1977 Tampa Bay Rowdies indoor season

March 2026 August 2023 Tampa Bay Rowdies 1977 indoor ITA Eddie Firmani USA Beau Rodgers General manager USA George W. Strawbridge, Jr. Bayfront Center North American Soccer League RSA 1928 Derek Smethurst (5 goals) 6,354(March 9 vs. Zenit) 5,016(Feb. 27 vs. Strikers) 5,685 _Roma1 _tbrowdies12h _tbrowdies12h _green_border _hoops_green_2 006600 ffffff 006600 FFFFff FFF200 _tbrowdies13h _tbrowdies12h _tbrowdies12h _norwich1617h _hoops_green_2 006600 006600 006600 006600 FFF200 true 1976 1978 The 1977 Tampa Bay Rowdies indoor season was the third indoor season of the club's existence. Overview Despite much lobbying from Rowdies owner, George W. Strawbridge, Jr., the North American Soccer League voted not to sanction an indoor season or tournament in 1977.Chick Bob Indoor Kicks May Go Awry March 29, 1976 Evening Independent https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fFlQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jlgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4763,3078494&dq=indoor+awry&hl=en 1-C September 19, 2016Martz Ron Indoor soccer season approved March 12, 1977 St. Petersburg Times https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LK8pAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kV0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5596,2564302&dq=soccer+bowl+78+strawbridge&hl=en 1C September 19, 2016 As such, Tampa Bay played only two indoor matches that year.Rowdies Vs. Strikers In Exhibition Tonight February 27, 1977 Sarasota Herald-Tribune https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1755&dat=19770227&id=Hb0qAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UGcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1895,4785641&hl=en 3-D September 19, 2016 The first one versus the Fort Lauderdale Strikers was played on February 27.Meyer John Rowdies: Bombs Away! February 28, 1977 Evening Independent https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=950&dat=19770228&id=IUdQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oFgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2449,2772946/ 1-C September 19, 2016Blankenship Ken Smethurst-led Rowdies clip Strikers 9–8 February 28, 1977 St. Petersburg Times https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=19770228&id=G4hQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kl0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=1675,4657087&hl=en 1C September 19, 2016 This marked the first meeting of what would soon become one of the most enduring rivalries in North American soccer, the Florida Derby. The Rowdies' other match was an international friendly against Zenit Leningrad on March 9.Blankenship Ken Rowdies, Zenit roar into Bayfront March 9, 1977 St. Petersburg Times https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=19770309&id=US0VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kV0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6292,213870&hl=en 1C September 19, 2016 At the time Zenit was the reigning champion of the Soviet indoor league.Meyer John Unfit To Beat The Russians March 10, 1977 Evening Independent https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=950&dat=19770310&id=S8BRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tVgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5461,2398750/ 1-C September 19, 2016 Likewise, the Rowdies were the defending NASL indoor champs. Both matches were played at the Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg, Florida. Originally Tampa Bay had planned on playing FC Dynamo Moscow, but the match was canceled because of government delays in the Soviet Union.Mudry Richard Russians to provide Rowdies biggest test January 6, 1977 The Tampa Times https://www.newspapers.com/image/333351280/?terms=Rowdies%2Bindoor 2-C January 27, 2018 The Rowdies were also the first NASL side to ever be invited to the Wembley Indoor Invitational in mid June.Mudry Richard TBAYSO set for return to action January 5, 1977 The Tampa Times https://www.newspapers.com/image/333350854/?terms=indoor%2Bsoccer 5-C July 4, 2019 The ten-team tournament featured five English clubs, plus other top squads from Europe. Although they originally planned to attend the London event, ultimately the tournament was canceled and the Rowdies scheduled an outdoor international friendly in Tampa versus A.S. Roma instead.Henderson Jim Rowdies' Gate May Decide Indoor Future February 24, 1977 Tampa Tribune https://www.newspapers.com/image/334934298/?terms=Rowdies%2Bindoor 4-C January 27, 