The Toronto Blizzard were a professional

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

club based in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anc ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

, Canada that played in the North American Soccer League.

History

The Toronto Metros joined the NASL in 1971. Their home field was

Varsity Stadium Varsity Stadium is an outdoor collegiate football stadium located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is home to the Toronto Varsity Blues, the athletic teams of the University of Toronto. Athletic events have been hosted on the site since 1898; ...

. In 1975, 50% of the team was purchased for $250,000 by the Toronto Croatia of the

National Soccer League The National Soccer League (NSL) was the top-level soccer league in Australia, run by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL, the A-League's predecessor, spanned 28 seasons from its inception in 1977 until its d ...

, and the team became the Toronto Metros-Croatia. The club won the 1976

Soccer Bowl The Soccer Bowl was the annual championship game of the North American Soccer League, which ran from 1968 to 1984. The two top teams from the playoffs faced off in the final to determine the winner of the NASL Trophy. From the league's founding ...

championship. However, they continued to struggle at the gate. In mid September 1976, it was reported that team owed $100,000 to the

government and $95,000 to the metropolitan Toronto government, that several star players were free agents and the team might fold. The

Global Television Network The Global Television Network (more commonly called Global, or occasionally Global TV) is a Canadian English-language terrestrial television network. It is currently Canada's second most-watched private terrestrial television network after ...

purchased 85% of the struggling Toronto Metros-Croatia on February 1, 1979 for $2.6 million.Wangerin p.192 Following the purchase, Toronto Croatia returned to the NSL as a separate club. With only 7 of the 26 players from the 1978 roster staying, the NASL team was renamed the Toronto Blizzard following the takeover. Under the new ownership, attendances nearly doubled. From 1979 to 1983 the Blizzard played home games at

Exhibition Stadium Canadian National Exhibition Stadium (commonly known as Exhibition Stadium or CNE Stadium) was a multi-purpose stadium that formerly stood on the Exhibition Place grounds, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Originally built for Canadian National Exhi ...

before returning to Varsity Stadium for the 1984 NASL season. The Blizzard were members of the NASL until 1984, the last year of league operations. The team were runners-up for the league championship in 1983, losing the Soccer Bowl to the Tulsa Roughnecks 2–0 in front of nearly sixty thousand people at Vancouver's BC Place Stadium. They were runners-up again in 1984 when they lost to the

Chicago Sting The Chicago Sting (1974–1988) was an American professional soccer team representing Chicago. The Sting played in the North American Soccer League from 1975 to 1984 and in the Major Indoor Soccer League in the 1982–83 season and again fro ...

two games to none in a best of three championship series. The club was coached in these final two years by Bobby Houghton, assisted by Dave Turner and featured Roberto Bettega,

David Byrne David Byrne (; born 14 May 1952) is a Scottish-American singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, writer, music theorist, visual artist and filmmaker. He was a founding member and the principal songwriter, lead singer, and guitarist of ...

, Cliff Calvert, Pasquale De Luca, Charlie Falzon, Sven Habermann, Paul Hammond, Paul James, Conny Karlsson, Victor Kodelja, Trevor McCallum, Colin Miller, Jan Möller,

Jimmy Nicholl James Michael Nicholl (born 28 December 1956) is a Northern Irish former professional footballer who played for several clubs, including Manchester United and Rangers. He was mainly a right-back but could also play in other defensive roles. N ...

Ace Ntsoelengoe Patrick Pule "Ace" Ntsoelengoe OIS (26 February 1952 – 8 May 2006) was a South African soccer player who is widely considered as one of the greatest the country has ever produced. Early life Ntsoelengoe was born to Daniel Ndimande and Marg ...

, Randy Ragan, Neill Roberts, John Paskin, Derek Spalding, and Bruce Wilson in its lineup. The Blizzard qualified for the play-offs on only two other occasions, in 1979 and 1982, losing in the first round each time. Prominent players during the first four years included

Clyde Best Clyde Cyril Best, MBE (born 24 February 1951) is a Bermudian former football player. He was one of the first black players in First Division football in England, scoring 47 goals as a striker for West Ham United between 1968 and 1976. Early ...

