1975 North American Soccer League season


Statistics of North American Soccer League in season 1975. This was the 8th season of the NASL.

Overview

The league comprised 20 teams with the Tampa Bay Rowdies winning the championship.
Pelé joined the New York Cosmos in 1975.
1975 was the first year the league used the term Soccer Bowl for their championship game.

Changes from the previous season

Rules changes

The 1975 season saw the removal of tie games. Matches that were level after 90 minutes would go to 15 minutes of sudden death overtime, and then onto penalty kicks if needed. It would not be until 2000 that a top-tier American soccer league would again allow matches to end in a draw.

New teams

*after merger with Toronto Croatia of National Soccer League

Regular season

W = Wins, L = Losses, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, PT= point system
6 points for a win,
1 point for a shootout win,
0 points for a loss,
1 point for each regulation goal scored up to three per game.
Northern DivisionWLGFGAPT
Boston Minutemen1394129116
Toronto Metros-Croatia1393928114
New York Cosmos1012393891
Rochester Lancers616294964
Hartford Bicentennials616275161

Eastern DivisionWLGFGAPT
Tampa Bay Rowdies1664627135
Miami Toros1484730123
Washington Diplomats12104247112
Philadelphia Atoms1012334290
Baltimore Comets913345287

Central DivisionWLGFGAPT
St. Louis Stars1393834115
Chicago Sting12103933106
Denver Dynamos913374285
Dallas Tornado913333883
San Antonio Thunder616244659

Western DivisionWLGFGAPT
Portland Timbers1664327138
Seattle Sounders1574228129
Los Angeles Aztecs12104233107
Vancouver Whitecaps1111382899
San Jose Earthquakes814374883

NASL League Leaders

Scoring

*
PlayerTeamAppsGlsAstPts
Steve DavidMiami2123652
Derek SmethurstTampa Bay2218339
Gordon HillChicago2116739
Peter WithePortland2216638
Uri BanhofferLos Angeles2014937
Tommy OrdRochester/NY2116335
Ilija MiticDallas/SJ1915333
Ade CokerBoston1510626
Ace NtsoelengoeDenver2110525
John CoyneToronto2271125

Goalkeeping

*
PlayerTeamMinSVGASHGAA
Shep MessingBoston16391401760.93
Barry WatlingSeattle20321402661.15
Graham BrownPortland19481442651.20
Željko BileckiToronto19491232781.25
Greg WeberVancouver1273951951.34
Mervyn CawstonChicago1586942441.36
Peter BonettiSt. Louis18291892851.38
Sam NusumNew York15541312531.45
Ken CooperDallas18561303241.55
Bob RigbyPhiladelphia18021443241.60

NASL All-Stars

First Team Position Second TeamHonorable Mention
Peter Bonetti, St. LouisGKen Cooper, DallasBarry Watling, Seattle
Bob Smith, PhiladelphiaDTony Want, PhiladelphiaTom McConville, Washington
Mike England, SeattleDStewart Jump, Tampa BayDave Gillett, Seattle
Werner Roth, New YorkDRalph Wright, MiamiGraham Day, Portland
Farrukh Quraishi, Tampa BayDCharlie Mitchell, RochesterBrian Rowan, Toronto
Arfon Griffiths, SeattleMBarry Powell, PortlandJohn Sissons, Tampa Bay
Ronnie Sharp, MiamiMJohn Boyle, Tampa BayHugh Fisher, Denver
António Simões, BostonMBobby Hope, PhiladelphiaWolfgang Sühnholz, Boston
Steve David, MiamiFPeter Withe, PortlandClyde Best, Tampa Bay
Pelé, New YorkFTommy Ord, Roch & NYDerek Smethurst, Tampa Bay
Gordon Hill, ChicagoFStewart Scullion, Tampa BayUri Banhoffer, Los Angeles

Playoffs

All playoff games in all rounds including Soccer Bowl '75 were single game elimination match ups.

Bracket

Quarterfinals

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Semifinals

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Soccer Bowl '75

1975 NASL Champions: Tampa Bay Rowdies

Post season awards