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{{short description|Former soccer team in Montreal, Quebec}}
{{Infobox football club
{{Infobox football club
| clubname = ''' Montreal Supra'''
| clubname = Montreal Supra
| image =
| image = Montreal_Supra.png
| upright = 0.5
| fullname = '''Montreal Supra'''
| nickname = '''Supra'''
| fullname = FC Supra de Montreal
| nickname = Supra
| Colours = '''Blue and White and Red
| founded = '''1988'''
| founded = 1988
| dissolved = '''1992'''
| dissolved = 1992
| stadium = [[Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard]]
| stadium = [[Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard]]
| capacity = 9 300
| capacity = 9,300
| league = [[Canadian Soccer League (1987–1992)|Canadian Soccer League]]
| chairman = Guy Burelle
| ceo =
| mgrtitle = General Director
| manager = Pino Asaro
| league = [[Canadian Soccer League (1987–1992)]]
| season =
| season =
| position =
| position =
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'''Montreal Supra''' was a [[Soccer in Canada|Canadian]] professional [[Association football|soccer]] club based in [[Montreal|Montreal, Quebec]] that played in the [[Canadian Soccer League (1987–1992)|Canadian Soccer League]] from 1988 to 1992.
'''Montreal Supra''' was a club in the [[Canadian Soccer League (1987–1992)|Canadian Soccer League]] from 1988 to 1992. They were Montreal's first professional soccer team, since the [[North American Soccer League (1968–1984)|NASL]]'s [[Montreal Manic]] folded in 1983. Many of the Montreal Supra's best players would join the [[American Professional Soccer League]] after the clubs and leagues' demise after the 1992 CSL's season, playing for the expansion [[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)|Montreal Impact]], winning the league championship in 1994, during the team's second season.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/club/history/1993|title= Montreal Impact&nbsp;– 1993|publisher=impactmontreal.com/}}</ref>


== Standings ==
==History==

{| class="wikitable"
Montreal Supra joined the [[Canadian Soccer League (1987–1992)|Canadian Soccer League]] as an expansion franchise for the league's second season in 1988.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://funwhileitlasted.net/2015/12/13/1988-1992-montreal-supra/|title=1988-1992 Montreal Supra|work=Fun While it Lasted|first=Andrew|last=Crossly|date=December 13, 2015}}</ref> They were Montreal's first professional soccer team, since the [[North American Soccer League (1968–1984)|NASL]]'s [[Montreal Manic]] and [[Canadian Professional Soccer League (1983)|CPSL]]'s [[FC Inter-Montréal]] folded in 1983.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://soccerquebec.org/votre-federation/plus-de-100-histoires-temple-de-la-renommee/|title=Plus de 100 Histoires - Temple de la Renommée|trans-title=Over 100 Stories - Hall of Fame|language=fr|work=[[Soccer Quebec]]}}</ref> It was created by an investment by [[Carling O'Keefe|O'Keefe Brewery]], one of Canada's three largest breweries, as the main sponsor.<ref>{{Cite book|title="Allez L'Impact Allez": Le Rôle des Groupes de Supporters "Ultras" dans la popularisation du Sport-Spectacle du Soccer au Québec|url=https://archipel.uqam.ca/7606/1/M13868.pdf|first=Bachir|last=Sirois-Mooumni|trans-title="Go Impact Go": The Role of Supporter Groups "Ultras" in the popularization of the Sport-Spectacle of Soccer in Quebec|language=fr|publisher=[[Université du Québec à Montréal]]|page=20}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://proposmontreal.com/index.php/du-manic-a-limpact/|title=Du Manic à L'Impact|date=October 18, 2009|first=Martin|last=Bérube|work=Propos Montreal|language=fr|trans-title=From Manic to Impact}}</ref> The club was to be a community property as a non-profit corporation controlled by a board of directors made up of 12 voters: six founding companies (including O'Keefe) plus six representatives of small investors.{{Citation needed|reason=From French wikipedia|date=March 2021}}
|+