, Željko Bilecki, Jimmy Bone, Roberto Bettega, Drew Busby, David Byrne, Cliff Calvert, Tony Chursky, David Fairclough, Colin Franks, George Gibbs,

Jimmy Greenhoff James Greenhoff (born 19 June 1946) is an English former footballer. He was a skilful forward and although capped five times at under-23 level, once as an over-age player, he never played for the full side, and is labelled as the finest Englis ...

, Steve Harris-Byrne, Graham Hatley, Victor Kodelja, Sam Lenarduzzi,

Peter Lorimer Peter Patrick Lorimer (14 December 1946 – 20 March 2021) was a Scottish professional footballer, best known for his time with Leeds United and Scotland during the late 1960s and early 1970s. An attacking midfielder and the club's youngest-ev ...

, Ivan Lukačević, Drago Vabec, Mike McLenaghen, Willie McVie,

Alan Merrick Alan Ronald Merrick (born 20 June 1950) is a retired English-American Association football defender who played professionally in England, the North American Soccer League and the Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned one cap with the Uni ...

, Charlie Mitchell, Juan Carlos Molina, Jan Möller, Francesco Morini, Ace Ntsoelengoe,

Bobby Prentice Bobby Prentice (27 September 1953 – 16 September 2019) was a Scottish professional footballer who played as an outside left. Prentice started his senior career with Celtic, but did not make a league appearance for the club. He joined ...

, Randy Ragan, Neill Roberts, Malcolm Robertson, Peter Roe,

Jomo Sono Ephraim Matsilele Sono OIS (born Madoda Walletjies Mkulwana, 17 July 1955), better known as Jomo Sono, is a South African football club owner, coach and former professional footballer. He has been variously nicknamed the "Black Prince of South ...

, Gordon Sweetzer, Blagoje Tamindžić, Jose Velasquez, and Bruce Wilson. The Metros-Croatia fielded a team in NASL's indoor league in 1975 and 1976, as did the Blizzard from 1980 through 1982. In 2010, the 1976 Soccer Bowl winning team was inducted into the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame.

Year-by-year team record

Metros

Metros-Croatia

Blizzard

Championships

* North American Soccer League,

1976 Events January * January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 11 – The 1976 Phila ...

* Divisions: 1973, 1977 * Conference: 1976

Ownership

* John Fisher (1971–74) * Sam Paric (1975–78) *

(1979–81) * Karsten von Werseb (1981–84)

Head coaches

* Graham Leggat (1971–72) *

Arthur Rodrigues Arthur Rodrigues (May 4, 1928 – June 19, 2015) was a Portuguese football manager who primarily coached in the National Soccer League, and North American Soccer League. Career Rodrigues played football as a goalkeeper in Portugal for Benfica, ...

(1972–74) * Frank Pike (1975 indoor season only) * Ivan Marković (1975–76) * Marijan Bilić (1976) ''interim'' * Domagoj Kapetanović (1976, 1978) * Ivan Sangulin (1977) * Keith Eddy (1979–81) * Bob Houghton (1982–84)

Assistant coaches

* Dave Turner (1982–84)

Notable players

* Juan Carlos Molina * Ivair Ferreira *

* Nick Albanis *

Aldo D'Alfonso Aldo may refer to: * Aldo (given name), male given name ** Aldo (footballer, born 1977) ** Aldo (footballer, born 1988) * Aldo Group, a worldwide chain of shoe stores * Aldosterone Aldosterone is the main mineralocorticoid steroid hormone pro ...

* Željko Bilecki *

Brian Budd Brian "Budgie" Budd (April 8, 1952 – June 11, 2008) was a Canadian professional soccer player best known for winning the '' World Superstars'' competition three years in a row from 1978 to 1980. He was also a soccer sportscaster. Early year ...

