Ronald Vernon Newman (19 January 1934 – 27 August 2018)[1] was an English professional association football player and coach. He was a member of the American National Soccer Hall of Fame.
 Newman circa 1975 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ronald Vernon Newman | ||
| Date of birth | 19 January 1934 | ||
| Place of birth | Fareham, England | ||
| Date of death | 27 August 2018 (aged 84) | ||
| Place of death | Tampa, Florida, U.S. | ||
| Position(s) | Outside left, outside right | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| –1955 | Woking | ||
| 1955–1961 | Portsmouth | 108 | (21) |
| 1961–1962 | Leyton Orient | 14 | (1) |
| 1962–1963 | Crystal Palace | 6 | (0) |
| 1963–1967 | Gillingham | 93 | (20) |
| 1967–1968 | Atlanta Chiefs | 34 | (4) |
| 1968–1974 | Dallas Tornado | 20 | (2) |
| 1979 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | 1 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1969–1975 | Dallas Tornado | ||
| 1976 | Los Angeles Skyhawks | ||
| 1977–1979 | Fort Lauderdale Strikers | ||
| 1980 | Miami Americans | ||
| 1980–1994 | San Diego Sockers | ||
| 1995 | Arizona Sandsharks | ||
| 1996–1999 | Kansas City Wizards | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Life
editBorn in Fareham, Newman, after non-league football with Woking, played in the Football League with Portsmouth, Leyton Orient, Crystal Palace and Gillingham.[2] In 1967 Newman came to the United States to play for the Atlanta Chiefs in the National Professional Soccer League (where he was team MVP in 1967), before being traded to the Dallas Tornado during the 1968 season. In addition to playing for the Tornado, Newman also served as an assistant coach during the 1968 season.
The next year, Newman became both the head coach, as well as a player, for the Tornado until 1974. At the end of that season, he retired from playing and became the team's dedicated head coach for the 1975 season. He took the Tornado to the NASL championship in 1971. In 1976, he coached the Los Angeles Skyhawks of the American Soccer League (ASL), taking them to the ASL championship, making Newman the only coach to win both an NASL and ASL title. He then returned to the NASL in 1977 to coach the Fort Lauderdale Strikers,[3] where he stayed until 1979. That season, he was forced to don a players uniform and play part of one game after a union strike decimated his team.[4]
In July 1980, Newman became coach of the San Diego Sockers. While he had the best win/loss record as an outdoor soccer coach, and was named NASL coach of the year in 1971, 1977 and 1984,[5] as well as ASL coach of the year in 1976, he also made his mark in indoor soccer with San Diego with whom he won 10 championships in 11 seasons in two different leagues (NASL and MISL), only losing a semi-final in 1986–1987 to the Tacoma Stars, bringing his career total to 13. Newman's innovations added new positions and tactics to the indoor game including the sixth attacker and super power play. He along with Eddie Firmani and Al Miller are the only coaches to win both outdoor and indoor NASL titles.
Newman became the first coach hired by the MLS when he joined the Kansas City Wizards of Major League Soccer in 1995. The Wizards won the Western Division title in 1997. Newman retired 1999 with an all-time coaching record of 753–296–27. He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1992. He was inducted into the Dallas Walk of Fame 2006. He was also inducted into the San Diego Hall of Champions,[6] as well as the Atlanta Soccer Hall of Fame. Newman received the 'Key of the City' in Fort Lauderdale and twice in San Diego. The championship trophy of the Major Arena Soccer League was named the Ron Newman Cup when the present version of the San Diego Sockers honoured him on 7 January 2012.[7]
Newman was the father of coach and retired player Guy Newman. Guy served as an assistant coach on his father's staff in both San Diego and Kansas City.
References
edit- ^ "Ron Newman, legendary Sockers coach, dies at 82". San Diego Union-Tribune. 27 August 2018. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
- ^ "Ron Newman". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 28 January 2010.
- ^ "Foreign stars used to snicker at the NASL, but as the - 04.11.77 - SI Vault". 28 June 2011. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
- ^ Lewis, Michael (8 March 2015). "The Forgotten Story of the 1979 NASL Players Strike". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
- ^ Geis, John (24 February 1991). "Newman Ruled Out as Coach Candidate". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
- ^ "Ron Newman". San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
- ^ "SOCCER: Sockers to honor ex-head coach Newman". archive.ph. 4 September 2012. Archived from the original on 4 September 2012. Retrieved 6 May 2022.