Tampa Bay Rowdies

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Tampa Bay Rowdies
Full name Tampa Bay Rowdies
Nickname(s) Rowdies
Founded 1975
Dissolved 1993
Ground Tampa Stadium
(Capacity 71,000)
Chairman Beau Rogers
Harry Mangurian
Coach Eddie Firmani
League North American Soccer League
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
　
Home colours
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
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Away colours

The Tampa Bay Rowdies were a professional soccer team from Tampa, Florida, USA. The team played in the North American Soccer League until the league's dissolution and then went on to play in other leagues before finally folding in 1993. The Rowdies played their home games at Tampa Stadium, except for their indoor games which were played at Bayfront Center Arena in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Contents

[edit] NASL: 1975-1984

Originally founded as a North American Soccer League expansion franchise in 1975 by George Strawbridge, the Rowdies played ten seasons at Tampa Stadium and won their only Soccer Bowl championship in their inaugural season defeating the Portland Timbers 2-0. The Rowdies lost in the finals in 1978 and 1979. The team showcased international stars such as midfield captain Rodney Marsh (England), league leading goal scorer Oscar Fabbiani, swift and lethal forward Steve Wegerle (South Africa), rock-solid defenseman Arsene Auguste (Haiti), and popular player and high goal-scoring Derek Smethurst (South Africa). Coached by Eddie Firmani, John Boyle, and Gordon Jago, their catch phrase and marketing slogan was "The Rowdies arrrre...a kick in the grass!"

Fans of the Rowdies were dubbed Fannies. The most famous Fannies were the notorious North End Zone Gang (AKA the Ozone, the Yellow Card Section, The Mooners and the Village Idiots). The gang of college aged beer swilling fans were known for their wild antics, including throwing dead mullets dressed in mini Ft. Lauderdale Strikers uniforms onto the field.

After the 1983 season, the team was sold to Stella Thayer, Bob Blanchard and Dick Corbett.

[edit] Year-by-year

Year Record Regular Season Finish Playoffs Leading Goal Scorers
1975 16-6 1st, Eastern Division NASL Champions Derek Smethurst-18, Stewart Scullion-7, John Sissons-5
1976 18-6 1st, Eastern Division, Atlantic Conference Atlantic Conference Championship Derek Smethurst-20, Rodney Marsh-11, Stewart Scullion-10, Clyde Best-9
1977 14-12 3rd, Eastern Division, Atlantic Conference Divisional Playoffs Derek Smethurst-19, Rodney Marsh-8, Steve Wegerle-5
1978 18-12 1st, Eastern Division, American Conference Runners-up Rodney Marsh-18, Dave Robb-16
1979 19-11 1st, Eastern Division, American Conference Runners-up Oscar Fabbiani-25, Rodney Marsh-11,
1980 19-13 1st, Eastern Division, American Conference American Conference Semifinals Steve Wegerle-9
1981 15-17 4th, Southern Division Quarterfinals Frank Worthington-11
1982 12-20 3rd, Southern Division Did Not Qualify Luis Fernando-16
1983 7-23 3rd, Southern Division Did Not Qualify Manny Rojas-8
1984 9-15 4th, Eastern Division Did Not Qualify Roy Wegerle, Neill Roberts-9

[edit] NASL Indoor Soccer

In 1975, the NASL ran an indoor tournament entered by only four teams. The Rowdies finished second to the San Jose Earthquakes. The NASL did not hold an indoor season until 1979 when the Rowdies won the championship. The last NASL indoor season took place in 1983-1984 and the Rowdies finished last out of the seven teams.

Year Record Regular Season Finish Playoffs
1975 1-1 2nd Final
1979-1980 8-4 2nd, Eastern Division NASL Champions
1980-1981 9-9 2nd, Eastern Division Did not qualify
1981-1982 11-7 2nd Central Division, American Conference Runners-up
1983-1984 9-23 7th Did not qualify

[edit] Players

Argentina
Brazil
England
Scotland
  • Flag of Scotland Iain Anderson (1977/1981)
  • Flag of Scotland John Gorman (1979-82)
  • Flag of Scotland Mike Hewitt (1975) [5]
  • Flag of Scotland Davie Robb (1977-78) [6]

[edit] Head Coaches

[edit] Honors

NASL Championships

  • 1975

Division Titles

  • 1975 Eastern Division
  • 1976 Eastern Division, Atlantic Conference
  • 1978 Eastern Division, American Conference
  • 1979 Eastern Division, American Conference
  • 1980 Eastern Division, American Conference

Coach of the Year

Rookie of the Year

All-Star First Team Selections

All-Star Second Team Selections

All-Star Honorable Mentions

[edit] Yearly Average Attendance

  • 1975 - 10,728
  • 1976 - 16,452
  • 1977 - 19,491
  • 1978 - 18,123
  • 1979 - 27,650
  • 1980 - 28,345
  • 1981 - 22,532
  • 1982 - 22,532
  • 1983 - 18,507
  • 1984 - 10,932

[edit] Independent: 1985-1986

After the demise of the NASL in 1984, Cornelia Corbett became sole owner of the team in 1986. With Rodney Marsh as coach, the Rowdies operated as an independent team for two years before joining the American Indoor Soccer Association for one season (1986-87).

[edit] AISA: 1986-1987

[edit] Year-by-year

Year League Regular Season Playoffs U.S. Open Cup
1986/87 AISA 3rd, Southern Quarterfinals N/A

[edit] ASL/APSL: 1988-1993

In the summer of 1988, the Rowdies joined the third incarnation of the American Soccer League. They would stay in this league and its successor (the APSL) until they folded after the 1993 season.

[edit] Year-by-year

Year League Regular Season Playoffs U.S. Open Cup
1988 ASL 3rd, Southern Did not qualify Did not enter
1989 ASL 1st, Southern Semifinals Did not enter
1990 APSL 2nd, ASL South ASL Semifinals Did not enter
1991 APSL 3rd, American Did not qualify Did not enter
1992 APSL 2nd Final Did not enter
1993 APSL 3rd Semifinals Did not enter

[edit] Coaches

[edit] Honors

Leading Scorer

Top Goalkeeper

Coach of the Year

First Team All Star

[edit] Notable Players

Languages