Supra had a difficult inaugural season, finishing last in the East Division with a record of 8-8-12 and failing to make the playoffs.<ref name=historyusa>{{Cite web|url=https://soccerhistoryusa.org/ASHA/csl.html|title=Canadian Soccer League I|first=David|last=Litterer|work=Soccer History USA|date=January 5, 1996}}</ref><ref name=libero>{{cite web|url=http://liberoguide.com/montreal-impact/|work=Libero|title=Montreal Timeline}}</ref> The team also struggled in their second season winning only 3 of their 26 matches, once again failing to make the playoffs.<ref name=memories>{{cite web|title=Montreal Supra (1988-92)|work=CSL Memories|url=https://www.csl1987.ca/montreal-supra-1988-92}}</ref> The team struggled financially, with the players agreeing to play without pay in 1989, later being paid with [[Ultramar]] gas coupons.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://viaupark.ca/2018/02/19/souvenirs-de-lan-1-de-limpact/|trans-title=Memories of Year 1 of the Impact|language=fr|title=Souvenirs de l’an 1 de l’Impact|date=February 19, 2018|first=Marc|last=Tougas|work=Viau Park}}</ref> In 1990, they greatly improved to a record of 13–11–2, qualifying for the playoffs for the first time, but lost in the first round to [[Hamilton Steelers (CSL)|Hamilton]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://topduquebec.com/les-equipes-de-sports-professionnels-dhier-et-daujourdhui-du-quebec/|trans-title=Professional sports teams in Quebec, from yesterday to today|language=fr|title=Les équipes de sports professionnels au Québec, d’hier à d’aujourd’hui|work=Top du Québec}}</ref><ref name=memories /> Prior to the 1991 season, former [[Montreal Manic]] coach [[Eddie Firmani]] was hired as the named coach and general manager of the team.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/02/08/sports/sports-people-soccer-firmani-named.html|work=[[New York Times]]|title=Sports People: Soccer; Firmani Named|date=February 8, 1991}}</ref> In 1991, they finished 5th out of 8 teams, qualifying for the playoffs for the second year in a row, where they were once again defeated by [[Hamilton Steelers (CSL)|Hamilton]] in the first round.<ref name= memories/> In their final season, they finished in 4th place out of 8 teams, qualifying for the playoffs for the third consecutive year, where they were once again eliminated in the first round, this time by the [[Vancouver 86ers]].<ref name=memories /> In 1992, the club also competed in the [[Professional Cup]], one of two invited CSL teams along with [[Vancouver 86ers|Vancouver]], where they were eliminated in the first round by [[American Professional Soccer League|APSL]] club [[Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–1993)|Tampa Bay Rowdies]], losing 7–1 on aggregate (5-1 and 2–0).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2174172|title=Le F.C. Supra dans un creux de vague...|language=fr|trans-title=F.C. Supra in a trough...|work=[[La Presse (Canadian newspaper)|La Presse]]|date=August 13, 1992|page=7|first=Jean|last=Trudelle}}</ref>

