Czechoslovakia – ranked 13th. Apart from Sparta (Prague) dominance, the excitement came from the great success of very old, but practically unknown outside Czechoslovakia club, which only recently climbed to first level football.
Second Division. Divided into Czech and Slovak leagues and mostly dominated by few former top league members.
Czech National League. Two teams were way above the other 14 participants and those two fought for top position giving promotion. TJ JZD Slusovice had strong season, good for 3rd place at the end, but the modest club was not close to the leaders with 36 points.
Zbrojovka (Brno) and Spartak (Hradec Kralove) fought between themselves and Zbrojovka lost – second with 41 points.
Spartak ZVU (Hradec Kralove) prevailed and the championship with 43 points from 16 wins, 11 ties, 3 losses, 51-20 goal-difference. Going back to first level football after quite a long exile – they were relegated in 1980-81.
The Slovak National Football League was more intriguing by some teams playing there if not because of class – four of the strongest teams during the 1970s and one of them traditionally one of the strongest teams in Czechoslovakia. Local derbies too: Slovan and Inter from Bratislava and Lokomotiva and ZTS from Kosice. ZTS sounded unfamiliar to some, but this was a club often changing names – in their strong period they called mostly VSS. Anyway, the Kosice clubs were too weak now and occupied mid-table – Lokomotiva finished 7th and ZTS – 8th. The Bratislava clubs battled not only between themselves, but also against raising ZVL Povazska Bystrica. Nobody else was able to come even close – ZVL Povazska Bystrica finished 10 points ahead of 4th place SH Senica. But they lost the battle for the top, finishing with 43 points. The Bratislava clubs ended with 45 points each and goal-difference decided the winner. Which was not Slovan – they had +43 and that was not enough. Won most games this championship, though – 20.
Internacional ZTS Slovnaft – or just Inter – clinched victory and promotion. 19 wins, 7 ties, and 4 losses gave them 45 points, just like city rivals Slovan. But their goal-difference was 68-23. Plus 45, which was their whole advantage: 2 goals. Small advantage, but crucial and it was ever so sweet to beat their famous neighbours. Inter was just relegated and immediately climbed back to First Division – and Slovan, the only Czechoslovak club winning European cup, continued its exile in second level.
So, familiar names won the Second Division leagues and got promoted, but both came ahead of traditionally more successful clubs, which was interesting.
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