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The first Tampa Bay Rowdies
were a professional soccer team from Tampa, Florida, USA. Originally
founded as a North American Soccer League expansion franchise in 1975
by George Strawbridge, the team played ten seasons at Tampa Stadium
and won their only Soccer Bowl championship in their inaugural season
defeating the Portland Timbers 2-0. The Rowdies lost in the finals in
1978 and 1979.
The team showcased
international stars such as midfield captain Rodney Marsh (England),
swift and lethal forward Steve Wegerle (South Africa), rock-solid
defenseman Arsene Auguste (Haiti), and popular player and high
goal-scoring Derek Smethurst (South Africa). Coached by Eddie
Firmani, John Boyle, and Gordon Jago, their catch phrase and
marketing slogan was "The Rowdies arrrreeee...a kick in the
grass!" The Rowdies also fielded an indoor soccer team from
1975-1984 and were two-time champions. After the 1983 season, the
team was sold to Stella Thayer, Bob Blanchard and Dick Corbett.
After the demise of the NASL in
1984, Cornelia Corbett became sole owner of the team in 1986. With
Rodney Marsh as coach, the Rowdies operated as an independent team
for two years before joining the American Indoor Soccer Association
for one season (1986-87). In the summer of 1988, the Rowdies joined
the third incarnation of the American Soccer League. They would stay
in this league and its successor (the APSL) until they folded after
the 1993 season.
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