The team underwent severe financial difficulty in the early 1990s, ultimately with a Florida-based Spanish businessman named Frank Aliaga, who had ties to Canada, purchased the club in 1990 to keep the club in operation, as the previous season the players had not received a salary.<ref name=capitaine>{{Cite web|url=https://capitainesoccer.wordpress.com/2017/05/18/dune-ligue-canadienne-a-lautre/|trans-title=From one Canadian league to another|title=D’une ligue canadienne à l’autre|language=fr|date=May 18, 2017|work=Capitaine Soccer|first=Marc|last=Tougas}}</ref> In addition, over the club's three seasons owned by Aliaga, the club went through six coaches.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2174172|title=Vosmaer s'en remet à Aliaga|language=fr|trans-title=Vosmaer relies on Aliaga|work=[[La Presse (Canadian newspaper)|La Presse]]|date=August 13, 1992|page=7|first=Jean|last=Trudelle}}</ref>
After the 1991 season, the team's main sponsors - Ultramar, Molson O'Keefe and Saputo - indicated that they were no longer interested in sponsoring the team.<ref name=capitaine /> Aliaga hired Pino Asaro, who had been the manager of the Cosmos de LaSalle in the semi-professional Ligue nationale de soccer du Québec at the end of the 1980s, as general manager to help save the franchise.<ref name=capitaine /> He managed to convince the sponsors to remain with the club and also attracted Bell Long Distance as a new sponsor.<ref name=capitaine /> At the same time, the league was not doing well financially either, with the league commissioner, Dale Barnes, leaving and Supra owner Frank Aliaga being named the new league president.<ref name=capitaine /><ref name=italiano>{{cite web|url=https://www.corriereitaliano.com/sport/calcio/2157/l-impact-festeggia-25-anni-di-storia/|trans-title=Impact celebrates 25 years of history|title=L’Impact festeggia 25 anni di storia|language=it|first=Fabrizio|last=Intravaia|date=January 16, 2018|work=[[Corriere Italiano]]}}</ref>

After the 1992 season the league was set to fold, and Aliaga approached Asaro to inquire into the possibility of the club joining the US-based [[American Professional Soccer League]].<ref name=italiano /> Montreal had been approved by the APSL,<ref name=presse /> however, Aliaga was not able to meet the financial requirements to enter a club in the league,<ref name=capitaine /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://quebec.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/02/03/le-fonds-de-solidarit-ft_n_1252524.html|title=Le Fonds de solidarité FTQ investit 7,5 millions $ dans l'Impact de Montréal|first=Marc|last=Tougas|language=fr|date=February 3, 2012|trans-title=The Fonds de solidarité FTQ invests $ 7.5 million in the Montreal Impact|work=Huffington Post}}</ref> as Supra's budget was only one-third of the APSL's minimum requirement.<ref name=presse>{{cite web|url=https://plus.lapresse.ca/screens/27164446-be14-4ee3-9cc5-8747675aa76b__7C___0.html|work=[[La Presse (Canadian newspaper)|La Presse]]|title=Le Début d'une Grande Aventure|language=fr|date=May 12, 2018|trans-title=The Start of a Great Adventure|first=Pascal|last=Milano}}</ref> APSL commissioner Bill Sage inquired to Asaro if there was any interest from another party about operating a Montreal APSL team and Asaro immediately called [[Joey Saputo]], who was able to arrange a meeting with [[Lino Saputo]], owner of [[Saputo Inc.]], one of Supra's four main sponsors about taking over the team.<ref name=capitaine /><ref name=italiano /><ref name=presse />

The Saputos purchased the club from Aliaga,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thesuburban.com/columnists/mike_cohen_cohen_chatter/robert-tanguay-makes-impact-as-public-address-announcer/article_09273d3f-aef1-58dc-8c68-04a683a4c081.html|title=Robert Tanguay makes "Impact" as public address announcer|first=Mike|last=Cohen|work=[[The Suburban]]|date=June 15, 2016}}</ref> and wanted the club to be the successor to Supra, maintaining much of the team's organizational staff and players for the new team.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://el9ymedio.com/2019/12/26/impact-de-montreal-identidad-francofona-en-la-mls/|trans-title=Montreal Impact: Francophone Identity in MLS|first=Sebastián|last=Alarcón|title=Impact de Montréal:Identidad Francófona en la MLS|date=December 26, 2019|work=El 9 y Medio|language=es}}</ref> Supra was dissolved and a new club called the [[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)|Montreal Impact]] formed as a new APSL club.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/montreal-impact-changing-name-1.5824344|title=Montreal Impact could be changing its name to Montréal FC|date=December 1, 2020|work=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1992-12-16-1992351164-story.html|title=Three from here get U.S. invitations|date=December 16, 1992|work=[[The Baltimore Sun]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cfmontreal.com/en/post/2017/12/10/25-years-ago-montreal-impact-was-born|work=[[CF Montreal]]|title=25 years ago: the Montreal Impact was born|date=December 10, 2017}}</ref> Many of Montreal Supra's best players would join the expansion [[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)|Impact]], winning the league championship in 1994, during the team's second season.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/club/history/1993|title=History in the Second Division|work=[[CF Montreal]]}}</ref>

