Fort Lauderdale Strikers

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Full name

Fort Lauderdale Strikers

Founded

1977

Ground

Lockhart Stadium
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
(Capacity 20,450)

League

North American Soccer League

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Home colours

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Away colours

This article is about the original Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the NASL. For the second team to use the name in the APSL, see Fort Lauderdale Strikers (APSL). For the third team to use the name in the USISL, see Fort Lauderdale Strikers (USISL).

The Fort Lauderdale Strikers were an American soccer team, a descendant of the Washington Darts, Miami Gatos, and Miami Toros, that played in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The Strikers were members of the North American Soccer League from 1977 to its penultimate year, 1983. They were owned by the Robbie family who also owned the Miami Dolphins.

1 Major signers
2 Moved
3 Year-by-year
4 Honors
5 Head Coaches
6 Famous players
7 Yearly Average Attendance
8 External links

[edit] Major signers

The first major signing for Ft Lauderdale was England goalie legend Gordon Banks. Banks was the top keeper in the league his first year despite being blind in one eye.

The legendary George Best signed for the Strikers midway through the 1978 season after falling out with the management at the Los Angeles Aztecs. Best played for the rest of the 1978 season and the whole of 1979's campaign.

In 1979 the Strikers signed Peruvian legend Teófilo Cubillas, who would play with the club until their departure for Minnesota in 1983. In 1979 the Strikers also acquired USA young superstar John Ambrosio at 19 years old.

1979 was a bumper year for the Strikers as they also acquired German centre forward Gerd Müller. These former World Cup stars helped the Strikers reach the Soccer Bowl, the NASL's championship match, in 1980 where they lost to the New York Cosmos 3-0.

[edit] Moved

After the 1983 season, the Strikers were moved to Minnesota and became the Minnesota Strikers. That club survived the end of the NASL by joining the Major Indoor Soccer League in 1984, but did eventually fold in 1988.

Ray Hudson, Phil Schoen and Jeff Rusnak were recently interviewed regarding their memories of the Strikers.

[edit] Year-by-year

Year	Record	Regular Season Finish	Playoffs
1977	19-7	1st, Eastern Division, American Conference	Divisional Playoff
1978	16-14	3rd, Eastern Division, American Conference	American Conference Finals
1979	17-13	2nd, Eastern Division, American Conference	American Conference Quarterfinals
1980	18-14	2nd, Eastern Division, American Conference	Runners-up
1981	18-14	2nd, Southern Division	Semifinals
1982	18-14	1st, Southern Division	Semifinals
1983	14-16	2nd, Southern Division	Quarterfinals