The Los Angeles Aztecs was an American professional soccer team based in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the wor ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the ...

that existed from 1974 to 1981. The Aztecs competed in the North American Soccer League (NASL) from

1974 Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of President of the United States, United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom K ...

1981 Events January * January 1 ** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union. ** Palau becomes a self-governing territory. * January 10 – Salvadoran Civil War: The FMLN launches its first major off ...

as well as the

1975 NASL Indoor tournament In early 1975, the North American Soccer League hosted its first league-wide indoor soccer tournament over the course of seven weeks. All but four NASL teams participated. Overview Though the Dallas Tornado had won the NASL's 1971 Hoc-Soc Tour ...

, the 1979–80 and 1980–81 NASL Indoor seasons, and won the NASL Championship in 1974. During their eight years of existence, the Aztecs played at four different venues and were controlled by four different ownership groups, European football legends

George Best George Best (22 May 1946 – 25 November 2005) was a Northern Irish professional footballer who played as a winger, spending most of his club career at Manchester United. A highly skilful dribbler, Best is regarded as one of the greatest pla ...

and

Johan Cruyff Hendrik Johannes Cruijff (, internationally known as Johan Cruyff; 25 April 1947 – 24 March 2016) was a Dutch professional football player and manager. As a player, he won the Ballon d'Or three times, in 1971, 1973 and 1974. Cruyff was a ...

played for the team, and from 1975 to 1977 English singer

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...

was a part-owner.

History

Founding and First Season Success

In January 1974, looking to build off what was considered increasing public interest in professional soccer, the NASL announced Los Angeles as one of six cities awarded an

expansion team An expansion team is a new team in a sports league, usually from a city that has not hosted a team in that league before, formed with the intention of satisfying the demand for a local team from a population in a new area. Sporting leagues also ...

for the upcoming 1974 season. Jack Gregory, a local doctor and real estate investor, paid the franchise fee and acted as team owner and Alex Perolli was appointed the first head coach. After playing a series of pre-season friendlies against teams from Mexico, the Aztecs opened their first NASL season with a 2–1 win over the Seattle Sounders at the East Los Angeles College Stadium with 4,107 fans in attendance. After three consecutive victories to start the season, Perolli publicly criticized and then fired his starting goal keeper,

Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago (, ), officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean. Consisting of the main islands Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous much List of islands of Trinidad and Tobago, small ...

international

Kelvin Barclay The kelvin, symbol K, is the primary unit of temperature in the International System of Units (SI), used alongside its prefixed forms and the degree Celsius. It is named after the Belfast-born and University of Glasgow-based engineer and phys ...

, after he allowed three goals in the second half. The Aztecs finished the season with a record of 11 wins, 2 draws and 7 losses, averaging 5,098 fans per game, and winning first place in the Western Division . Forward Doug McMillan scored eleven goals and was named Rookie of the Year for the 1974 season, an honor he had separately won the previous season with the Cleveland Stars of the American Soccer League. Having earned a

first round bye The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...

, the Aztecs defeated the Boston Minutemen 2–0 at home in the semi-finals. Having earned the most points during the season, Los Angeles should have hosted the NASL Final 1974; however, due to the CBS televised start time of 3:30 ( EDT) and other factors, the game was moved to the

Miami Orange Bowl The Miami Orange Bowl was an outdoor athletic stadium in Miami, Florida from 1937 until 2008. The stadium was located in the Little Havana neighborhood west of Greater Downtown Miami, Downtown Miami. The Miami Orange Bowl was considered a landm ...

. On August 25, 1974 with 15,507 people in attendance, the Los Angeles Aztecs and the Miami Toros played to a 3–3 draw in regular time, after which Los Angeles won the

penalty shoot-out The penalty shootout is a method of determining a winner in sports matches that would have otherwise been drawn or tied. The rules for penalty shootouts vary between sports and even different competitions; however, the usual form is similar to pe ...

5–3 to win the 1974 NASL Championship. It was the second year in a row that an expansion franchise and won the championship following the Philadelphia Atoms in

1973 Events January * January 1 - The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union. * January 15 – Vietnam War: ...