==Seasons==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
!Season
!Season
!Tier
!Games
!League
!Wins
!{{tooltip|Record|Wins, draws, losses}}
!Losses
!Rank
!Draws
!Playoffs
!GF
!GA
!Ref
!Points
!Play-offs
|-
|-
|[[:fr:1988|1988]]
|[[1988 Canadian Soccer League season|1988]]
|rowspan="5"|1
|28
|rowspan="5"|[[Canadian Soccer League (1987–1992)|Canadian Soccer League]]
|8
|8–8–12
|12
|5th, East
|8
|rowspan="2"|''Did not qualify''
|36
|rowspan="6"|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cansha.coffeecup.com/csl8792.html|title=Canadian Soccer League Standings Archive|work=Canada Soccer History Archives}}</ref>
|44
|24
|Did not qualify
|-
|-
|[[:fr:1989|1989]]
|[[1989 Canadian Soccer League season|1989]]
|3–9–14
|26
|5th, East
|3
|14
|9
|26
|46
|15
|Did not qualify
|-
|-
|[[:fr:1990|1990]]
|[[1990 Canadian Soccer League season|1990]]
|13–11–2
|26
|2nd, East
|13
|Quarter-finals
|2
|11
|30
|12
|37
|Divisional semi-finals
|-
|-
|[[:fr:1991|1991]]
|[[1991 Canadian Soccer League season|1991]]
|11–7–10
|28
|11
|5th
|10
|7
|41
|38
|40
|Quarter-finals
|Quarter-finals
|-
|-
|[[:fr:1992|1992]]
|[[1992 Canadian Soccer League season|1992]]
|6–7–7
|20
|6
|4th
|7
|7
|29
|24
|25
|Semi-finals
|Semi-finals
|-
|[[:fr:Somme (arithmétique)|total]]
|128
|41
|45
|42
|162
|164
|141
|
|}
|}


