Author: Vesselin

Second Division. A new formula was introduced this season – the Second Division was divided into 2 groups of 11 teams each for the first stage. Then the top 6 teams of each group went to final group competing for promotions and the bottom 5 – to the relegation group. 12 teams played in the upper group and 10 and lower one in the second stage. Which was not the final one yet – because of the reduction of the top league, there were no direct promotions this year. The top two teams in the final table simply went to promotion/relegation final stage against the 15th and the 16th in First Division. At the bottom three teams were going down, as usual, but not directly – they were to play promotion/relegation stage with the Third Division zonal winners. The league was going to enlargement from 22 to 24 teams, because of the reduction of the top division, but also the new formula of the championship was more suitable for 24 teams, divided into 2 groups of 12 teams, instead of the current odd number. The new formula hardly improved anything and perhaps this season left mostly bitter feelings.

Group B, the relegation group, ended with already mentioned Zvezda (Dzhizak) – last, Iskra (Smolensk), 9th (21st), and Krylya Sovetov (Kyubishev), 8th (20th). Of them, only Iskra managed to win at the promotion/relegation stage.

Krylya Sovetov (Kuybishev) was the big loser and not only because they played ever so often top league football – if there was no limit on ties, they would have been safe. But they exceeded the limit by 3 ties and thus lost 3 points and perished.

Nistru (Kishinev) benefited by Krylya Sovetov’s misfortune – they clinched safety: 7th. Kuban (Krasnodar) was 6th, Guria (Lanchkhuti) – 5th, Pakhtakor (Tashkent) – 2nd. Severe decline of clubs usually in the upper half of the table or in the First Division. But that was only the relegation group of the league.

Group A was different matter – or at least supposed to be different. Five teams were just enjoying safety – hardly the teams expected to be among the strongest, they had good season and managed to climb to upper group, where life was easy – they had no reason to really fight and settled for the 5 lowest places. Three other clubs were also disinterested in aiming higher, but these were teams usually dwelling in the upper half of the table. Thus, four teams were set apart, stronger and more ambitious, and they fought for the top 2 places. Eventually, one team pulled ahead and won the championship early, leaving the others to battle for second place.

Shinnik (Yaroslavl) took 7th place with 42 points. Crouching from left: V. Nikonov, S. Smirnov, V. Bakin, V. Gavrilov – masseur, D. Popov, Sukhov, V. Dubachev.

Middle row: Yu. Kazankov – bus driver, V. Petrov – team’s chief, A. Piskunov, B. Gavrilov, A. Goryukhov, A. Tzenin, E. Martyanov, Yu. Rodionov, S. Novosselov, S. Saraev – doctor, V. Chistyakov – coach.

Top row: V. Kossarev, V. Kasyan, Yu. Panteleev, V. Churkin, M. Morozov, V. Sotnikov, L. Zyuzin, A. Noskov, D. Kuritzyn, A. Kkassanshin – administrator.

Lokomotiv (Moscow) finished 6th with 43 points.

Kolos (Nikopol) – 5th with 46 points.

Masters of staying high in the table, but carefully avoiding the risk of promotion… Shinnik was the old specialist of this game, now Lokomotiv and Kolos seemingly got the same attitude.

Pamir (Dushanbe) was 4th with 52 points. They lost the battle for promotion – well, semi-promotion – at the end of the championship. Traditionally, Pamir was the same as Shinnik – good, but lacking ambition. Or playing cleverly – it was better to be 5th or 7th in Second Division than dead last in First Division. Their sudden foray to the top was surprising, but they either lost steam at the end of the season or came to their senses and dropped out. Nobody could tell for sure: young, talented, and ambitious coach Yury Semin drove its experienced and generally good squad up. The players, however, used to safe existence were more than capable of quietly boycotting their coach at the end.

SKA Karpaty (Lvov) took 3rd place with 54 points. They were more likely to aim higher, but were not all that strong in the earlier phases of the championship and their strong finish was not enough. However, they lost 2nd place on worse goal-difference.

CSKA (Moscow) clinched 2nd place with 54 points. Now, this was a club wanting very much to return to First Division, but the squad was not strong enough. They mostly maintained 3rd position this season, eventually losing the chance to win the league and barely finishing 2nd, which may have been a result of ‘wise’ dropping down by Pamir.