* Tony Chursky * Pasquale de Luca * Charlie Falzon * Tibor Gemeri * Sven Habermann * Graham Hately * Robert Iarusci * Paul James * Victor Kodelja * Sam Lenarduzzi * Trevor McCallum * Mike McLenaghen * Dave McQueen * Colin Miller * Randy Ragan * Peter Roe * Gordon Sweetzer * Gordon Wallace * Bruce Wilson * Renard Moxam * Cliff Calvert * David Fairclough * Colin Franks * George Gibbs *

* Steve Harris-Byrne * Jimmy Kelly *

Alec Lindsay Alec Lindsay (born 27 February 1948) is an English former footballer who played in the Football League for Bury, Liverpool and Stoke City. Career Born in Bury, Lancashire, England, Lindsay played 139 matches for Bury, helping the club gain ...

* Dave Needham * Phil Parkes *

Brian Talbot Brian Ernest Talbot (born 21 July 1953) is an English former football player and manager. He was capped six times for the England national team. Talbot played in midfield for Ipswich Town, Arsenal, Watford, Stoke City, West Bromwich Albio ...

* Dick Howard * Nikos Sevastopoulos * Conleth Davey *

Dave Henderson David Lee Henderson (July 21, 1958 – December 27, 2015), nicknamed "Hendu", was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants, Oakland Athl ...

Alessandro Abbondanza Alessandro Abbondanza (born 8 January 1949) is an Italian former football player and manager. A former forward, he spent most of his playing career with Napoli in Serie A, in addition to other, smaller Italian clubs, mainly situated in the Nea ...

* Roberto Bettega * Francesco Morini * Marino Perani * Damian Ogunsuyi *

* Jose Velasquez * Juan Carlos Ramirez Gaston *

Eusébio Eusébio da Silva Ferreira (; 25 January 1942 – 5 January 2014), nicknamed the "Black Panther", the "Black Pearl" or "O Rei" ("The King"), was a Portuguese footballer who played as a striker. He is considered one of the greatest players o ...

* Robert Godoka * Jimmy Bone * Drew Busby *

Alex Cropley Alexander James Cropley (born 16 January 1951) is a retired footballer who played as a midfielder for Hibernian, Aston Villa, Arsenal, Newcastle United and Portsmouth. Born in England, he was capped for the Scotland national team. Career C ...

* Duncan Davidson *

* Willie McVie * Charlie Mitchell *

* Malcolm Robertson * Derek Spalding *

* John Paskin * Neill Roberts *

* Julius Sono * Geoff Wegerle * Tore Cervin * Conny Karlsson * Jan Moller * Gungor Tekin * Dan Counce * Paul Hammond * Jimmy McAlister *

* Derek Spalding * Arno Steffenhagen * Sead Sušić * Blagoje Tamindžić * Filip Blašković * Drago Vabec * Ivica Grnja * Ivan Lukačević * Damir Šutevski * Vojin Lazarević * Stjepan Loparić

After the NASL

On March 28, 1985, the NASL officially suspended operations for the 1985 season, when only Toronto and Minnesota Strikers were interested in playing."NASL suspends operations for 1985" page 1D Minneapolis Star and Tribune March 29, 1985 In the meantime Blizzard owners York-Hanover purchased Dynamo Latino of the

with the intention of renaming them the Toronto Blizzard. Though the Blizzard franchise had never actually folded, they had ceased operations for several months between these incarnations and NSL regulations did not permit a name change in the midst of the season. The following season (1986) Dynamo Latino began play as the Toronto Blizzard. A history of this team can be found at Toronto Blizzard (1986–93).

References

External links

Gallery of Toronto Blizzard jerseys on NASLJerseys.com

Bibliography

*Wangerin, David. Soccer in a Football World: The Story of America's Forgotten Game. WSC Book (2006). {{DEFAULTSORT:Toronto Blizzard (Nasl) Association football clubs established in 1971 Association football clubs disestablished in 1984 Canadian indoor soccer teams Defunct soccer clubs in Canada North American Soccer League (1968–1984) teams Bli North American Soccer League (1968–1984) teams based in Canada 1971 establishments in Ontario 1984 disestablishments in Ontario Former Corus Entertainment subsidiaries