Boston Shamrock Rovers

Last updated

Boston Shamrock Rovers
Boston Rovers logo.png
Full nameBoston Shamrock Rovers
Nickname(s)Rovers
Founded1966
Dissolved1968
Stadium Manning Bowl,
Lynn, Massachusetts
Capacity21,000
Owner Weston Adams
Head coach Liam Tuohy
League United Soccer Association
1967 United Soccer Association, Eastern Division, 6th

Boston Shamrock Rovers (also known as Boston Rovers) were an American soccer team that competed in the United Soccer Association (USA) league in 1967. The team was based in Lynn, Massachusetts and played their home games at the Manning Bowl. The team folded when the USA merged with the National Professional Soccer League to form the North American Soccer League.

Contents

History

In 1966 several groups of entrepreneurs were exploring the idea of forming a professional soccer league in United States. One of these groups, United Soccer Association (USA) led by Jack Kent Cooke, selected 12 cities for team locations and Weston Adams, [1] owner of the Boston Bruins, was awarded the Boston franchise. The USA originally planned to start play in the spring of 1968; however the rival National Professional Soccer League, which secured a TV contract from CBS, announced it was ready to launch in 1967. Not wanting to let the rival league gain an advantage, the USA decided to launch early. Not having secured any player contracts, the league imported teams from Europe, Brazil, and Uruguay. Shamrock Rovers F.C. of the League of Ireland were brought over to represent the city of Boston. [2] [3]

Rovers opened the season at home against the Detroit Cougars [lower-alpha 1] in a 1 – 1 draw. A disallowed goal by the Cougars due to an offsides call led to an argument with the linesman who was hit in the face by a Detroit player. [4] [5] Shamrock Rovers finished the season in last place of the Eastern Division with a record of 2 wins 3 ties and 7 loses, the worst in the league, and with an average attendance 4,171. [6]

Prior to the 1968 season the United Soccer Association merged with the National Professional Soccer League to form the North American Soccer League. The merged league decided not to have two-team cities and, as such, the incoming Boston Beacons from the NPSL would be Boston's NASL franchise. [7]

Year-by-year

SeasonRegular seasonPlayoffsTop scorer
LeagueDivGWTLFAPts%PosAttend.NameGlsPts
1967 USAE1223712267.292 6th 4,171–Frank O'Neill310

Match results

  Win  Draw  Loss

May 28 Boston Shamrock Rovers 1–1 Detroit Cougars Lynn, MA
Mick Leech (30') John Colrain (85')Stadium: Manning Bowl
Attendance: 7,343
Referee: Dan Graven

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The Northern Irish team Glentoran F.C. had been brought over to represent Detroit

Sources

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Soccer Association</span> A professional soccer league

The United Soccer Association (USA) was a professional soccer league featuring teams based in the United States and Canada. The league survived only one season before merging with the National Professional Soccer League to form the North American Soccer League. Every team in the league was actually an imported European or South America club, that was then outfitted with a "local" name. Dick Walsh served as the commissioner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cleveland Stokers</span> Soccer club

The Cleveland Stokers were a soccer team based in Cleveland, Ohio that played in the United Soccer Association during 1967 and the North American Soccer League in 1968. Their home field was Cleveland Stadium.

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

The Houston Stars were an American professional soccer team based out of Houston, Texas. The Stars were a charter member of the United Soccer Association (USA) in 1967 and when the USA and rival National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) merged in 1968 to form the North American Soccer League (NASL), the team moved to the new league. The Stars played its home matches at the Astrodome. The team folded at the conclusion of the 1968 NASL season.

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

The Boston Beacons were an American soccer professional team that competed in the North American Soccer League (NASL) in 1968. The team was based in Boston and played their home games at Fenway Park. Originally intended to be a charter member of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) in 1967, the team played its first and only season in the 1968 NASL following the merger of the NPSL and rival United Soccer Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicago Mustangs (1967–68)</span> Defunct American soccer club

The Chicago Mustangs were an American professional soccer team based out of Chicago, Illinois, and were a charter member of the United Soccer Association (USA) in 1967. When the USA and rival National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) merged in 1968 to form the North American Soccer League (NASL), the team moved to the new league. The Mustangs played its home matches at Comiskey Park. The team folded at the conclusion of the 1968 NASL season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Detroit Cougars (soccer)</span> Former American soccer team

The Detroit Cougars were an American professional soccer team based out of Detroit, Michigan that was a charter member of the United Soccer Association (USA) in 1967. When the USA and rival National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) merged in 1968 to form the North American Soccer League (NASL), the team moved to the new league. The Cougars played its home matches at the University of Detroit Stadium for the 1967 USA season and at Tiger Stadium for the 1968 NASL season, except when scheduling conflicts with the Detroit Tigers forced the team to play at the University of Detroit Stadium. The team folded at the conclusion of the 1968 NASL season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York Generals</span> American soccer team, based in New York City

The New York Generals were an American professional soccer team based in New York City that competed in the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) in 1967 and the North American Soccer League (NASL) in 1968.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oakland Clippers</span> Defunct soccer club from Oakland, California, U.S.