New Ownership

Following the 1974 season, Alex Perolli left his position as head coach to take up the same job at the expansion San Antonio Thunder and owner Jack Gregory sold his interest in the team to a group headed by John Chaffetz The new owners hired 25 year old Terry Fisher, at the time the youngest coach in the NASL, giving him a two year contract as head coach. That February, the team traded its first and second draft choices to the expansion Chicago Sting and drafted Michael Bain, two-time

All-America The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...

n and captain of the 1974 NCAA Division I Soccer champions

Howard Bison The Howard Bison and Lady Bison are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Howard University, located in Washington, D.C. The Bison compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)'s and Division I Foo ...

. The Aztecs were one of the sixteen NASL teams to participate in the

. In total, the Aztecs played three indoor matches in 1975, a pre-tournament tune-up match against the

San Jose Earthquakes The San Jose Earthquakes are an American professional soccer team based in San Jose, California. The Earthquakes compete as a member club of the Western Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS). Originally as the San Jose Clash, the franchis ...

on February 14, and tournament matches against the

Vancouver Whitecaps Vancouver Whitecaps Football Club is a Canadian professional soccer team based in Vancouver. They compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The MLS iteration of the club was established on Marc ...

and Seattle Sounders. The Aztecs opened the

1975 North American Soccer League season Statistics of North American Soccer League in season 1975. This was the 8th season of the NASL. Overview The league comprised 20 teams with the Tampa Bay Rowdies winning the championship. Pelé joined the New York Cosmos in 1975. 1975 was the ...

with a 2–1 victory on the road against the

. The team's first home sellout occurred on 3 July 1975, in a 5–1 rout of the

Pelé Edson Arantes do Nascimento (; born 23 October 1940), known as Pelé (), is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a forward. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time and labelled "the greatest" by FI ...

led New York Cosmos, Uri Banhoffer scored a hat-trick and was named NASL player of the week for his performance. The team officially protested their 2 August 1975 2–1 overtime loss to Earthquakes stating crowd noise prevented head coach Fisher from communicating with his players between the end of regulation and the beginning of overtime. The team finished the season with a record of twelve wins and ten losses, ending in third place of the Western Division. Making the playoffs as a wild card after Chicago Sting lost their final game of the season to the

Washington Diplomats The Washington Diplomats were an American soccer club representing Washington, D.C. Throughout their playing existence, the club played their home games at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium and indoor soccer, indoor home matches at the neigh ...

, the Aztecs were defeated by the St. Louis Stars in a quarter-finals match that was decided by a penalty shoot-out.

Best Years

Following the 1975 season, English singer

, purchased a stake in the team, and was given permission by the league to sit on the bench during games. A few weeks later, Managing General Partner Chaffetz announced the team's intention of signing

1968 Ballon d'Or The 1968 Ballon d'Or, given to the best football player in Europe as judged by a panel of sports journalists from UEFA member countries, was awarded to George Best on 24 December 1968. Best was the first Northern Irish national to win the award. H ...

winner

, who had been released by

Manchester United Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of City of Salford, Salford to ...

. After some confusion in December between the team announcing Best's signing and the player denying he had, George Best arrived in Los Angeles on 20 February 1976. The Aztecs opened the 1976 North American Soccer League season on the road with a 1–2 loss against the

, Best scored his first of fifteen goals for the season on 25 April 1976 in the team's home opener against the

Rochester Lancers Rochester Lancers may refer to: * Rochester Lancers (2015), a semi-professional soccer team that competes in the National Premier Soccer League * Rochester Lancers (MASL), an indoor soccer team that competes in the Major Arena Soccer League 2 * Roch ...

. Los Angeles finished the season in third place of the Pacific Conference Southern Division with a record of twelve wins and twelve losses. The Aztecs were defeated in the First Round of the playoffs 2–0 by the Dallas Tornado on 18 August 1976. After playing the previous two seasons at Murdock Stadium on the campus of

El Camino College El Camino College (Elco or ECC) is a two-year public community college located in the unincorporated area of Los Angeles County known as Alondra Park.L.A. Coliseum The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (also known as the L.A. Coliseum) is a multi-purpose stadium in the Exposition Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Conceived as a hallmark of civic pride, the Coliseum was commissioned in 1921 as a mem ...

for the 1977 season. The Aztecs began the

1977 North American Soccer League season Statistics of North American Soccer League in season 1977. This was the 10th season of the NASL. Overview The league was made up of 18 teams. The schedule was expanded to 26 games and the playoffs to 12 teams. Team rosters consisted of 17 players, ...

on the road against the Earthquakes again, this time beating San Jose 3–0. On 3 July 1977, the largest home crowd of the season, 32,165, attended the game against the

Cosmos The cosmos (, ) is another name for the Universe. Using the word ''cosmos'' implies viewing the universe as a complex and orderly system or entity. The cosmos, and understandings of the reasons for its existence and significance, are studied in ...

