List of New York Cosmos (1970–1985) players
The New York Cosmos were an American soccer club based in New York. The club was formed in 1970 by brothers Ahmet and Nesuhi Ertegun, with the support of Warner Brothers president Steve Ross, and entered into the North American Soccer League (NASL), which had itself been founded in 1968. Backed by Ross's company, Warner Communications, the Cosmos became the league's strongest club, both on and off the field.[1] The team won five titles while drawing attendances unprecedented in American club soccer.[2] The Cosmos' commercial and on-field success declined during the early 1980s, along with the NASL itself, and after the league folded in 1984 the club dissolved a year later.[3] A new Cosmos team, formed in 2010,[4] is scheduled to begin play in the new second-tier North American Soccer League (contested since 2011) during the 2013 season.[5][6]
All players who played at least one league match for the Cosmos are given below. A total of 155 outfield players did so, along with 17 goalkeepers, giving a total of 172. Including the United States and Canada, a total of 34 nations from across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa were represented on the team's rosters over the course of its history. After the United States, the most common nation of origin was England, with 17 Cosmos players; Canada followed with 15. NASL all-star teams included 18 of the club's players in total. Eleven players who appeared as guests in exhibition games are listed separately below.
Key[]
- GK = Goalkeeper
- DF = Defender
- MF = Midfielder
- FW = Forward
Regular season players[]
Name | Country | Position | Years | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Laurie Abrahams | England | FW | 1984–85 | – |
United States | FW | 1982-84 | - | |
Chris Agoliati | United States | MF | 1977 | – |
Charlie Aitken | Scotland | DF | 1976–77 | – |
Canada | GK | 1980–82 | – | |
Carlos Alberto | Brazil | DF | 1977–80 1982 |
– |
Luis Alberto | United States | MF | 1984–85 | – |
Amr Aly | United States | FW | 1984–85 | – |
United States | DF | 1974–75 | – | |
Ron Atanasio | United States | FW | 1978–79 | – |
Garry Ayre | Canada | DF | 1978–79 | – |
Boris Bandov | United States | MF | 1979–82 | – |
United States | DF | 1981–82 | – | |
Franz Beckenbauer | West Germany | DF | 1977–80 1983 |
– |
Hubert Birkenmeier | West Germany | GK | 1979–85 | – |
Richard Blackmore | England | GK | 1972 | – |
Vladislav Bogićević | Yugoslavia | MF | 1978–84 | – |
Chico Borja | United States | FW | 1981–82 1984 |
– |
Gordon Bradley | United States | DF | 1971–75 | [A] |
Jack Brand | Canada | GK | 1978 | – |
David Brcic | United States | GK | 1977–79 1981–84 |
– |
Ivan Buljan | Yugoslavia | DF | 1981–82 | – |
Roberto Cabañas | Paraguay | FW | 1980–84 | – |
Omar Caetano | Uruguay | MF | 1975 | – |
Dan Canter | United States | DF | 1984–85 | – |
Antonio Carbognani | Argentina | MF | 1979 | – |
Emanuel Carrette | Brazil | FW | 1974 | – |
Carlos Caszely | Chile | FW | 1984 | – |
Haiti | DF | 1971 | – | |
Giorgio Chinaglia | Italy | FW | 1976–85 | – |
Richard Chinapoo | Trinidad and Tobago | DF | 1982–83 | – |
Chinesinho | Brazil | MF | 1971 | – |
Dave Clements | Northern Ireland | MF | 1976–77 | – |
Elvis Comrie | United States | FW | 1984–85 | – |
Julio Correa | Uruguay | MF | 1975 | – |
Everald Cummings | Trinidad and Tobago | MF | 1972–73 | – |
Oscar Damiani | Italy | FW | 1984 | – |
