The Houston Hurricane was a soccer team based out of

Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 i ...

that played in the NASL. They played from 1978 to 1980. Their home field was the

Astrodome The NRG Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome, is the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, located in Houston, Texas. It was financed and assisted in development by Roy Hofheinz, mayor of Houston ...

. Their colors were orange, white and red.

History

The team was the last of six expansion teams granted for the 1978 season and had about three months to sign players and sell tickets. Though the coach, Timo Liekoski, who had been an assistant with the Dallas Tornado, was capable, assembling a competitive team in so short a time would be daunting. In any case, the Hurricane placed last in its first season with ten wins of thirty matches (there were no draws in the NASL) and drew a miserable average attendance of 5,806, with only the

Chicago Sting The Chicago Sting (1974–1988) was an American professional soccer team representing Chicago. The Sting played in the North American Soccer League from 1975 to 1984 and in the Major Indoor Soccer League in the 1982–83 season and again from ...

and

San Diego Sockers San Diego Sockers may refer to: *San Diego Sockers (1978–1996) The San Diego Sockers were a soccer and indoor soccer team based in San Diego, California. The team played in the indoor and outdoor editions of the North American Soccer League ( ...

drawing less in the 24-team league. In the 1979 season, the Hurricane produced the second best record in the league, winning the division with 22 wins in thirty matches. Timo Liekoski was awarded Coach of the Year honors. But the Hurricane couldn't replicate those results in the playoffs, losing to the Philadelphia Fury in two straight. Average attendance was better at 6,211 but was still next to last in the league - the worst being Philadelphia. Kyle Rote, Jr. had joined the Hurricane that season, but left the team after the season on a relief mission to

Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailan ...

and later retired from soccer. The Hurricane didn't do as well in what turned out to be their final season, placing second in the division and again losing in the playoffs versus the Edmonton Drillers. They won fourteen and lost eighteen in the expanded schedule, and attendance fell to 5,818 a match, with only the Atlanta Chiefs and, again, Philadelphia being the only teams with worse gates. The Hurricane's Denver-based owners had had enough, and the team folded in late 1980.

Year-by-year

Honors

Regular Season Premiership *

1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the '' International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the '' Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the so ...

: runner-up Division Titles *

: Central Division, American Conference Coach of the Year *

: Timo Liekoski FIFA World Cup players * 1966: Fritz Künzli All-Star Selections *

: Paul Hammond ''(second team)'' Indoor All-Tournament Team * 1978: Dale Russell U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame members * 2009: Kyle Rote Jr. Indoor Soccer Hall of Fame members * 2013

Kai Haaskivi Kai Haaskivi (born 28 December 1955 in Lahti) is a retired Finnish soccer player. He starred in the North American Soccer League, playing outdoor as well as indoor soccer. He also played for the Finland national football team. He now coaches ...

* 2019 Timo Liekoski

References

North American Soccer League (1968–1984) teams Defunct soccer clubs in Texas

Hurricane A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...

1978 establishments in Texas 1980 disestablishments in Texas Soccer clubs in Texas Association football clubs established in 1978 Association football clubs disestablished in 1980 {{Houston-stub