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1984 Minnesota Strikers Season
The 1984 Minnesota Strikers season of the North American Soccer League was the first season of the new team, and the club's eighteenth season in professional soccer. It is also the first ever incarnation of the club's new name. Previously, they were known as the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. This was the first time the club played in the Western Division. They finished in third place and did not make the playoffs that year. After the league ended in 1984, the club folded the outdoor team and placed an indoor team in the Major Indoor Soccer League during the 1984–85 season, and continued to do so until 1988. Background Review Competitions NASL regular season ''W = Wins, L = Losses, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, BP = Bonus Points, Pts= point system'' 6 points for a win, 4 points for a shootout win, 0 points for a loss, 1 point for each regulation goal scored up to three per game. Scoring leaders ''GP = Games Played, G = Goals (worth 2 points), A = ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Minnesota Strikers
The Minnesota Strikers were an American soccer team that competed in the North American Soccer League (NASL) for the 1984 season and in the Major Indoor Soccer League from 1984 through 1988. The team was based in Minneapolis/St. Paul metropolitan area and played their outdoor home games at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome and the Met Center for indoor games. Founded in 1967 as the Washington Darts and playing in Miami as the Gatos and the Toros before playing seven season as the Fort Lauderdale Strikers the team left Florida following the 1983 North American Soccer League season. After the 1987–88 season and playing four seasons in the MISL the team ceased operations. History Origins and 1984 NASL season Founded in 1963 as the amateur club Washington Britannica and eventually rebranding as the Washington Darts, the team joined the North American Soccer League in 1970 after playing three seasons in the American Soccer League and winning two consecutive ASL championships. Af ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vancouver Whitecaps (1974–84)
Vancouver Whitecaps Football Club is a Canadian professional Association football, soccer team based in Vancouver. They compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member club of the league's Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. The MLS iteration of the club was established on March 18, 2009, and began play in 2011 as the 17th team to enter Major League Soccer while replacing the USSF Division 2 Professional League, USSF Division 2 Vancouver Whitecaps (1986–2010), team of the same name in the city, making them a Phoenix club (association football), phoenix club and the third to carry the Whitecaps name. The club has been owned and managed by the same group since their USSF days. In the 2012 season, the team became the first Canadian team to qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs. The Whitecaps have won two Canadian Championships, in 2015 Canadian Championship, 2015 and 2022 Canadian Championship, 2022. Vancouver also competes against longtime Pacific Northwest rivals Seattle ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paul Hammond (footballer)
Paul Hammond is an English former professional association football goalkeeper who played professionally in England, the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. Playing career On 13 January 1971, Hammond signed as an apprentice with English First Division club Crystal Palace. He remained in the Palace youth team until first team keeper, John Jackson was injured in 1972. While Hammond then became the starting keeper, his inexperience was a contributing factor to Palace's slide to the second division, then third division. In the midst of Palace's free fall through the English leagues, the team loaned Hammond to the Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–1993), Tampa Bay Rowdies of the North American Soccer League for off-season training. The Rowdies were created in 1974 and began play in 1975. The new owners hired Eddie Firmani, an assistant with Palace, as the team's first head coach. Firmani brought over three Palace players, Stewart Jump, Mark Lindsay and Hammond f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Roberto Bettega
Roberto Bettega (; born 27 December 1950) is an Italian former footballer who played as a forward. A prolific and athletic player, Bettega is mostly remembered for his successful time at his hometown club Juventus, where he won several titles and established himself as one of Italy's greatest ever players due to his strength, skill, goalscoring ability, and creativity. He was nicknamed ''La penna bianca'' ("White Feather") due to his appearance, and ''Bobby Gol!'' due to his eye for goal. At international level, he represented Italy at the 1978 FIFA World Cup, and at the 1980 European Championships, helping his team to fourth-place finishes on both occasions; he was unable to take part at the 1982 World Cup, which Italy won, due to injury. In December 2009, Bettega was officially appointed deputy director-general of Juventus. His role was to act as an intermediary between the players and coaching staff and the upper echelons of the club, as well as taking an active involvement ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jean Willrich
Jean Wilhelm Willrich (born April 27, 1953) is a German-American soccer player who played as a forward. He played in his native Germany, then two seasons in the Netherlands, eight in the North American Soccer League and twelve in the Major Indoor Soccer League. Playing career Europe Willrich, born in Koblenz, Germany, to a German mother and a French father, began playing club soccer at TuS Neuendorf and later joined Andernach before heading to Sportfreunde Eisbachtal. In 1976, he was signed by Dutch First Division club PSV Eindhoven. During the 1976–77 season, he saw action in only four games and was loaned to MVV Maastricht for the 1977–1978 season. San Diego Sockers In 1978, Willrich moved to the United States and signed with the San Diego Sockers of the North American Soccer League (NASL). The Sockers had played the 1977 NASL season as the Las Vegas Quicksilvers before moving to San Diego and changing its name to the Sockers. In September 1978, he was loaned by German ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alan Willey (footballer, Born 1956)
