North York Rockets
Nickname(s)Rockets
Founded1987
Dissolved1993
StadiumEsther Shiner Stadium
North York, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
LeagueCSL
CNSL

The North York Rockets were a professional soccer team based in North York, Toronto, Ontario that competed in the original Canadian Soccer League. They were one of four teams to participate in every season of the CSL.[1] Upon the demise of the CSL, the Rockets joined the Canadian National Soccer League.

History

Canadian Soccer League

The North York Rockets were formed by a group consisting of Gus Mandarino, Basil Policaro, Tony Ciamarra, Joe D'Urzo, Mario Rollo, and Mario Giangioppo to play in the inaugural season of the Canadian Soccer League in 1987.[2]

In their debut league match, the Rockets tied the Toronto Blizzard, by a score of 1-1.[3]

The Rockets's best result came in 1991 when they defeated the Nova Scotia Clippers with a 9-1 goal aggregate to advance to the league cup semi-finals. The Rockets struggled in their first season, winning only one match, en route to a 1-7-12 record, finishing last in the league.[4][5]

The Rockets improved in the following seasons, qualifying for the playoffs in each of the next three seasons, although they were defeated in the first round of the playoffs each year.[4][5] During the 1991 season, the Rockets finished third in the league, qualifying for the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.[4][5] The won their first and only CSL playoff series when they defeated the Nova Scotia Clippers by an aggregate score of 9-1 (5-1 and 4-0 victories), but were defeated in the semi-finals by city rival Toronto Blizzard.[4][5] During the 1992 season, the Rockets finished in second place in the regular season, six points behind league leaders Vancouver, but were once again defeated in the first round of the playoffs by eventual champions Winnipeg.[4][5]

Canadian National Soccer League

Following the folding of the CSL after the 1992 season, the Rockets joined the semi-professional Canadian National Soccer League for the 1993 season,[5] becoming known as the Toronto Rockets.[6][7] They finished in first place in the Western Conference (and in the overall league table), qualifying for the playoffs where they defeated London City and Montreal Croatia in the first two rounds, but were defeated by St. Catharines Roma in the championship final.[6]

American Professional Soccer League

After the 1993 season, the Toronto Blizzard, who had joined the US-based American Professional Soccer League in 1993, folded and were replaced by the Rockets, who inherited some of the Blizzard players and played under the name Toronto Rockets.[8] The Rockets finished in last place with a 5-15 record, as well as the worst attendance in the league, drawing in fewer than 1500 fans per match.[8] The club had planned to return for the 1995 season, but withdrew only days before the start of the 1995 season,[8] due to a financial dispute with the league's front office.[9]

Seasons

as North York Rockets

Season Tier League Record Rank Playoffs Ref
1987 1 Canadian Soccer League 1–7–12 4th, East Did not qualify [10]
1988 10–8–10 3rd, East Quarter-Finals
1989 12–9–5 3rd, East Quarter-Finals
1990 7–9–10 5th, East Quarter-finals
1991 13–9-6 3rd Semi-finals
1992 8–6–6 2nd Semi-finals

as Toronto Rockets

Season Tier League Record Rank Playoffs Ref
1993 2 Canadian National Soccer League 9–6–1 1st, West Finalists [11]
1994 1 (U.S) American Professional Soccer League 5–15 7th Did not qualify

Notable players

References

  1. ↑ "Canadian Soccer League (1987-1992)". Fun While it Lasted.
  2. ↑ "Official Program - North York Rockets" (PDF). North York Rockets. 1987.
  3. ↑ Hawthorn, Tom (June 7, 1987). "Imports Score in New Soccer Loop". A More Splendid Life. The Globe & Mail. Archived from the original on March 20, 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "North York Rockets (1987-92)". CSL Memories.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Litterer, David (January 5, 1996). "Canadian Soccer League I". Soccer History USA.
  6. 1 2 "1993 Season". thecnsl.com.
  7. ↑ Laskaris, Sam (March 17, 1994). "Rockets try a third league". Toronto Star. p. NY5.
  8. 1 2 3 Crossley, Andrew. "1994 Toronto Rockets". Fun While it Lasted.
  9. ↑ Keating, Jack (May 4, 1995). "A-League loses T.O.-Team: Rockets fizzle out". The Province. p. A54.
  10. ↑ "Canadian Soccer League Standings Archive". Canada Soccer History Archives.
  11. ↑ "Toronto Rockets". Canadian Soccer History Archives.

Resource

North York Rockets Official Program

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