Toronto Blizzard (1986–1993)

History

Previous Blizzard team

The original Toronto Blizzard were formed in 1971 as the Toronto Metros playing in the North American Soccer League. In 1975, the club became known as Toronto Metro-Croatia after being purchased by Toronto Croatia. In 1979, the club was purchased by the Global Television Network and renamed the Toronto Blizzard with Toronto Croatia becoming their own separate team again. After the 1984 season, the NASL folded on March 28, 1985, putting an end to the original edition of the Blizzard, who ceased operations on April 24.

Re-formation and National Soccer League

In June 1985, the owners of the Blizzard bought the rights to Dinamo Latino of the semi-professional National Soccer League and announced the re-creating the Blizzard for the 1986 season, In their first match, they defeated St. Catharines Roma by a score of 5–0. They went on to win the regular season title, losing only one match, but lost in the playoffs championship final to Toronto Italia.

Canadian Soccer League

In 1987, the Blizzard joined the new professional Canadian Soccer League for its inaugural season.

They finished their first season in the CSL in third place in the East Division, qualifying for the playoffs, where they defeated the National Capital Pioneers in the first round before being defeated by the Hamilton Steelers in the semi-finals. In 1988, after finishing second in the East Division, they were once again defeated by Hamilton in the semi-finals.

In the 1989 season, they won their first Division title, but for the third consecutive year were defeated by Hamilton in the semi-finals.

In 1990, they finished top of the East Division for the second consecutive year, but were defeated in the first round by expansion club Kitchener Spirit.

American Professional Soccer League

Following the 1992 season, the CSL folded. The Blizzard decided to join the US-based American Professional Soccer League in 1993. Due to financial difficulties and abysmal attendance, the team was forced to move out of Varsity Stadium to the city of Toronto owned Lamport Stadium roughly three quarters of the way through the season. The club finished fifth in the regular season, failing to make the playoffs.

Blizzard owner Karsten Von Wersebe had taken the club from the CSL to the APSL in hopes that the league would be awarded US Division I status as FIFA had demanded that a national top-division soccer league exist in the United States as a condition of being awarded the 1994 FIFA World Cup.

Rumoured futures

In 2001, there were plans for a new league called the Canadian United Soccer League, with the Toronto Blizzard, under a new ownership group, reported to be interested in a franchise, however, this league never came to fruition. Later in 2005, the city of Toronto was awarded a Major League Soccer franchise and there was speculation that the club would be named the Blizzard, however, the team was instead called Toronto FC.

Today the Blizzard exists as a youth soccer club. In 2017, they formed a women's semi-professional team to play in League1 Ontario called the Toronto Azzurri Blizzard, however, the team only lasted two seasons.

Seasons

References

References

1. "About Toronto Blizzard Soccer Club". Toronto Blizzard SC.
2. (10 July 2020). "Toronto Blizzard".
3. Crossley, Drew. (June 5, 2016). "1979-1993 Toronto Blizzard". Fun While it Lasted.
4. (21 May 2019). "1985 season".
5. Ormsby, Mary. (December 13, 1985). "Resurrected Blizzard to see action once more". [[Toronto Star]].
6. (March 2021}} The club played in the NSL for the 1986 season.{{Cite web). "Toronto Blizzard (1987-92)". CSL Memories.
7. (21 May 2019). "1986 season".
8. Da Costa, Norman. (October 21, 1986). "One happy coach". [[Toronto Star]].
9. Hesle, Christian. (July 7, 2019). "1986 Toronto Blizzard".
10. Hawthorn, Tom. (June 7, 1987). "Imports Score in New Soccer Loop". [[The Globe & Mail]].
11. Stinson, Dan. (October 7, 1992). "Ilich's bankbook kept CSL on the field". [[Vancouver Sun]].
12. (17 April 2017). "Canadian Soccer League (1987-1992)". Fun While it Lasted.
13. Brousseau, David. (January 8, 1993). "Toronto Joins APSL". [[Sun-Sentinel]].
14. Crawford, Colin. (February 29, 2016). "Toronto's Soccer History: 1987 - Present". [[Toronto FC]].
15. "1993 Toronto Blizzard Roster". Stats Crew.
16. Crossley, Andrew. (18 April 2014). "1994 Toronto Rockets". Fun While it Lasted.
17. Belton, Brian. (2008). "East End Heroes, Stateside Kings: The Amazing True Story of Three Football Players Who Changed the World". Kings Road.
18. "About". Toronto Blizzard.
19. (January 31, 2019). "Three New Teams Join League1 Ontario Women's Division for 2019 Season". [[League1 Ontario]].
20. "Toronto Blizzard". Canadian Soccer History Archives.