Ade Coker

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Ade Coker
Personal information
Full name Adewunmi Olarewaju Coker
Date of birth 19 May 1954 (1954-05-19) (age 54)
Place of birth    Lagos, Nigeria
Playing position Forward
Club information
Current club Retired
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1971-1975
1974
1974-1975
1975-1976
1976-1978
1978-1979
1980
1980-1981
1982-1984
1984-1987
1987-1988		 West Ham United
→Boston Minutemen
→Lincoln City (loan)
Boston Minutemen
Minnesota Kicks
San Diego Sockers
Rochester Lancers
Baltimore Blast (indoor)
San Diego Sockers
San Diego Sockers(MISL)
St. Louis Steamers (indoor)		 09 0(3)
19 0(7)
06 0(1)
29 (14)
28 (11)
13 0(7)
06 0(0)
? (?)
62 (33)
? (?)
? (?)   
National team2
1984 United States 05 0(3)

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of 22:33, 3 january 2007 (UTC).
2 National team caps and goals correct
as of 7 December 2006.
* Appearances (Goals)

Ade Coker (born Lagos, Nigeria) is a retired Nigerian-American soccer forward. Coker began with English club West Ham United then moved to the North American Soccer League and the Major Indoor Soccer League. He also earned five caps with the U.S. national team.

Contents

[edit] Professional career

Coker was born in Nigeria, but moved to England as a youth. In 1971, he signed with English First Division club West Ham United when he was 17. His first start with the Hammers came in October 1971 when Geoff Hurst was injured. He scored in his debut, but despite this auspicious first game, he garnered only nine first team appearances over three seasons. He spent the 1974 off-season with the Boston Minutemen of the North American Soccer League (NASL), earning Second Team All Star honors.[1] Returning to England, in December 1974 he joined Lincoln City on loan, making his debut in the 2-0 home victory over Stockport County on 20 December 1974. He remained with the Imps for a month before returning to West Ham.

Coker then moved permanently to America, rejoining the Boston Minutemen. Halfway through the 1976 season, Minutemen owner John Sterge began selling his players in order to forestall bankruptcy. Coker was sent to the Minnesota Kicks. Three games into the 1978 season, Minnesota traded Coker to the San Diego Sockers. At the end of the 1979 season, the Sockers sent Coker to the Rochester Lancers for the 1980 season. Coker spent the 1980-1981 Major Indoor Soccer League club Baltimore Blast. In 1982 Coker was back with San Diego as the Sockers began to transition towards indoor soccer. When the NASL collapsed following the 1984 season, the Sockers moved to MISL and became the league’s dominant team. Coker remained with the Sockers until 1987. He spent one more season (1987-1988) in MISL with the St. Louis Steamers.

[edit] U.S. national team

Coker earned 5 caps with the U.S. national team .[2] He earned his first cap in a September 9, 1984 scoreless tie with Netherlands Antilles. A month later, he scored twice as in a 4-0 victory over the Netherland Antilles after coming on for Chance Fry. He scored again two matches later, a 1-0 victory over Colombia.[3] He played his fifth and last match for the U.S. in a 2-1 loss to Mexico on October 17, 1984.[4]

[edit] Post-Career

Coker lives Finn Hill, married with two children who he coached throughout their youth. He is currently head coach of Crossfire D, a nationally ranked youth team on which his son plays. In 2008, Coker alongside his West Ham teammates Clive Charles and Clyde Best was the subject of the book 'East End Heroes, Stateside Kings'.[5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ NASL All-League Teams. National Soccer Hall of Fame. Retrieved on 2008-06-10.
  2. ^ U.S. Men's National Team Player Registry. National Soccer Hall of Fame. Retrieved on 2008-06-10.
  3. ^ U.S. Captures Title in Soccer. The New York Times (13 October 1984). Retrieved on 2008-06-10.
  4. ^ Men's National Team International Results and Lineups:1980-1989. National Soccer Hall of Fame. Retrieved on 2008-06-10.
  5. ^ Brian Belton (7 January 2008). East End Heroes, Stateside Kings. John Blake Publishing Ltd. Retrieved on 2008-06-10.

[edit] External links