Daugava (Riga) was surprise, but, as it turned out, immediately forgotten champion of Second Division. Steady season with strong finish – near the end of the season, they managed to build a good cushion and won early the championship. At the final table, they were 6 points ahead of CSKA. 24 wins, 12 ties, 6 losses, 78-35 goal-difference and 60 points (2 points lost for exceeding the limit of ties). Once upon a time, in very distant past by now, Daugava played top-league football, but eventually dropped down to third division and out of sight and mind. Only recently they climbed back o Second Division and won this championship before people at large getting familiar with the squad. Anonymous team, having to its credit only one thing: there was noticeable revival of Baltic football, pulled ahead by Lithuanian Zhalgiris. Daugava – and third division Atlantas – followed the example. May be they would become known – after all, Zhalgiris was anonymous squad only 2-3 years ago. Local talent – that was good, that was promising. Alas, speculations stopped right there.

No direct promotions this year, because of the reduction of First Division – Daugava and CSKA went to promotion/relegation play-offs against the 15th and the 16th in the top league, Chernomoretz (Odessa) and Neftchi (Baku). The best second-division clubs were outplayed without any fuss.

Chernomoretz finished 1st with 3 wins and 3 ties, Neftchi – 2nd with 2 wins, 3 ties, losing 1 match, CSKA was 3rd with 1 win, 3 ties, and 2 losses, Daugava – last with 1 win, 1 tie, and 4 losses. Chernomoretz and Neftchi kept their places in the top league, CSKA and Daugava remained in the second division. And thus Daugava was forgotten right away.

USSR. Never ending reforms… the championship of the Second Division went through new formula, the top league was going to be reduced to 16 teams and promotion/relegation was affected, 10 ties was still the limit – no points for those going over it.

The winners of the 9 zones of Third Division proceeded to the usual qualification tournament for promotion, but this time they were joined by the last 3 finishers in the Second Division. 12 teams divided in three groups, winners going to play in the Second Division. Frankly, the idea was not great – second division was a problem every year, because most teams were weak or lacked ambition, yet, it was enlarged to 24 teams. The weakest had a good chance to stay as well under the new concept – if winning their promotion/relegation groups. Then again, teams promoted from third level usually went down quickly, so no much harm if they did not come up at all.

The following teams entered the promotion/relegation round: Sokhibkor (Khalkiabad), Tavria (Simferopol), Mertzkhali (Makharadze), Zvezda (Perm), Dinamo (Bryansk), Geolog (Tyumen), Rostselmash (Rostov), Atlantas (Klaipeda), Meliorator (Chimkent) as winners of Third Division 9 zones. Krylya Sovetov (Kuybishev), 20th, Iskra (Smolensk), 21st, and Zvezda Dzhizak), 20th – the last three in the Second Division final table. The 12 teams were divided into 3 groups of which only Group 1 appeared strong: along with Zvezda (Dzhizak), 2 former second division members – Rostselmash and Tavria.

Rostselmash (Rostov) finished first and earned promotion. Too bad for Tavria, which played in the First Division not long ago – they were 2nd and remained in Third Division. Zvezda (Dzhizak) was 3rd and Sokhibkor – last.

Group 2. Krylya Sovetov was expected to win the group and stay in Second Division, but it was hollow expectation based on name alone. Krylya Sovetov was going through terrible period – perhaps their worst in history – and finished last in the group. The Georgian team Mertzkhali ended 3rd, Zvezda (Perm) – 2nd, and Atlantas (Klaipeda) won promotion. Baltic football was doing well at this time – after years of obscurity.

Group 3. Iskra (Smolensk) not only won the tournament, but was the strongest team at this stage – they won 5 games and tied one, 11 points. Rostselmash also won 5 games in their group, but lost the 6th match. Anyhow, Iskra preserved its place in the Second Division, the only one of the second-level clubs achieving that. Meliorator was 2nd, Geolog – 3rd, and Dinamo – last.

Thus, promoted for the next season were Rostselmash (Rostov), Atlantas (Klaipeda), and Iskra (Smolensk) kept its place.

The Scottish Cups were left to ‘lesser’ teams.