Rick Davis | United States | MF | 1978–84 | – |
Malcolm Dawes | England | DF | 1973–74 | – |
De | Brazil | DF | 1975 | – |
Roberto De Oliveira | United States | FW | 1977 | – |
Pedro DeBrito | United States | MF | 1984 | – |
Jaime Delgado | Ecuador | FW | 1971 | – |
Ferdinando De Matthaeis | Italy | FW | 1982 1983–84 |
– |
Angelo DiBernardo | United States | FW | 1980–85 | – |
Mike Dillon | England | DF | 1975–77 | – |
Vito Dimitrijević | Yugoslavia | MF | 1977–78 | – |
Frank Donlavey | Canada | DF | 1971 1974 |
– |
Tony Donlic | United States | FW | 1975–78 | – |
United States | ? | 19??-19?? | - | |
Jeff Durgan | United States | DF | 1980–82 1983–85 |
– |
Kevin Eagan | United States | DF | 1979 | – |
Keith Eddy | England | DF | 1976–77 | – |
Andranik Eskandarian | Iran | DF | 1979–85 | – |
Gary Etherington | United States | FW | 1977–79 | – |
Drew Ferguson | Canada | MF | 1984–85 | – |
Vidal Fernandez | United States | MF | 1980 | – |
Tony Field | England | FW | 1976–77 | – |
Joey Fink | United States | FW | 1973–75 | – |
Greece | MF | 1971 | – | |
Santiago Formoso | United States/ Spain | DF | 1978–79 | – |
Mike Fox | United States | MF | 1983–84 | – |
Chance Fry | United States | FW | 1984–85 | – |
Luis de la Fuente | Spain | DF | 1975 | – |
Terry Garbett | England | MF | 1976–79 | – |
Darryl Gee | United States | FW | 1980–84 | – |
Gerry Gray | Canada | MF | 1983–84 | – |
Alan Green | United States | FW | 1983–85 | – |
Fred Grgurev | United States | FW | 1978 | – |
Ernie Hannigan | Scotland | FW | 1971 | – |
Greece | FW | 1971 | – | |
Spain | FW | 1972 | – | |
Randy Horton | Bermuda | FW | 1971–74 | – |
Larry Hulcer | United States | MF | 1980–81 | – |
Stephen Hunt | England | FW | 1977–78 1982 |
[B] |
Paul Hunter | Canada | DF | 1977 | – |
Robert Iarusci | Canada | DF | 1977–78 1981–83 |
– |
Godfrey Ingram | England | FW | 1979 | [C] |
Harold Jarman | England | MF | 1974 | – |
Josef Jelinek | Czechoslovakia | FW | 1972–73 | – |
Poland | DF | 1971–73 | – | |
Erhardt Kapp | United States | DF | 1981–83 | – |
John Kerr | Canada | MF | 1972–75 | – |
Emmanuel Kofie | Ghana | GK | 1971–72 | – |
Konrad Kornek | Poland | GK | 1971 | – |
Refik Kozić | Yugoslavia | DF | 1983–84 | – |
Kurt Kuykendall | United States | GK | 1975–76 | – |
Uruguay | MF | 1975 | – | |
Roberto Landi | Italy | GK | 1983 | – |
Doc Lawson | United States | DF | 1984–85 | – |
Mark Liveric | United States | FW | 1974–75 | – |
Flemming Lund | Denmark | FW | 1985 | – |
Barry Mahy | United States | DF | 1971–75 | – |
Carmine Marcantonio | Canada | MF | 1984 | – |
Gil Mărdărescu | Romania | MF | 1975 | – |
Manoel Maria | Brazil | FW | 1975 | – |
Marinho | Brazil | DF | 1979 | – |
Juan Carlos Masnik | Uruguay | DF | 1975 | – |
Andy Mate | United States | MF | 1971 | – |
Charlie McCully | United States | FW | 1971–72 | – |
Henry McCully | United States | FW | 1973 | – |
Wes McLeod | Canada | MF | 1984–85 | – |
Robert Meschbach | United States | MF | 1985 | – |
Shep Messing | United States | GK | 1973–74 1976–77 1984 |
– |
West Germany | DF | 1971 | – | |
Wilberforce Mfum | Ghana | FW | 1971–72 | – |
Ramón Mifflin | Peru | MF | 1975–78 | – |
Italy | GK | 1971 | – | |
Charlie Mitchell | Scotland | DF | 1976 | – |
Yugoslavia | DF | 1971 | – | |
Hungary | MF | 1974 | – | |
Nelsi Morais | Brazil | MF | 1975–80 | – |
Steve Moyers | United States | FW | 1982–84 | – |
Johan Neeskens | Netherlands | MF | 1979–84 | – |
West Germany | DF | 1972 | – | |
