Commissioner: Ugo Fusco
President: Rocco Lofranco
Annual general meeting
The annual general meeting was held in Toronto on January 20, 1985, in Toronto. At the meeting Windsor Roma was given an expansion franchise. The franchise fee was $15,000. There were rumours of a Montreal team joining the league but this failed to materialize.
Referees
Referees: Bill Bouwmeester (Chatham, Ontario)
Clubs and players
Dinamo Latino
Formed:
Owner: York-Hannover Amusements Ltd
Stadium: Lamport Stadium, Toronto
Head Coach: Louis Caruso replaced by Dave Turner
Roster included goalkeeper Glen McNamara; Fred Ferrara; Ruel Sala; Ruben Cariboni; forwards Nicolas Luffi and Marco Abascal
In July they signed former New York Cosmos-player Carmine Marcantonio.
First Portuguese
Founded: September 23, 1956
Stadium:
Head Coach:
Key players: Goalkeeper Carlos Santos, defender Luis Marques, forwards Francisco Bolota and Carlo Cunha.
London Marconi Soccer Club
Founded: 1962
Stadium: Marconi Stadium, London, Ontario
Head Coach: Bill Gillies
Roster included goalkeeper Al Wanvyck; defender Jens Kraemer; Guy Galipari and Dominic Mescia; forward Sydney Marsh
Panhellenic Olympics
Founded: 1976
Stadium:
Head Coach: Mike Ristich
Roster goalkeeper Robert Judd; forwards Frank Anagnostopoulos and Nick Arendzis.
St. Catharines Roma
Founded: 1967
Stadium: Roma Park, St. Catharines
Head Coach: Jim Douglas
Key players: Goalkeeper Tony Gatto, Tony Novacic.
Toronto Croatia
Founded: 1956
Owner:
Head Coach: Branko Mileunic
Key players: Goalkeeper Frank Jubenovic, sweeper Blaz Redic, forward Mike Edwards.
Toronto Italia
Founded: 1972
Stadium:
General manager: Joe Mallozzi
Head Coach:
Roster included goalkeepers Dale Baxter and Don Ferguson; defender Gordon Rennie, Marinel Risnita, Ed McNally
Windsor A. C. Roma
Formed:
Stadium: Windsor Stadium, Windsor, Ontario
President: Pat Marrocco
Head Coach: Ilario Bontarin replaced by Gus Moffatt
Roster included goalkeepers Van Nifros and Rob Agostini; defenders Waldir DeSousa and Steve Toth; midfielders Ian Parratt and Nick O’Shea; forwards Giovanni Perciballi, Steve Swanson
Roma started the year with Ilario Bontarin as head coach but he was replaced by Gus Moffatt before the season started. Roma drew 350-400 fans to their matches.
Review of the season
With the demise of the NASL and of the Toronto Blizzard the NSL was again left with the task of providing the best soccer in the Toronto area. The NASL disbanded on March 28 and the Blizzard folded on April 24.
The NSL season kicked off on May 12 with Dinamo Latino beating St. Catharines Roma 3-1 at Lamport Stadium.
Windsor Roma made their home debut in front of 1,185 fans at Windsor Stadium on May 26. Toronto Croatia won the match 3-0 thanks to two goals from Mike Edwards and an own goal from Roma’s Waldir de Sousa.
In June York-Hannover Amusesments Ltd., former owners of Toronto Blizzard in the NASL, bought the Dinamo Latino franchise. On December 12, 1985 it was announced that the team name would be changed to Toronto Blizzard.
London Marconi won the league championship.
Toronto Italia won the championship play-off finals by beating Windsor Roma 1-0 on October 14, 1985. Windsor Roma had been unbeaten in 13 games up to their final loss. Marinel Risnita was the Italia goalscorer.
Top goalscorer:
1. Marco Abascal (Dinamo Latino)
Finals
October 12, 1985 Windsor Stadium, Windsor
Windsor Roma 1 (Ian Parratt)
Toronto Italia 1 (Herbert Gallo)
October 14, 1985 Toronto
Toronto Italia 1 (Marinel Risnita)
Windsor Roma 0
Toronto Italia won the two-game total-goals series 2-1
Exhibition games
September 9, 1985 at London, Ontario
Attendance: 4,000
London Marconi 0
Canadian National Team 2 (Igor Vrablic, Mark Karpun)
September 22, 1985 Lamport Stadium, Toronto
Attendance: 300
NSL All-Stars 1
Quebec All-Stars 2
