Hugh O'Neill (soccer)

Hugh O'Neill (born July 16, 1954) is a retired American soccer player who played professionally in the North American Soccer League, Scottish First Division, American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League.

Hugh O'Neill
Personal information
Date of birth (1954-07-16) July 16, 1954
Place of birth Kearny, New Jersey, United States
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Position(s) Forward / Midfielder
Youth career
Scots American FC
University of Bridgeport
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1976 Hartford Bicentennials 16 (2)
1976–1977 Rangers (loan) 15 (2)
1977 Connecticut Bicentennials 3 (1)
1977 Dallas Tornado 2 (0)
1978-1979 Memphis Rogues 12 (2)
1979 New Jersey Americans 16 (4)
1980 Cleveland Force (indoor) 15 (1)
1981-1982 Carolina Lightnin' 40 (8)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Early life

Born and raised in Kearny, New Jersey,[1] O'Neill graduated from Essex Catholic High School before playing soccer at the Scots Club, and the University of Bridgeport where he was a 1973 and 1975 All American soccer player.[2]

Playing career

Club

In 1975, O'Neill turned professional with the Hartford Bicentennials of the North American Soccer League.

The following fall, the Bicentennials sent him on loan to Glasgow Rangers F.C. of the Scottish League. The Bicentennials failed to perceive that O'Neill's Roman Catholic faith and his family history of supporting Celtic could present a problem. Despite this, O'Neill played every reserve game that season, except for the games against the Celtic reserves.[3] The Bicentennials became the Connecticut Bicentennials for the 1977 season. The Bicentennials sent him to the Dallas Tornado during the season.

In 1978, he became the first player signed by the Memphis Rogues. He later played for the Carolina Lightnin' of the American Soccer League. In September 1981, he scored the game-winning goal as the Lightnin' took the ASL championship.[4] He continued with the Lightnin' in 1982, but lost part of the season when he returned to New Jersey to be with his dying father.[5] He played the 1980 indoor season with the Cleveland Force of the Major Indoor Soccer League.

International

O'Neill played for the 1976 U.S. Olympic Soccer team during its qualification campaign for the Olympic tournament.

References
  1. Duger, Rose (27 October 2011). "Kearny Youth Soccer celebrates 50 years with fieldhouse dedication to co-founders, Hugh O'Neill Sr. and Bill Raftery". The Jersey Journal. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  2. Scott, David. "A 'Lost' Soccer Player Finds a Home", The Charlotte Observer, June 6, 1982. Accessed December 4, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "He was a freshman starter on Essex Catholic High's soccer team. Then he went on to play at the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut."
  3. "A divide wider than the Atlantic". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. 20 November 2004. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  4. "Carolina Wins A.S.L. Title". The New York Times. 1981-09-19.
  5. Lightnin' signs two
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