I remember he didn't wear soccer shoes- it was more like a sneaker. The Detroit turf was pretty ridiculous and hard. I still think Detroit would be a good outdoor market, but for whatever reason there seems so little support (you never hear real rumors about there). They had decent/good attendence in the Francis-era, albeit they had a good team. They used to stomp on Memphis MLS would kill to have a player of Francis caliber. He was on a rocket ship back in England once he went back.
I scouted a pre season game one time (79 I believe) between Detroit and the Cosmos....Detroit killed them somthing like 6-1 and Trevor Francis had 5 or possibly all 6 goals.....his club team let him come for that one game then he had to go back to England to finish the season prior to returning to Detroit a few weeks into the NASL season.....the next week, season opener for both teams the Tornado beat Detroit (without Francis) 1-0 at Ownby Stadium.
www.bobsmithsoccer.com An incredibly classy guy. Bob Smith is running this indoor facility now and lends his name to summer camps and all that good stuff. He's a really laid back guy and pretty interesting and insightful to talk to.
I grew up in San Jose and moved to Michigan in 1978. Between the two cities, I saw a lot of NASL matches. And Trevor Francis was the BEST player I ever saw in the NASL bar none. He was a much better striker than Chinaglia. And he was dangerous every time he touched the ball. The dude could recieve the ball deep in midfield and absolutely shred a defense. My favorite Trevor Francis story is the time he was asked what he thought about playing in the Silverdome. And in a voice right out of Austin Powers, he said "This place turns me on baby!". Priceless
Francis was great!. He had an great career after his 2 years in Detroit. I really loved the NASL. I am a collector of NASL memorablia and I especially collect NASL games on dvd or video, also NASL team group pics. Anyone out there who has any and wants to trade?
Brazilian star Pele joined the New York Cosmos, and North American Soccer League attendance immediately increased. Pele gets $7 million over 3 years.
You mean the guy trying to lowbridge Pele? Anyway, Pele had a pretty impressive vertical leap for a 35+ year old.
think he was 34 at the time. That pic is from his first game for the Cosmos....we had played the night before against Bobby Moore and San Antonio....taken the red-eye to NY then went straight off the plane to Randalls Island. Cooper sr was great in goal and we led 2-0 at half time (McKensie and Chadwick the scorers) before Pele took over....set up the Cosmos first by Spieglar (sp?) and scored the second himself and the game ended 2-2. There are several clips of this game in the movie "Once in a Lifetime".
Here is a picture of former San Jose Earthquakes midfielder & former MLS GM Johnny Moore & Pele in an exhibition match at Spartan Stadium, circa August 1975.
Bob Smith runs the Bob Smith Soccer Academy in Hamilton/Bordentown, NJ. Great guy, he has been involved in youth soccer in Central New Jersey for as long as I can remember. He goes out of his way to have a presence at his academy, I played in the Men's Open (mainly under 30's) and he was always there talking to everyone and having a good time.
Pele says David Beckham's pending arrival in America is not unlike his own some 22 years ago with the New York Cosmos of the NASL. "I remember when we played at San Jose, we lost 2 to 1," Pele recalled. "I said, 'My God, what am I going to do here?'" But the World Cup legend stuck it out, and following the arrival of stars like Carlos Alberto and Franz Beckenbauer, soccer took off in New York and around the country. http://www.casperstartribune.net/art.../d8p5ntng0.txt
Clive Toye - who signed Pele, Beckenbauer, Alberto et al - who was the GM and president of the Cosmos and was also involved with Chicago and Toronto has written a very good book about his experiences from the rise to the fall of the NASL. A Kick In The Grass, very funny, very informative and I really enjoyed it. Apologies if this has been posted already.