Mickey Niblock | Northern Ireland | FW | 1973 | – |
Canada | FW | 1981–82 | – | |
Sam Nusum | Bermuda | GK | 1975 | – |
Yasin Özdenak | Turkey | GK | 1977–79 | [D] |
Alan O'Neill | England | GK | 1971 | – |
Tommy Ord | England | FW | 1975–76 | – |
Oscar | Brazil | DF | 1980 | – |
Andy Papoulias | United States | MF | 1985 | – |
Americo Paredes | Uruguay | FW | 1975 | – |
Andrew Parkinson | United States | FW | 1984–85 | – |
Rudolph Pearce | Jamaica | DF | 1971 | – |
Pelé | Brazil | FW | 1975–77 | – |
United States | DF | 1975 | – | |
United States | MF | 1977–78 | – | |
David Primo | Israel | DF | 1975 | – |
Karim Abdul Razak | Ghana | MF | 1979–81 | – |
Gerry Reardon | Ireland | MF | 1984 | – |
Len Renery | United States | DF | 1973–74 | – |
Bob Rigby | United States | GK | 1976 | – |
Wim Rijsbergen | Netherlands | DF | 1979–83 | – |
Rildo | Brazil | DF | 1977 | – |
Ecuador | MF | 1974 | – | |
Julio César Romero | Paraguay | MF | 1980–83 | – |
Werner Roth | United States | DF | 1972–79 | – |
Karol Rotner | Israel | DF | 1973 | – |
Brian Rowan | Scotland | DF | 1975–76 | – |
Greg Ryan | United States | DF | 1979 | – |
Carlos Scott | United States | MF | 1974–75 | – |
Seninho | Portugal | FW | 1978–82 | – |
Steve Sharp | United States | FW | 1985 | – |
Mordechai Spiegler | Israel | FW | 1974–77 | – |
Jorge Siega | United States | FW | 1971–76 | – |
Bobby Smith | United States | DF | 1976–78 | – |
Jomo Sono | South Africa | FW | 1977 | – |
Scoop Stanisic | United States | GK | 1984–85 | – |
Stan Startzell | United States | MF | 1972 | – |
Jan Steadman | Trinidad and Tobago | DF | 1971 | – |
United States | FW | 1977 | – | |
Siegfried Stritzl | United States | MF | 1971–73 | – |
Jerry Sularz | Poland | GK | 1973–75 | – |
Kazbek Tambi | United States | MF | 1983–85 | – |
Stanisław Terlecki | Poland | FW | 1983–84 | – |
Brian Tinnion | England | FW | 1976 | – |
Jadranko Topić | Yugoslavia | FW | 1977 | – |
Dennis Tueart | England | FW | 1978–79 | – |
Bruce Twamley | Canada | DF | 1977 | – |
François Van der Elst | Belgium | FW | 1980–81 | – |
Tibor Vigh | Canada | FW | 1973 | – |
Geoff Vowden | England | FW | 1974 | – |
Yugoslavia | FW | 1983–85 | – | |
Michael Wardrop | England | MF | 1974 | – |
Steve Wegerle | South Africa | FW | 1981–82 | – |
Bruce Wilson | Canada | DF | 1980 | – |
Giuseppe Wilson | Italy | DF | 1978–79 | – |
Ralph Wright | England | DF | 1973 | – |
Ceyhan Yazar | Turkey | FW | 1971 | – |
Scotland | MF | 1971 | – | |
Roby Young | Israel | FW | 1972–73 | – |
Poland | MF | 1972–73 | – | |
Władysław Żmuda | Poland | DF | 1984 | – |
By nationality[]
Country | Number of players |
---|---|
Argentina | 1 |
Belgium | 1 |
Bermuda | 2 |
Brazil | 10 |
Canada | 15 |
Chile | 1 |
Czechoslovakia | 1 |
Denmark | 1 |
Ecuador | 2 |
England | 17 |
West Germany | 4 |
Ghana | 3 |
Greece | 2 |
Haiti | 1 |
Hungary | 1 |
Iran | 1 |
Ireland | 1 |
Israel | 4 |
Italy | 6 |
Jamaica | 1 |
Netherlands | 2 |
Northern Ireland | 2 |
Paraguay | 2 |
Peru | 1 |
Poland | 6 |
Portugal | 1 |
Romania | 1 |
Scotland | 5 |
South Africa | 2 |
Spain | 2 |
Trinidad and Tobago | 3 |
Turkey | 2 |
United States | 56 |
Uruguay | 5 |
Yugoslavia | 7 |
Guest players[]
Some well-known players from other teams turned out for the Cosmos in exhibition matches on a game-by-game basis when New York traveled on overseas tours. These guest players are listed below, along with the year they appeared in Cosmos colors.