Dundee United made attempts at both cups this season, but they were beaten in both finals. Unfortunate, that, but no trophy for this still nice squad.

Rangers won the Scottish League Cup, prevailing over Dundee United 1-0. They saved face, so to say.

Celtic also won a trophy – after beating Dundee United 2-0, the FA Cup was in their hands. Good, bad, or ugly, Celtic and Rangers always managed to win something. Better than nothing, yet, the title mattered most… and both mighty clubs were reduced to battling for consolation prizes.

First Division. Most amusing championship, but in any positive way – a 10-team league sharply divided into 4 groups. And further division at the very top.

Greenock Morton, just promoted, finished last with pathetic 12 points. They really distinguished themselves – received exactly 100 goals this season.

Dumbarton, the second newcomer, was 9th with 19 points. Better than Greenock Morton, but still a hopeless outsider. Thus, both newcomers were relegated and, frankly, did not deserve to play top-league football.

The next 2 teams were quite weak, but still head and shoulders above the outsiders and never in danger of relegation.

Hibernian – 8th with 27 points.

Heart of Midlothian – 7th with 31 points.

The next 3 teams battled between themselves, but entirely apart from both those bellow and above them.

Dundee – 6th with 37 points.

St. Mirren – 5th with 38 points. Not bad – for them.

Glasgow Rangers – 4th with 38 points. Well… that was that: famous Rangers was now a midtable team, prevailing over St. Mirren on goal-difference. A statement in itself.

The top 3 – unquestionably stronger than the rest of the league, but not equal between themselves either. Everyone held its own separate position.

Dundee United – 3rd with 47 points. 9 points ahead of Glasgow Rangers – impressive. 5 points behind Celtic – impressive? Strong, but so far away from the title.

Celic – 2nd with 52 points. Perhaps it was best to compare them only to the archrival: Rangers was pathetic, Celtic was strong. Much stronger than Dundee United too. And stop here… better not compare them to the champions: Celtic was 7 points behind.

Aberdeen was flying – champions in 1983-84, now again. In the both championships they did not allow any team to come close – 7 points difference the previous season, 7 points difference now. 27 wins, 5 ties, 4 losses, 89-26, 59 points. A bit better record than the previous season.

Sky was the limit for this wonderful squad? Reality was the limit, unfortunately – the mastermind waiving in the middle of the champagne drinkers was going away and to new glory. Inevitable… no matter how good a Scottish club could be, an English one will always be the better option. And if this English club is Manchester United, there was no argument whatsoever. Gordon Strachan already joined Manchester United, now Alex Ferguson. Aberdeen was not going to be really strong anymore, that was clear. So, let party now as heavy as possible, for there will be no opportunity any time soon.

Scotland. Fragmentation. Perhaps this is the most one could say: no chance of lower level club to rise and extremely divided top league. The bleak future of Scottish football was written on the wall.

Third Division. Clearly cut into two halves – 7 teams way stronger than the other 7. But no matter, only winners count here.

Alloa Athletic clinched 2nd place with 50 points.

Montrose won the championship with 53 points. Both teams earned promotions to Second Division.

Second Division – the most equal championship this season, except for the outsider – St. Johnstone. Meadowbank Thistle had 7 points more than the outsider, but still were next to lat and out along with poor St. Johnstone.

Clydebank took 2nd place with 48 points and was promoted.

Motherwell won the championship with 50 points. Relegated the previous season, but evidently not for second level football either. Up right away, hopefully for longer than a single season.

The Austrian Cup opposed the usual suspects, which provided yet another derby. And it was also a clear picture of the state of Austrian football – two clubs were so far above all others, that would be almost a crime there was even one different Cup finalist. FK Austria vs Rapid – the face of Austrian football, the big rivalry. Motivation in itself. Nobody gives up, no mater form or anything else. The arch-rivals clashed heavily and entertained the crowd – the match ended 3-3 and went to the drama of penalty shoot-out. There Rapid prevailed 6-5.

