The New York Arrows were an
indoor soccer team that played in the original
Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) from 1978 to 1984. They won the first four MISL championships.
History
Preparing for the first season
In 1978, the New York Arrows began their first season as an indoor soccer team in the newly-established
Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL). They were owned by
Bernie Rodin
Bernie may refer to:
Places in the United States
* Bernie, Missouri, a city
* Griffithsville, West Virginia, also called Bernie
People
* Bernie (given name)
** Bernie Sanders, United States senator and 2016 and 2020 Democratic presidential candi ...
, and John Luciani who also owned the
Rochester Lancers of the
North American Soccer League The North American Soccer League may refer to:
*North American Soccer League (1968–1984), a former Division I league
*North American Soccer League (2011–2017)
The North American Soccer League (NASL) was a professional men's soccer league b ...
. While preparing for the MISL's inaugural season, the Arrows' imported nearly the entire roster of the Lancers, which played a spring-to-fall schedule.
However, the Arrows did make one significant, and crucial, addition: they signed
Steve Zungul
''yes'Steve is a masculine given name, usually a short form (hypocorism) of Steven or Stephen
Notable people with the name include:
steve jops
* Steve Abbott (disambiguation), several people
* Steve Adams (disambiguation), several people
* Steve ...
, a virtually unknown Yugoslavian player. Zungul was a seasoned outdoor player from
HNK Hajduk Split who had gained the approval of the
Yugoslavia Football Federation to play outside of his native country for a few months. When he refused to return to Hajduk, the Yugoslavia Football Federation obtained a ruling from
FIFA forbidding any outdoor team from signing him. This ruled out nearly every club in the world, and forced Zungul to sign with a team in the newly established MISL.
On December 22, 1978, the New York Arrows kicked off the first season of MISL, playing in the league's first game, at home versus the
Cincinnati Kids.
Champions
The decision to import the Lancers paid off, as the Arrows finished second out of six teams. Only the
Houston Summit
Houston Summit were a professional indoor soccer team that operated from 1978 to 1980. They played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League. In 1980, the franchise was moved to Baltimore to become the Baltimore Blast. Their roster mainly include ...
had a better record, but it was the Arrows who took the title, defeating the
Philadelphia Fever.
The Arrows finished first in their division the next three years, before taking the titles over the
Houston Summit
Houston Summit were a professional indoor soccer team that operated from 1978 to 1980. They played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League. In 1980, the franchise was moved to Baltimore to become the Baltimore Blast. Their roster mainly include ...
(1979–80) and the
St. Louis Steamers (1980–81 and 1981–82).
Dominating players
While the Arrows dominated the league as a team, several Arrows players gained repeated individual recognition. In his four seasons with the Arrows, Steve Zungul, "The Lord of All Indoors",
regularly scored nearly five goals per game and in one instance, scored seven in a game versus the
Chicago Horizons in 1981. His scoring exploits led to his selection as League MVP four times running. He was also the four time league scoring leader and a two time assists leader. While Zungul was head and shoulders above nearly every other player in the league, he was not the only Arrows great.
Shep Messing
Shep Norman Messing (born October 9, 1949) is a retired American soccer goalkeeper and current broadcaster who works as the lead analyst for New York Red Bulls matches on the MSG Network. In 2021 he took the position of chairman of the Major Arena ...
was the first championship series MVP and a perennial all star. His replacement,
Zoltan Toth, was the 1982–1983 Goalkeeper of the Year.
Juli Veee
Juli Veee (born Gyula Visnyei; February 22, 1950) is a Hungarian-American retired soccer forward. Announced as "Double-deuce, triple-E, the one and only Juli Veee", Veee experienced his greatest success as an indoor player with the San Diego So ...
was an outstanding midfielder while
Branko Šegota
Branimir "Branko" Šegota (born June 8, 1961) is a Canadian former professional soccer forward, starring in the original Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL), the North American Soccer League (NASL), the Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL) ...
was a perennial All Star. However, these are merely a handful of great Arrows players.
