Santa Barbara Condors

American Soccer League (1977)

Tombstone

Born: 1977 – ASL expansion franchise
Folded: July 1977

First Game: April 24, 1977 (T 1-1 @ Sacramento Spirits)
Last Game: June 25, 1977 (L 1-0 vs. Sacramento Spirits)

ASL Championships: None

Stadium

Valley Stadium

Branding

Team Colors:

Ownership

Owner: Dave Whiteside

Background

The Santa Barbara Condors were a financially bereft 2nd division American soccer club that folded after playing just a dozen games in the summer of 1977. During their brief run, the Condors played home games at Valley Stadium, a high school field in Goleta, California.

Former Liverpool captain Ron Yeats was the Condors’ player-coach. The owners stopped paying the team almost immediately and bailed on the club.

On July 1, 1977, after playing without pay for nearly two months, Condors players went out on strike, refusing to play a pair of weekend games against the Los Angeles Skyhawks.

American Soccer League officials were unable to find new investors for the club and the Condors folded with a 4-4-4 record. The remaining 12 games on the club’s regular season scheduled were cancelled. Midseason failures were not unusual in the ASL and the Santa Barbara Condors were one of numerous 2nd division clubs in the States who were unable to complete their schedules during the 1970’s.

Voices

“I was one of the last players to arrive at the club. When I arrived I believe the club had played two games and the boys were telling me no wages were being paid but I stayed through. I played maybe 6 to 8 games and I do believe I had three or four goals in that time.”

-Jim Kabia, Forward 1977 (Interviewed 2018)