San Diego Sockers 1984-85 Media Guide

This San Diego Sockers 1984-85 Media Guide was from the season the Sockers returned to the MISL after the NASL folded. The biggest news was the trading away of Sockers icon Juli Veee, Martin Donnelly and Alan Mayer to the upstart Las Vegas Americans. The fans were furious, but quickly grew fond of five new players acquired in a blockbuster trade with Golden Bay (before they disbanded). The Sockers acquired MISL legend Steve Zungul, Branko Segota, Zoltan Toth, Fernando Clavijo and George Katakilidis. Guys who had won titles with the MISL’s first dynasty, the New York Arrows. This team was fully-loaded.

In Juli Veee’s return to the Sports Arena a crowd of over 12,000 gave him a standing ovation. San Diego fans loved him. Zungul and Veee were arguably the best two players in the sport and were always being compared. Zungul was still perceived as an outsider by some fans. That all changed when late in the game Zungul had a break away and Veee caught up and head-butted him to the turf. The crowd turned, booing Veee each time he touched the ball for the rest of the game. Steve Zungul was definitely “Our Guy” after that event. Of course, Veee returned to the Sockers the following year and all was forgiven. Juli Veee is still the gold standard of a franchise rich in gold. He can still be seen at Sockers MASL games.

The fans were happy, the team averaged 9,595 fans over a 24 game home schedule and yes, the Sockers and the Blast were finalists again. Baltimore had won the MISL in 1984 but were upset that it was always followed with the footnote “but the Sockers were in the NASL that year” and they had something to prove. The pizza-loving, gifted dribbling Stan Stamenkovic was lethal, but the Sockers reigned supreme again, winning in 4-1 five games.

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MISL Indoor Finals video:

• 1985 MISL Game 5
• The Great Indoors Sockers Video

Related links:

• Fun While It Lasted
• Juli Veee Wikipedia Page