Decline and bankruptcy
Though a powerhouse on the field, they were not a powerhouse at the box office. Shortly after the team won its fourth and final MISL title, the team was sold. In January 1983, the team traded Steve Zungul to the
San Jose Earthquakes for
Gary Etherington
Gary Etherington (born April 22, 1958 in England) is a retired soccer player who began his professional career in the North American Soccer League before moving to the Major Indoor Soccer League. He earned seven caps with the U.S. national tea ...
and
Gordon Hill. While billed as a move to "Americanize" the Arrows, it was largely a cost saving device. While Zungul went on to become the NASL League MVP in 1984, the Arrows collapsed and folded at the end of the season. The six seasons in the MISL the Arrows avg. 6,440 per game.
Arena
Their home arena was
Nassau Coliseum in
Uniondale, New York
Uniondale is a census-designated place (CDP), as well as a suburb in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island, in the Town of Hempstead. The population was 32,473 at the 2020 United States Census. Uniondale is home to Hofstra University's nort ...
.
Management
* Owner –
John Luciani
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second ...
(1978–1982)
* Owner –
David Schoenstadt
David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...
(1982–1984)
* General Manager –
Tod Leiweke
Tod Leiweke (born January 12, 1960, in St. Louis, Missouri) is an American sports executive who is currently part-owner, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Seattle Kraken.
Career
In the early 1980s, Leiweke was vice president of th ...
Coaches
*
Dragan Popović
Dragan "Don" Popovic (Serbian Cyrillic: Драган Дон Поповић; born 1 January 1941) is a retired professional soccer midfielder and coach in the United States. He played professionally in Yugoslavia, Canada and the North American Socc ...
1978–1983
*
Shep Messing
Shep Norman Messing (born October 9, 1949) is a retired American soccer goalkeeper and current broadcaster who works as the lead analyst for New York Red Bulls matches on the MSG Network. In 2021 he took the position of chairman of the Major Arena ...
1983
*
Joe Machnik
Year-by-year
Honors
MISL Championship
* 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982
League MVP
* 1978–1979
Slaviša Žungul
Slaviša Žungul, known in the United States as Steve Zungul (born 28 July 1954) is a retired Yugoslav American soccer striker.
Žungul began his career with Hajduk in his native Yugoslavia before controversially moving to the United States wh ...
* 1979–1980
Slaviša Žungul
Slaviša Žungul, known in the United States as Steve Zungul (born 28 July 1954) is a retired Yugoslav American soccer striker.
Žungul began his career with Hajduk in his native Yugoslavia before controversially moving to the United States wh ...
* 1980–1981
Slaviša Žungul
Slaviša Žungul, known in the United States as Steve Zungul (born 28 July 1954) is a retired Yugoslav American soccer striker.
Žungul began his career with Hajduk in his native Yugoslavia before controversially moving to the United States wh ...
* 1981–1982
Slaviša Žungul
Slaviša Žungul, known in the United States as Steve Zungul (born 28 July 1954) is a retired Yugoslav American soccer striker.
Žungul began his career with Hajduk in his native Yugoslavia before controversially moving to the United States wh ...
Championship MVP
* 1978–1979
Shep Messing
Shep Norman Messing (born October 9, 1949) is a retired American soccer goalkeeper and current broadcaster who works as the lead analyst for New York Red Bulls matches on the MSG Network. In 2021 he took the position of chairman of the Major Arena ...
* 1979–1980
Slaviša Žungul
Slaviša Žungul, known in the United States as Steve Zungul (born 28 July 1954) is a retired Yugoslav American soccer striker.
Žungul began his career with Hajduk in his native Yugoslavia before controversially moving to the United States wh ...
* 1980–1981
Slaviša Žungul
Slaviša Žungul, known in the United States as Steve Zungul (born 28 July 1954) is a retired Yugoslav American soccer striker.