2018Rowdies Notes March 23, 1977 Tampa Tribune https://www.newspapers.com/image/335003343/?terms=Reno%2BAgostinis 3-C April 10, 2020Henderson Jim Rowdies To Sign Two Scots, Will Host Rome Club In June May 17, 1977 Tampa Tribune https://www.newspapers.com/image/334964144/ 1-C January 27, 2018 Longterm cultural significance Not only was this brief indoor season the flash-point for one of the longest running professional soccer derbies in North America as previously mentioned, but it was significant for another reason. When Ed Tepper approached Earl Foreman about starting a fully professional indoor-only soccer league, he used a videotape of the 1977 Rowdies–Zenit Leningrad matchArchived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuaIdLaeP40 Indoor Soccer: Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Zenit Leningrad 3/9/1977 YouTube to show not only the game's potential, but also the crowd's enthusiastic responses to the end-to-end action. By October 1977 the pair announced the formation of the Major Indoor Soccer League.http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1978.html#indoor The Year in American Soccer - 1978 2016-09-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20150217025808/http://homepages.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1978.html#indoor 2015-02-17 dead NASL Indoor Loop Boasts Eight Teams November 11, 1977 Sarasota Herald-Tribune https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1755&dat=19771111&id=T0k0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=X2cEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4355,4178719 3-D September 19, 2016 That league would grow to become the sport's standard bearer for many years, even gaining a regular slot in the ESPN programming line up, before finally folding in 1992. Today, though most popular in North America, indoor soccer is played throughout the world, with its own FIFA-like governing body. The World Minifootball Federation, based in the Czech Republic, is the international federation dedicated to promoting the sport. Club Roster No.PositionNationPlayer1 ENG GK Paul Hammond Paul Hammond (footballer) 1 USA GK Arnie Mausser 1 USA GK Winston DuBose 2 ENG DF Farrukh Quraishi 3 SCO DF Alex Pringle (capt.) Alex Pringle 4 HAI DF Arsène Auguste 5 CAN DF Rino Agostinis 6 RSA DF Mike Connell Mike Connell (soccer) 7 RSA MF Steve Wegerle 8 CAN MF Wes McLeod 9 Australia FW Adrian Alston 10 ENG FW Rodney Marsh Rodney Marsh (footballer) 11 ENG FW Len Glover 12 RSA FW Derek Smethurst 14 USA FW Joey Fink 15 ENG MF Mark Lindsay Mark Lindsay (footballer) 16 USA DF Dennis Wit 17 USA FW Kevin Eagan 19 USA DF Frantz St. Lot Management and technical staff USA George Strawbridge, Jr., owner USA Beau Rogers, general manager ITA Eddie Firmani, head coach USA Chas Serednesky, business manager POR Francisco Marcos, director of public relations USA Alfredo Beronda, equipment manager Competitions Results summaries Match reports 1 February 27, 1977 8:00 p.m. (EST) Tampa Bay Rowdies 9–8 https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=950&dat=19770228&id=IUdQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oFgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2449,2772946/ Fort Lauderdale Strikers Lindsay 4:21 WegerleSmethurst 33:13Smethurst 34:04 AlstonQuraishi 41:34 SmethurstSmethurst 41:57 WegerleWegerle 48:29Smethurst 49:30 WegerleWegerle 50:41Alston 51:47 Smethurst Mulroy 12:07 Nanchoff, SharpSharp 12:27Nanchoff 26:40 ChadwickCeballos 44:20 SharpChadwick 47:40 Hamlyn, SharpSharp 50:41Sharp 58:04Hamlyn 59:57 Bayfront Center St. Petersburg, Florida 5,016 Sam Hornich W 2 Int’l friendly March 9, 1977 8:00 p.m. (EST) Tampa Bay Rowdies 7–8 Report 1Report 2 Zenit Leningrad Wegerle 6:51 ConnellMarsh 13:32Marsh 14:33 Wit, QuraishiSmethurst 15:43 QuraishiGlover 31:13Marsh 33:02 AlstonMarsh 47:25 Pringle Lokhov 3:47 DavydovJakimtsev 10:42 42:26Orlov 17:11 Golubev, JakimtsevRasputin 21:48Davydov 32:31 MarkinJakimtsev 42:26Lokhov 56:11Golubev 56:47 Bayfront Center St. Petersburg, Florida 6,354 Rene Imar (USA) L Statistics G = Goals (worth 2 points), A = Assists (worth 1 point), Pts = Points Player G A PtsDerek Smethurst5212Steve Wegerle339Rodney Marsh408Adrian Alston124Farrukh Quraishi124Len Glover102Mark Lindsay102Dennis Wit011Alex Pringle011Mike Connell011Rino Agostinis000 See also 1977 team indoor stats References 1977 indoor Category:Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–1993) seasons Tampa Bay Rowdies Tampa Bay Rowdies Tampa Bay Rowdies Tampa Bay Rowdies Category:Sports in St. Petersburg, Florida