Boston Shamrock Rovers

Boston Shamrock Rovers (also known as Boston Rovers) were an American soccer team that competed in the United Soccer Association (USA) league in 1967. The team was based in Lynn, Massachusetts and played their home games at the Manning Bowl. The team folded when the USA merged with the National Professional Soccer League to form the North American Soccer League.

Boston Shamrock Rovers
Full nameBoston Shamrock Rovers
Nickname(s)Rovers
Founded1966
(Year of foundation)
Dissolved1968
StadiumManning Bowl,
Lynn, Massachusetts
Capacity21,000
OwnerWeston Adams
Head coachLiam Tuohy
LeagueUnited Soccer Association
1967United Soccer Association, Eastern Division, 6th

History

In 1966 several groups of entrepreneurs were exploring the idea of forming a professional soccer league in United States. One of these groups, United Soccer Association (USA) led by Jack Kent Cooke, selected 12 cities for team locations and Weston Adams,[1] owner of the Boston Bruins, was awarded the Boston franchise. The USA originally planned to start play in the spring of 1968; however the rival National Professional Soccer League, which secured a TV contract from CBS, announced it was ready to launch in 1967. Not wanting to let the rival league gain an advantage, the USA decided to launch early. Not having secured any player contracts, the league imported teams from Europe, Brazil, and Uruguay. Shamrock Rovers F.C. of the League of Ireland were brought over to represent the city of Boston.[2][3]

Rovers opened the season at home against the Detroit Cougars[lower-alpha 1] in a 1 - 1 draw. A disallowed goal by the Cougars due to an offsides call lead to an argument with the linesman who was hit in the face by a Detroit player.[4][5] Shamrock Rovers finished the season in last place of the Eastern Division with a record of 2 wins 3 ties and 7 loses, the worst in the league, and with an average attendance 4,171.[6]

Prior to the 1968 season the United Soccer Association merged with the National Professional Soccer League to form the North American Soccer League. The merged league decided not to have two-team cities and, as such, the incoming Boston Beacons from the NPSL would be Boston's NASL franchise. [7]

Year-by-Year
Season Regular season Play-offs Top scorer
League Div G W T L F A Pts % Pos Attend. Name Gls Pts
1967 USA E 12 2 3 7 12 26 7 .292 6th 4,171 – Frank O'Neill 3 10

Match results

  Win   Draw   Loss

28 May Boston Shamrock Rovers 1-1 Detroit Cougars Lynn, MA
Mick Leech (30') John Colrain (85') Stadium: Manning Bowl
Attendance: 7,343
Referee: Dan Graven
31 May Boston Shamrock Rovers 0-0 New York Skyliners Lynn, MA
Stadium: Manning Bowl
Attendance: 3,850
4 June Boston Shamrock Rovers 0-1 Cleveland Stokers Lynn, MA
Maurice Setters (88') Stadium: Manning Bowl
Attendance: 5,250
7 June Detroit Cougars 1-0 Boston Shamrock Rovers Detroit, MI
Arthur Stewart (footballer) (79') Stadium: Tiger Stadium (Detroit)
Attendance: 648
11 June Vancouver Royals 1-0 Boston Shamrock Rovers Vancouver
John O'Hare (21') Stadium: Empire Stadium (Vancouver)
Attendance: 7,616
14 June Chicago Mustangs 5-0 Boston Shamrock Rovers Chicago, Illinois
Francesco Rizzo (footballer) (7')
Roberto Boninsegna (20'), (67')
Giuseppe Longoni (29')
Bruno Visentin (37')		 Stadium: Comiskey Park
Attendance: 3,016
18 June Boston Shamrock Rovers 3-4 San Francisco Golden Gate Gales Lynn, MA
Liam Tuohy (footballer)
Frank O'Neill (footballer)
Paddy Mulligan		 Henk Houwaart (2)
René Pas
Harry Heynen		 Stadium: Manning Bowl
Attendance: 853
21 June Boston Shamrock Rovers 1-4 Dallas Tornado Lynn, MA
Liam Tuohy (footballer) (39') Finn Seemann (22')
Mogens Berg (29'), (82')
Jackie Graham (36')		 Stadium: Manning Bowl
Attendance: 1,929
25 June Los Angeles Wolves 1-1 Boston Shamrock Rovers Los Angeles, California
Terry Wharton (81') Frank O'Neill (footballer) (21') Stadium: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Attendance: 6,936
2 July Boston Shamrock Rovers 3-1 Houston Stars Lynn, MA
Bobby Gilbert
Billy Dixon
Liam Tuohy (footballer)		 Jaime Corrêa Freitas Stadium: Manning Bowl
Attendance: 5,800
5 July Toronto City 6-1 Boston Shamrock Rovers Toronto, Ontario
Colin Grant (footballer) (3)
Jim Scott (footballer)
Peter Cormack
Colin Stein		 Mick Leech Stadium: Varsity Stadium
Attendance: 3,152
8 July Washington Whips 1-2 Boston Shamrock Rovers Washington, D.C.
Frank Munro Frank O'Neill (footballer)
Billy Dixon		 Stadium: D.C. Stadium
Attendance: 9,760

See also

https://www.nasljerseys.com/Rosters/Rovers_Rosters.htm

    https://historyofsoccer.info/united-soccer-association

    Notes
    1. The Northern Irish team Glentoran F.C. had been brought over to represent Detroit

    Sources
    • The Hoops by Paul Doolan and Robert Goggins (ISBN 0-7171-2121-6)

    References

    General
    1. "Shamrock Rovers Elect". The Norwalk Hour. April 21, 1967. p. 32. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
    2. Seese, D.J. (2015). The Rebirth of Professional Soccer in America: The Strange Days of the United Soccer Association. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9781442238954.
    3. Hannigan, Dave (May 31, 2017). "Summer of soccer: when Shamrock Rovers conquered America". The Irish Times. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
    4. "Cougars Open With Tie". The Owosso Argus-Press. May 27, 1967. p. 13. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
    5. Wangerin, Dave (2006). Soccer in a Football World. WSC Books, Limited. p. 134. ISBN 9780954013479. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
    6. "North American Soccer League". RSSSF. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
    7. "Beacons Survive Rovers In Major Soccer Merger". The Telegraph. December 8, 1967. p. 14. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
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