, for Brazilian superstar

's last competitive appearance in Los Angeles. The Aztec won the game 4–1. The Aztecs finished the season in second place of the Pacific Conference Southern Division with a record of fifteen wins and eleven losses. The Aztecs were defeated by the Seattle Sounders in the Conference Championships after having beaten the Earthquakes in the first round, and Dallas Tornado over two-legs in the Division Championships. After the season, the team was purchased by a group headed by

Alan Rothenberg Alan I. Rothenberg (born April 10, 1939) is an American lawyer and sports executive. He is known for his contributions to and influence on the growth of soccer in the United States. He is the namesake of the Alan I. Rothenberg Trophy, which wa ...

with former Los Angeles Lakers player

Rudy LaRusso Rudolph A. LaRusso (November 11, 1937 – July 9, 2004) was an American professional basketball player who was a five-time All-Star in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was nicknamed "Roughhouse Rudy." Early life LaRusso was Jewish ...

named general manager. The Aztecs also signed a lease to play its homes matches at the Rose Bowl for the 1978 North American Soccer League season. In the first game of the season, the Aztecs lost to the Houston Hurricane in a shoot-out after playing to a 2–2 draw. Rumor's of Best's extravagant lifestyle and various personal problems, including

alcoholism Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol that results in significant mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognized diagnostic entity. Predomina ...

, began to spread during the previous season. After missing two training sessions and meeting with the team owners to address his concerns with the direction of the club, Best skipped the team's final practice before their 10 May 1978 match against the Oakland Stompers, and the team announced his indefinite suspension. The following month, the team traded Best to the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, with the Aztecs receiving players George Dewsnip,

Andy Rowland Andrew Arthur Rowland (born 8 September 1954) is an English former footballer who played for Derby County, Bury and Swindon Town. References 1954 births Living people Footballers from Derby English footballers Men's association ...

and the Strikers first 1980 draft choice. On 6 June 1978 and with a record of five wins in thirteen games, the Aztecs fired head coach Terry Fisher and replaced him with

Tommie Smith Tommie C. Smith (born June 6, 1944) is an American former track and field athlete and former wide receiver in the American Football League. At the 1968 Summer Olympics, Smith, aged 24, won the 200-meter sprint finals and gold medal in 19.83&nb ...

. With only three wins during the next fourteen games, Smith was replaced by team Director of Personnel Peter Short for the final two games of the season. The Aztecs finished the season in last place of the National Conference Western Division, recording nine wins and twenty-one loses. It was the team's worst outdoor season record and the only outdoor season the Aztecs did not qualify for the playoffs. The Aztecs did not participate in the

1978 NASL Skelly Indoor Invitational The 1978 NASL Skelly Invitational was a four-team indoor soccer tournament held in Tulsa, Oklahoma at the Tulsa Assembly Center on the first weekend of March 1979. Overview Four teams, all from the North American Soccer League, participated in t ...

, but did play a few indoor exhibition games in March 1978.

Michels & Cruyff Years

On 14 November 1978, team president Larry Friend announced former

FC Barcelona Futbol Club Barcelona (), commonly referred to as Barcelona and colloquially known as Barça (), is a professional Football team, football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, that competes in La Liga, the top flight of Spanish footb ...

AFC Ajax Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax (), also known as AFC Ajax, Ajax Amsterdam, or simply Ajax, is a Dutch professional football club based in Amsterdam, that plays in the , the top tier in Dutch football. Historically, Ajax (named after the ...

, and

Dutch national team Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

manager Rinus Michels had been hired as head coach. Michels revamped the team's roster with only four players from the Aztecs 1978 team remaining on the roster for the

1979 NASL season The 1979 North American Soccer League season was the 67th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer and the 12th with a national first-division league in the United States and Canada. Changes from the previous season Rules changes A rule modification req ...

