Cleveland Cobras

Cleveland Cobras
Cleveland Cobras

The Cleveland Stars were an American soccer club based in Cleveland, Ohio and a member of the American Soccer League in 1972-73. Before the 1974 season, the name was changed to the Cleveland Cobras. The Stars' colors were blue and white. The Cobras' colors were green and gold, though in 1979 they also wore alternate uniforms of gold/black and in 1981 often donned green/white uniforms.[1]

The Cobras actively promoted youth soccer. Hundreds of clinics and camps conducted by its players established a solid youth soccer base throughout northeast Ohio — though the club did not play long enough to reap the benefits of the kids growing up to becoming ticket-buying adults. The Cleveland Force (1978–88) and Cleveland Crunch (1989–2005) indoor soccer teams capitalized with good crowds in the Major Indoor Soccer League and National Professional Soccer League.

The Cobras played home games on AstroTurf at George Finnie Stadium on the campus of Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio. A few exhibition games were played at Cleveland Stadium. Each season, ownership brought top international clubs to town for "friendly" matches. Among those were the national teams of Poland, Israel and Canada, Cork Hibernians F.C. and Sligo Rovers F.C (Ireland), GKS Tychy and Arka Gdynia (Poland), Beitar Jerusalem F.C. and Hapoel Jerusalem F.C. (Israel), Eintracht Braunschweig and VfB Oldenburg (Germany) and Partizan Belgrade (Serbia).[2]

Management, generally consisting of local businessmen of moderate wealth who were soccer aficionados, tried to make up for its lack of finances with an abundance of enthusiasm for the sport. The club annually brought in numerous players from the largely ethnic Lake Erie Soccer League, which included among its many teams Belgrade United, Canton Hercules, Cleveland Inter, Cleveland Sannitics, Croatian Rebels, Donauschwaben Concordia, German Central Jets, German Kickers, Greek Olympic, Hrvat Knights, Hungarian Hunters, Karadjordje Stars, Latvian Hawks, Lazio Romans, Pan American Bulls, Polish Red Sox, Ukrainian Lions, Umoja Tigers, Warren Hellenics and Zagreb Rams.

Though highly skilled, the melting pot of LESL imports often proved to be as combative as they were competitive, at times failing to put aside their fierce nationalist loyalties. It made it difficult for the Cobras to mesh into a cohesive unit when players would not pass the ball to a new teammate, instead carrying a grudge borne from previous play in the LESL.

The Cobras' long-time general manager was Dr. John P. Gyekenyesi, a native of Hungary who grew up on Cleveland's east side, earned his doctorate at Michigan State University, and has been an aerospace technician and researcher at NASA for more than 35 years. In the Cobras' instance, you really did need a rocket scientist to run the team. Dr. Gyekenyesi had been president of the LESL before joining the Cobras.

Though the club was generally underfinanced, it had future wealth right in its locker room without realizing it in 1980. The 18-year-old son of Cleveland businessman Al Lerner expressed interest in sports and his father figured it would be good for the youngster to start at the bottom. Randy Lerner served as the Cobras' equipment manager, a glorified term for a locker-room assistant who picked up soiled towels and jersies and did all sorts of mundane tasks. Randy Lerner succeeded his father as chairman of MBNA, owner of the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League, and later became chairman of the Aston Villa Football Club.

After the 1981 season, Cobras ownership sold its ASL rights to a group that moved the club to Atlanta, Georgia as the Georgia Generals.

Contents

Year-by-year

[3]

Year Division League Reg. Season W L T GF GA Playoffs U.S. Open Cup
1972 2 ASL 2nd, Midwestern 6 2 0 21 16 Did not qualify Did not enter
1973 2 ASL 2nd, Midwest 8 2 2 56 22 1st Round (L, Cincinnati, 4-1) Did not enter
1974 2 ASL 3rd, Midwest 8 7 3 28 28 Did not qualify Did not enter
1975 2 ASL 1st, Midwest 10 7 3 43 45 1st Round (L, Boston, 2-2, 2-1) Did not enter
1976 2 ASL 3rd, East 9 8 4 28 32 1st Round (L, Rhode Island, 2-1) Did not enter
1977 2 ASL 3rd, East 9 13 2 29 41 Did not qualify Did not enter
1978 2 ASL 5th, Eastern 7 13 4 27 55 Did not qualify Did not enter
1979 2 ASL 5th, Eastern 8 17 3 29 50 Did not qualify Did not enter
1980 2 ASL 3rd, National 12 14 2 47 47 Did not qualify Did not enter
1981 2 ASL 4th, Freedom 5 22 1 33 78 Did not qualify Did not enter

