Alan Green (footballer, born 1954)

Last updated

Alan Green
Personal information
Date of birth (1954-01-01) 1 January 1954 (age 70)
Place of birth Worcester, England
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
1970–1972 Coventry City
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1972–1979 Coventry City 98 (30)
1977 → Washington Diplomats (loan) 16 (9)
1979–1980 Washington Diplomats 56 (42)
1980–1982 Jacksonville Tea Men (indoor) 21 (22)
1981–1982 Jacksonville Tea Men 48 (27)
1982–1983 Golden Bay Earthquakes (indoor) 18 (7)
1983 → Team America (loan) 20 (5)
1983–1984 New York Cosmos (indoor) 31 (18)
1983–1984 New York Cosmos 14 (5)
1984–85 New York Cosmos (MISL) 10 (5)
International career
1984 United States 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Alan Green (born 1 January 1954) is a former professional footballer. Born in England, he began his career with Coventry City before moving to the United States in 1979. He played a total of seven seasons in the North American Soccer League and earned one cap with the U.S. national team.

Contents

Professional

In England

Green, a native of Worcester, England, began his professional career with Coventry City. He joined the club as a striker in 1970, but did not make his first team debut until 22 April 1972, which was his only appearance during that season. He peaked with the club during the 1975–76 season when he played 31 games and scored nine goals. After that his appearances and goals slowly began to taper off.

In United States

In 1977, Coventry loaned Green to the Washington Diplomats (Dips) of the North American Soccer League (NASL), whose season ran during the summer months, or the English off-season. [1] Green played 16 games, scoring nine goals and assisting on five others. At the end of the 1978-79 English season, Green left Coventry to move permanently to the NASL, [2] rejoining the Diplomats for the next two years. Green became a prolific scorer with the Dips, finding the net 42 times in 56 games, earning NASL All-Star Honorable Mention honours for 1980.

At the end of the 1980 season, the Dips sold Green to the Jacksonville Tea Men; [3] he spent two seasons with the Tea Men. In his first season, Green again gained NASL All Star Honorable Mention; in 1982, however, he bagged only six goals on 18 games. At the end of the season, the Tea Men traded Green to the San Jose Earthquakes. He played the 1982-1983 NASL indoor season with the Earthquakes, scoring seven goals.

In 1983, U.S. Soccer entered the United States national team, as Team America, into the NASL. The team drew on American citizens playing in the NASL, Major Indoor Soccer League and American Soccer League. However, both the USSF and the NASL quickly discovered that many top American players preferred to remain with their existing clubs. In order to fill the roster, U.S. Soccer was forced to draw on foreign imports, and it negotiated with the Earthquakes to loan Green to Team America, despite the fact that he was still a British subject. [4] Team America's 1983 season was a disaster, with a league-worst 10–20 record and dwindling attendance figures; the club folded at season's end. Green then became a free agent and signed with the New York Cosmos as the team prepared for the 1983-84 NASL indoor season. [5] Green received his American citizenship in November 1983, [6] and played with the Cosmos through the indoor season, the subsequent 1984 outdoor season, and finally the club's 1984-85 indoor season in the Major Indoor Soccer League. In 1985, just as the NASL was collapsing, Green retired as a player.

U.S. National Team

Once Green gained U.S. citizenship, he earned a single cap with the United States national team in a 30 May 1984, scoreless tie with Italy. He started, but came off for Perry Van der Beck. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North American Soccer League (1968–1984)</span> Defunct major soccer league in the United States and Canada

The North American Soccer League (NASL) was the top-level major professional soccer league in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984. It is considered the first soccer league to be successful on a national scale in the United States. The league final was called the Soccer Bowl from 1975 to 1983 and the Soccer Bowl Series in its final year, 1984. The league was headed by Commissioner Phil Woosnam from 1969 to 1983. The NASL laid the foundations for soccer in the United States that helped lead to the country hosting the 1994 FIFA World Cup and the set-up of Major League Soccer (MLS) in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington Diplomats</span> Defunct American soccer club

The Washington Diplomats were an American soccer club representing Washington, D.C. Throughout their playing existence, the club played their home games at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium and indoor home matches at the neighboring D.C. Armory. Founded as an expansion franchise in 1974, the Diplomats competed in the now-defunct North American Soccer League, then the top-tier soccer league of the American soccer pyramid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Detroit Express</span> Defunct American soccer club