. The Aztecs started the season with a record of five wins in seven games when on 22 May 1979 the team announced the signing of three-time

Ballon d'Or The Ballon d'Or (; ) is an annual football award presented by French news magazine '' France Football'' since 1956. Between 2010 and 2015, in an agreement with FIFA, the award was temporarily merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year (fo ...

winner

on a $1.4 million contract over two years which also included a percentage of gate receipts, making Cruyff the highest paid athlete in Southern California. The Aztecs finished the season in second place of the National Conference Western Division with a record of eighteen wins and twelve losses. Prior to signing Cruyff, the Aztecs averaged 7,500 fans a game, but ended the season with an average attendance of 14,333. The Aztecs defeated the

two games to none in the first round of the playoffs. The Aztecs won the home leg of the Conference Semifinals agsinst the

in an overtime shootout, but lost the away leg and the 30 minute mini game. Cruyff was awarded the league MVP and Larry Hulcer was named the Rookie of the Year for the 1979 season. From September through October 1979, the team embarked on a three-country European tour beginning with a 2–1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain F.C. The team then played six games in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

winning three, losing two and earning one draw. On the team's final leg through

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

, the Aztec drew 1–1 against

Birmingham City F.C. Birmingham City Football Club is a professional football club based in Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, it was renamed Small Heath in 1888, Birmingham in 1905, and Birmingham City in 1943. Since 2011, the first tea ...

and lost 2–0 to Chelsea F.C. Mexican media company

Televisa Grupo Televisa is a Mexican multimedia mass media company. A major Latin American mass media corporation, it often presents itself as the largest producer of Spanish-language content. In April 2021, Televisa and Univision Communications announce ...

purchased the team in early 1980 and sold the team's rights to Johan Cruyff to the Washington Diplomats for $1 million in order to save payroll money and foster a different image for the team. The Aztecs participated in the

1979–80 NASL Indoor season The 1979–80 season was the North American Soccer League's first ever full indoor soccer season with playoffs. It began in November 1979, and the championship occurred in March 1980. Overview Only 10 of the 24 NASL member-teams chose to field a ...

earning only two wins in twelve matches. A few weeks prior to the beginning of the 1980 outdoor season, Michels resigned has head coach, but was able to reach an agreement with the new owners and confirmed he would be returning. The Aztecs finished the 1980 season in second place of the National Conference Western Division with a record of twenty wins and twelve losses. Losing the first game of the Conference Quarterfinals at

RFK Stadium Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, commonly known as RFK Stadium and originally known as District of Columbia Stadium, is a defunct multi-purpose stadium in Washington, D.C. It is located about due east of the U.S. Capitol building, near the ...

the Aztecs defeated the Diplomats in the series by winning the home leg in a shootout, and the 30-minute minigame 2–0. The Aztecs advanced to the Conference Championships after defeating the Seattle Sounders in another shootout after each team won their home leg and playing to a 1–1 tie in the minigame. The Aztecs were defeated by the New York Cosmos in both games of the Conference Championships. Less than a month after the team was eliminated from the playoffs, Michels left the team for the position of technical director of FC Köln.

Final Season

The Aztecs achieved their best indoor season record with eleven wins and seven loses and earning first place of the Western Division in the 1980–81 NASL Indoor season but were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Edmonton Drillers. On 9 January 1981, the Aztecs announced Cláudio Coutinho had signed a two year contract to coach the team. The team also moved back to the

Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (also known as the L.A. Coliseum) is a multi-purpose stadium in the Exposition Park, Los Angeles, Exposition Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. Conceived as a hallmark of civic pride, the Coliseum was ...

to play their home games for the 1981 outdoor season. The Aztecs finished the

1981 North American Soccer League season Statistics of North American Soccer League in season 1981. This was the 14th season of the NASL. Overview There were a total of 21 teams participating. Three teams (Houston, Rochester and Washington) folded, while four others (Memphis, Detroit, ...

in second place of the Western Division with a record of nineteen wins and thirteen losses and an average attendance of 5,814. The team was knocked out of the first round of the playoffs by the

Montreal Manic The Montreal Manic or the Manic de Montréal were a professional soccer team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, that played in the North American Soccer League. The Montreal Manic were brought back in 2020 by Canadian businessman Gary Gaul as an ...

two games to one, the last game decided on a controversial penalty call in overtime. Following the season on 9 December 1981,

released a statement stating the team would not be operating for the 1982 season and that any remaining player contracts would be sold.