==Notable players==
== Rosters (incomplete) ==
{{cmn|colwidth=18em|
{| class="wikitable sortable"
*{{flagicon|RSA}} [[Michael Araujo]]
|+
*{{flagicon|CAN}} [[Mauro Biello]]
!#
*{{flagicon|CAN}} [[Alex Bunbury]]
!Player
*{{flagicon|CAN}} [[Nick De Santis]]
!Pos'n
*{{flagicon|CAN}} [[Patrick Diotte]]
!1988
*{{flagicon|CAN}} [[Rudy Doliscat]]
!1989
*{{flagicon|CRC}} [[Leonidas Flores]]
!1990
*{{flagicon|CAN}} [[Iain Fraser (soccer)|Iain Fraser]]
!1991
*{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Christian Gourcuff]]
!1992
*{{flagicon|CAN}} [[Pat Harrington (soccer)|Pat Harrington]]
!Comments
*{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Ronnie Hildersley]]
|-
*{{flagicon|CAN}} [[Lyndon Hooper]]
|4
*{{flagicon|ENG}}{{flagicon|CAN}} [[Simon Keith]]
|Nick Albanis
*{{flagicon|CAN}} [[Tasso Koutsoukos]]
|D
*{{flagicon|CAN}} [[Tom Kouzmanis]]
|X
*{{flagicon|CAN}} [[Grant Needham]]
|X
*{{flagicon|CAN}} [[Marco Rizi]]
|X
*{{flagicon|CAN}} [[Jean Robert Toussaint]]
|X
*{{flagicon|CAN}} [[Cameron Walker (soccer)|Cameron Walker]]
|
*{{flagicon|CAN}} [[Mark Watson (Canadian soccer)|Mark Watson]]
|Former [[Montreal Manic]] player
}}
|-
|11
|Anthony Aliaga
|
|
|
|X
|X
|
|
|-
|20
|Ethelbert Anthony
|D
|X
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|6
|[[Michael Araujo]]
|M/F
|
|
|X
|X
|X
|
|-
|2
|André Belotte
|D
|
|
|
|X
|X
|Played with [[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)|Montreal Impact]] in 1993
|-
|
|[[Mauro Biello]]
|F
|
|
|
|X
|X
|Played with [[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)|Montreal Impact]] in 1993
|-
|
|Jean-Pierre Boucher
|
|
|X
|X
|
|
|
|-
|21
|Aldo Braccio
|G
|X
|X
|
|
|
|
|-
|8
|[[Alex Bunbury]]
|F
|
|
|
|X
|
|
|-
|9
|Arthur Calixte
|F
|X
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|1/22
|Daniel Courtois
|G
|X
|X
|X
|X
|
|
|-
|3
|Gaspard D'Alexis
|D
|X
|X
|X
|
|
|
|-
|5/7
|[[Nick De Santis]]
|M
|X
|X
|X
|X
|X
|Played with [[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)|Montreal Impact]] in 1993
|-
|17
|Mimmo Dell'Armi
|M
|X
|
|
|
|
|Former [[Montreal Manic]] player
|-
|22
|Steve Demaine
|
|
|
|X
|
|
|
|-
|12
|[[Patrick Diotte]]
|D
|X
|X
|X
|X
|X
|Played with [[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)|Montreal Impact]] in 1993
|-
|3
|[[Rudy Doliscat]]
|D
|
|
|X
|X
|X
|Played with [[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)|Montreal Impact]] in 1993
|-
|20
|Warren Dupont
|
|
|
|X
|X
|
|
|-
|8
|[[Leonidas Flores]]
|F
|
|X
|X
|X
|X
|
|-
|15
|[[Iain Fraser (soccer)|Iain Fraser]]
|D
|
|X
|X
|X
|
|
|-
|2
|André Gagnon
|D
|X
|X
|
|
|
|
|-
|
|[[Christian Gourcuff]]
|M
|
|X
|
|
|
|
|-
|11
|Pierre Groulx
|F
|X
|X
|
|
|
|
|-
|1
|[[Pat Harrington (soccer)|Pat Harrington]]
|G
|
|
|X
|X
|X
|Played with [[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)|Montreal Impact]] in 1993
|-
|7
|[[Lyndon Hooper]]
|M
|X
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|10
|Otmane Ibrir
|M
|
|
|
|X
|X
|Played with [[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)|Montreal Impact]] in 1993
|-
|18
|Tom Kain
|D
|X
|X
|

