Soccer Corner Magazine May 1980 Issue

This issue of Soccer Corner Magazine features the legendary Johann Cruyff on the cover. Cruyff initially played for Rinus Michels and the Los Angeles Aztecs.

The other Los Angeles based team, The California Surf, is featured in “The Give and Take of the Pros”, a soccer skills section of the publication. Players like Len Renery, Andy McBride, Steve Moyers and David Jokurst (the Skunk) are featured.

“NASL Notebook” featured the Trans Atlantic Challenge Cup. The Detroit Express signing 19-year-old Pato Margetic.

“ASL Action” Features the folding of the Los Angeles Skyhawks and basically every team in a shambles. Of note, the New Jersey Americans were relocating to Miami with a new coach named Ron Newman.

Further inside, Portland Timbers ‘keeper Mick Poole is featured in a pictorial tribute.

In 1980, there was a bumper crop of North American players. Lou Gautier breaks down newcomers such as: Branko Segota, Sonny Askew, Steve Pecher and Gary Etherington. All of these players, in fact, did make a huge impact on the NASL and MISL.

Lou Gautier’s 1980 NASL Preview is a great read, featuring predictions and team-by-team breakdowns.

Portland Timbers fans can catch up on the early history of the team as Louisiana Pacific purchased the team that was starting to lose a bit of its edge. Their unreal projections of 23,000 fans a game to break-even seemed to doom the team from the start. Names like Don Megson, John Bain and Clyde Best were popular in Portland in that era.

Last but not least is a feature on Chicago Sting coach Willy Roy.

Missing center poster spread.

Click on photo to see full Image Gallery.