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Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1977–1983)

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Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Logo
Full nameFort Lauderdale Strikers
Founded1977
(Previously Miami Toros)
Dissolved1983
(rebranded as Minnesota Strikers)
StadiumLockhart Stadium
Fort Lauderdale, Florida

West Palm Beach Auditorium
(indoor 1979–80)
West Palm Beach, Florida

Hollywood Sportatorium
(indoor 1980–81)
Pembroke Pines, Florida
Capacity20,450/15,532 (indoor)
OwnerElizabeth Robbie
LeagueNorth American Soccer League

The Fort Lauderdale Strikers were a professional soccer team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They competed in the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1977 to 1983. They played their home matches at Lockhart Stadium.

Founded in 1967 as the Washington Darts, the team relocated to Florida in 1972. They were known as the Miami Gatos (1972) and the Miami Toros (1973–1976) before moving to nearby Fort Lauderdale. In addition to their time in the NASL outdoor league, the Strikers also played two indoor seasons while in Fort Lauderdale, at the West Palm Beach Auditorium for the 1979–80 season and the Hollywood Sportatorium for the 1980–81 season. After the 1983 season, the Strikers moved to Minneapolis and became the Minnesota Strikers. Among their players during its time in Fort Lauderdale were football legends George Best and Gerd Müller.

History

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Origins

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Founded in 1963 as the amateur club Washington Britannica and eventually rebranding as the Washington Darts, the team joined the North American Soccer League in 1970[1] after playing three seasons in the American Soccer League and winning two consecutive ASL championships.[2] After the 1970 season, the team was sold to John Bilotta, former part owner of the Rochester Lancers, and Arthur Bant a hotel owner, who relocated and rebranded as the team as the Miami Gatos.[3][4] After one season, the team was sold to a group of 25 local business leaders[5] including Miami Dolphins owner Joe Robbie and his wife Elizabeth and renamed the Toros.[6] In December 1976 and after five seasons in Miami, the team announced it was moving to Fort Lauderdale.[7] The team played its first game, an indoor friendly, on February 27, 1977, against the Tampa Bay Rowdies, the first meeting in what was to become one of the most enduring rivalries in North American soccer, the Fort Lauderdale–Tampa Bay rivalry.[8]

Early Success

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The Strikers won their debut match 2–1 at Lockhart Stadium against the St. Louis Stars on April 10, 1977.[9] They finished the 1977 season in first place of the Eastern Division American Conference with a record of nineteen wins and seven losses, tying the league record for most wins in a season.[10] The team drew an average 8,148 fans for the season, a 165% increase over the team's last season as the Toros, and head coach Ron Newman, who had been hired before the team announced its move to Fort Lauderdale,[11] was named NASL coach of the year.[10] In the first match of the Division Championship, the Strikers lost to the Pelé led New York Cosmos 8–3 at Giants Stadium in a match which drew 77,691 fans, a record for a non-exhibition domestic league soccer game.[12] In the return leg played in Fort Lauderdale, the Strikers lost 3–2 in an overtime shootout.[13] Finishing the 1978 season in third place with a record of sixteen wins and fourteen losses, the Strikers made it to the third round of the playoffs, losing the Conference Championship to the Tampa Bay Rowdies.[14] The team was one of four to participate in the 1979 NASL Budweiser Indoor Soccer Invitational, losing both games the played[15] The 1979 North American Soccer League season ended with the Strikers in second place of the Eastern Division behind the Rowdies with a record of seventeen wins, thirteen losses and averaging 13,774 attendance per game.[14] The Strikers were knocked out of the first round of the playoffs by the Chicago Sting, losing both games without scoring a goal.[16] The day before the second game, it was announced that the team had relieved Ron Newman as head coach and offered him a job in the team management.[17]

Post Newman Era

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Gerd Müller played for the Strikers from 1979 to 1981