|D
|X
|X
|
|
|-
|
|John Stellato
|F
|
|x
|X
|
|
|
|-
|10/13/16
|[[Tasso Koutsoukos]]
|M
|X
|X
|X
|X
|X
|
|-
|
|Djamel Laarabi
|G
|
|
|
|
|X
|Played with [[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)|Montreal Impact]] in 1993
|-
|10
|Marc Mounicot
|M
|X
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|14/9
|[[Grant Needham]]
|F
|X
|X
|X
|X
|X
|Played with [[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)|Montreal Impact]] in 1993
|-
|8/5
|[[Marco Rizi]]
|D
|X
|X
|X
|X
|X
|Played with [[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)|Montreal Impact]] in 1993
|-
|19
|Abdel Sahrane
|M
|
|X
|
|X
|X
|Played with [[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)|Montreal Impact]] in 1993
|-
|
|Mustafa Sarhane
|F
|
|
|
|
|X
|Played with [[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)|Montreal Impact]] in 1993
|-
|21
|Dennis Taylor
|
|
|
|
|X
|
|
|-
|17
|Pierre-Richard Thomas
|M
|
|
|X
|X
|X
|Played with [[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)|Montreal Impact]] in 1993
|-
|6
|Lino Tomassetti
|D
|X
|X
|X
|
|
|
|-
|
|[[Jean Robert Toussaint]]
|
|X
|X
|X
|X
|X
|
|-
|16
|Billy Tsoukatos
|F
|X
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|
|Mark Vermeulen
|
|
|
|
|-
|15/14
|[[Cameron Walker (soccer)|Cameron Walker]]
|F
|X
|X
|X
|X
|X
|Played with [[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)|Montreal Impact]] in 1993
|-
|
|[[Mark Watson (Canadian soccer)|Mark Watson]]
|D
|
|
|
|
|X
|
|-
|
|TOTAL
|
|21
|20
|22
|24
|17
|
|}


==Head Coaching History==
==Head coaches==
*{{flagicon|CAN}} Andy Onorato (1988–1989)
*{{flagicon|CAN}} Andy Onorato (1988–1989)
*{{flagicon|ROU}} {{flagicon|CAN}} [[Petre Mândru|Pierre Mindru]] (1989-1990 and 1991-1992)
*{{flagicon|ROU}} {{flagicon|CAN}} [[Petre Mândru|Pierre Mindru]] (1989–1990 and 1991–1992)
*{{flagicon|SAF}} Roy Wiggemansen (1990-1991)
*{{flagicon|SAF}} Roy Wiggemansen (1990–1991)
*{{flagicon|ITA}} {{flagicon|SAF}} [[Eddie Firmani]] (1991)
*{{flagicon|ITA}} {{flagicon|SAF}} [[Eddie Firmani]] (1991)
*{{flagicon|CAN}} Paolo Ferrante (1991)
*{{flagicon|CAN}} Paolo Ferrante (1991)
*{{flagicon|NED}} [[Bobby Vosmaer]] (1992)
*{{flagicon|NED}} Robert (Bobby) Vosmaer (1992)<ref>http://collections.banq.qc.ca:8008/lapresse/src/cahiers/1992/04/08/07/82812_1992040807.pdf Robert Vosmaer, sixième entraîneur du Supra, ''La Presse Montreal'', 8 April 1992</ref>
*{{flagicon|CAN}} Pino Asaro (1992)
*{{flagicon|CAN}} Pino Asaro (1992)

==See also==
*[[Montreal Manic]]
*[[Montreal Olympique]]
*[[Montreal Impact (1992–2011)]]
*[[CF Montréal]]


==References==
==References==
<references />
<references />


{{Canadian Soccer League (1987–1992)}}
{{Defunct Quebec Sports}}
{{Defunct Quebec Sports}}


[[Category:Canadian Soccer League (1986–1992) teams]]
[[Category:Canadian Soccer League (1987–1992) teams]]
[[Category:Defunct soccer clubs in Canada]]
[[Category:Defunct soccer clubs in Canada]]
[[Category:Soccer clubs in Quebec]]
[[Category:Soccer clubs in Quebec]]
[[Category:Soccer clubs in Montreal|Supra]]
[[Category:Soccer clubs in Montreal|Supra]]
[[Category:1988 establishments in Quebec]]

[[Category:1992 disestablishments in Quebec]]
{{Canada-footyclub-stub}}
[[Category:Association football clubs established in 1988]]
[[Category:Association football clubs disestablished in 1992]]
[[Category:Montreal Supra| ]]
[[Category:1988 in Montreal]]

Latest revision as of 11:54, 26 May 2024

Montreal Supra
Full nameFC Supra de Montreal
Nickname(s)Supra
Founded1988
Dissolved1992
StadiumComplexe sportif Claude-Robillard
Capacity9,300
LeagueCanadian Soccer League

Montreal Supra was a Canadian professional soccer club based in Montreal, Quebec that played in the Canadian Soccer League from 1988 to 1992.

