First Division. Two teams competing for the title, two teams competing for 3rd place, much weaker, but fairly equal rest of the league, the general decline of the Slovak clubs remained, one unusual outsider. Perhaps not really an outsider – just a team which gave up at some point of the championship.
TJ Slovan CHZJD (Bratislava) – last with 19 points and relegated. The club was in decline for some years, but relegation seemed unthinkable. Yet, it happened and the most successful internationally club went down.
TJ ZTS (Petrzalka) – it was ironic to see the small club, practically from Bratislava, ahead of their famous neighbours, but that was what happened. 15th with 21 points. Relegated as well, but it was expected – their company was unexpected. Yet, both teams were similarly weak – Petrzalka had the former star of Slovan Marian Masny was their sole aged star. Slovan’s mosr recognizable player at the moment was also a veteran – the goalkeeper Pavol Michalik.
TJ ZVL (Zilina) – 14th with 23 points. Traditionally, Zilina always fought only for survival and managing to escape relegation meant good season for them. Well, they survived this time.
TJ Inter Slovnaft (Bratislava) – 13th with 23 points. Also in decline, but better than their famous neighbours. At least , Inter stayed in the league – Slovan was relegated.
TJ Tatran (Presov) – like Zilina, Tatran meandered between 1st and 2nd division and just avoiding relegation was great for them. Thus, it was fine season – 12th with 24 points – but in general, it was not not: the last 5 teams in this championship were Slovak and the remaining 3 were not much better.
TJ Vitkovice (Vitkovice) – 11th with 26 points. The lowest-placed Czech club, but it was fine for the boys – Vitkovice had no big presence in the top league historically.
TJ Lokomotiva (Kosice) – 10th with 27 points. Another Slovak club with weak season, but Lokomotiva was able to put itself together when it mattered most on one hand and on the other – their city rivals were already in Second Division and not doing well even their. From such angles, Lokomotiva was satisfying.
TJ Spartak TAZ (Trnava) – in decline for years and not showing signs for revival, but in terms of Slovak football only – doing better than most. 9th with 29 points.
TJ Ruda hvezda Cheb SVS MV (Cheb) – 8th with 30 points. Never a strong team, Ruda hvezda just enjoyed mid-table position, mostly thanks to the weaknesses of others.
ASVS Dukla (Banska Bystrica) – the best performing Slovak club at the moment, but even that was not much: 7th with 31 points. May be the fact they were Army club helped.
TJ Sigma ZTS (Olomouc) – a club with short first division history, but seemingly on ascent and one of the few bright news in the league. 6th with 31 points.
ASVS Dukla (Prague) – 5th with 32 points. Just a few years back it looked like Dukla was going to restore its domination in Czechoslovakian football, but there was no more believe there will be another golden period like those between 1950 and 1965. Good teams – yes; great ones – no. This seasons Dukla was far, far away not only from the title, but form the battle for bronze medals as well.
TJ Banik Ostrava OKD (Ostrava) – looked like they were slowly fading away. No new great talent after Werner Licka, who was not old at all, but the other well-known stars of the team were. Nothing terrible yet, but Banik only maintained a place among the top teams of the country – not a title contender and losing even 3rd place: 4th with 39 points. 7 points ahead of Dukla, but lost bronze medals on goal-difference to a team, which suffered for many years.
SK Slavia Praha IPS (Prague) – 3rd with 39 points and better goal-difference than Banik’s. Looked like Slavia was reemerging after long decline. Yet, such hopes were entertained before without fulfillment. This time Slavia had first-rate talent – Kubik, Knoflicek – and solid established players – Rott, Jarolim, Nemec. Were they to be champions was a question for the future – presently, they were not ready for more than competing for 3rd position.
TJ Bohemians CKD (Prague) – still enjoying their best period and almost winning a second title. At least, they fought hard for it and lost unfortunately: on goal-difference. 2nd with 43 points. Good squad, strong performance, the only problem was Bohemians was always the smallest of the big 4 clubs in the city and thus without a chance to recruit and keep stars.
TJ Sparta CKD (Prague) – clinched the title on better goal-difference after 19 wins, 5 ties, and 6 losses. 43 points – the same as rivals Bohemians – but 64-24 was better than 58-26 and Sparta got second consecutive title. It was their 15th in total, but most certainly there were more to come – Sparta had the best team in Czechoslovakia, most of the players defining Czechoslovakian football in the 1980s. Having the best of the current generation meant Sparta was going to dominate – and they did dominate for more than a decade: this was still early stage of their long leadership. For that reason only it would have been nicer if Bohemians won this championship, but they did not.
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