212104247−5112
4 Philadelphia Atoms 2210123342−990
5 Baltimore Comets 229133452−1887

Match reports

NASL Playoffs

Bracket

Quarterfinals Semifinals Soccer Bowl '75
         
Portland Timbers (OT) 2
Seattle Sounders 1
Portland Timbers 1
St. Louis Stars 0
St. Louis Stars (OT) 1*
Los Angeles Aztecs 0
Portland Timbers 0
Tampa Bay Rowdies 2
Tampa Bay Rowdies 1
Toronto Metros-Croatia 0
Tampa Bay Rowdies 3
Miami Toros 0
Boston Minutemen 1
Miami Toros (OT) 2

* = Won coin-flip
Source:[4]

Match reports

References

  1. ↑ Austin, Jim (April 28, 1975). "Fans Rally For Rowdies". Evening Independent. p. 1-C. Retrieved 2016-04-28.
  2. ↑ "Boyle Selected Rowdie of Week". St. Petersburg Times. May 20, 1975. p. 7-C. Retrieved 2016-04-27.
  3. ↑ Austin, Jim (May 29, 1975). "Tampa Rains On Denver". Evening Independent. p. 1-C. Retrieved 2016-04-27.
  4. ↑ "The Year in American Soccer - 1975". American Soccer History Archives. Retrieved May 6, 2011.

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