1923 Professional Soccer League season

Before the season started, Brooklyn and Buffalo were seen as clear favorite due to their off-season moves compared to the stagnant reigning champions. However, at the league level, both clubs underperformed (though nationally they did quite well for themselves). Despite the changes to team defense the club still could not stop their opponents, they had the worst goal differential at -28 and were the only team to not score a clean sheet (even last place DC managed 2). Brooklyn did not fair as bad, but to the faithful Blue, anything thats not a championship is disgraceful. Especially when their shot was ruined by an own goal in the final game of the season against New York City, a game in which had they won they would've faced Philly whom they had a favorable record against. Speaking of the 'Silver, before the first game of the season team veterans GK Jesse Johnson and M Trey Panico announced that they would both retire at the end of the season, but they promised to end off on a high note after the failure the previous season. And boy did they go out with a bang. Their defense was always strong but with the new addition of Zander Keith it became phenomenal. Between Johnson and rookie GK Brian Graf, there were 19 clean sheets, nearly triple Brooklyn's Josh Machlin who lead the league last year. This combined with great off-ball speed lead to the highest point season in team history. New York City had quite the opposite gameplan, instead of focusing on defense (which they are quite skilled in) they played the highest scoring offense in the league and dominated the teams on the lower end of the table. And after getting the lucky break in Brooklyn in the season finale, they will meet the best defense in the Cup Final. For the second season in a row, Trois underperformed due to hyper focusing on the Challenge Cup... which after getting knocked out early, they did feel a late season resurgence winning 4 of their last 6 matches and dropping no points. As for DC FC, they landed flat bottom of the table again. Why? They have one of the stronger defensive core and an alright offense. Well, it turns out that owner Bill Phillips, who was gifted the team by his friend, the late Irvin Gentry, is the main offender. More on him in the off-season post (and in the NBF where he owns the Washington Presidents)




1923 Professional Soccer League Championship Game II, Reading, Pa.
​For the second year in a row, the championship game will be played in Reading and feature the Pirates. Which for them includes lots of jeering as the Reading fans have more forgotten what happened in 1921. Alas, the game got underway a little past 3. And within literal minute New York was up after a long run from F Kirkbride who passed to F Strickland who easily booted it in. Only a few minutes later would nearly the same play happen again as Strickland got another goal. 10 minutes in and already down by two, it couldn't get much worse for Philly. Except it did, as F Josh Gleason headed it in off of a corner kick before half. Philly fans were distraught all throughout the stands, during the entire season the team only gave up 3 goals over the course of an entire game once, yet alone just one half. However, what skipper Justin Young pulled in the beginning of the second half would go down in Quicksilver lore as one of thee defining moments in club history. Young pulled veteran GK Jesse Johnson for rookie Brian Graf at the start of the second half. A controversial move as Johnson easily had more experience and had performed better throughout the season. Nonetheless it would pay dividends for the team. At 50 minutes the 'Silver got a break as NYC B Jordan Powell took a cheap shot on F Adam Striker inside the box, allowing Striker to cash in on a PK. But the momentary satisfaction for Philly would not last long as the leading scorer for the season, F Steve Thompson would score off the kick-off, dribbling the entire way for a goal, putting the Pirates up 4-1. This score would stand for several more minutes. The future was looking bleak for the Philly faithful. They would get another chance at 67 minutes, Striker would receive a cross just inside the box, but Powell came and shoved him to the ground. Both would exchange words after the whistle was blown until Powell lashed out which lead to a small skirmish between the two. Once it was over the referee gave both a yellow, but it being Powell's second, he was tossed from the game making it 11-10 and a PK to Philly, which Striker would cash in once again making it 4-2. The collapse of the Pirates would start now. Philly forwards Elijah Pace and Nathan Wagner would both score within the next 5 minus to tie the game with 15 minutes left. At 82' the Pirates would attempt a final push through the means of Steve Thompson, his first shot was blocked and lead to a corner. The opportunity to Gleason was blocked. Next corner to Thompson but his shot went wide. But Graf muffed the kick and it landed right to Thompson, it quickly became a two-on-two, Thompson juked B Zander Keith and faked a pass to Strickland, he wanted to win this game himself, the fake would fool Graf who went left. Thompson would square the ball up for an easy tap-in to the far right side. EXCEPT Brian Graf would come from nowhere to just somehow barely get his finger tips on the ball to push it out. It was an unbelievable play by the keeper. Nobody could believe it. The following corner would land at Philly's feet resetting the attack. Now only a few minutes remained before stoppage. Ageless captain Trey Panico found himself with the ball staring upfield. Which he would take and find the through to F Adam Striker who would solidify his long day with a hat trick and the game winning goal in the final minutes. Giving Philly their first Cup win and monstrous applause from the fans that made the short journey out to Reading. 



NYC Strickland 3'
NYC Strickland 10'
NYC Gleason 42'
   PHI Striker 50' (PK)
NYC Thompson 51'
   PHI Striker 67' (PK)
   PHI Pace 69' 
   PHI Wagner 74'
   PHI Striker 88' 



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I meant to have this out yesterday, but my nap ended up going all night. I'll try to get not only the NBF season but the next PSL season out faster than it took me to do this one. Hi Ho Silver!