The History of Soccer in the New York City/Northern new Jersey area(Part 3 of 3)
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From: David A. Litterer on 25 May 2010 23:30 History of Soccer in New York City/Northern New Jersey (Part 3 of 3) By Dave Litterer spectrum(a)sover.net The Lean Years - Again | Revival and World Cup | The Era of the MLS and Women's Soccer The Lean Years - Again With the demise of the professional leagues and the Cosmos, there was nothing left in the New York region but the amateur leagues, led by the Cosmopolitan League (formerly the GASL), and the Eastern District league. The situation looked little better across the country, and the region has to this day (2010) not regained the dominance it held during the NASL glory years. But almost immediately the outdoor game began to rise, slowly and phoenix-like from rock bottom. Youth and college soccer were both beginning to take off and would grow by leaps and bounds over the next two decades, particularly on the womens' side. Soon major colleges became the powerhouses, and the NY/NJ region was well represented by many institutions such as St. John's, Seton Hall, Stony Brook and Rutgers. Things took longer at the pro levels however. The New York Express joined the MISL in 1986, flaming out after a disastrous 3-23 season, but on a brighter note, Yonkers Polish Americans won the 1987 National Amateur Cup, and the CSL's Greek-Americans made it to the US Open Cup final in 1989. The NESSL's Brooklyn Italians followed suit in 1989, and won it in 1990. Lower-level soccer leagues began sprouting up in the US in the late 1980s, and a bonafide 2nd division circuit was launched in 1988 - the third American Soccer League. But the glory days in the NY/NJ region were over. Functional teams, let along successful ones were rare during this time. The New Jersey Eagles were represented in the ASL, winning the North Division title in 1988, but fell to last in 1989. That year, Rugters made it to the NCAA Division 1 semi-finals, and the championship was held at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, a 1-1 battle that was called after four overtimes. The National Team returned to New York with a 3-0 win over Peru in a friendly. Although it had little impact in the region, a seminal event in 1989 was the US qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since 1950. This would lead to momentus changes in the game, as the USSF, which had previously been awarded the 1994 World Cup (based in part on the impressive attendance at the '84 Olympics) began to lay the groundwork to develop the national team and for the launch of a new Division 1 professional league. As part of their effort to be designated the new Div. 1 professional league, the ASL and Western Soccer League merged as the American Professional Soccer League, an unwieldly 20-team circuit with each league forming a conference. New Jersey again finished last in this edition, and a new club, Penn-Jersey did somewhat better, finishing third. The USA hosted Malta at Piscataway, beating them 1-0, and Rutgers returned to the NCAA Div. 1 championship, again going into FOUR overtime periods. This time however, they fell to UCLA 1-0. New York continued its ineptitude in the indoor game when the National professional Soccer league added the New York Kick for 1990-91; they went 3-37 and folded. Most of the APSL teams folded after their first season in 1990; but Penn-Jersey continued, finishing a middling 3rd in 1991 before folding. By 1993, the only soccer left was once again the amateur circuits and college teams (St. John's came in 3rd place in the 1993 Coaches' poll). Kearny, NJ, that early hotbed of US soccer, achieved a measure of distinction as three Kearny natives earned spots in the National Team in the buildup to the '94 World Cup - John Harkes, Tab Ramos and Tony Meola. Revival and World Cup Although things looked bleak in 1992, soccer would enter a new era with the buildup to the 1994 World Cup, the rapid expansion of the Division 2/Division 3 leagues, the popularity of Giants Stadium as a national team venue, and the advent of Major League Soccer. Although New York/New Jersey did not often see great triumphs during this era, never again would the region be bereft of pro soccer. The first major event was the launching in 1993 of Major League Soccer which would start play in 1996, and would include a team in New York. The soccer scene really came back to life during the World Cup, which was a seminal event bringing the US into worldwide prominence, as the event shattered attendance records averaging 67,000 fans per game. The US even did well, beating favored Colombia and advancing to the Round of 16 where they held #1 Brazil to a single goal as they exited with their heads held high. Several prominent matches (including a semi-final) were held at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, drawing nearly 80,000 fans per match. The Women's National Team had their first area matches, beating New Zealand, Trinidad & Tobago and Canada at the C.W.C.'93 before modest crowds. They returned to the area in 1994 and 95 when they beat China and Australia respectively, at Rutgers Stadium. Pro soccer made its comeback to the region when the Division 3 US Interregional Soccer League (Now the USL) expanded to the northeast, adding the New York Fever, New Jersey Imperials and North Jersey Dragons., and Sam's Army made their New York debut at the final match of the USA Cup at Rutgers Stadium in New Brunswick as 35,126 saw the Americans battle Colombia to a 0-0 draw. Later that year, the Nats made their debut at Giants Stadium in the Parmalat Cup where they lost to Parma and Benfica. Although the Dragons and Fever did not last long, (nor did the NY/NJ Stallions added in 1996) the Imperials had a long, if rarely successful tenure. More successful was the 1995 entry, the Long Island Rough Riders, who went on to a long championship filled tenure in the 3rd division league before dropping to the amateur division. Division 2 soccer returned with the New York Centaurs of the APSL in 1995 (They flamed out), followed by the New York Fever in 1996 (They were little better.) Finally division 1 returned with the MLS and the New York/New Jersey Metrostars in 1996. The Era of the MLS and Women's Soccer The New York/New Jersey MetroStars were a charter franchise of Major League Soccer. The league considered adding a second team in Long Island, and although that did not happen, the league has kept an option for a Long Island franchise ever since. The region was caught up in soccer fever as teams continued to sprout up at all divisional levels, as seen by the chart below: New York Centaurs (A-League) 1994 Jersey Dragons (USL) 1994-1996 Long Island Rough Riders (USL) 1994-present North Jersey Imperials (USL) 1994-1999 New York Fever (USL, A-League) 1995-1996 Long Island Lady Riders (W-League) 1995-present New Jersey Wildcats (W-league) 1996-present New York/New Jersey MetroStars (MLS) 1996-present* New York Magic (W-league) 1997-present New Jersey Stallions (USL) 1997-2004 New York Freedom (USL) 1998-2004 New Jersey lady Stallions (W-League) 1998-2004 Westchester Flames (USL) 1999-present Staten Island Vipers (USL) 1999 Brooklyn Knights (USL) 1999-present New Brunswick Power (W-League) 2000 New York Power (WUSA) 2001-2003 New York Vendoval (WPSL) 2003 Long Island Fury (WPSL) 2006 Long Ialand Academy (NPSL) 2007 New Jersey Ironmen (MISL/XSL) 2007-2008 Jersey Sky Blue (W-League) 2007-2008 New York Athletic Club (NPSL) 2008-present Newark Ironbound Express (USL) 2008-present New Jersey Rangers (USL) 2008-present Sky Blue F. C. (WPS) 2009-present New York Red Bull (NPSL) 2009-present Jersey Select (WPSL) 2010-present New Jersey Rangers (WPSL) 2010-present Brooklyn Italians (NPSL) 2010-present F. C. New York (NASL II) 2011-present Note: Some USL teams were in Divion 2 or 3 leagues; most play(ed) in the amateur-level USL-PDL league. *-MetroStars known as New York Red Bull since 2006. With the exception of the MetroStars, area teams made an immediate impact in their respective leagues, with the Long Island Rough Riders winning their USL division in 1994 and the USL title in 1995. The Lady Riders took the W-League title in 1995 and 1997, and the Magic followed with a title in 1998, and earned runner-up honors the following year. The North Jersey Imperials were strong in these years, and the New York Freedom won the USL amateur title in 1999. At the amateur level, Clifton Soccer Academy United won the National Amateur Cup for three straight seasons, 1996 through 1998. Meanwhile, success was not coming at the top level, as the MetroStars struggled through several seasons (and many players and coaches), never able to break far above .500 and often landing in the cellar. Their first decent showing was not until 2000 when they made the semi-finals; but (yet again) collapsed the following year, leading to concerns at league headquarters about the failure of success in the nation's largest TV market; success in New York was crucial to the league's overall success. A major highlight of the 1996 MLS season was a doubleheader which set an all-time attendance record of 78,416 at Giants Stadium, which pitted the East All-Stars against the West followed by a charity match between Brazil and the FIFA All-stars, which Brazil won 2-1. The 1999 Women's World Cup was a seminal event in the history of women's soccer and some of the biggest crowds were at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford. The opening match set a new attendance record at Giants Stadium as 78,972 came out to see the US shut out Denmark 3-0 followed by Brazil trouncing Mexico 7-1. A later doubleheader did not feature the US but still drew almost 30,000 fans. When the Women's United Soccer Association launched in 2001, the New York Power were a charter franchise, playing all three seaons of the WUSA's brief life, but with middling success, only making the playoffs in their final year where they were defeated in the first