Paul Child

Infobox Football biography
playername= Paul Child


fullname = Paul Child
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1952|12|8
cityofbirth = Birmingham
countryofbirth = England
height = height|ft=6|in=1
currentclub =
clubnumber =
position = Forward
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1966–1973
1972
1973
1974–1979
1975
1980
1981
1981–1986
1983
1986–1987
1987–1988
clubs = Aston Villa
→ Atlanta Chiefs (loan)
Atlanta Apollos
San Jose Earthquakes
San Jose Earthquakes (indoor – NASL)
Memphis Rogues
Atlanta Chiefs
Pittsburgh Spirit (indoor)
Carolina Lightnin'
Baltimore Blast (indoor)
Los Angeles Lazers (indoor)
caps(goals) = 000 00(0)
012 00(8)
016 00(8)
149 0(61)
004 00(7)
031 0(12)
031 0(13)
133 (140)
nationalyears = 1973
nationalteam = United States
nationalcaps(goals) = 002 0(0)
manageryears = 1994-1995
1995–1997
1998–2002 , 2005–
managerclubs = Pittsburgh Stingers ("indoor")
Detroit Neon ("indoor")
Pittsburgh Riverhounds (assistant)
pcupdate =
ntupdate =

Paul Child (born December 8, 1952 in Birmingham, England) is a former U.S.-English soccer Forward who played nine seasons in the North American Soccer League. He led the league in scoring in 1974 and was a two time first team All Star. He also earned two caps with the U.S. national team in 1973. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Outdoor soccer

Aston Villa

In 1966, Child signed with English First Division club Aston Villa when he turned fourteen. Over the next six seasons, he never appeared with the first team and in 1972, Villa loaned the nineteen year old Child to the Atlanta Chiefs of the North American Soccer League (NASL).

NASL

When Child arrived in Atlanta during the 1972 NASL season, he promptly scored eight goals in twelve games and was named a first team All Star. The Chiefs then purchased Child’s contract from Villa. In 1973, the team became known as the Atlanta Apollos. In 1974, the Apollo traded Child to the expansion San Jose Earthquakes where he led the league in scoring with fifteen goals and six assists. He was selected as a first team All Star for his second time that year. Child remained with the Earthquakes until 1980 when the team traded him to the Memphis Rogues. He scored twelve goals that year. The Rogues moved to Calgary during the off-season, but Child did not move with the team. Instead, he returned to the team with which he began his NASL career, the Atlanta Chiefs. The 1981 NASL season was Child’s last in the league, which was in decline by this time. He scored thirteen goals, added another eight, then left the league to devote himself to his indoor career.

ASL

In 1983, Child returned to outdoor soccer with the Carolina Lightnin' of the American Soccer League (ASL). The Lightnin’, coached by Rodney Marsh, went to the ASL semifinals that year.

Indoor soccer

NASL

In 1975, the NASL ran an indoor tournament during the 1974-1975 off season. The Earthquakes won the title and Child led the scoring, gaining MVP honors, with seven goals in four games.

MISL

In 1981, Child signed with the Pittsburgh Spirit of Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL). He was a prolific scorer during his first three years with the team, scoring 140 goals in 133 games. In 1986, the Spirit folded and Child moved to the Baltimore Blast for one season. He then played the 1987-1988 MISL season with the Los Angeles Lazers.

National team

Child earned two caps with the U.S. national team in 1973 despite not yet having his U.S. citizenship. His first cap came in a 2-0 win over Canada on August 5, 1973. He played again seven days later in a 1-0 win over Poland. He began the game, then came out for Kyle Rote, Jr..

Coaching

In 1995, Child became the head coach of the Detroit Neon of the Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL). He coached the team until it folded at the end of the 1997 season. ^{[http://www.kicksfan.com/opponents/detroit/index.htm]}

On October 5, 1998, the A-League Pittsburgh Riverhounds hired Child as the team’s director of youth development. A month later, he was named as the team’s assistant coach. After the Riverhounds fired coach John Kowalski in 2001, Child served as interim head coach until the hiring of Kai Haaskivi. Child was fired in 2002, then rehired on December 15, 2005 as an assistant coach.

Post soccer career

Aside from working with the Riverhounds, Child is a project manager at the Allegheny Millworks in the Pittsburgh area.

In 2003, Child was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Honors

NASL Leading Scorer: 1974

NASL First Team All Star: 1972, 1974

NASL Indoor MVP: 1975

NASL Indoor Leading Scorer: 1975

External links

* [http://www.soccerhall.org/famers/Paul_Child.htm National Soccer Hall of Fame bio]