Ottawa Pioneers
| Founded | 1987 |
|---|---|
| Dissolved | 1990 |
| Ground | Terry Fox Stadium |
| Capacity | approx. 2,000 |
| League | Canadian Soccer League |
Ottawa Pioneers/Intrepid was the name of the Canadian Soccer League (CSL) entry from the National Capital Region from 1987-1989 Ottawa, Ontario.
The club was a charter member of the Canadian Soccer League in 1987 and was known in its first season of existence as the National Capital Pioneers. Bob Wilson was named the club's President, Tom D'Amico was the Pioneer's first general manager and Bill Thompson was the team's first head coach.
With the CSL adopting the playing rules of FIFA in which games must be played on natural grass, the Pioneers were forced to play their home games in 1987 across the Ottawa river in Aylmer, Quebec. Lansdowne Park, a much larger CFL football stadium in the city of Ottawa, had artificial surface which forced the club to seek a playing surface in Aylmer, QC for the 1987 season.
The Pioneers that season were a scrappy club finishing with a 7-9-4 record and second in the CSL's Eastern Division with 23 points - 3 points ahead of the established Toronto Blizzard. The club was a low-scoring, defensive-minded club that finished 3rd in the 8-team league with just 23 goals against in 20 contests.
Key scorers on the Pioneers that inaugural season included F John Roumelis (5 goals), M Ed McNally (4 goals) and M Mark Purdy (4 goals). The midfield was patrolled by M Lyndon Hooper, M Ed McNally, captain M Allan Spink and M Mark Purdy. In the back the team had a gritty set of defenders in D John Limniatis, D Iain Baird, D Tom Panhuyzen and D John Vidovich. Goalkeeper Don Ferguson started 19 of the 20 Pioneer games.
The Pioneers hosted the 3rd place Toronto Blizzard in the 1987 CSL Eastern Semi-Final and lost a 2-1 decision to the visitors at Aylmer Sports Park. The club averaged 1,537 fans a game in 1987.
Other members of the 1987 Pioneers included GK Mark Stokes (1 gp), D Patrick Diotte (8 gp), D Sean Holmes(2 gp), D Jay Johnstone (2 gp), M Fred Juett (3 gp), M Michael Lanos (5 gp), M Marty Lauter (8 gp), M Peter Mackie (16 gp) F Mike Williams (8 gp) and F Frank Agananostopolous (2 gp).
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