Name | Country | Position | Year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
John Coyne | England | FW | 1975 | – |
Gordon Banks | England | GK | 1976 | – |
Clyde Best | Bermuda | FW | 1976 | – |
Clodoaldo | Brazil | MF | 1977 | – |
Roberto Rivelino | Brazil | MF | 1978 | – |
Andranik Eskandarian | Iran | DF | 1978 | [E] |
Alan Willey | England | FW | 1978 | – |
Stewart Jump | England | DF | 1978 | – |
Joe Horváth | Hungary | MF | 1978 | – |
Hungary | DF | 1978 | – | |
Arsène Auguste | Haiti | DF | 1978 | – |
Johan Cruyff | Netherlands | MF | 1978 | – |
Footnotes[]
- A. ^ Bradley held the position of player-coach.
- B. ^ Hunt's 1982 spell was on loan from Coventry City (England).
- C. ^ Ingram played for the Cosmos on loan from Luton Town (England).
- D. ^ Yasin Özdenak played in the United States under the name Erol Yasin, and is generally referred to as such in NASL records.[7]
- E. ^ Although Eskandarian signed permanently for the Cosmos in 1979, he is counted as a guest player for 1978, and so appears on both lists.
References[]
- Bibliography
- Jose, Colin (2003). North American Soccer League Encyclopedia. Haworth, New Jersey: St. Johann Press. ISBN 1-878282-25-5.
- Newsham, Gavin (2006). Once in a Lifetime: The Incredible Story of the New York Cosmos. New York, New York: Grove Press. ISBN 0-8021-4288-5.
- Toye, Clive (2006). A Kick in the Grass. Haworth, New Jersey: St Johann Press. ISBN 978-1-878282-47-7.
- General
- Players sourced to: Jose (2003).
- Background sourced to: Jose (2003), Newsham (2006) and Toye (2006).
- Notes
- ^ Bell, Jack (2008-05-01). "Gordon Bradley, Who Nurtured U.S. Soccer, Dies at 74". The New York Times. New York, New York. Retrieved 2011-01-21.
- ^ Newsham, Gavin (2005-06-10). "When Pele and Cosmos were kings". The Guardian. London: Guardian News & Media. Retrieved 2011-01-20.
Owned by Warner Communications, the New York Cosmos were, like many other franchises, a team going nowhere fast. A ragbag assembly of students, foreigners and part-timers, they played their football at a high school athletics ground in front of row after row of empty seats. Nobody knew about them, let alone cared. ... On the road the Cosmos sold out every game ("like travelling with the Rolling Stones," says the club's travelling secretary Steve Marshall). In New York they were media darlings, idols of 77,000 fans (including Mick Jagger, Henry Kissinger, Robert Redford and Steven Spielberg) and virtual residents at Studio 54. In two years, they became an organisation with the cultural visibility no other arm of the Warner portfolio could boast. It mattered not that the club did not make a single cent in their 15-year history. The Cosmos had become the hottest ticket in town; Ross even had a seat belt installed in his spot in the upper tier, just in case he got overexcited and toppled over the edge.
- ^ Lindgren, Hugo (2006-06-25). "Pinup Goalie: Shep Messing". New York Movies. New York, New York: New York Media LLC. Retrieved 2009-06-16.
- ^ Ogden, Mark (2011-01-19). "Eric Cantona's appointment at the New York Cosmos part of battle to restore football to heart of the Big Apple". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 2011-01-29.
- ^ O'Brien, Seamus (2012-07-12). "New York Cosmos Returns to NASL". nycosmos.com. New York City: New York Cosmos. Retrieved 2012-07-12.
- ^ O'Mard, Marcus Kwesi (2012-07-12). "Report: New York Cosmos Plan to Make NASL Return in 2013". Watertown, Massachusetts: New England Sports Network. Retrieved 2012-07-12.
- ^ Litterer, David. "The Year in American Soccer - 1977". American Soccer History Archives. Archived from the original on 2013-07-01. Retrieved 2011-01-20.
- New York Cosmos players
- Lists of soccer players by club in the United States