Paul Child
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| Paul Child | ||
| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Paul Child | |
| Date of birth | December 8, 1952 | |
| Place of birth | Birmingham, England | |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | |
| Playing position | Forward | |
| Senior clubs1 | ||
| Years | Club | App (Gls)* |
| 1966–1973 1972 1973 1974–1979 1975 1980 1981 1981–1986 1983 1986–1987 1987–1988 |
Aston Villa → Atlanta Chiefs (loan) Atlanta Apollos San Jose Earthquakes San Jose Earthquakes (indoor – NASL) Memphis Rogues Atlanta Chiefs Pittsburgh Spirit (indoor) Carolina Lightnin' Baltimore Blast (indoor) Los Angeles Lazers (indoor) |
0 (0) 12 (8) 16 (8) 149 (61) 4 (7) 31 (12) 31 (13) 133 (140) |
| National team | ||
| 1973 | United States | 2 (0) |
| Teams managed | ||
| 1994-1995 1995–1997 1998–2002 , 2005– |
Pittsburgh Stingers (indoor) Detroit Neon (indoor) Pittsburgh Riverhounds (assistant) |
|
|
1 Senior club appearances and goals |
||
Paul Child (born December 8, 1952 in Birmingham, England) is a former U.S.-English soccer Forward who played nine seasons in the North American Soccer League. He led the league in scoring in 1974 and was a two time first team All Star. He also earned two caps with the U.S. national team in 1973. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Contents |
[edit] Outdoor soccer
[edit] Aston Villa
In 1966, Child signed with English First Division club Aston Villa when he turned fourteen. Over the next six seasons, he never appeared with the first team and in 1972, Villa loaned the nineteen year old Child to the Atlanta Chiefs of the North American Soccer League (NASL).
[edit] NASL
When Child arrived in Atlanta during the 1972 NASL season, he promptly scored eight goals in twelve games and was named a first team All Star. The Chiefs then purchased Child’s contract from Villa. In 1973, the team became known as the Atlanta Apollos. In 1974, the Apollo traded Child to the expansion San Jose Earthquakes where he led the league in scoring with fifteen goals and six assists. He was selected as a first team All Star for his second time that year. Child remained with the Earthquakes until 1980 when the team traded him to the Memphis Rogues. He scored twelve goals that year. The Rogues moved to Calgary during the off-season, but Child did not move with the team. Instead, he returned to the team with which he began his NASL career, the Atlanta Chiefs. The 1981 NASL season was Child’s last in the league, which was in decline by this time. He scored thirteen goals, added another eight, then left the league to devote himself to his indoor career.
[edit] ASL
In 1983, Child returned to outdoor soccer with the Carolina Lightnin' of the American Soccer League (ASL). The Lightnin’, coached by Rodney Marsh, went to the ASL semifinals that year.
[edit] Indoor soccer
[edit] NASL
In 1975, the NASL ran an indoor tournament during the 1974-1975 off season. The Earthquakes won the title and Child led the scoring, gaining MVP honors, with seven goals in four games.
[edit] MISL
In 1981, Child signed with the Pittsburgh Spirit of Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL). He was a prolific scorer during his first three years with the team, scoring 140 goals in 133 games. In 1986, the Spirit folded and Child moved to the Baltimore Blast for one season. He then played the 1987-1988 MISL season with the Los Angeles Lazers.
[edit] National team
Child earned two caps with the U.S. national team in 1973 despite not yet having his U.S. citizenship. His first cap came in a 2-0 win over Canada on August 5, 1973. He played again seven days later in a 1-0 win over Poland. He began the game, then came out for Kyle Rote, Jr..
[edit] Coaching
In 1995, Child became the head coach of the Detroit Neon of the Continental Indoor Soccer League (CISL). He coached the team until it folded at the end of the 1997 season.[1]
On October 5, 1998, the A-League Pittsburgh Riverhounds hired Child as the team’s director of youth development. A month later, he was named as the team’s assistant coach. After the Riverhounds fired coach John Kowalski in 2001, Child served as interim head coach until the hiring of Kai Haaskivi. Child was fired in 2002, then rehired on December 15, 2005 as an assistant coach.
[edit] Post soccer career
Aside from working with the Riverhounds, Child is a project manager at the Allegheny Millworks in the Pittsburgh area.
In 2003, Child was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
[edit] Honors
NASL Leading Scorer: 1974
NASL First Team All Star: 1972, 1974
NASL Indoor MVP: 1975
NASL Indoor Leading Scorer: 1975
