Houston Dynamos was a U.S. soccer team that existed in various forms from 1983 to 1991. In 1991, the team's owners changed the name to Houston International, but the team lasted only through the 1992 season before folding. The Dynamos were founded by Pete Kane and John M Gaughan. The Dynamos were founded with the intention of a continued building of the sport of soccer in Houston Texas. The Dynamos were the first team to give contracts to its players based on an entire year not on a season. The Houston Dynamos players year round went to parks, schools and events promoting the sport of soccer. In 1985 the Dynamos brought Pele to Houston creating great interest in the sport and spreading goodwill.

1984: United Soccer League

In 1983, the

United Soccer League United Soccer League (USL), formerly known as United Soccer Leagues, is a soccer league in the United States and Canada. It organizes several men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Men's leagues currently organized are the ...

(USL) was formed after the second American Soccer League (ASL) folded that year. The ASL had served as the de facto U.S. second division for decades, but collapsed due to over expansion and financial insolvency. The USL intended to avoid this fate by creating a lean, financially responsible league. In 1984, the league began play with nine teams in three regional divisions. The Houston Dynamos joined the

Oklahoma City Stampede The Oklahoma City Slickers was the name given to two different American soccer clubs based in Oklahoma City. The first team competed in the second American Soccer League in 1982 and 1983, and as the Oklahoma City Stampede in the United Soccer Lea ...

and

Dallas Americans Dallas Americans was an American soccer club based in Dallas, Texas that was a member of the American Soccer League. After the ASL folded, the club joined the newly formed United Soccer League, which itself lasted two seasons. It is also the name ...

in the Western Division. The Dynamos gained a significant boost when it signed José Neto. Houston finished third in the league, but second in its division. In the wild card game, the Dynamos defeated the

. In the semifinals, they defeated the

two games to none. Their run ended in the championship, when they lost 3–0 to the

Fort Lauderdale Sun Fort Lauderdale Sun was a U.S. soccer team which played two seasons in the United Soccer League. In 1984, the team was known as the Fort Lauderdale Sun. Before the 1985 season they changed their name to the South Florida Sun. Origins The United S ...

in the third, and deciding, game of the series.

1984 Roster

* Manny Andruszewski * Mike Barbarick 24 Apps 0 Goals * Giulio Bernardi * Beto Dos Santos * Bob Bozada * Glenn Davis * Jim Elder * Soloman Hilton * Tony Johnson 22 Apps 11 Goals *

Mark Lugris Mark 'Marcos' Lugris (born January 1, 1962) is a former Puerto Rican association football, football player. He played his professional club football mostly in the United States. He represented Puerto Rico in the 1990-94-98 FIFA World Cup Qualifyin ...

* William McDonald * Jose Neto 21 Apps 22 Goals (1984 league MVP) * Manny Neves * Ed Puskarich *

Thomas Rafferty Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...

Nathan Sacks Nathan Sacks ( he, נתן זקס) is a former South African professional football (soccer) player who spent one season in the North American Soccer League. Professional In 1981, Sacks signed with the Dallas Tornado of the North American Soccer ...

* Walter Schlothauer *

Joseph Serralta Joseph is a common male given name, derived from the Hebrew Yosef (יוֹסֵף). "Joseph" is used, along with "Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the mo ...

Lesh Shkreli Lesh Shkreli (born ) is a retired Montenegrin-American soccer forward who played in Yugoslavia, Greece and the United States. He led the American Indoor Soccer Association in scoring in 1984-1985, earning MVP honors. Shkreli is Albanian ethnic ...

Roland Sikinger Roland Sikinger is a retired American soccer goalkeeper who played professionally in the North American Soccer League, United Soccer League, American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. Player Club career Sikinger graduated from Ja ...

Gary Vogel Gary Vogel is a retired American soccer defender who played professionally in the North American Soccer League and the Major Indoor Soccer League. Vogel attended Hartwick College where he played on the men's soccer team from 1975 to 1977. He t ...

1985-1986: Independent

In 1985, the Dynamos chose not to return to the USL for the league's second season when it became apparent the league would not survive. Despite the league's attempt at financial austerity, it indeed folded eight games into the 1985 season. Having forsaken the USL, the Dynamos played an exhibition schedule as an independent team.

1987-1991: Lone Star Soccer Alliance

In 1987, the Dynamos entered a newly established league, the

Lone Star Soccer Alliance Lone Star Soccer Alliance was a soccer league that existed from 1987 to 1992. While most of the teams came from Texas, some also came from Oklahoma and Kansas. History First proposed by the Houston Dynamos, on April 18, 1987, the Lone Star So ...

. At the end of the 1990 season, the team ownership changed the team's name to Houston International for the franchise's final season.

Coaches

Gary Hindley Gary Hindley (born May 8, 1947) is an American soccer coach. He has coached youth soccer, high school, college and professional teams. He won Coach of the Year honors in 1984 in the United Soccer League, 1991 American Professional Soccer League a ...

(1984-1985) (1984 Coach of the Year)

Year-by-year

Honors

MVP *1984 José Neto Coach of the Year *1984

Executive of the Year *1984 Peter Kane

Legacy

The

MLS Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada ...

team the Houston Dynamo is named after the Dynamos.

References

{{United Soccer League (1984–85) United Soccer League (1984–85) teams Lone Star Soccer Alliance teams Defunct soccer clubs in Texas Dynamos Association football clubs established in 1983 Association football clubs disestablished in 1992 1983 establishments in Texas 1992 disestablishments in Texas