This was 3rd consecutive Cup victory for Rapid,which perhaps irritated Austria greatly. As far as Rapid was concerned, the season was saved – they got a trophy. As far as photos… the problem is the same as with Aistria. According the the club’s website, this is the team of 1984-85. However, the kit does not match the ones used this year – it seems to be the kit for 1983-84. Then again… the squad, as Austria’s, was practically unchanged. Aged Panenka was no longer a regular, but was he in the team at all? Hard to tell. Well, this Austrian season left few pictorial memories, so let take it at that – tentatively.

First Division. Not much of a dramatic championship, really. 13 teams were largely concerned with avoiding the last 5 places in the league and the last three were unequal as well, so there was one-team dominance this year. The title was decided early and that was that. As for the battle on the bottom, it was also not much of a fight – some teams were clearly weaker than the rest and the others were seemingly satisfied only to accumulate enough points and secure their place in the new league.

The relegated were: First Vienna FC, last with 17 points.

Austria (Salzburg) – 15th with 18 points.

Favoritner AC – 14th with 21 points,

SV Spittal/Drau – 13th with 24 points (the eternal problem with Austrian names – sponsor names are incorporated, so… it could be SV Spittal/Drau, but it could be SV Gabor Spittal at the same time), and Wiener Sport-Club – 12th with 25 points. Tough luck.

Good luck for DSV Alpine (Donawitz) – or Donawitzer SV Alpine – take it as you like, but they clinched safe 11th place with 27 points. Top row from left: Rauch, Janjanin, Ivsic, Haberl, Koiner, Hofer, Lederhaas, Klug.

Middle row: Dr. Wilthold, Auffinger, Ettl, Harrer, Haberl J., Crnjak, Haider, Sobl, Jursitzky, Windisch.

Crouching: Stocker, Schicker, Angerer, Gruber, Oliveira. Perhaps the Yugoslav Janjanin was the only recognizable name, however faintly.

Grazer AK was 10th with 28 points,

VOEST (Linz) – 9th with 28 points, SC Eisenstadt – 8th with 28 points, Austria (Klagenfurt) – 7th with 31 points,

SK Sturm (Graz) – this is only a possible photo of the team – 6th with 32 points, FC Admira/Wacker (Wien) – 5th with 32 points, Wacker (Innsbruck) – 4th with 32 points. That was the bulk, which managed to secure participation in the reformed First Division.

LASK (Linz) – Linzer ASK – was another matter. They finished comfortably 3rd with 38 points. One of their strongest seasons, but it was strong season only in their own terms: they had no squad to challenge the usual leaders and third place was the most they can do. Better than the rest of the league, that was their measurement, not Rapid and Austria. Nothing to do with the title.

Rapid (pictured here in a friendly with Yugoslav Mladost (Litica) had nothing to do with the title, but for different reasons than those of LASK: seemingly, they gave up on the championship and concentrated on international football this season. Otherwise it is difficult to explain why they finished 9 points behind arch-rivals Austria – their squad was as good as Austria and European performance denies the idea they were out of form. But with 45 points, they were very distant 2nd. Still vastly superior to LASK, though – 7 points ahead, no rivalry at all.

Sitting from left: Alfred Drabits, Hans Dihanich, Franz Zore, Friedl Koncilia, Franz Wohlfahrt, Andreas Ogris, Dzemal Mustedanagic, Istvan Magyar (moved to SC Eisenstadt shortly after this picture was taken).

Middle row: Thomas Paritz – coach, Schreitl – masseur, Herbert Prohaska, Erich Obermayer,Toni Polster, Tibor Nyilasi, Karl Daxbacher, Ernst Baumeister, Holdhaus (?) – condition coach.

Top row: Janotka (?) – assistant coach, R. Sara, Josef Degeorgi, Fritz Drazan, Josef Heiling, Ewald Turmer, Gerhard Steinkogler, Pelzmann – masseur.

There was no contest at all – Austria (Wien) won 25 games, tied 4 and lost just 1. 85-17 goal-difference and 54 points. They were champions long before the end of the season, very likely all was finished at the end of the fall half of the season and this casual superiority left no particular memories: even the club’s website does not signify this victory with team photo. Thus, the squad is a bit of enigma: it is practically the same of the year before. The biggest change was the new coach – the former Austrian international Thomas Paritz.

