Portugal. Second Division – three groups of 16 teams each, the last 4 relegated to third divisions. As promotion, it was complicated this year. The group winners were directly promoted, but they also played a mini-tournament deciding the Second Division champion. The second-placed of each group plus the 13th of First Division participated in a promotional play-off – and here the confusion. According to the final standing the top 2 of this tournament were promoted. However, the promoted teams were only three… The 13th of First Division finished second in the play-off tournament and kept its place among the best. The winner, however, did not go up – either there was a final match between, deciding who gets promotion, or the play-off meant nothing. Anyway, the easy stuff first.
Zona Norte. Five teams competed for the top places and at the end two teams finished with equal points – 41 each.
Salgueiros was placed 2nd on worse goal-difference and went to the promotional play-off.
Varzim was first – 17 wins, 8 ties, 5 losses, 59-18. Supreme goal-difference: +41, compared to +24 Salgueiros had.
Zona Centro. Three teams battled for the top 2 spots, two of them finishing with equal points, so again goal-difference decided the winner. Hm, not the goal-difference after all…
Academica Coimbra was strangely 2nd – 18 wins, 10 ties, 1 loss, 59-13 goal-difference. That is, +46 – their rival had only +34… and finished ahead of Academica. The numbers don’t make sense: one match is missing in the Academica’s record – 29 instead of 30. They either did not play one match for some reason, or lost 2 matches, not one.
Strangely, Alcobaca GC, virtually unheard of club, won the group and the only reason could have been that they won more matches than Academica – 21 to Academica’s 18.
Zona Sul. Two teams really competed this season, so no problem here – they did not finish with equal points.
Farense was 2nd with 39 points.
Maritimo (Funchal) – 1st with 42 points.
The zonal winners went to the championship play-off and here Maritimo proved strongest and won the mini-league with 2 wins and 1 loss and better goal-difference: +4. They were the Second Division champions. Varzim also won twice and lost one match, but had only +2 goal-difference and finished second. Alcobaca lost all their matches, but it did not matter at all – the three zonal winners were already directly promoted to First Division.
The confusing promotional play-off had 4 participants: the three 2nd placed in the zones – Salgueiros, Academica, and Farense, plus Penafiel, the 13th in First Division. Salgueiros won the tournament with 7 points and, curiously, negative goal-difference. Penafiel was 2nd with 6 points and better goal-difference than Academica, also with 6 points. Varzim was last with 5 points. And according to the final table Salgueiros and Penafiel were promoted – or, in the case of Penafiel, kept its place in first division. That they did and were not mentioned further. But Salgueiros was not in the list of promoted clubs this year… However, Salgueiros played in the First Division the next season and Penafiel – not.