The Oakland Clippers were an American soccer team based in Oakland, California. They played in the non-FIFA sanctioned National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) in 1967 and the North American Soccer League (NASL) in the following season. Their home field was Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Diego Toros</span> Soccer club

The San Diego Toros were a professional soccer team based in San Diego, California. Founded in 1967 as the Los Angeles Toros, the team was one of the ten charter members of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL). When the NPSL and the rival United Soccer Association (USA) merged in 1968 to form the North American Soccer League (NASL), the team was relocated to San Diego as a member of the new league. While in Los Angeles, the Toros played its home matches at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and at Balboa Stadium when it moved to San Diego. The team folded at the conclusion of the 1968 NASL season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vancouver Royals</span> Defunct Canadian soccer club

The Vancouver Royals were a Canadian professional soccer team based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Founded in 1967 as the Vancouver Royal Canadians, they were a charter member of the United Soccer Association (USA), and when the USA and rival National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) merged in 1968 to form the North American Soccer League (NASL), the team, rebranded as the Royals, moved to the new league. The Royals played its home matches at the Empire Stadium. The team folded at the conclusion of the 1968 NASL season.

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

The Washington Whips were a soccer team based in Washington, D.C. that played in the United Soccer Association (USA). The league was made up of teams imported from foreign leagues. The Washington Whips were the Aberdeen F.C. from Scotland. The name was chosen as the outcome of a newspaper contest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicago Spurs</span> American soccer club

Chicago Spurs were an American soccer team that was a charter member of the non-FIFA sanctioned National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) in 1967. The team was based in Chicago, Illinois and played their home games at the Soldier Field. When the NPSL merged with the rival United Soccer Association to form the North American Soccer League, the team moved and became the Kansas City Spurs, leaving the Chicago market to the Chicago Mustangs

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Francisco Golden Gate Gales</span> American soccer club in 1967

The San Francisco Golden Gate Gales were an American soccer team that played in the United Soccer Association (USA). The team was based in San Francisco, California and played their home games at the Candlestick Park. The team folded when the USA merged with the National Professional Soccer League to form the North American Soccer League.

The New York Skyliners were a soccer team based in the Bronx borough of New York City. The club were a charter member of the United Soccer Association (USA) in 1967 and played their home games as Yankee Stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto City</span> Defunct soccer club in Canada

Toronto City was a Canadian soccer team based in Toronto, Ontario. Between 1961 and 1967, teams using this name competed in both the Eastern Canada Professional Soccer League and the United Soccer Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richie Ryan (footballer)</span> Irish footballer

Richard Ryan is an Irish former professional footballer who serves as an assistant coach with USL Championship club FC Tulsa.

Patrick Martin "Paddy" Mulligan is an Irish retired footballer who played mainly as a right-back.

The 1968 North American Soccer League season was the 56th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer in the United States and Canada, and the 1st with a national first-division league with the inaugural season of the NASL.

The 1967 Vancouver Royal Canadians season was the first season in the history of the Vancouver Royal Canadians soccer club. The club played in the United Soccer Association (USA), a league that used clubs from Europe and South America to represent American and Canadian cities. First division Football League side Sunderland A.F.C, who finished 17th in the 1966–67 Football League, was the club that represented Vancouver in the USA. The club played its home games at Empire Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The 1968 Vancouver Royal Canadians season was the second season in the history of the Vancouver Royal Canadians soccer club. The club played in the North American Soccer League (NASL) at Empire Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia.

References

General

  1. ↑ "Shamrock Rovers Elect". The Norwalk Hour. April 21, 1967. p. 32. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  2. ↑ Seese, D.J. (2015). The Rebirth of Professional Soccer in America: The Strange Days of the United Soccer Association. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN   9781442238954.
  3. ↑ Hannigan, Dave (May 31, 2017). "Summer of soccer: when Shamrock Rovers conquered America". The Irish Times. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Cougars Open With Tie". The Owosso Argus-Press. May 27, 1967. p. 13. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  5. ↑ Wangerin, Dave (2006). Soccer in a Football World. WSC Books, Limited. p. 134. ISBN   9780954013479 . Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  6. ↑ "North American Soccer League". RSSSF . Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Beacons Survive Rovers In Major Soccer Merger". The Telegraph. December 8, 1967. p. 14. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
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.