Minnesota Kicks

The Minnesota Kicks were a professional soccer team that played at Metropolitan Stadium in the Minneapolis suburb of Bloomington, Minnesota, from 1976 to 1981. The team was a member of the now defunct North American Soccer League (NASL). Initially known as the Denver Dynamos, the team relocated and became the Minnesota Kicks in 1976. The Kicks quickly became one of the league's more popular teams, with an average attendance of 23,120 fans per game in 1976. The Kicks won their division four years in a row from 1976 to 1979. The Kicks drew over 23,000 fans in each season from 1976 to 1979, with attendance peaking at 32,775 in 1977. History The team had relocated to Minnesota after having been based in Denver, Colorado, as the Denver Dynamos. A group of ten investors from Minnesota, led by Jack Crocker, bought the Denver team on November 25, 1975, and relocated to Minnesota. The name "Kicks" was selected by a name-the-team contest, and announced on January 28, 1976. Freddie Goodwin, who had previously coached the New York Generals, was named the first coach on February 19, 1976. Goodwin served also as team president starting in August 1976. The team began the 1976 season slowly, however by the end of its first season the team had won the Western Division. During the season, the Kicks boosted their roster by signing Ade Coker from Boston. The Kicks also played Glasgow Rangers to a 2–2 draw in a friendly. Minnesota was a success with fans, averaging 23,117 per game, including 42,065 for its regular season finale, But it was a game with the New York Cosmos on June 9 that convinced that The Kicks have arrived. With Pelé playing for the Cosmos, the Cosmos beat the Kicks 2–1, but the Kicks set a new NASL record of 46,164 fans. The team was led by leading scorer Alan Willey with 16 goals. The 1976 playoffs included a 3–0 win over Seattle, followed by a 3–1 win over San Jose in front of a Kicks record of 49,576 fans, and finished with a 3–0 loss to the Toronto Metros-Croatia in the 1976 Soccer Bowl at Seattle's Kingdome in front of 25,000, with the winning goal scored by Portuguese legend Eusébio. In 1977, the Kicks won the Western Division again, and averaged 32,775 fans, second only to the New York Cosmos. The Kicks were again led by Alan Willey with 14 goals, while midfielder Alan West was named to the All-Star team. The Kicks lost in the playoffs to Seattle.