After Newman declined the front office position, the Strikers hired Bob Lemieux who had been working as an executive for the Detroit Red Wings as the team's General Manager.[18] In December 1979, the Strikers announced that Cor van der Hart had been hired as head coach.[19] During the 1980 NASL Season there were several reports of arguments between van der Hart and the players as well as publicity referencing a drinking problem, both issues led to difficulties with the head office.[20][21] Finishing with a record of eighteen wins and fourteen loses, the team ended the season in second place of the Eastern Division, behind the Tampa Bay Rowdies again.[14] The Strikers advanced to Soccer Bowl '80 against the New York Cosmos after defeating the California Surf, Edmonton Drillers, and San Diego Sockers in the first three rounds of the playoffs.[22] On September 21, 1980, at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC the Strikers lost to the Cosmos 3–0.[23] In mid October, Lemieux was fired from his position as General Manager with Tim Robbie, son of owners Joe and Elizabeth Robbie, taking over the position.[24] Then in late December 1980 with the team 0–6 in the 1980–81 NASL Indoor season and after having announced just after the Soccer Bowl that he would return as head coach for the following outdoor season, van der Hart was fired. Team spokesman stated "personal issues" and "team morale" as the primary reason and that Assistant Bill Nuttall was named caretaker for the reminder of the indoor campaign.[25] German Eckhard Krautzun who had coached the Houston Hurricane during the 1980 season, was named head coach for the 1981 Outdoor season.[20] The 1981 season saw the team's first decline in average attendance since it had moved to Fort Lauderdale with 13,345 fans per game seeing them finish second in the Southern Division with a record of eighteen wins and fourteen losses, rather than the 14,360 who attended each game during the 1980 season.[14] After defeating the Calgary Boomers and Minnesota Kicks in the first two rounds of the playoffs, the Strikers lost in the Semifinals to the Cosmos.[26] The day after the Strikers were eliminated from contention for Soccer Bowl '81, the North American Soccer League announced that the team would not participate in the upcoming 1981–82 NASL Indoor season, but would return for 1982 outdoor season.[27]

Decline

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The Strikers ended the 1982 North American Soccer League season with an identical eighteen wins and fourteen losses from the previous season which won them the Southern Division title with another decline in attendance of 12,345 average attendance.[14] After defeating the Montreal Manic in the first round of the playoffs, the Strikers failed to qualify for Soccer Bowl '82 when they lost the semifinals to Seattle Sounders.[28] After two seasons, Krautzun was fired as head coach with former Striker player and head coach of the recently folded Georgia Generals David Chadwick rumored to be interested in the position.[29] His hiring was confirmed a week later.[30] In addition to compiling a record of one win and seven losses in the 1983 NASL Grand Prix of Indoor Soccer, the Strikers played two indoor friendlies during the offseason. The team's attendance continued decline in the 1983 outdoor season and the team recorded their first losing record in an outdoor NASL season with fourteen wins and sixteen losses.[14] Finishing second in the Southern Division, the team was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Tulsa Roughnecks.[31]

Relocation

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Following the conclusion of the 1983 outdoor season season long rumors that the team was looking to move were confirmed when General Manager Tim Robbie met with officials in Minneapolis[32] On November 30, 1983, team owner Elizabeth Robbie, Minnesota Governor Rudy Perpich, and NASL president Howard Samuels officially announced the team was moving and indicated the team had lost around $1 million in the last year.[33] In 1984 the team began play as the Minnesota Strikers. The team survived the NASL folding after the 1984 season and competed in the Major Indoor Soccer League for an additional four seasons before going out of business.[34]

Year-by-year

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Year Record Regular Season Finish Playoffs Avg. Attend.
1977 19–7 1st, Eastern Division, American Conference Divisional Playoff 8,148
1978 16–14 3rd, Eastern Division, American Conference American Conference Finals 10,479
1979 indoor 0–2 4th, Budweiser Invitational[35] n/a
1979 17–13 2nd, Eastern Division, American Conference American Conference Quarterfinals 13,774
1979–80 indoor 3–9 4th, Eastern Division n/a 2,069
1980 18–14 2nd, Eastern Division, American Conference Runners-up 14,360
1980–81 indoor 1–17 4th, Eastern Division n/a 1,699
1981 18–14 2nd, Southern Division Semifinals 13,345
1982 18–14 1st, Southern Division Semifinals 12,345
1983 indoor 2–8 4th, Indoor Grand Prix n/a
1983 14–16 2nd, Southern Division Quarterfinals 10,823