Žungul began his career with Hajduk in his native Yugoslavia before controversially moving to the United States wh ...
* 1981–1982
Slaviša Žungul
Slaviša Žungul, known in the United States as Steve Zungul (born 28 July 1954) is a retired Yugoslav American soccer striker.
Žungul began his career with Hajduk in his native Yugoslavia before controversially moving to the United States wh ...
Scoring Champion
* 1979–1980
Slaviša Žungul
Slaviša Žungul, known in the United States as Steve Zungul (born 28 July 1954) is a retired Yugoslav American soccer striker.
Žungul began his career with Hajduk in his native Yugoslavia before controversially moving to the United States wh ...
* 1980–1981
Slaviša Žungul
Slaviša Žungul, known in the United States as Steve Zungul (born 28 July 1954) is a retired Yugoslav American soccer striker.
Žungul began his career with Hajduk in his native Yugoslavia before controversially moving to the United States wh ...
* 1981–1982
Slaviša Žungul
Slaviša Žungul, known in the United States as Steve Zungul (born 28 July 1954) is a retired Yugoslav American soccer striker.
Žungul began his career with Hajduk in his native Yugoslavia before controversially moving to the United States wh ...
* 1982–1983
Slaviša Žungul
Slaviša Žungul, known in the United States as Steve Zungul (born 28 July 1954) is a retired Yugoslav American soccer striker.
Žungul began his career with Hajduk in his native Yugoslavia before controversially moving to the United States wh ...
Pass Master (Assists Leader)
* 1979–1980
Slaviša Žungul
Slaviša Žungul, known in the United States as Steve Zungul (born 28 July 1954) is a retired Yugoslav American soccer striker.
Žungul began his career with Hajduk in his native Yugoslavia before controversially moving to the United States wh ...
* 1981–1982
Slaviša Žungul
Slaviša Žungul, known in the United States as Steve Zungul (born 28 July 1954) is a retired Yugoslav American soccer striker.
Žungul began his career with Hajduk in his native Yugoslavia before controversially moving to the United States wh ...
Defender of the Year
* 1981–1982
Veljko Tukša
Veljko Tukša (known in the United States as Val Tuksa; born 21 November 1950) is a retired Yugoslavian association football player who played professionally in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. He was the 1982 M ...
Goalkeeper of the Year
* 1982–1983
Zoltan Toth
Coach of the Year
* 1980–1981
Dragan Popović
Dragan "Don" Popovic (Serbian Cyrillic: Драган Дон Поповић; born 1 January 1941) is a retired professional soccer midfielder and coach in the United States. He played professionally in Yugoslavia, Canada and the North American Socc ...
First Team All MISL
* 1978–1979:
Shep Messing
Shep Norman Messing (born October 9, 1949) is a retired American soccer goalkeeper and current broadcaster who works as the lead analyst for New York Red Bulls matches on the MSG Network. In 2021 he took the position of chairman of the Major Arena ...
,
Slaviša Žungul
Slaviša Žungul, known in the United States as Steve Zungul (born 28 July 1954) is a retired Yugoslav American soccer striker.
Žungul began his career with Hajduk in his native Yugoslavia before controversially moving to the United States wh ...
* 1979–1980:
Shep Messing
Shep Norman Messing (born October 9, 1949) is a retired American soccer goalkeeper and current broadcaster who works as the lead analyst for New York Red Bulls matches on the MSG Network. In 2021 he took the position of chairman of the Major Arena ...
,
Branko Šegota
Branimir "Branko" Šegota (born June 8, 1961) is a Canadian former professional soccer forward, starring in the original Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL), the North American Soccer League (NASL), the Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL) ...
,
Slaviša Žungul
Slaviša Žungul, known in the United States as Steve Zungul (born 28 July 1954) is a retired Yugoslav American soccer striker.
Žungul began his career with Hajduk in his native Yugoslavia before controversially moving to the United States wh ...