The Detroit Express were a soccer team based in suburban Detroit that played in the now defunct North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1978 to 1980. Its home field was the Pontiac Silverdome. The Express were co-owned by Roger Faulkner, Sonny Van Arnem, Gary Lemmen and Jimmy Hill who was also the managing director and chairman of the English club Coventry City. The team was coached by Ken Furphy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacksonville Tea Men</span> Defunct American soccer club

The Jacksonville Tea Men were a soccer team based in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. Overall, the Tea Men played a total of four seasons in Jacksonville, first in the major league-level North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1980–1982, then in the lower level American Soccer League and United Soccer League from 1982–1984. The NASL incarnation of the club was Jacksonville's first professional soccer team, and the first major league-level sport franchise ever based in the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Rigby</span> American soccer player (born 1951)

Bob Rigby is an American retired soccer player who played as a goalkeeper. He 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.

Chance Fry is a retired U.S. soccer forward who began his career straight out of high school with the Seattle Sounders of the North American Soccer League. With the collapse of the NASL, he moved to indoor soccer as well as U.S. minor leagues. Since retiring from playing, Fry has become a college soccer coach. He also earned five caps with the U.S. national team in 1984 and was the 1990 American Professional Soccer League leading goal scorer.

Dan Canter was a U.S. soccer defender. He played three seasons in the North American Soccer League and three in Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned nine caps with the U.S. national team, scoring two goals, between 1983 and 1985.

Tony Crescitelli is a retired Italian-American soccer forward who spent six seasons in the North American Soccer League and earned one cap with the U.S. national team in 1983.

Andrew Parkinson is a retired American soccer forward/midfielder born in Johannesburg, South Africa who spent time playing in both South Africa and England before immigrating to the U.S. where he played five seasons in the North American Soccer League, two in Major Indoor Soccer League and one in the American Soccer League. Parkinson earned two caps with the U.S. national team in 1984.

Mirko "Mark" Liveric is an American retired soccer forward who spent eight years in the North American Soccer League and seven in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned sixteen caps, scoring three goals, with the U.S. national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry Hulcer</span> American soccer player and coach

Larry Hulcer is a former U.S. soccer forward and midfielder. He spent three seasons in the North American Soccer League and at least three in Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned eight caps, scoring one goal, with the U.S. national team in 1979 and 1980.

Robert "Bobby" Smith is a retired U.S. soccer defender who spent nine years in the North American Soccer League and one in the League of Ireland and the Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned eighteen caps with the United States men's national soccer team and is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Gary Etherington 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 team. Since retiring, Etherington has coached youth soccer and is a soccer equipment salesman.

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.

Paul Child is an English-American former soccer player who played as a forward, spending nine seasons in the North American Soccer League. He led the league in scoring in 1974 and was a two-time first team All-Star. He also earned two caps with the United States national team in 1973. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gordon Bradley</span> English-American association football player

Gordon Bradley was an English-American soccer midfielder born and raised on Wearside who played several seasons with lower-division English clubs before moving to play in Canada at the age of 30. During the Canadian off-season, he played and coached in the U.S.-based German American Soccer League. In 1971, he became a player and head coach for the New York Cosmos. In addition to coaching the Cosmos, he has coached the U.S. national team and at the collegiate and high school levels. Bradley also earned one cap with the U.S. national team in 1973. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Lawrence Adam Michael Abrahams is an English retired professional footballer who played as a striker in England, the United States, and Australia. In a career which lasted from 1977 to 1987, Abrahams played 283 career league games, and scored 142 league goals.

Mihalj Keri is a retired Yugoslav association football player who professionally played in Yugoslavia and the United States.

Paul Toomey is a retired American soccer defender who played professionally in the North American Soccer League, American Soccer League and the Major Indoor Soccer League.

North American Soccer League (NASL) was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984. Beginning in 1975, the league final was called the Soccer Bowl.

References

  1. ↑ Diplomats Sparked By English Washington Post, The (DC) - Saturday, 21 May 1977
  2. ↑ Dips Sign Green for 3 Years Washington Post, The (DC) - Friday, 23 March 1979
  3. ↑ SOCCER / BY BARRY CADIGAN\ TEA MEN SCHEDULE THE WRONG NIGHTS Boston Globe - Sunday, 21 December 1980
  4. ↑ April 23, 1983 Transactions
  5. ↑ SPORTS PEOPLE; Cosmos Sign Green
  6. ↑ .3 Cosmos in Pacts, 4 Cut
  7. ↑ USA - Details of International Matches 1980-1989 Archived 9 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.