Alan Willey (born 18 October 1956) is an English former footballer who spent most of his playing career in the United States. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Born in Houghton-le-Spring, Willey is the second-leading goal scorer in the history of the North American Soccer League (NASL). Willey played most of his career with the Minnesota Kicks and was inducted to the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2003. He began his career with English football club, Middlesbrough in 1974. In the NASL he played for the Minnesota Kicks (1976 to 1981), the Montreal Manic (1981 to 1983) and the Minnesota Strikers (1984). He finished his NASL career with 129 goals in 238 games and an additional 13 goals in 26 play-off games. He memorably scored five goals in a play-off game against the New York Cosmos New York Cosmos may refer to * New York Cosmos (1970–1985), a team in the North American Soccer League (then the top-tier soccer league in the United States and Canada) ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
David Byrne (footballer, Born 1960)
David Byrne is an English-born South African soccer coach and former professional player. He was in 1982 and 1984 a top ten scorer in the North American Soccer League. Player Professional The son of former England international and West Ham United star Johnny Byrne, Byrne was born in England, but raised in Cape Town. In 1979, Byrne moved to the United States where he joined the Atlanta Chiefs just in time for the 1979–1980 North American Soccer League indoor season. He continued to play for the Chiefs until 1981 when he moved to the Toronto Blizzard where he played one indoor and three outdoor seasons. He finished the 1982 season ninth on the scoring list with 39 points in 32 games. He led the league in assists as Blizzard teammates (and fellow South Africans) Neill Roberts and Ace Ntsoelengoe finished seventh and eighth respectively in scoring. He finished 1983 sixth with 44 points in 29 games and 1984 seventh with 37 points in 20 games. Bryne was named to the NASL A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ade Coker
Ade Coker (born 19 May 1954) is a Nigerian-American former football player who played as a striker. Coker began with English club West Ham United then moved to the North American Soccer League and the Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned five caps with the U.S. national team. Professional career Coker was born in Nigeria, but moved to England at the age of 11. He was playing schoolboy football when he was spotted by West Ham scout Wally St Pier. In 1971, he signed with the English First Division club West Ham United when he was 17. His first start with the Hammers came on 30 October 1971, against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park following a late injury to Geoff Hurst. He scored on his debut, a 3–0 victory, but despite this auspicious first game, he made only eleven first team appearances over three seasons.Belton, Brian (2006). ''The Black Hammers p.23-24'' Pennant Books. He spent the 1974 off-season with the Boston Minutemen of the North American Soccer League (NAS ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Peter Ward (footballer, Born 1955)
Peter Ward (born 27 July 1955) is an English retired footballer, whose most successful times were with Brighton & Hove Albion, mostly as a forward. He now lives in the United States. Early life Ward was born at St. Michael's Hospital in Lichfield, Staffordshire. He was the first child born to his parents, Colin and Mavis Ward, who met as members of the Derby Serenaders marching band. The band remained a major part of Ward's family life, with Colin encouraging Ward to take up playing the drums as well. Along with music, he was attracted to football from an early age; his father would later state that he "kicked a ball around as soon as he could walk." Club career Early career and Brighton Ward was an apprentice engine fitter at the Rolls-Royce plant in Derby. While there he played for non-league side Burton Albion making 50 appearances and scoring 21 goals. He was transferred to Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. in 1975 for a fee of £4000 (almost $5,500). The move also saw Burton ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Karl-Heinz Granitza
Karl-Heinz Granitza (born 1 November 1951) is a German former professional footballer who played as a forward. In the United States, he is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Granitza was born in Lünen, North Rhine-Westphalia. He played in Germany for VfB Lünen, Eintracht Dortmund, Lüner SV, DJK Gütersloh, SV Röchling Völklingen and Hertha BSC. In 1978 and again for the 1979 season, he transferred to the Chicago Sting of the NASL, leading the team to two league championships. He also excelled at the indoor game. Granitza was known for his powerful and accurate left foot and for dating Heidi Onken. He was also very effective with direct free kicks, having the ability to strike the ball with top spin over the wall of defenders, and into the upper corners of the goal. He would finish as the NASL's second all-time leading scorer. In the 1990s Granitza owned "State Street", an American-style sports bar in Berlin. In 2003, Granitza was inducted into the Natio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ron Futcher
Ronald Futcher (born 25 September 1956) is an English former footballer who played as a centre-forward. He was the fourth highest career scorer of the North American Soccer League, and made over 400 appearances in total for nine different English Football League clubs. He was noted for his aerial ability and solid ball control. He began his career at Chester, before moving on to Luton Town the following year. He signed with Manchester City in August 1978, but left Maine Road the following year to concentrate on his career in the United States with the Minnesota Kicks. After the club disbanded he moved on to Portland Timbers and then the Tulsa Roughnecks, winning the Soccer Bowl in 1983. The next year he returned to England with Barnsley, following a brief spell with Dutch side NAC Breda. He signed with Oldham Athletic in 1985, and then transferred to Bradford City in 1987. He was bought by Port Vale in August 1988 for £35,000, and helped the "Valiants" to win promotio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Branko Šegota
Branimir "Branko" Šegota (born June 8, 1961) is a Canadian former professional soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ... forward, starring in the original Major Soccer League, Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL), the North American Soccer League (1968-1984), North American Soccer League (NASL), the Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL), the National Professional Soccer League II, National Professional Soccer League, and the Canadian Soccer League (1987–1992), Canadian Soccer League. Club career Born in Rijeka, then part of People's Republic of Croatia, PR Croatia, Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, FPR Yugoslavia, Branko Šegota moved with his family to Canada at the age of 7. Raised in Toronto, Šegota began his pro soccer career at age 17, signing with ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
