Turkey – ranked 26. Four teams were way above the rest, but only two of them were entangled in a battle for the title. Fenerbahce was in decline. New Cup winner. The league was going to be increased to 20 teams the next season, so two teams were relegated and three promoted. Still 2 points for a win.
Second Division – 53 teams divided in 3 groups. Group A for some reason had 17 teams, the other two – 18 teams each. Only in Group C dramatic battle for top position occurred. Of the three freshly relegated teams only one managed to return back to top flight.
Group A. One team dominated the championship and two other teams were much stronger than the rest, but far behind the leader.
Kayserispor, freshly relegated, finished 3rd with 42 points – 7 points ahead of 4th-placed Gaziantepspor, but 11 points behind the winners.
AdanaDemirspor (Adana) dominated the group, winning the championship with 53 points from 23 wins, 7 ties, 2 losses and 77-27 goal-difference. Promoted to First Division.
Group B. Perhaps the group with most former top league members – Adanaspor, Mersin, Goztepe, and freshly relegated Orduspor – but none of them was running for promotion. One team dominated the championship, followed by 6 stronger than the rest, but weaker than the leader teams.
Yeni Salihlispor was one of those stronger teams – they finished 4th with 40 points.
Karsiyaka SK won the group and was promoted – 22 wins,9 ties, 3 losses, 58-19 goal-difference and 53 points. The second finisher – Izmirspor – was 10 points behind.
Group C. The only group with dramatic battle for top position between 2 teams way above the rest. Konyaspor and just relegated Sakaryaspor fought to the end and only goal-difference determined the winner.
Konyaspor lost only 1 match. The rest: 23 wins and 10 ties. They scored 62 goals and received only 14. Great defensive record, wonderful goal-difference of +48, 56 points.
Sakaryaspor played top league football only a year ago and wanted very much to go back to top flight. They won 25 games, tied 6 and lost 3 – that gave them 56 points, the same as their bitter rivals Konyaspor. Goal-difference decided in Sakaryaspor’s favour: they finished 77-26, that is +51, 3 goals better record and first place was their. Most unfortunate for Konyaspor and big joy for Sakaryaspor.
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