Year-by-year

Notable players

Javier Aguirre Javier Aguirre Onaindía (; born 1 December 1958), nicknamed ''El Vasco'' (The Basque), is a Mexican former professional footballer and manager who is currently in charge of Spanish team RCD Mallorca. Aguirre played for Mexico at the 1986 Wor ...

Gary Allison Gary Allison is a retired German-born American soccer player. This outstanding goalkeeper played professionally, for 12 years, from 1973-1984, in the NASL ( North American Soccer League), ASL( American Soccer League) and MISL( Major Indoor So ...

* Lee Atack *

Desmond Backos Desmond Patrick Backos (born 13 November 1950) is a South African former footballer who played in the Football League for Stoke City. Career Backos was born in Johannesburg and played football with local sides Johannesburg Rangers Graneker ...

* Phil Beal *

Željko Bilecki Željko Bilecki (April 28, 1950 – April 26, 2023) was a Canadian association football, soccer player who played as a goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper. Club career Bilecki played at the youth level with Toronto Croatia, Toronto ...

Bob Bolitho Robert "Bob" Bolitho (born July 20, 1952, in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada) is a former Canadian national team, North American Soccer League and Canadian Soccer League player. He is of Cornish descent. Club career Bolitho played as a te ...

* Colin Boulton * Colin Clarke * Martin Cohen *

Charlie Cooke Charles Cooke (born 14 October 1942) is a Scottish former footballer. He played as a winger for Aberdeen, Dundee, Chelsea and Crystal Palace, before ending his career in the United States. Club career Cooke began his professional career ...

Julio César Cortés Julio César "''El Pocho''" Cortés Lagos (born 29 March 1941) is an Uruguayan football coach and former midfielder who participated in three World Cups with the Uruguay national team. At the club level, Cortés was most successful during ...

* Renato Costa * Peter Coyne *

* Chris Dangerfield * Steve David * Ron Davies * Antonio de la Torre Villalpando * Roberto de Oliveira * George Dewsnip * Angelo DiBernardo * Vito Dimitrijević * Tony Douglas * Gary Etherington * Bernie Fagan * Mike Ferguson * Santiago Formoso * Randy Garber * Poli Garcia *

Steve Gay Steve Gay (born September 1, 1947 in La Paz, Bolivia) is a former U.S. collegiate soccer player. He played as a forward and was on the U.S. soccer team at the 1972 Summer Olympics. He went on to coach the UCLA men's soccer team from 1975 to ...

* Uruguay Graffigna * Austin Hayes *

Graham Horn Graham Horn (23 August 1954 – 29 June 2012) was an English professional association football, footballer who played as a Goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper. Career Born in Westminster, Horn was active in both England and the United ...

* Larry Hulcer * Alan Jones * Garry Jones * Jerry Kazarian * Alan Kelley * Jimmy Kelly * Mihalj Keri *

György Kottán György Kottán (6 October 1946 – 25 September 2023), also referred to as a Georg Kottán or George Kottán, was a Hungarian-Austrian football manager and player. Kottan is regarded as the most influential coach in the history of Bangladeshi f ...

* Bob Lenarduzzi * Dave Lennard * Malcolm Linton * Sammy Llewellyn * Miguel Lopez *

Luís Fernando Gaúcho Luís Fernando Trieweiler (born 29 March 1955, Novo Hamburgo, Brazil), better known as Luís Fernando Gaúcho, is a Brazilian retired footballer who played in the 1970s and 80s in Brazil, the United States and Portugal. He was known simply as Lu ...

* Terry Mancini * Jackie Marsh * John Mason *

Bobby McAlinden Robert McAlinden (born 22 May 1946) is an English former professional footballer who played as a winger in England, Northern Ireland, South Africa and the United States, making over 100 career appearances. Career McAlinden was born in Salford ...

* John McGrane *

Mike McLenaghen Mike McLenaghen (born June 10, 1954 in Burnaby, British Columbia) is a Canadian former North American Soccer League player and member of the Canadian national soccer team. Early life McLenaghen also excelled at lacrosse as a teenager, partici ...