Austria. From the distance of time, this season gives the impression it was somewhat neglected and the real focus was on the previous and the next season, plus the interest in the international success of Rapid. The big domestic thing was the reform of the the two top leagues – the next season the whole format of the championship was going to be different, including large reduction of the teams – from the current 16 in first and second divisions to 12 in each. That meant 8 teams less and naturally relegation was on the mind of most clubs – 5 teams were to be relegated from the First Division and 11 from the Second. As promotions, only the winner of Second Division was going up after the end of the season and 2 teams – as usual – were to be promoted from third level to the new Second Division. May be that was the central issue and concern this year – there was no competing for the title, for instance, and in both current leagues just 6 teams were securely above the rest and too strong to be in danger of going down.

Because of the circumstances should be enough only to state those winning promotion from third level and those surviving to play another season in the second level. Schwechater SC won the Ost league of Third Division and Bregenz/Dornbirn won the West league. Bregenz/Dornbirn was a curious and problematic team – it was the second team not of one, but of two clubs: Schwartz-Weiss (Bregenz) and FC Dornbirn. Seemingly, the clubs merged and left over players made the second team. The first played in the Second Division, finished 8th and was relegated, thanks to the reduction. So, the first team was going down and the second was going up – a bit of a problem.

Only 4 teams were going to remain in the Second Division after this season – those between 2nd and 6th place in the final table. Flavia Solva Wagna aimed higher, but lost to win the championship by a point – 2nd, Kremser FC – also unlucky to win promotion and 3rd, SV Sankt Veit – concerned with avoiding relegation only and 4th at the end and the similarly lucky guys of Vorwaerts Steyr, 5th. Vorwaerts was really lucky, for one match was not played because of players strike. Again, the outcome was curious: the players of Simmeringer SC were on strike, but their opponents SV Thorl did not get points either. Only theoretically SV Thorl had a chance to finish ahead of Vorwaerts, but there was a chance: if the match against Simmeringer SC was played and SV Thorl won by 5 goals. Anyhow, the above mentioned remained in the new Second Division.

The first two of them were entangled in hot pursuit of first place and eventually lost it to Salzburger AK.

SAK – full name Salzburger Athletiksport-Klub 1914 – was founded in the distant 1914 in Salzburg, but had very little to be proud of: so far, they appeared only twice in the top league – in 1953 and 1962 – and both times they went right back to second level. This was their third attempt, which also proved to be not only short-lived as before, bur their last time to go play first division football. It was great at the moment, though – dramatic victory with 43 points, one more than Flavia and 2 more than Kremser. 17 wins, 9 ties, 4 losses, 57-18 goal-difference. Something to celebrate, although how many people celebrated is difficult to measure: Salzburg supported its Austria, in general, and the left-overs were divided between SAK, USV (also playing in the Second Division this season, but they were 11th and relegated), and may be some more small clubs. Thus, it was wonderful to go up, but money was a big problem.

The Czechoslovak Cup. As it had been established long ago, it was a clash between the winners of the Czech Cup and the Slovak Cup. Dukla (Prague) vs Lokomotiva (Kosice). Given the difference between the squads and the general decline of Slovak football, the final should not have been predestined. But such games hardly ever follow the obvious expectations – Dukla eventually won, but it was not a walk in the park. Lokomotiva fought back and lost minimally – 2-3.

Clearly the underdog in the final and for that reason would have been nice to see them prevail, but reality cannot be avoided: Lokomotiva had quite a weak squad presently and the best they could do was to play a brave final.

Dukla (Prague) won its 7th Cup, which was fine, but also it was a consolation prize: this team should have been a title contender, but was not. The season was quite disappointing and in view of the rise of Sparta, looked like that Dukla would be second-best in the future, at best. Thus, the Cup was still more than consolation prize. Then again, Dukla had few friends… most people preferred the symbol of Communist power losing. Politics aside, Dukla collected one more trophy.

First Division. Two teams competing for the title, two teams competing for 3rd place, much weaker, but fairly equal rest of the league, the general decline of the Slovak clubs remained, one unusual outsider. Perhaps not really an outsider – just a team which gave up at some point of the championship.

TJ Slovan CHZJD (Bratislava) – last with 19 points and relegated. The club was in decline for some years, but relegation seemed unthinkable. Yet, it happened and the most successful internationally club went down.