* 1980–1981:
Shep Messing
Shep Norman Messing (born October 9, 1949) is a retired American soccer goalkeeper and current broadcaster who works as the lead analyst for New York Red Bulls matches on the MSG Network. In 2021 he took the position of chairman of the Major Arena ...
,
David D'Errico
David D'Errico (born June 3, 1952, in Newark, New Jersey) is a retired United States Men's National Team Captain and American soccer player. He spent eight years in the North American Soccer League (NASL), five in Major Indoor Soccer League (MI ...
,
Branko Šegota
Branimir "Branko" Šegota (born June 8, 1961) is a Canadian former professional soccer forward, starring in the original Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL), the North American Soccer League (NASL), the Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL) ...
,
Slaviša Žungul
Slaviša Žungul, known in the United States as Steve Zungul (born 28 July 1954) is a retired Yugoslav American soccer striker.
Žungul began his career with Hajduk in his native Yugoslavia before controversially moving to the United States wh ...
* 1981–1982:
Veljko Tukša
Veljko Tukša (known in the United States as Val Tuksa; born 21 November 1950) is a retired Yugoslavian association football player who played professionally in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. He was the 1982 M ...
,
Slaviša Žungul
Slaviša Žungul, known in the United States as Steve Zungul (born 28 July 1954) is a retired Yugoslav American soccer striker.
Žungul began his career with Hajduk in his native Yugoslavia before controversially moving to the United States wh ...
* 1982–1983:
Veljko Tukša
Veljko Tukša (known in the United States as Val Tuksa; born 21 November 1950) is a retired Yugoslavian association football player who played professionally in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. He was the 1982 M ...
Significant players
*
Fernando Clavijo
Fernando Caetano Clavijo Cedrés (January 23, 1956 – February 8, 2019) was a Uruguayan-American soccer defender and former head coach of the New England Revolution and Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer. He played three seasons in the ...
*
David D'Errico
David D'Errico (born June 3, 1952, in Newark, New Jersey) is a retired United States Men's National Team Captain and American soccer player. He spent eight years in the North American Soccer League (NASL), five in Major Indoor Soccer League (MI ...
*
Fred Grgurev
Ferdo "Fred" Grgurev (born September 14, 1951) is an American retired soccer forward who played professionally in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned 14 caps, scoring one goal, for the United State ...
*
Shep Messing
Shep Norman Messing (born October 9, 1949) is a retired American soccer goalkeeper and current broadcaster who works as the lead analyst for New York Red Bulls matches on the MSG Network. In 2021 he took the position of chairman of the Major Arena ...
*
Doc Lawson
Aldophus "Doc" Lawson (born February 11, 1958, in Liberia) is a former American soccer defender best known for his long indoor career. Lawson played the third most games in the history of the original MISL. He also spent four seasons in the ...
*
Branko Šegota
Branimir "Branko" Šegota (born June 8, 1961) is a Canadian former professional soccer forward, starring in the original Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL), the North American Soccer League (NASL), the Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL) ...
*
Zoltan Toth
*
Juli Veee
Juli Veee (born Gyula Visnyei; February 22, 1950) is a Hungarian-American retired soccer forward. Announced as "Double-deuce, triple-E, the one and only Juli Veee", Veee experienced his greatest success as an indoor player with the San Diego So ...
*
Slaviša Žungul
Slaviša Žungul, known in the United States as Steve Zungul (born 28 July 1954) is a retired Yugoslav American soccer striker.
Žungul began his career with Hajduk in his native Yugoslavia before controversially moving to the United States wh ...
References
External links
1979 Championship series roster
{{Rochester Lancers (1967–80)
Association football clubs established in 1978
Defunct indoor soccer clubs in the United States
Sports in Long Island
Arrows
Major Indoor Soccer League (1978–1992) teams
Association football clubs disestablished in 1984
1978 establishments in New York (state)
1984 disestablishments in New York (state)