President: Joe Piccininni
Annual general meeting
Toronto alderman Joe Piccininni returned as president.
Clubs and players
Bradford Marshlanders
Founded: 1976
Head coach:
Key players: Goalkeeper Claudio Ridolfi, defender Michael Wharton, midfielder Frank Lomonaco, striker Mike Burke
Detroit Besa
Formed:
Stadium: Keyworth Stadium, Hamtramck, Michigan
Head Coach:
Key players: Steve Sargent, Niels Guldbjerg
Dinamo Latino
Formed:
Owner:
Head Coach:
Key players: Manuel Orellana, Marco Abascal, Pedro Kozak, Carlos Lazon
Dinamo Latino, a new South American team, were strengthened by players from Argentina and finished sixth. They also imported Peruvian Carlos Lazon.
First Portuguese
Founded: September 23, 1956
Stadium:
Head Coach: Artur Rodrigues
Key players: Hildeberto Ponte
First Portuguese brought in former Toronto Metros coach Artur Rodrigues as general manager. The club operated six teams, including one girls’ team. Led by the goalscoring of Hildeberto Ponte the First Portuguese team finished fifth.
Hamilton Steelers
Founded:
Owner:
Head Coach:
Key players: Carlos Salguero
Hamilton Steelers finished second this season with a team that included former Blizzard players Graham Hatley and Gordon Wallace. After the season Hamilton Steelers joined the new Canadian Professional Soccer League that would operate for the first time in 1983.
London City Soccer Club
Founded: February 14, 1973
Stadium: Cove Road Field, London, Ontario
President: Markus Gauss
General manager: Harry Gauss
Head Coach:
Key players: Goalkeeper Bryan Gosling, Jens Kraemer, Sasha Cirovski, Lou Fotia
Panhellenic
Stadium:
Owner:
Head Coach:
Key players: Leon Voudouris
Panhellenic star player Leon Voudouris helped his team to a fourth place finish.
St. Catharines Roma
Founded: 1967
Stadium: Roma Park, St. Catharines
Head Coach:
Key players:
Toronto Croatia
Founded: 1956
Owner:
Head Coach:
Key players:
Toronto Falcons
Formed:
Owner:
Head Coach:
Key players: Defenders Eryk Hansel and Stefan Pietraszewski; forwards Tadeuz Misiak and Jerzy Patola
Toronto Italia
Stadium:
Head Coach: Carlo Delmonte
Key players: Goalkeeper Dale Baxter, Joao Moniz, Carlos Salguero, Ed McNally
Before the season started Italia recruited the Steelers’ 1981 Championship winning coach Carlo Del Monte. They were helped by Carlos Salguero joining them in mid-June on loan from the Buffalo Stallions of the MISL, by September 22 he had scored 16 goals. Italia also borrowed two more players from Buffalo, fullback Mark Peckman and midfielder Eddie Azavedo. In addition they had foreign stars in Romanian Marinel Risnita and Dane Niels Guldbjerg, a former NASL and MISL player. Local players included Dale Baxter, Enzo Concina, John McManus and Ed McNally. Italia were watched by usually no more than 1,500 fans.
Review of the season
The league started what was said to be its 57th season with 1981 league champions Hamilton Steelers meeting Toronto Italia at Ivor Wynne Stadium in Hamilton on Sunday May 16th. Italia won the game 3-1.
The very strong Toronto Italia team would go undefeated through their league season.
The struggling Detroit Besa team withdrew from the league during the season. After the season Bradford Marshlanders took a one-year leave of absence, but never returned to the league.
Results and standings
GP W L T GF GA Pts Toronto Italia 18 14 0 4 43 10 32 Hamilton Steelers 18 9 4 5 31 21 23 St. Catharines Roma 18 9 8 1 33 33 19 Panhellenic 18 8 7 3 20 22 19 London City 18 7 7 4 33 29 18 First Portuguese 18 6 7 5 28 27 17 Bradford Marshlanders 18 5 7 6 24 29 16 Dinamo Latino 18 4 8 6 20 23 14 Toronto Falcons 18 4 10 4 19 39 12 Toronto Croatia 18 3 11 4 15 29 9 Detroit Besa withdrew Leading goalscorers: 1. Carlos Salguero (Toronto Italia) 2. Hildeberto Ponte (First Portuguese) Semi-finals 1. Leg Hamilton Steelers 2 London City 0 2. Leg Hamilton Steelers 3 London City 2 1. Leg Toronto Italia First Portuguese 2. Leg, October 10, 1982 Centennial Stadium, Etobicoke, Toronto Toronto Italia 2 (Cosimo Comisso, David Crabb) First Portuguese 1 (Stewart Miller) After overtime NSL Championship Finals 1. Leg, October 20, 1982 Ivor Wynne Stadium, Hamilton Hamilton Steelers Toronto Italia 2. Leg, October 24, 1982 Centennial Stadium, Etobicoke, Toronto Toronto Italia Hamilton Steelers NSL CUP NSL Cup Final First Leg September 19, 1982 Centennial Stadium, Toronto Toronto Italia 3 (Fred Ferrara, John Moniz, Eddie McNally) St. Catharines Roma 0 NSL Cup Final Second Leg September 22, 1982 St. Catharines St. Catharines Roma Toronto Italia
