In the 1970s the North American Soccer League attempted to bring "proper" football to the USA and Canada, offering big-money to world stars and an opportunity for the journey-man professional to escape to the sunshine for a bit of extra summer cash...
Amongst the players to feature in the NASL between 1968 and 1984 (and the NPSL in 1967) were the following men from Northern Ireland:
Teams
|
Season
|
GP
|
GL
|
Notes
|
|
LA Aztecs
LA Aztecs
LA Aztecs
Ft L'dale Strikers
Ft L'dale Strikers
SJ Earthquakes
SJ.Earthquakes
TOTALS
|
1976
1977
1978
1978
1979
1980
1981
|
24
25
12
14
17
26
30
148
|
15
13
1
5
2
8
13
57
|
PO
PO
-
PO
-
-
-
|
⭐ 1T ⭐ 1T ⭐ HM - - - ⭐ 2T |
Colorado Caribous
|
1978
|
18
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
Detroit Cougars
|
1968
|
16
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
Vancouver Whitecaps
|
1978
|
16
|
11
|
PO
|
-
|
Tulsa Roughnecks
Tulsa Roughnecks
Tulsa Roughnecks
Tulsa Roughnecks
Tulsa Roughnecks
Tulsa Roughnecks
TOTALS
|
1978
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
|
28
33
28
26
23
24
162
|
12
12
5
4
1
3
37
|
PO
PO
PO
PO
PO
-
|
-
-
-
-
-
-
|
New York Cosmos
Colorado Caribous
TOTALS
|
1976
1978
|
18
15
33
|
2
1
3
|
PO
-
|
⭐ 2T
|
San Diego Sockers
San Diego Sockers
San Diego Sockers
San Diego Sockers
San Diego Sockers
TOTALS
|
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
|
27
19
32
37
22
137
|
1
0
1
0
0
2
|
PO
PO
PO
PO
PO
|
-
-
-
-
-
|
Kansas City Spurs
|
1969
|
3
|
4
|
IC
|
-
|
Detroit Express
|
1980
|
30
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
Toronto Metros
|
1973
|
12
|
5
|
PO
|
-
|
Washington Dip's
Washington Dip;s
Washington Dip's
Dallas Tornados
Portland Timbers
GB Earthquakes
GB.Earthquakes
TOTALS
|
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1982
1983
|
28
30
18
28
25
34
21
184
|
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
|
PO
PO
PO
-
-
-
PO
|
* HM
-
-
-
-
-
-
|
Tulsa Roughnecks
Tulsa Roughnecks
TOTALS
|
1981
1982
|
29
21
50
|
0
0
0
|
PO
PO
|
-
-
|
Philadelphia Fury
|
1978
|
19
|
7
|
PO
|
-
|
Tulsa Roughnecks
Tulsa Roughnecks
TOTALS
|
1981
1982
|
25
19
44
|
0
3
3
|
PO
PO
|
-
-
|
Atlanta Chiefs
Atlanta Chiefs
TOTALS
|
1967
1968
|
25
33
58
|
6
9
15
|
-
PO
|
-
-
|
Tulsa Roughnecks
Tulsa Roughnecks
Tulsa Roughnecks
Tulsa Roughnecks
Tulsa Roughnecks
Tulsa Roughnecks
TOTALS
|
1978
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
|
29
29
32
32
31
24
177
|
0
6
3
4
0
1
14
|
PO
PO
PO
PO
PO
-
|
-
-
-
-
-
⭐ 2T
|
Baltimore Comets
San Diego Jaws
TOTALS
|
1975
1976
|
22
22
44
|
1
1
2
|
-
-
|
-
-
|
Toronto Blizzard
Toronto Blizzard
Toronto Blizzard
TOTALS
|
1982
1983
1984
|
19
34
24
77
|
3
7
1
11
|
PO
PO
PO
|
-
-
⭐ 2T
|
LA Aztecs
Montreal Manic
Montreal Manic
San Diego Aztecs
TOTALS
|
1981
1982
1983
1984
|
21
26
29
20
96
|
2
1
5
3
11
|
PO
PO
PO
PO
|
-
-
-
-
|
Dallas Tornado
|
1975
|
5
|
0
|
PO
|
-
|
KEY
PO - qualified for play-offs.
IC - International Cup Winner (pre-regular season tournament involving foreign club sides)
All-Stars ⭐: 1T - First Team, 2T - Second Team, HM - Honourable Mention.
PO - qualified for play-offs.
IC - International Cup Winner (pre-regular season tournament involving foreign club sides)
All-Stars ⭐: 1T - First Team, 2T - Second Team, HM - Honourable Mention.
Does not include appearances in the United Soccer Association during 1967.
In the wake of the 1994 World Cup, there was a soccer revival in the US in the form of Major League Soccer. Once again it has become home to the aging star and the career journey-man alike...
Steve Morrow
Dallas Burn ........... 2002 27 .4 PO
Dallas Burn ........... 2003 17 .0
Martin Paterson
Orlando City .......... 2015 .4 .0
Jonny Steele
Real Salt Lake ........ 2012 28 .2
New York Red Bulls .... 2013 33 .5 SS
New York Red Bulls .... 2014 15 .1
Mark Williams
Columbus Crew ......... 2003 .5 .0
KEY
PO - qualified for play-offs.
PO - qualified for play-offs.
SS - Suporters' Shield winner
NI Players in the US Open Cup Final:
Winners:
1926 Whitey McDonald (Bethlehem Steel)
1927 Jimmy Kelly (Fall River Marksmen) 1 goal [ex-Bangor/St Johnstone]
1927 Jimmy Kelly (Fall River Marksmen) 1 goal [ex-Bangor/St Johnstone]
1928 Harry Chatton (New York Nationals)
Coaches:
Runners-Up:
2005 Colin Clarke (FC Dallas)
2007 Steve Morrow (FC Dallas)
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