John stayed in San Jose for few years after his stints with the Quakes, finally moving to Fresno, where he was the primary person who managed to bring the Fresno Grizzlies (AAA baseball) to town. He also got the downtown stadium built in Fresno. When he was still living in the Bay Area, I sometimes would run into him while working. Every time he saw me, he asked me where the soccer ball was. The last time we spoke was a few years ago at the Quakes 35th get together at The Fairmont.
St. Louis soccer team representing USA, silver medal winners at the 1904 Olympics, Francis Field, St. Louis. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_at_the_1904_Summer_Olympics
On August 24th, 1975 or 44 years ago today, the NASL's first Soccer Bowl was played at Spartan Stadium in San Jose Ca... I was too young to remember and had just come back from a trip to Europe with my parents but I heard it was a great game! Tampa Bay Rowdies beat the Portland Timbers, 2-0!
Holy smokes! I think I know who that kid is heading the ball back to Johnny (twarnt me though... Any idea when the photo was taken?)
Among his other accomplishments, in February 2009, the Leicester City Council gave Alan the Honorary Freedom of Leicester alongside singer Engelbert Humperdinck and author Sue Townsend.