CMSC
Contents
History
Top-level football in Candelaria And Marquez has historically struggled to gain a foothold in the islands, with the concept of professional sportsmen long viewed with suspicion. The unstable amateur league adopted professionalism in the '40s, but its success was damaged by the economic and political situation in the country, a relationship with hooliganism, and many clubs' parting of the ways with their traditional support base. The not-unfair association with fan violence increasing turned avid supporters into media pariahs, while by the 70s, the increasing availability of television - and the technically superior foreign product - resulted in the league's collapse.
The sport on the islands was resurrected in 1983 with the creation of a knock-out cup competition and a 7-game series between a representative side of Candelaria against one for Marquez and the Outliers. The sides shortly became Candelaria-Allemali FC and Marquez-Onwere FC and were joined by the major surviving amateur clubs in a variety of formats. The Candelaria And Marquez Soccer Championship (CMSC) finally became a fully functioning four-division league for the '92/'93 season.
After the end of season 06/07, all subsequent editions will be referred to numerically as CMSC XXV and onward. This is a result of the league's need to adapt to the programme of international football. With the use of headache-inducing time dilation technology; championships are expected to last a total of two NS years, corresponding in C&M to a full World Cup cycle. This has caused major controversy, with fans complaining that the full league season will to them last little more than two months, while medical practitioners have raised concerns over premature aging in players and club officials alike.
Another recent change has been the loosening of laws discriminating against non-Candelariasians in the league, to allow each team to own the contract of up to three foreign players. This system has, among other things, allowed Albrecht FC to sign Ariddian Naoki Tonnelier, the first female player in the CMSC. In order to help improve the international status of the league, the government has permitted the controversial introduction of tax breaks for foreign nationals playing the the CMSC. Since many of the newest arrivals are from socialist-leaning countries however, the take-up of this option has been mercifully low.
Format
There are 16 clubs in Division One. During the course of a season each club plays the others twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for a total of 30 games. At the end of each season the three lowest placed teams are relegated to Division Two. The top three teams from Division Two are promoted in their place.
There are 12 teams in divisions Two and Three, and 24 teams in division Four split between two regional divisions (the Candelarian League and the Marquez and the Outliers League).
Currently, no CMSC teams are involved in competitive international competition, though the top sides regularly play exhibition matches against other Rushmori club sides.
Television
The CMSC is now the most watched sports league in the country - both at stadiums and on television. One match weekly is telecast on TV1, generally on Monday nights, with Saturday afternoon matches on pay-per-view TV3. OnwereTV currently owns the rights to the weekly prime-time highlights package.
Recently, Kura-Pellandi sports channel NTV Sport 2 has aquired the rights to to CMSC highlights and is expected to broadcast a number of live games since former national team manager Andy Woolworth took over as manager of Marquez-Onwere FC. A scattering of Rushmori satellite channels also broadcast lives games and highlights.
Financial Situation
As a result of the anti- big business paranoia in much of C&M society and particularly its' sport, the league is administered as a group, with no money changing hands during player transfer, salary caps, luxury taxes and parachute payments. Despite this, and extensive 'fit and proper person' tests on club owners; private financing of clubs is endemic and it has still been possible for small but wealthy teams. to achieve success beyond their right, most notably KT Hotspur and Castillo FC.
Division One has one major sponsor, CMLcorp, a notable producer of computer equipment, who supply the division's winner's trophy.
Division One History (Modern Era)
| CMSC Season | Champions | Runners-Up | Third Place | CMS Cup Winners | Runners-Up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 83/84 | Marquez(OW) | Candelaria(AM) | Gamboa FC | Ironside | |
| 84/85 | Marquez(OW) | Candelaria(AM) | Caires Sports | Albrecht FC | |
| 85/86 | Marquez(OW) | Khatib FC | Candelaria(AM) | Gamboa FC | KT Hotspur |
| 86/87 | Candelaria(AM) | Albrecht FC | Marquez(OW) | Di Alfonso Club | Bove FC |
| 87/88 | Gamboa FC | Caires Sports | Khatib FC | Dyce FC | Caires FC |
| 88/89 | A.Turks | Albrecht FC | Gamboa FC | Dyce FC | Onwere FC |