Coaches

[4]

Notable players

[5]

  • United States Dennis Almeida, M (1973–79, '81)
  • United States Fred Armstrong, G (1981)
  • Argentina Ruben Astigarraga, F (1980–81)
  • Ghana Mohammad Attiah, F (1979)
  • United States Lee Barron, GK (1978)
  • England Mike Barry, M (1980–81)
  • United States Fred Bass, GK (1979–81)
  • Uruguay Victor Batista, F (1977)
  • United States Chris Beaudoin, GK (1979)
  • England Kenny Beech, M (1978)
  • England Micky Brennan, M (1978)
  • United States John Brooks, D (1979)
  • England Derek Brownbill, F (1978)
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina Danny Budimir, M (1975–76)
  • United States Ted Busetto, F (1978–79)
  • Italy Vic Calabrese, F (1979)
  • Mexico Manuel Cerda Canela, F (1973–74, '77)
  • United States Marine Cano, GK (1980)
  • Chile Willie Carrasco, M (1975–79, '81)
  • Bolivia Braulio Castro, M (1977)
  • England Micky Cave, F (1980)
  • England Andy Chapman, F (1980–81)
  • Czech Republic Paul Chymovic, GK (1972–73, '76, '79)
  • Liberia Joe Clement, D (1981)
  • United States Howard Cohen, GK (1975)
  • Italy Vito Colonna, F (1972–78, '81)
  • Croatia Tomo Condric, D-M (1981)
  • England Trevor Dance, GK (1978)
  • England United States Benny Dargle, D (1978)
  • England Phil Davis, D (1977)
  • United States Klaas de Boer, D (1973–74)
  • United States Norm Demers, D (1981)
  • United States Roberto DeOliviera, F (1976)
  • Serbia Steve Devic, F (1972–73)
  • Brazil Paulo Dias, GK (1979)
  • Argentina Narciso Horacio Doval, F (1980)
  • United States Paul Dueker, GK (1977)
  • Croatia Vlado Dujmovic, D (1978)
  • England Keith Dyson, F (1978)
  • United States Conrad Earnest, GK (1981)
  • England Ian Elsby, M (1978)
  • Mexico Jorge Espinosa, GK (1974)
  • United States Dave Farrell, D (1981)
  • United States Roberto Fernandez, F (1978–79)
  • Brazil Ivair Ferreira, M-F (1980)
  • United States Joey Fink, F (1980)
  • Serbia Dragoslav Gardic, F (1973)
  • United States Matt Garrigan, D (1981)
  • Trinidad and Tobago John Granville, GK (1979)
  • United States David Grimaldi, D (1981)
  • United States Jack Groesser, GK (1976)
  • England Ian Hamilton, D (1979, '81)
  • England Brian Haley, F (1979)
  • Austria Erich Haller, F (1972–73)
  • United States Dale Hetherington, GK (1977)
  • United States Eugene Horvat, D (1975–77)
  • England Joe Howarth, D (1980)
  • United States Miki Janosi, M (1979, '81)
  • United States Alan Jefferis, D (1978)
  • England Canada Wayne Jentas, M (1979)
  • England Brian Joy, M (1980)
  • Hungary Steve Juhasz, M (1981)
  • United States Charlie Kadupski, D (1979)
  • Croatia Mladen Kasic, F (1981)
  • England Alan Kelley, D (1980)
  • England Bill Kenny, F (1977)
  • Canada Steve Koussaya, M (1979)
  • Hungary Joe Kovacs, D (1973–74)
  • Poland Joe Kowalczyk, F (1979)
  • Poland Chris Lada, D (1977, 79)
  • Croatia Mladen Laus, F (1975–76)
  • Croatia Zlatko Laus, D (1978)
  • England Peter Lawrenson, D (1977)
  • United States Dave Leckie, D (1974–76)
  • England Bill Leese, D (1978)
  • United States Nick LeGrand, D (1977)