round. W-League area teams were perennial success stories during the regular season with several divisional titles to their credit, but always collapsed in the playoffs. On the men's side, the region saw great success at the start of the millenium, with the NJ Stallions winning the USL Div. 3 title in 2000, Westchester taking their division in 2000, followed by the league title in 2001, and the Long Island Rough Riders following suit in 2002. But then the region entered a fallow period with several teams having folded and little success on the field, particularly from the MetroStars. The only bright spot during this time was the revival of the old tradition of tours by major foreign teams, initially organized by Championsworld. The highlight of the first edition was Manchester United's 3-1 victory over Juventus in July 2003 which set a new Giants Stadium record of 79,005 fans, followed by the Italian Super Cup matchup between A. C. Milan (5) and Juventus (2) which drew 54,000. This was so successful that Championsworld scheduled three matches at Giants stadium in 2004. The first match saw 74,511 witnessed A. C. Milan draw 1-1 with Manchester United. Early August saw more modest crowds at the Galatasray/Porto and Liverpool/A. S. Roma matches. Things started to turn around in 2005. The Men's National Team won two well attended Gold Cup matches defeating Honduras and Panama to win the tournament. New teams began popping up in the USL, W-League, WPSL and NPSL, with some having immediate success on the field and collecting much silver. The New Jersey Wildcats won the W-League title in 2005 (and their division from 2005 through 2007). Meanwhile, the WPSL expanded to the Northeast in 2006 (followed by the NPSL in 2007), and the expansion Long Island Fury lived up to their name, taking the title in 2006 and 2009, while the NPSL's Long Island Academy made it to the semis in '07. In another first, New York Athletic Club captured the first Women's National Amateur Cup title for an area team. The veteran USL Brooklyn Knights finally saw success, winning their division in 2008, and at the local amateur level, the New York Pancyprian Freedoms won the National Amateur Cup. That was the year Red Bull New York surprised everyone by squeaking into the playoffs despite a 10-11-9 record, and battling all the way to MLS Cup '08 where they fell to Columbus 3-1. This qualified them for the preliminary round of the 2009-2010 CONCACAF Champions League where they fell to W. Connection (Trinidad & Tobago) 2-2 and 2-1. Unfortunately, they collapsed in the 2009 MLS campaign, falling to last place. That year saw the launch of Womens Professional Soccer, which included the region's Sky Blue F. C. as a charter team. The team had middling success their inaugural year, but looked promising for 2010. On the exhibition front, Championsworld folded after the 2004 series, and for 2005 MLS arranged the "World Series of Football" which mostly pitted MLS squads against visiting foreign teams. The match at Giants Stadium was an exception; 35,000 saw A. C. Milan draw 1-1 with Chelsea. But later that year, Ecuador held two friendlies, and England drew 50,000 to their 3-2 win over Colombia. In 2006, both international friendlies and the World Series of Soccer were seasonal highlights; 79,002 came to watch F. C. Barcelona defeat Red Bull New York 4-1, and the 1-1 draw between Colombia and Ecuador was also well attended. In 2007, the only international action in the region was a lightly attended 1-1 draw between Ecuador and Ireland. Barcelona returned in 2008 and whomped Red Bull New York 6-2 before 38,000+. But the big event that year came in August as the US drew 1-1 with Argentina in a friendly attended by over 78,000. The World Football challenge was launched in 2009 but bypassed the NY/NJ region. Fans were not bereft however, as the US was pitted against Mexico in the final match of the Gold Cup before (yet another) Giants Stadium record crowd of 79,156. Primed to make amends for their heartbreaking loss to Brazil in the Confederations Cup final, the US fell apart, losing to the ticos 5-0. As the decade concluded, things looked fairly good for soccer in New york and northern New Jersey. Red Bull New York opened their new 25,000 seat soccer-specific stadium, which was a big hit with the fans, and quickly took a commanding lead of their division, playing their best ball in years. Many teams had been launched in the lower divisions in recent years, with some W-League teams proving to be perennial contenders. The newly-launched Division 2 North American League awarded a new franchise, New York F. C., to launch in 2011. The new Meadowlands Stadium promised to be an attractive venue for International matches, and was on the short list for the US World Cup 2018/2022 bid, and their was some talk of MLS exercising its option to put a new franchise in Long Island (read Queens) with many fans hoping they may purchase the rights to the Cosmos name. Overall, the future for New York soccer looked bright. |