Portugal. Ranked 6th. The season was dominated by Benfica, but there was another very promising sign from a club, seen in big decline for years. Portugal still used classic 2-point for a win system.
Second Division – divided as usual into 3 zones of 18 teams each. The zone winners were directly promoted, the last 5 teams – directly relegated, and at the end the three zone champions played between themselves for the Second Division title.
Zona Norte. One team dominated the championship.
Salgueiros finished 11th with 34 points.
Vizela – 9th with 35 points.
Pacos de Ferreira – 8th with 37 points.
Felgueiras – 7th with 37 points.
Varzim – 6th with 38 points.
Rio Ave – 4th with 41 points.
Freamunde – 2nd with 43 points. A distant second, not really contesting the top place.
Wonderful season for Tirsense – they won the championship without any trouble with 50 points. 20 wins, 10 ties, 4 losses, 56-23 goal-difference. Well deserved promotion to First Division.
Zona Centro. Two teams competed for top position.
Estrela Portalegre ended in the relegation zone – 17th with 20 points – and went down to third level.
Their local rivals did much better – Portalegrense finished 11th with 31 points.
Caldas ended 8th with 36 points.
Covilha – 6th with 38 points.
Uniao de Lamas – 5th with 40 points.
Agueda – 3rd with 44 points. Top row from left: Eduardo, Rui Ferreira, François, Paulo Sérgio, João Luís, Jorge, Palecas, NN, Gabriel I, Adolfo, Hernâni.
Middle row: Rogério Matias, Castanheira (roupeiro/condutor), Caetano Coelho (massagista), Paulo César, Gabriel II, Paulo, Carlos Janeiro, Augusto Semedo (treinador), Rui, António Augusto, Gabriel III, Elói, Canas, Chaves, Barros.
Sitting: Coelho, Gabriel IV, Jean, Miguel, José Augusto, Raúl, Chula, Morais, Rogério, Mico, Alexandre.
Academica Coimbra lost the battle for promotion – 2nd with 52 points. Standing from left: Vítor Nóvoa, João Mendes, Mito, Dimas, Eldon, Reinaldo. Front: Tomás, Barry, Rolão, Rubens Feijão, Mota.
Feirense clinched 1st place with 54 points from 23 wins, 8 ties, 3 losses and 69-18 goal-difference. Wonderful victory, leading to promotion to top flight.
Zona Sul. Two teams fought for first place like in Zona Centro.
Montijo was one of the relegated teams – 17th with 24 points.
Esperanca Lagos – 16th with 25 points and relegated.
Silves escaped relegation only on better head-to-head record with unfortunate Oriental (which had better goal-difference, but it counted only if head-to-head record was even) – 13th with 30 points.
Lusitano de Evora – 12th with 31 points.
Barreirense – 11th with 33 points.
Alverca – 8th with 35 points.
Torreense – 5th with 38 points.
Olhanense – 4th with 38 points.
O Elvas – 3rd with 43 points.
Very strong season for Louletano, but they lost the race for top place – 2nd with 47 points.
Uniao da Madeira prevailed over Louletano by 2 points and was the group champion with 49 points: 20 wins, 9 ties, 5 losses, 54-22 goal-difference. Well earned promotion.
The championship final between the zonal champions – 2-leg round-robin play-offs.
Feirense finished last with 3 points. Tirsense – 2nd with 4 points.
Uniao da Madeira won the play-offs with 5 points: 2 wins, 1 tie, 1 loss, 4-3 goal-difference. They were the champions of Second Division this season. Of course, this was only a final for Second Division title- all participants were already promoted to First Division as zonal winners.