The Nova Scotia Clippers were a professional soccer team based in the original Canadian Soccer League. They were based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, but played their matches in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia at Beazley Field.[1] They played only a single season in 1991.
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Full name | The Nova Scotia Clippers |
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Nickname(s) | Clippers |
Founded | 1991 |
Dissolved | 1991 |
Stadium | Beazley Field |
Chairman | Stan Brechin |
Head Coach | Gordon Hill |
League | Canadian Soccer League |
1991 | 6th |
In 1989, an expansion franchise for the Canadian Soccer League was awarded to the Nova Scotia Professional Soccer Society, which would debut two years later in 1991.[2][3] They were the first professional soccer team in the Halifax area.[4]
The club played their home matches at Beazley Field in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, after the city of Halifax was not interested in hosting the team at Wanderers Grounds.[5] Dartmouth spent $25,000 in improvements to the field, in anticipation of the Clippers arrival.[6] Their head coach and general manager was Gordon Hill.[1] They played their first home match on May 26, 1991 against the Vancouver 86ers, in front of a crowd of 1,891 spectators, finishing in a 0–0 draw.[6][7] In September 1991, the club played two exhibition matches against the Bermuda national team.[3]
The club finished their debut season with a record of 7 wins, 7 ties, and 14 losses, finishing sixth in the eight team league.[4][1] The team advanced to the playoffs, losing in the first round to the North York Rockets.[1] The club averaged around 1,500 fans per game, although many tickets were handed out for free.[4] There were discussions about moving the team's home field to Wanderers Grounds in Halifax for 1992,[5] however the team folded after the 1991 season due to lack of interest.[1]
After the team folded, the Halifax region was without professional soccer for 27 years, until HFX Wanderers FC joined the new Canadian Premier League.[8]
Season | Tier | League | Record | Rank | Playoffs | Ref |
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1991 | 1 | Canadian Soccer League | 7–7–14 | 6th | Quarter-Final | [9] |
Canadian Soccer League (1987–1992) | |
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