* Doug McMillan *

Alan Merrick Alan Ronald Merrick (born 20 June 1950) is a retired English-American Association football defender who played professionally in England, the North American Soccer League and the Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned one cap with the ...

Ramón Mifflin Ramón Antonio Mifflin Páez (born 5 April 1947) is a former Peruvian football player. Career He started his career in Centro Iqueño in 1963, by 1965 he played in Defensor Arica, and signed with Peruvian team Sporting Cristal in 1968 af ...

Ane Mihailovich Ane Mihailovich is a Yugoslavian-American former soccer player. He spent at least four seasons in the American Soccer League, four in the North American Soccer League and one in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned five caps with the ...

Jim Millinder Jim Millnder is a retired American soccer player and coach who played professionally in the North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League, American Soccer League and United Soccer League. He coached collegiate soccer for twenty- ...

Bill Mishalow Wadim "Bill" Mishalow is a retired American soccer goalkeeper who played in the North American Soccer League and the Major Indoor Soccer League. Mishalow attended the University of Alabama, Huntsville, playing on the men's soccer team from 197 ...

* Ramon Moraldo * Dave Morrison * Buzz Parsons * Hugo Pérez * Héctor Pulido * Brian Quinn * Luiz Rangel * Tom Reynolds * Bob Rigby *

Andy Rolland Andy Rolland (born 12 November 1942, in Cowdenbeath) is a Scottish former footballer who played as a right back. Career Rolland began his senior career in 1961 with Cowdenbeath but was released at the end of the season. After a spell in junior f ...

Rubén Omar Romano Rubén Omar Romano Cachía (born May 18, 1958 in Buenos Aires) is an Argentine former footballer and current manager. Footballer career Romano played in Argentina for Club Atlético Huracán before leaving for Mexico in 1980 to play for Club ...

* Thomas Rongen * Alex Russell * Miro Rys *

Todd Saldana Todd Saldana is a retired American soccer midfielder. He played four seasons in the North American Soccer League, two in the United Soccer League and two in the Western Soccer Alliance. He was a member of the United States U-20 men's national soc ...

* Bill Sautter * Dave Shelton * Bobby Sibbald * Dave Smith * Tommy Smith * Franciszek Smuda *

Frantz St. Lot Frantz St. Lot (born December 13, 1950) or Frantz St-Lot is a Haitian-born, American former soccer player that played professionally in the United States as a defender. Amateur St. Lot first played for the Haitian youth team and then in colleg ...

* Wim Suurbier * Chris Turner * Juli Veee * Leo van Veen * Sergio Velazquez * Scott Vorst * Walter Wagner * Rudy Ybarra

Ownership

* Dr. Jack Gregory – Founder / co-owner *

– co-owner *

– owner (1977–80) *

– owners (1980–1981)

Honors

NASL Championships *

NASL Regular Season Premierships *

Division Champions *

Western Division * 1980–81 Western Division ''(indoor)'' League MVP * 1979

Rookie of the Year * 1974 Doug McMillan * 1979 Larry Hulcer League Scoring Champion * 1977 Steve David ''(26 goals, 6 assists, 58 points)'' League Goal Scoring Champion * 1977 Steve David ''(26 goals)'' League Assists Leader * 1974 Doug McMillan ''(10 assists)'' * 1977

''(18 assists)'' Indoor All-Stars * 1980–81 Mihalj Keri, Chris Dangerfield All-Star First Team Selections * 1976

* 1977 Steve David,

* 1979

All-Star Second Team Selections * 1974 Luis Marotte, Doug McMillan * 1977

* 1979 Mihalj Keri * 1980 Luis Fernando, Mihalj Keri * 1981 Mihalj Keri All-Star Honorable Mentions * 1976

* 1979 Wim Suurbier U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame * 2003 Bob Lenarduzzi * 2006 Hugo Pérez Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame * 2001 Bob Lenarduzzi * 2003 Buzz Parsons * 2004

* 2008 John McGrane Indoor Soccer Hall of Fame * 2012 Juli Veee * 2013 Brian Quinn

Notes

References

{{North American Soccer League (1966–85) Association football clubs established in 1974 Association football clubs disestablished in 1981 North American Soccer League (1968–1984) teams Defunct soccer clubs in California Soccer clubs in California Defunct indoor soccer clubs in the United States 1973 establishments in California 1981 disestablishments in California Elton John