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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.
The 1984 North American Soccer League season was the 72nd season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer, the 17th with a national first-division league, in the United States and Canada. It would be the 17th and final season of the NASL.
Bob Rigby is a retired U.S. soccer goalkeeper. Rigby played twelve seasons in the North American Soccer League, three in the Major Indoor Soccer League, one in the Western Soccer Alliance and earned six caps with the United States men's national soccer team. Rigby was the color commentator with the Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer.
Patrick "Pat" McBride is an American retired soccer midfielder and indoor soccer coach. He earned five caps with the U.S. national team and is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Jose Carlos Metidieri is a retired Brazilian-born American soccer forward. He played professionally in Canada with Toronto Italia. In an exhibition game between Torino of Italy and a German side at Varsity Stadium, Metidieri in the beginning of the second half, donned a Torino uniform and substituted a Torino player to the surprise of all fans. In the United States, playing for the Rochester Lancers, he was the leading scorer of the North American Soccer League in 1970 and 1971 and named the league's Most Valuable Player - the only player in the league's history to accomplish both awards in consecutive seasons. He also earned two caps with the United States national soccer team in 1973.
Willy Roy is a retired American soccer forward and coach. He played for several teams in the National Professional Soccer League and the North American Soccer League in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as the United States national team from 1965 to 1973. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Alan Trost is an American retired soccer midfielder. He played collegiate soccer at Saint Louis University where he won the 1969 and 1970 Hermann Trophy as the player of the year. His professional career includes years in both the North American Soccer League (NASL) and Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL). He also was a member of the 1972 U.S. Olympic soccer team. He went on to earn 14 caps with the U.S. national team, scoring one goal. He coached professionally with the St. Louis Steamers of MISL and continues to coach youth soccer. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Dan Counce is a retired American soccer player and current professional soccer executive. He played six seasons in the North American Soccer League and six more in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned five caps with the United States national team between 1974 and 1976.
Njego Pesa is a former American soccer forward who played in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League. He earned seven caps with the U.S. national team.
Dennis "Denny" Vaninger is a former U.S. soccer forward who spent seven seasons in the North American Soccer League and at least two seasons in Major Indoor Soccer League. He earned three caps, scoring one goal, with the U.S. national team. He also won the 1971 U.S. Amateur Cup with St. Louis Kutis. He continues to coach youth soccer in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri.
Siegfried Stritzl was an American soccer player who was the 1969 North American Soccer League Rookie of the Year. He also earned eleven caps, scoring two goals, with the U.S. national team between 1968 and 1973.
Don Droege is a former U.S. soccer defender who played seven seasons in the North American Soccer League and three seasons in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned eight caps with the U.S. national team between 1977 and 1979.
Larry Hausmann is an American former soccer player who spent nine seasons in the North American Soccer League. He also earned eight caps with the U.S. national team between 1968 and 1972.
Joey Fink is a retired American soccer forward who spent six seasons in the North American Soccer League, two in the American Soccer League and seven in Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned six caps with the U.S. national team between 1973 and 1975.
Arthur "Art" or "Buzz" Demling is a former U.S. soccer defender who played in the North American Soccer League and the Major Indoor Soccer League. He was a member of the U.S. soccer team at the 1972 Summer Olympics. He also earned four caps with the U.S. national team between 1973 and 1975.
John Best was an American international soccer defender. He spent six seasons in the North American Soccer League where he was a five-time first team All Star. He later coached the NASL Seattle Sounders and served as the general manager of the Sounders and the Vancouver Whitecaps. He also earned one cap with the U.S. national team in 1973.
Doug Wark is a former Scottish-American soccer forward who spent five seasons in the North American Soccer League and three in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He earned one cap with the U.S. national team in 1975.
Jim Leeker is a former U.S. soccer player and the current president of the St. Louis Soccer Hall of Fame. He was the 1970 North American Soccer League Rookie of the Year and went on to play a total of three seasons in the league.
Bob Matteson is a retired American soccer player who spent his career as a defender or defensive midfielder. He spent four seasons in the North American Soccer League and earned two caps with the U.S. national team.
The 1971 NASL Professional Hoc-Soc Tournament was the first indoor variant of soccer sanctioned by the North American Soccer League. It was held in St. Louis, Missouri on the evening of March 19, 1971 and involved four of the league's eight franchises.
References
- ↑ USA - Details of International Matches 1970-1979 Archived February 5, 2010, at the Wayback Machine