North York Astros

North York Astros
Full name North York Astros Soccer Club
Nickname(s) The Astros
Founded November 23, 1990
(as North York Atletico Argentina Soccer Club)
Ground Esther Shiner Stadium
North York, Ontario
Ground Capacity 3,000
League Canadian Soccer League
2014 Regular season: 4th
Playoffs: Lost in semi-finals
Website Club home page

The Astros are a Canadian soccer team, founded in 1990. The team is a member of the Canadian Soccer League, an unsanctioned soccer league. The team currently play their home games at Esther Shiner Stadium in North York, Ontario, a suburb of the city of Toronto, Ontario. The team's colours are orange and black.

History

Founded on November 23, 1990 as the North York Atletico Argentina Soccer Club and accepted into membership by the National Soccer League Board to participate in the 1991 NSL season. Lamport Stadium served as the club’s first home field. Elio Garro was appointed the club's first head coach. North York tasted success in their debut season as it went on to win the 1991 Peniche Pre-Season Tournament over the North York Rockets of the Canadian Soccer League in penalty kicks after a 1-1 tie at Lamport Stadium, the 1991 NSL Ontario Cup over the Toronto Jets (2-0) and the NSL Canadian Cup Championship over the Montreal Dollard (3-2) at Claude Robillard Stadium in Montreal, Quebec.[1]

In 1992, North York lost the Super Shield Cup Championship match to the Scarborough International Soccer Club by a score of 1-0. This NSL trophy was to determine the overall champion between the NSL League Champions and the NSL Canadian Cup Champions. For the second year in a row, the club reached the NSL Ontario Cup Finals but suffered a 2-1 defeat to Toronto Croatia.

In 1993, the NSL Board accepted North York Rockets and Winnipeg Fury of the defunct CSL, renamed itself The Canadian National Soccer League (CNSL) to denote the National Status awarded by the Canadian Soccer Association. As a result, The CNSL Board, decided to relocate North York to Scarborough as part of its realignment. The North York Atletico Argentina Soccer Club Board decided on the name of the Scarborough Astros Soccer Club to associate itself to the new city and selected Birchmount Stadium as their new home field. Changes also occurred with team management as Jorge Armua was named head coach.

In 1995, the Astros roster consisted of three CNSL all-stars Paulo Silva, Rene Martin, Roosevelt Angulo, Rick Titus, Patrick Tobo and Iranian international Basil Gorgis.[2]Throughout the season the club achieved a undefeated run in the Umbro Cup tournament. In the Umbro Cup finals Scarborough faced St. Catharines Wolves, but suffered a loss in a penalty shootout.[3]At the CNSL awards banquet Laszlo Martonfi received the Golden Boot award for finishing as the league's top goalscorer with 12 goals.[4]

In 1997, Scarborough Astros merged with North York Talons and combined both of their rosters together.[5] One notable addition to the roster was the signing of Diego Maradona's younger brother Lalo Maradona.[6] Unfortunately for the club midway through the season the CNSL board suspended North York, and Hamilton White Eagles for the remainder of the 1997 season. The following year the CNSL merged with the stillborn Ontario Professional Soccer League, and formed the Canadian Professional Soccer League. The newly formed CPSL Board accepted into membership as part of this merger, North York Talons, London City, Toronto Croatia and St. Catharines Roma and recognized them as Founding Members. .[7][8] The CPSL would operate under the auspices and joint support of the OSA. The CPSL Board then accepted four new clubs namely, Glen Shields, York Region Shooters, Mississauga Eagles and Toronto Olympians. North York later agreed as requested by the CPSL Board to relocate to the North York permanently and take on the name of North York Astros Soccer Club and Esther Shiner Stadium as their home field, to allow the Toronto Olympians to move in to Scarborough and use Birchmount Stadium as their home field. In their debut season in the CPSL, the Astros qualified for the postseason by clinching the final playoff spot. In the postseason North York faced Toronto Olympians, but were defeated by a score of 5-1.[9]At the CPSL awards banquet Rene Martin received the CPSL MVP award.[10]

In 2002, the North York Astros Soccer Club (Astros) entered the play-offs by winning the Wild Card Game over the Mississauga Olympians (3-0) played on Friday September 18, and went on to beat the Toronto Croatia (1-0) in the Semi-Final Game on Saturday September 19 and lost to the Ottawa Wizards (2-0) for the Rogers Cup Championship on September 20. All games were played at Esther Shiner Stadium.