History

[edit]

Montreal Supra joined the Canadian Soccer League as an expansion franchise for the league's second season in 1988.[1] They were Montreal's first professional soccer team, since the NASL's Montreal Manic and CPSL's FC Inter-Montréal folded in 1983.[2] It was created by an investment by O'Keefe Brewery, one of Canada's three largest breweries, as the main sponsor.[3][4] The club was to be a community property as a non-profit corporation controlled by a board of directors made up of 12 voters: six founding companies (including O'Keefe) plus six representatives of small investors.[citation needed]

Supra had a difficult inaugural season, finishing last in the East Division with a record of 8-8-12 and failing to make the playoffs.[5][6] The team also struggled in their second season winning only 3 of their 26 matches, once again failing to make the playoffs.[7] The team struggled financially, with the players agreeing to play without pay in 1989, later being paid with Ultramar gas coupons.[8] In 1990, they greatly improved to a record of 13–11–2, qualifying for the playoffs for the first time, but lost in the first round to Hamilton.[9][7] Prior to the 1991 season, former Montreal Manic coach Eddie Firmani was hired as the named coach and general manager of the team.[10] In 1991, they finished 5th out of 8 teams, qualifying for the playoffs for the second year in a row, where they were once again defeated by Hamilton in the first round.[7] In their final season, they finished in 4th place out of 8 teams, qualifying for the playoffs for the third consecutive year, where they were once again eliminated in the first round, this time by the Vancouver 86ers.[7] In 1992, the club also competed in the Professional Cup, one of two invited CSL teams along with Vancouver, where they were eliminated in the first round by APSL club Tampa Bay Rowdies, losing 7–1 on aggregate (5-1 and 2–0).[11]

The team underwent severe financial difficulty in the early 1990s, ultimately with a Florida-based Spanish businessman named Frank Aliaga, who had ties to Canada, purchased the club in 1990 to keep the club in operation, as the previous season the players had not received a salary.[12] In addition, over the club's three seasons owned by Aliaga, the club went through six coaches.[13] After the 1991 season, the team's main sponsors - Ultramar, Molson O'Keefe and Saputo - indicated that they were no longer interested in sponsoring the team.[12] Aliaga hired Pino Asaro, who had been the manager of the Cosmos de LaSalle in the semi-professional Ligue nationale de soccer du Québec at the end of the 1980s, as general manager to help save the franchise.[12] He managed to convince the sponsors to remain with the club and also attracted Bell Long Distance as a new sponsor.[12] At the same time, the league was not doing well financially either, with the league commissioner, Dale Barnes, leaving and Supra owner Frank Aliaga being named the new league president.[12][14]

After the 1992 season the league was set to fold, and Aliaga approached Asaro to inquire into the possibility of the club joining the US-based American Professional Soccer League.[14] Montreal had been approved by the APSL,[15] however, Aliaga was not able to meet the financial requirements to enter a club in the league,[12][16] as Supra's budget was only one-third of the APSL's minimum requirement.[15] APSL commissioner Bill Sage inquired to Asaro if there was any interest from another party about operating a Montreal APSL team and Asaro immediately called Joey Saputo, who was able to arrange a meeting with Lino Saputo, owner of Saputo Inc., one of Supra's four main sponsors about taking over the team.[12][14][15]

The Saputos purchased the club from Aliaga,[17] and wanted the club to be the successor to Supra, maintaining much of the team's organizational staff and players for the new team.[18] Supra was dissolved and a new club called the Montreal Impact formed as a new APSL club.[19][20][21] Many of Montreal Supra's best players would join the expansion Impact, winning the league championship in 1994, during the team's second season.[22]