TJ ZTS (Petrzalka) – it was ironic to see the small club, practically from Bratislava, ahead of their famous neighbours, but that was what happened. 15th with 21 points. Relegated as well, but it was expected – their company was unexpected. Yet, both teams were similarly weak – Petrzalka had the former star of Slovan Marian Masny was their sole aged star. Slovan’s mosr recognizable player at the moment was also a veteran – the goalkeeper Pavol Michalik.

TJ ZVL (Zilina) – 14th with 23 points. Traditionally, Zilina always fought only for survival and managing to escape relegation meant good season for them. Well, they survived this time.

TJ Inter Slovnaft (Bratislava) – 13th with 23 points. Also in decline, but better than their famous neighbours. At least , Inter stayed in the league – Slovan was relegated.

TJ Tatran (Presov) – like Zilina, Tatran meandered between 1st and 2nd division and just avoiding relegation was great for them. Thus, it was fine season – 12th with 24 points – but in general, it was not not: the last 5 teams in this championship were Slovak and the remaining 3 were not much better.

TJ Vitkovice (Vitkovice) – 11th with 26 points. The lowest-placed Czech club, but it was fine for the boys – Vitkovice had no big presence in the top league historically.

TJ Lokomotiva (Kosice) – 10th with 27 points. Another Slovak club with weak season, but Lokomotiva was able to put itself together when it mattered most on one hand and on the other – their city rivals were already in Second Division and not doing well even their. From such angles, Lokomotiva was satisfying.

TJ Spartak TAZ (Trnava) – in decline for years and not showing signs for revival, but in terms of Slovak football only – doing better than most. 9th with 29 points.

TJ Ruda hvezda Cheb SVS MV (Cheb) – 8th with 30 points. Never a strong team, Ruda hvezda just enjoyed mid-table position, mostly thanks to the weaknesses of others.

ASVS Dukla (Banska Bystrica) – the best performing Slovak club at the moment, but even that was not much: 7th with 31 points. May be the fact they were Army club helped.

TJ Sigma ZTS (Olomouc) – a club with short first division history, but seemingly on ascent and one of the few bright news in the league. 6th with 31 points.

ASVS Dukla (Prague) – 5th with 32 points. Just a few years back it looked like Dukla was going to restore its domination in Czechoslovakian football, but there was no more believe there will be another golden period like those between 1950 and 1965. Good teams – yes; great ones – no. This seasons Dukla was far, far away not only from the title, but form the battle for bronze medals as well.

TJ Banik Ostrava OKD (Ostrava) – looked like they were slowly fading away. No new great talent after Werner Licka, who was not old at all, but the other well-known stars of the team were. Nothing terrible yet, but Banik only maintained a place among the top teams of the country – not a title contender and losing even 3rd place: 4th with 39 points. 7 points ahead of Dukla, but lost bronze medals on goal-difference to a team, which suffered for many years.

SK Slavia Praha IPS (Prague) – 3rd with 39 points and better goal-difference than Banik’s. Looked like Slavia was reemerging after long decline. Yet, such hopes were entertained before without fulfillment. This time Slavia had first-rate talent – Kubik, Knoflicek – and solid established players – Rott, Jarolim, Nemec. Were they to be champions was a question for the future – presently, they were not ready for more than competing for 3rd position.

TJ Bohemians CKD (Prague) – still enjoying their best period and almost winning a second title. At least, they fought hard for it and lost unfortunately: on goal-difference. 2nd with 43 points. Good squad, strong performance, the only problem was Bohemians was always the smallest of the big 4 clubs in the city and thus without a chance to recruit and keep stars.

TJ Sparta CKD (Prague) – clinched the title on better goal-difference after 19 wins, 5 ties, and 6 losses. 43 points – the same as rivals Bohemians – but 64-24 was better than 58-26 and Sparta got second consecutive title. It was their 15th in total, but most certainly there were more to come – Sparta had the best team in Czechoslovakia, most of the players defining Czechoslovakian football in the 1980s. Having the best of the current generation meant Sparta was going to dominate – and they did dominate for more than a decade: this was still early stage of their long leadership. For that reason only it would have been nicer if Bohemians won this championship, but they did not.