Honors

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Head coaches

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Soccer loop will expand to 8 teams". Eugene Register-Guard. November 13, 1969. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  2. ^ Jose, Colin (1998). The American Soccer League: The Golden Years of American Soccer 1921-1931. United States: Scarecrow Press. p. 313. ISBN 9781461716129. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  3. ^ "Washington Darts Sold; Team Moved to Miami". The New York Times. October 31, 1971. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  4. ^ "Gatos In Miami". St. Petersburg Times. UPI. February 16, 1972. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  5. ^ "Team Sold". Spokane Daily Chronicle. December 12, 1972. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  6. ^ Chick, Bob (May 18, 1973). "Miami Opening Gates to Toros". The Evening Independent. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  7. ^ "Miami Toros Moving to Fort Lauderdale". Schenectady Gazette. AP. December 23, 1976. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  8. ^ Meyer, John (February 28, 1977). "Rowdies: Bombs Away!". The Evening Independent. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  9. ^ "Strikers' debut a success". Boca Raton News. April 11, 1977. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Strikers will face the Cosmos". Boca Raton News. August 11, 1977. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  11. ^ "Ron Newman Will Coach Miami Toros". Gettysburg Times. AP. December 9, 1976. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  12. ^ "Cosmos Fill Seats, Net". The Evening Independent. AP. August 15, 1977. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  13. ^ "New York Cosmos win NASL East". The Tuscaloosa News. AP. August 18, 1977. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  14. ^ a b c d e f "North American Soccer League". RSSSF. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  15. ^ Tierney, Mike (January 27, 1979). "Blast off! Rowdies aim for indoor orbit". St. Petersburg Times. p. 1c. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  16. ^ "Sting eliminate Fort Lauderdale". Lakeland Ledger. AP. August 19, 1979. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  17. ^ "Strikers Fire Coach Newman". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. AP. November 17, 1979. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  18. ^ "Strikers Get Lemieux". Youngstown Vindicator. AP. October 19, 1979. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  19. ^ "Strikers hire van der Hart". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. UPI. December 23, 1979. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  20. ^ a b "Krautzun joins Strikers, Leggat Quits Drillers". The Vancouver Sun. December 23, 1980. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  21. ^ "Cor's Holiday Comes Early". The Evening Independent. AP. December 23, 1980. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  22. ^ "Soccer Bowl: It's The Strikers Vs. The Cosmos". The Evening Independent. September 15, 1980. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  23. ^ "Cosmos Triumph over Strikers in NASL Soccer Bowl". The Evening News. September 22, 1980. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  24. ^ "Strikers axe Manager". Edmonton Journal. Journal News Services. October 15, 1980. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  25. ^ "Strikers Fire Coach, Blame Team Morale". Schenectady Gazette. December 23, 1980. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  26. ^ "Cosmos defeat Strikers, 4-1". The Evening News. No. September 17, 1981. AP. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  27. ^ "Five NASL Teams Out". The Leader-Post. No. September 17, 1981. AP. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  28. ^ "Sockers to Meet Cosmos for Title". The New York Times. September 11, 1982. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  29. ^ Brown, Clifton; Thuma, Cynthia (September 22, 1982). "Strikers go coach hunting Krautzun get ax as club mulls turnover". Boca Raton News. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  30. ^ "The Fort Lauderdale Strikers have brought David Chadwick back..." UPI. September 30, 1982. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  31. ^ Thuma, Cynthia (September 12, 1983). "Season over for Strikers...perhaps forever". Boca Raton News. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  32. ^ "NASL's Strikers Ready To Leave Ft. Lauderdale". Daytona Beach Sunday News. AP. October 27, 1983. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  33. ^ "Strikers shift to Minnesota". The Bryan Times. The Bryan Times. UPI. December 1, 1983. p. 10. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  34. ^ "MISL Minnesota Strikers folding". The Evening News. AP. June 23, 1988. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  35. ^ "The Evening Independent - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com.
  36. ^ a b c d "American Soccer History Archives". homepages.sover.net. Archived from the original on November 8, 2009. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  37. ^ "US Soccer Hall of Fame Membership". homepages.sover.net. Archived from the original on September 23, 2017. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  38. ^ "Canada Soccer Hall of Fame". www.canadasoccer.com.
  39. ^ "Hall of Famers". Archived from the original on October 23, 2013. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
  40. ^ "Home - Indoor Soccer Hall of Fame". www.indoorsoccerhall.com.
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