In 2002, the Astros were finalists of the Rogers Cup, losing 2–0 to the Ottawa Wizards. In May 2013 the club merged with Toronto Vasas organization to form Astros Vasas FC.[11]

Awards

Kit

The colours in the kit have changed over the years. Yellow and Navy Blue where prominent and in 2010 the Club added Orange and Black to commemorate its 20th year anniversary.

Yellow jersey with Yellow shorts and White socks
Worn until 2008

Former players

Year-by-year

Year Division League Regular Season (Position, W-L-D, Pts) Playoffs
1991 First (as North York Atletico Argentina) NSL 3rd, 24 Pts ONTARIO & CANADA CUP CHAMPIONS
1992 First (as North York Atletico Argentina) NSL ONTARIO CUP FINALIST & NSL SUPER SHIELD FINALIST
1993 First (as Scarborough Astros) CNSL
1994 First (as Scarborough Astros) CNSL
1995 First (as Scarborough Astros) CNSL ONTARIO CUP FINALIST
1996[12] First (as Scarborough Astros) CNSL 7th, 0–10–2, 2 Pts Did not qualify
1997[13] First (as North York Tallons) CNSL
1998[14] First (as North York Astros) CPSL 4th, 6–7–1, 19 Pts Semi-Finals
1999[15] First CPSL 8th, 2–11–1, 7 Pts Did not qualify
2000[16] First CPSL 6th, 3–9–2, 11 Pts Did not qualify
2001[17] First CPSL 9th, 7–3–12, 24 Pts Did not qualify
2002[18] Western CPSL 5th, 4–6–9, 18 Pts ROGERS CUP FINALIST
2003[19] Western CPSL 5th, 4–5–9, 17 Pts Did not qualify
2004[20] Eastern CPSL 4th, 3–13–4, 13 Pts Did not qualify
2005[21] Eastern CPSL 5th, 8–10–4, 28 Pts Wild Card Round
2006[22] National CSL 6th, 3–11–8, 17 Pts Did not qualify
2007[23] National CSL 3rd, 5–12–5, 20 Pts First Round Play-offs
2008[24] National CSL 2nd 10–3–9, 33 Pts First Round Play-offs
2009 National CSL 5th Did not qualify
2010 First CSL 11th Did not qualify
2011 First CSL 14th Did not qualify
2012 First CSL 16th Did not qualify

[25]

Head coaches

References

  1. ↑ "CPSL - North York Astros". 2001-08-01. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  2. ↑ "CNSL Rosters and Alumni". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
  3. ↑ Glover, Robin. "Cup Playoffs". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
  4. ↑ Glover, Robin. "CNSL Awards Night". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
  5. ↑ Glover, Robin. "type_Document_Title_here". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  6. ↑ Glover, Robin. "June 22, 1997". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  7. ↑ Da Costa, Norman. "Canada to kick off pro league in May.".
  8. ↑ Bailey, Dave. "Canada Kicks -- News Story". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  9. ↑ Glover, Robin. "North York Astros vs Toronto Olympians". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  10. ↑ Bailey, Dave. "Canada Kicks -- News Story: CPSL Awards Night". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved 2016-05-07.
  11. ↑ Storied Astros Franchise Merges with Toronto Vasas FC
  12. ↑ "Canadian Soccer League 1996". RSSSF. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  13. ↑ "Canadian Soccer League 1997". RSSSF. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  14. ↑ "Canadian Soccer League 1998". RSSSF. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  15. ↑ "Canadian Soccer League 1999". RSSSF. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  16. ↑ "Canadian Soccer League 2000". RSSSF. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  17. ↑ "Canadian Soccer League 2001". RSSSF. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  18. ↑ "Canadian Soccer League 2002". RSSSF. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  19. ↑ "Canadian Soccer League 2003". RSSSF. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  20. ↑ "Canadian Soccer League 2004". RSSSF. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  21. ↑ "Canadian Soccer League 2005". RSSSF. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  22. ↑ "Canadian Soccer League 2006". RSSSF. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  23. ↑ "Canadian Soccer League 2007". RSSSF. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  24. ↑ "Canadian Soccer League 2008". RSSSF. Retrieved November 29, 2008.
  25. ↑ Archived August 15, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.

External links

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