Greg Ion

Gregory Stewart Ion (born March 12, 1963 in Vancouver) is a Canadian retired soccer midfielder.

Greg Ion
Personal information
Full name Gregory Stewart Ion
Date of birth (1963-03-12) March 12, 1963
Place of birth Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1981–1982 Portland Timbers 9 (0)
1983 Montreal Manic 11 (0)
1984 Tulsa Roughnecks 21 (4)
1984–1987 Los Angeles Lazers (indoor) 133 (43)
1987 Minnesota Strikers (indoor) 10 (2)
1987 Vancouver 86ers
1987–1988 Chicago Sting (indoor) 51 (14)
1988–1990 Kansas City Comets (indoor) 99 (48)
1989 Vancouver 86ers
1990–1992 Tacoma Stars (indoor) 92 (31)
International career
1983–1988 Canada 6 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Professional

The son of Gordie Ion, Ion graduated from Burnaby North Secondary School. In 1981, the Portland Timbers selected him in the first round of the North American Soccer League draft.[1] However, he lost the entire 1981 season with a knee injury. He came back in 1982 and played nine games, but the team folded at the end of the season. He then signed with the Montreal Manic, but that team collapsed at the end of the 1983 season. On November 10, 1983, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers purchased his contract from the Manic.[2] The Strikers sent Ion to the Tulsa Roughnecks during the 1984 pre-season. When the NASL collapsed at the end of the season, Ion moved to the Los Angeles Lazers of the Major Indoor Soccer League. He remained with the Lazers until March 26, 1987 when the team traded him to the Minnesota Strikers in exchange for Thompson Usiyan. He finished the season with the Strikers. On October 2, 1987, the Strikers traded him to the San Diego Sockers in exchange for draft picks and cash.[3] On November 6, 1987, the Sockers waived Ion during the pre-season as part of a salary reduction move.[4] The Chicago Sting quickly signed him and he spent the 1987–1988 season in Chicago. The Sting, facing financial collapse, released Ion and ten other players on June 2, 1988. Ion then moved to the Kansas City Comets for two seasons. In 1990, he moved to the Tacoma Stars for two seasons.

During the 1986 and 1989, Ion played for the Vancouver 86ers of the Canadian Soccer League. He is inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame as member of the record setting 1989 team.[5]

National team

Ion was part of the Canadian team that participated in their only FIFA World Cup to date in 1986.

Post-playing career

Ion was soccer marketer for Adidas and is Program Director of their ESP youth program. He currently runs his own marketing company. He has also been Administrative Director of Club Development with youth soccer club Washington Premier Football Club, in Tacoma, Washington. He is a USSF A licensed coach.

Greg has three daughters Kelsey, Claire and Katelynn.

References
  1. Portland Timbers Drafts Archived 2012-02-06 at the Wayback Machine
  2. November 10, 1983 Transactions
  3. "Sockers obtain Strikers' Ion" San Diego Union Saturday, October 3, 1987
  4. November 6, 1987 Transactions
  5. BC Sports Hall of Fame[Usurped!]
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