| 89/90 | Candelaria(AM) | KT Hotspur | Abiodun North | Sloane FC | Khatib FC |
| 90/91 | Albrecht FC | Turks (KT) | Candelaria(AM) | Albrecht FC | A.Turks |
| 91/92 | Albrecht FC | Ironside | Marquez(OW) | Albrecht FC | Dyce FC |
| 92/93 | KT Hotspur | Radyukevich | Cathedral City | Marquez(OW) | Albrecht FC |
| 93/94 | Albrecht FC | Turks (KT) | Khatib FC | Fallon Utd | Gamboa FC |
| 94/95 | Port of Clotaire | Turks (KT) | Albrecht FC | Bass FC | Gamboa FC |
| 95/96 | Khatib FC | Caires FC | Turks (KT) | Marquez(OW) | Candelaria(AM) |
| 96/97 | Turks (KT) | Candelaria(AM) | Khatib FC | Albrecht FC | Turks (KT) |
| 97/98 | Castillo FC | Turks (KT) | Caires FC | KT Hotspur | Turks (KT) |
| 98/99 | Green Island FC | Castillo FC | Albrecht FC | Albrecht FC | Turks (KT) |
| 99/00 | Castillo FC | Cathedral City | Marquez (OW) | Ironside | Turks (KT) |
| 00/01 | Turks (KT) | Castillo FC | A.Turks | Turks (KT) | Abiodun North |
| 01/02 | Castillo FC | Albrecht FC | KT Hotspur | Castillo FC | Mayo Valley FC |
| 02/03 | Albrecht FC | A.Turks | Turks (KT) | KT Hotspur | Port of Clotaire |
| 03/04 | Albrecht FC | Candelaria(AM) | Gamboa FC | Ironside | Arrigo City |
| 04/05 | Gamboa FC | Candelaria(AM) | Albrecht FC | Port of Clotaire | Turks (KT) |
| 05/06 | Albrecht FC | A.Turks | Turks (KT) | Mayo Valley FC | Radyukevich |
| 06/07 | Albrecht FC | Marquez(OW) | Turks (KT) | Radyukevich | Turks (KT) |
| XXV | Albrecht FC | Green Island | A.Turks | Green Island | Radyukevich |
Season XXV
Division One
Albrecht FC won their fith title in six seasons seasons, mere months after new manager Trevor Organ had appeared under serious pressure after a poor start. They were finally gifted the league title on the twenty-ninth matchday of the season, after surprise package Green Island failed to pick up the three points needed to stay in contention. The Zapata-based newcomers provided the story of the season; coach Hane Davies rightly being named Manager of the Year in helping his side to a second-place finish and a CMS Cup victory. A number of his players were among XXV's best performers and winners of the individual post-season awards; striker Stuart Vidakovic being the Golden Boot winner for the most league goals (19) and Roger Zetaback being awarded the Players' Player and Sportswriters' Player of the Year awards as well as being named the best foreigner. C&M Under-21 captain Ben Young was named Best Defender, though missed out on the Young Player of the Year award to Albrecht FC's Ben Edwards.
Other notable achievers of XXV included Abiodun North, genuine title challengers for much of the season; and C.A.L who caused something up an upset by merely surviving, and condemning Caires Sports, Cathedral City and Melin & Nader to relegation. KT Hotspur, MarquezOW and TurksKT all disappointed somewhat by finishing in midtable positions.
Final Standings
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C. Albrecht FC | 61 | 30 | 18 | 7 | 5 | 71 | 38 | 33 |
| 2. Green Island FC | 55 | 30 | 16 | 7 | 7 | 54 | 36 | 18 |
| 3. Albrecht Turkish Club | 51 | 30 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 53 | 35 | 18 |
| 4. Radyukevich Clotaire Sports Club | 50 | 30 | 16 | 2 | 12 | 53 | 44 | 9 |
| 5. Castillo United FC | 46 | 30 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 48 | 40 | 8 |
| 6. Abiodun North FC | 44 | 30 | 13 | 5 | 12 | 41 | 40 | 1 |
| 7. Port of Clotaire FC | 44 | 30 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 35 | 35 | 0 |
| 8. KT Hotspur | 43 | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 41 | 31 | 10 |
| 9. Marquez-Onwere FC | 42 | 30 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 51 | 43 | 8 |
| 10. Turks' Club of Khatib | 40 | 30 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 44 | 44 | 0 |
| 11. Caires City FC | 37 | 30 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 49 | 59 | -10 |
| 12. Candelaria-Allemali FC | 35 | 30 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 30 | 40 | -10 |
| 13. Candelaria Arsenal Lavange FC | 31 | 30 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 31 | 59 | -28 |
| 14. Caires Sports Club | 29 | 30 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 30 | 48 | -19 |
| 15. Cathedral City FC | 29 | 30 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 31 | 51 | -20 |
| 16. Melin & Nader FC | 24 | 30 | 6 | 6 | 18 | 24 | 52 | -28 |
Lower Leagues
Arrigo Portuguese FC, El din Marbles and AFC MN Smith were all promoted from Division Two to Division One of the CMSC, the latter two for the very first time. Sloane Wanderers and Swords of Bass were relegated.
Alvery Blades and Khatib FC won promotion from Division Three. Maidment Sports Club and Sloane Snakes were relegated to the Regional Divisions.
CMS Cup
Green Island beat Radyukevich 1-0 in the Cup final thanks to an early Stuart Vidakovic header.
External Links
CMSC XXV Preview
CMSC XXV Story of the Season
CMSC XXV Season End Review
