The Cup did not go to Prague either – Jednota (Trencin) won the Slovak Cup and Banik (Ostrava) the Czech one. These winners met to decide the winner of the Czechoslovak Cup this year, a bit unusual final, suggesting the decline of some big clubs and the unfinished shape of others. Jednota clearly suggested the decline of Slovak football – the club was lowly in the Slovak pyramid and for them to soar that high mostly meant a confirmation of the sorry state of Slovan, Spartak, Inter, even the Kosice clubs.
Jednota – meaning ‘Unity’ – was nothing special: they had their ‘normal’ season, that is, struggling to remain in first division. They finished 11th, almost the best they ever did when playing top level football at all. As Cup finalists, they were the underdog… and although they fought bravely, they lost 0-1. The modest club came close to winning a trophy, but, however sad, it was almost inevitable they were to remain empty-handed – the opposition was classier.
Banik had uncharacteristically weak championship season for 1970s were arguably the best years in the history of the club. Slipping down to 10th place was a big disappointment for a squad at its prime. But it was not looming crisis – the team played in the Cup tournament, winning the Czech Cup and thus playing at the Czechoslovakian final. Class and wounded pride combined for a small 1-0 victory, but victory nevertheless.
Second cup for Banik! More than saving the season – they ended with a trophy. And the team was still rising – if Knapp, Vojacek, and Michalik were familiar well established names, Licka, Rygel, Cermak, Radimec, Nemec, and Sreiner were rapidly rising young players. But perhaps the happier of them all was Frantisek Schmucker – the 38 years old veteran goalkeeper, once upon a time a silver World Cup medalists, was already coming to the end of his career. True, he was a reserve, but what cloud be better than ending one’s playing days with a victory. Evzen Hadamczik made his name at this time as coach – unfortunately, he never became really famous coach: illness and work stress drove him to suicide in 1984. But he was happy fellow in the spring of 1978 and his team still had good things coming.