The Cleveland Stokers were Cleveland’s first professional soccer team of real significance. The club began play in 1967 in the United Soccer Association, a league which grew up out of the enthusiasm of the 1966 World Cup. The USA imported entire teams from Europe and South America to represent member cities. The Stokers were actually Stoke City F.C. from England.
National Professional Soccer League (1967) North American Soccer League (1968) Born: 1966 – NPSL founding franchise Folded: February 18, 1969 First Game: April 16, 1967
The Royal Canadians/Royals were Vancouver’s original pro soccer franchise during the late 1960’s. The club formed as the Royal Canadians in the start-up United Soccer Association in 1967. The following year, the re-dubbed Royals moved to the North American Soccer League and played their second and final campaign. The Royals disbanded following the 1968 season. The NASL would return to Vancouver and Empire Stadium with the Vancouver Whitecaps expansion club in 1974.
The Anaheim-based Surf were part of the Southern California soccer boom of the late 1970’s that saw six different NASL and ASL clubs active in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties in 1978. The Surf were the weakest of the region’s three NASL franchises, overshadowed by the glamour of the Los Angeles Aztecs and the on-field success of the San Diego Sockers. The Surf disbanded after four season in late 1981.
The Edmonton Drillers were the final alias of this nomadic entry in the North American Soccer League, lasting four seasons between 1979 and 1982. The club’s highlight was capturing the 1980-81 indoor season championship of the NASL. The lowlight was a chaotic final campaign in 1982 when the last place Drillers nearly folded midseason and team owner Peter Pocklington was taken hostage during a home invasion and inadvertently shot and wounded by police during his rescue.
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