Seasons

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Season Tier League Record Rank Playoffs Ref
1988 1 Canadian Soccer League 8–8–12 5th, East Did not qualify [23]
1989 3–9–14 5th, East
1990 13–11–2 2nd, East Quarter-finals
1991 11–7–10 5th Quarter-finals
1992 6–7–7 4th Semi-finals

Notable players

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Head coaches

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Crossly, Andrew (December 13, 2015). "1988-1992 Montreal Supra". Fun While it Lasted.
  2. ^ "Plus de 100 Histoires - Temple de la Renommée" [Over 100 Stories - Hall of Fame]. Soccer Quebec (in French).
  3. ^ Sirois-Mooumni, Bachir. "Allez L'Impact Allez": Le Rôle des Groupes de Supporters "Ultras" dans la popularisation du Sport-Spectacle du Soccer au Québec ["Go Impact Go": The Role of Supporter Groups "Ultras" in the popularization of the Sport-Spectacle of Soccer in Quebec] (PDF) (in French). Université du Québec à Montréal. p. 20.
  4. ^ Bérube, Martin (October 18, 2009). "Du Manic à L'Impact" [From Manic to Impact]. Propos Montreal (in French).
  5. ^ Litterer, David (January 5, 1996). "Canadian Soccer League I". Soccer History USA.
  6. ^ "Montreal Timeline". Libero.
  7. ^ a b c d "Montreal Supra (1988-92)". CSL Memories.
  8. ^ Tougas, Marc (February 19, 2018). "Souvenirs de l'an 1 de l'Impact" [Memories of Year 1 of the Impact]. Viau Park (in French).
  9. ^ "Les équipes de sports professionnels au Québec, d'hier à d'aujourd'hui" [Professional sports teams in Quebec, from yesterday to today]. Top du Québec (in French).
  10. ^ "Sports People: Soccer; Firmani Named". New York Times. February 8, 1991.
  11. ^ Trudelle, Jean (August 13, 1992). "Le F.C. Supra dans un creux de vague..." [F.C. Supra in a trough...]. La Presse (in French). p. 7.
  12. ^ a b c d e f g Tougas, Marc (May 18, 2017). "D'une ligue canadienne à l'autre" [From one Canadian league to another]. Capitaine Soccer (in French).
  13. ^ Trudelle, Jean (August 13, 1992). "Vosmaer s'en remet à Aliaga" [Vosmaer relies on Aliaga]. La Presse (in French). p. 7.
  14. ^ a b c Intravaia, Fabrizio (January 16, 2018). "L'Impact festeggia 25 anni di storia" [Impact celebrates 25 years of history]. Corriere Italiano (in Italian).
  15. ^ a b c Milano, Pascal (May 12, 2018). "Le Début d'une Grande Aventure" [The Start of a Great Adventure]. La Presse (in French).
  16. ^ Tougas, Marc (February 3, 2012). "Le Fonds de solidarité FTQ investit 7,5 millions $ dans l'Impact de Montréal" [The Fonds de solidarité FTQ invests $ 7.5 million in the Montreal Impact]. Huffington Post (in French).
  17. ^ Cohen, Mike (June 15, 2016). "Robert Tanguay makes "Impact" as public address announcer". The Suburban.
  18. ^ Alarcón, Sebastián (December 26, 2019). "Impact de Montréal:Identidad Francófona en la MLS" [Montreal Impact: Francophone Identity in MLS]. El 9 y Medio (in Spanish).
  19. ^ "Montreal Impact could be changing its name to Montréal FC". CBC. December 1, 2020.
  20. ^ "Three from here get U.S. invitations". The Baltimore Sun. December 16, 1992.
  21. ^ "25 years ago: the Montreal Impact was born". CF Montreal. December 10, 2017.
  22. ^ "History in the Second Division". CF Montreal.
  23. ^ "Canadian Soccer League Standings Archive". Canada Soccer History Archives.
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