New York Nationals (USL)

Last updated

New York Nationals were a New York soccer team which played a single season in 1984 with the United Soccer League. An earlier team also called the New York Nationals played in the American Soccer League during the 1920s.

Contents

History

In 1984, four teams from the recently folded American Soccer League joined with five other teams to form the United Soccer League. The league was created using the principles of fiscal austerity and regional competition in order to avoid the fate of the ASL and the North American Soccer League which was in the process of collapsing. The team signed several top ASL players and nearly signed U.S. national team midfielder Rick Davis but was unable to do so because of his high salary. The Nationals finished 10-14 and failed to make the playoffs. It also suffered significant financial problems and folded at the end of the season. [1]

Year-by-year

YearReg. SeasonPlayoffsU.S. Open Cup
19842nd (Northern Division)Did not qualifyDid not enter

Former players

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Soccer League (1984–85)</span> Former soccer league in the U.S.

The United Soccer League was a professional soccer league in the United States in the mid-1980s.

<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">Billy Gonsalves</span> American soccer player

Adelino William Gonsalves was an American soccer player, sometimes described as the "Babe Ruth of American Soccer". He spent over 25 years playing in various American professional leagues and was a member of the U.S. squad at the FIFA World Cup in 1930 and 1934. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Bruce Edward Murray is an American former professional soccer player who at the time of his retirement was the all-time leading scorer for the United States men's national soccer team. His standout college career led to his selection by Soccer America Magazine to its College Team of the Century. He then played professionally in both Europe and the United States, including the American Soccer League and American Professional Soccer League. Concussion syndrome forced him to retire in 1995, Murray had earned 86 caps, scoring 21 goals, including one at the 1990 FIFA World Cup. He was also a member of the U.S. national futsal team which placed third at the 1989 FIFA Futsal World Championship. Murray is the Direct of Coaching at Accelerator School DC Metro. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bart McGhee</span> American soccer player

Bartholomew "Bertie" or "Bart" McGhee was a soccer player who played as a forward. Born in Scotland, he played for the United States national team at the 1930 FIFA World Cup and scored the second goal in World Cup history against Belgium. He was inducted into the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1986.

Julio "Ringo" Cantillo is a former professional soccer player who played as a midfielder. He played five seasons in the American Soccer League where he was the league MVP as a rookie. He won MVP honors a total of three times in the ASL. Cantillo also spent parts of seven seasons in the North American Soccer League and four in NASL indoor, one in the United Soccer League and one in Major Indoor Soccer League. Born in Costa Rica, Cantillo earned eleven caps with the U.S. national soccer team between 1979 and 1982.

James Michael Gabarra is an American retired soccer forward who coached the Washington Spirit National Women's Soccer League team, and previously coached Sky Blue FC and the Washington Freedom women's soccer teams. He played professionally in the American Soccer League, United Soccer League, American Indoor Soccer Association, Major Indoor Soccer League and Western Soccer Alliance.

Archibald McPherson Stark was a soccer player who became the dominant player in U.S. leagues during the 1920s and early 1930s. He spent nine seasons in the National Association Football League and another twelve in the American Soccer League. He also earned two caps, scoring five goals, as a member of the U.S. national team. He holds the U.S. single-season scoring record with 67 goals scored during the 1924–25 season which is the current World Record. He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1950.

Jorge Acosta is a Colombian-born American retired soccer forward. He spent most of his career in the lower U.S. divisions, as well as four in the Colombian first division. He also earned twelve caps with the U.S. national team in 1991 and 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmy Gallagher</span> American soccer player

James J. Gallagher was a Scottish American soccer right wing midfielder who spent eleven seasons in the American Soccer League. He was a member of the U.S. soccer teams at the 1930 FIFA World Cup and 1934 FIFA World Cup. Gallagher was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1986.

John Hynes was a Scottish-born American soccer forward. He spent over twenty years in the American Soccer League, twice earning league MVP recognition. In 1949, he earned four caps with the U.S. national team. In addition to playing professional soccer, Hynes was a New York City fireman from 1947 to 1975 and served in the U.S. Army in World War II. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Philip Slone was a U.S. soccer wing half. He spent a single season each in the short-lived Eastern Soccer League and Atlantic Coast Conference, then ten years in the American Soccer League. He was a member of the U.S team at the 1930 FIFA World Cup and is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Alexandre "Alex" Ely was a Brazilian-American soccer midfielder, teacher and author. Ely played extensively in the U.S., Canada and Brazil winning multiple league and cup titles. He also earned four caps with the U.S. national team between 1960 and 1965. In addition to his extensive professional resume, Ely coached at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. He was inducted into the United States National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1997.

Ricardo Alonso was a soccer player who began as a forward before moving to defender later in his career. Alonso spent six seasons in the North American Soccer League, four in Major Indoor Soccer League, at least three in the American Indoor Soccer Association, one in the American Soccer League and two in the American Professional Soccer League.

John Lignos was a U.S. soccer player who spent four seasons in the North American Soccer League, one in the American Soccer League and one in the United Soccer League. He also earned one cap with the U.S. national team and was selected for the 1980 U.S. Olympic soccer team.

William Shamus O'Brien was a U.S.-Scottish soccer inside left. During his Hall of Fame career, O'Brien spent eight seasons in the first American Soccer League and another five in the second American Soccer League.

Andy Stevens was an English-Canadian soccer center forward who began and ended his career in Canada but also spent six seasons in the American Soccer League. He was a two time league leading scorer with the ASL and was a member of the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame's 2006 Team of Distinction, the 1933 Toronto Scottish. In 2017, as part of the "Legends Class" he was elected to the Hall of Fame as an individual player.

Charles Edward "Teddy" Glover was a US soccer full back who began his career in the lower English divisions before playing several seasons in the American Soccer League. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

The American Soccer League, established in 1921, was the first of four different professional soccer sports leagues in the United States to use the ASL name. It was formed by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For several years the ASL's popularity rivaled the popularity of the National Football League. Disputes with the United States Football Association and FIFA, as well as the onset of the Great Depression, led to the league's collapse in spring 1933.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Soccer League (1933–1983)</span> Former soccer league

The American Soccer League has been a name used by four different professional soccer sports leagues in the United States. The second American Soccer League was established in summer 1933 following the collapse of the original American Soccer League, which lasted from 1921 until spring 1933. The new league was created on a smaller scale and with smaller budgets. This league existed until over-expansion and financial limitations led to its collapse in 1983. Two successor leagues later operated.

References

  1. "American Soccer - 1984". Archived from the original on 2009-06-17. Retrieved 2007-10-29.