  • United States Hartley LeRoy, D (1974)
  • Israel Simon Look, F (1981)
  • Canada John MacKay, M (1979)
  • Serbia Ane Mihailovich, F (1973–74)
  • Argentina Daniel Mammana, D (1980)
  • England Bob McKenzie, D (1980)
  • Scotland Doug McMillan, F (1974)
  • Scotland Jimmy McMillan, F (1972–77)
  • Mexico Manny Mena, M (1975)
  • Argentina Carlos Mendes, M (1979)
  • Brazil Rildo Menezes, D (1980)
  • Costa Rica Milton Moya, D (1977)
  • Northern Ireland Westley Mulholland, M (1979, '81)
  • United States Tom Mulroy, M-D (1979, 81)
  • Serbia Milutin (Mike) Nikolic, D-F (1973–74, '79)
  • United States Tom Nowicki, D-M (1976)
  • Scotland United States Jamie O'Donnell, D (1978–79)
  • Spain Juan Parera, M (1978)
  • Brazil Dorivaldo Perez, D (1977)
  • Argentina Miguel Perrichon, F (1975)
  • Mexico Enrique Pineda, F (1974)
  • Argentina Oscar Pisano, D (1979–80)
  • Croatia Zeljko Poleto, GK (1978)
  • United States Billy Polack, D (1976–77)
  • Croatia Tom Poturica, D (1972–73)
  • Barbados Tony Prescott, D (1980)
  • England Arnie Ravenscroft, D (1977–79)
  • United States Len Renery, D (1980)
  • Uruguay Al Reynolds, F (1977)
  • Guatemala Manuel Reynosa, D (1976–78)
  • Brazil Carlos Ribeiro, F (1977)
  • Liberia Ed Roberts, F (1974)
  • Mexico Leo Rojas, D-M (1980)
  • Argentina Angelo Rossi, M (1979)
  • United States Alex Rosul, D (1980–81)
  • United States Zoran Savic, F (1980–81)
  • United States Walter Schlothauer, F (1980–81)
  • United States Robert Scott, M (1976)
  • United States Jeff Sendobry, D (1980)
  • Mexico Julio Servin, M (1974)
  • Israel Jacob Shanee, M (1980)
  • Scotland Ian Sharp, D (1972–75)
  • England Roy Sinclair, D (1980)
  • Jamaica Robert Smith, M (1976)
  • United States Roby Stahl, M (1975–77)
  • Serbia Tom Stanisic, M (1973–75, '78)
  • Scotland John Stephenson, M (1972–77)
  • England Chris Swain, GK (1974–75)
  • United States Les Szabo, D-M (1975)
  • England United States Kevin Terry, M-F (1981)
  • Croatia Canada Tony Tiselj, F (1977–78)
  • United States Frank Towers, D-F (1980)
  • Romania Eugene Vasu, D (1973–74)
  • India Roger Verdi, D (1979)
  • Jamaica Michael Vernon, M (1972–73)
  • Czech Republic Paul Vojtus, M (1974)
  • Republic of Ireland Sid Wallace, F (1979)
  • England Alan Wilson, F (1979)
  • United States Juan Yepez, F (1980)
  • Serbia United States Doug Zlatic, F (1981)

Honors

Rookie of the Year

Coach of the Year

  • 1975 Herbie Haller

Notes

  1. ^ From Cleveland Stars/Cobras game programs, yearbooks and media guides, written by team public relations directors Dr. John P. Gyekenyesi (1972-75), Terry Pluto (1976), Chuck Murr (1977-81) and Dale Meggas (1981).
  2. ^ From Cleveland Stars/Cobras game programs, yearbooks and media guides (1972-81).
  3. ^ From Cleveland Stars/Cobras game programs, yearbooks and media guides (1972-81).
  4. ^ From Cleveland Stars/Cobras game programs, yearbooks and media guides (1972-81).
  5. ^ From Cleveland Stars/Cobras game programs, yearbooks and media guides (1972-81).

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