Ron Newman (footballer)

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Ron Newman
Personal information
Full name Ron Newman
Date of birth January 19, 1936 (1936-01-19) (age 72)
Place of birth    Fareham, England
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*





1967-1968
1968-1970
Woking
Portsmouth
Orient
Crystal Palace
Gillingham
Atlanta Chiefs
Dallas Tornado





34(4)
20(2)   
Teams managed
1969-1975
1976
1977-1979
1980-1993
1994
1996-1999
Dallas Tornado
Los Angeles Skyhawks
Fort Lauderdale Strikers
San Diego Sockers
Arizona Sandsharks
Kansas City Wizards

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only.
* Appearances (Goals)

Ron Newman (born January 19, 1934 in Fareham, England) is a former association football (soccer) player and coach.

Born near Portsmouth, Newman, after non-league football with Woking, played in the Football League with Portsmouth, Orient, Crystal Palace and Gillingham. In 1967 Newman came to the United States to play for the Atlanta Chiefs in the National Professional Soccer League (where he was team MVP in 1967), before being traded to the Dallas Tornado during the 1968 season. In addition to playing for the Tornado, Newman also served as an assistant coach during the 1968 season.

The next year, Newman became both the head coach, as well as a player, for the Tornado until 1974. At the end of that season, he retired from playing and became the team's dedicated head coach for the 1975 season. He took the Tornado to the NASL championship in 1971. In 1976, he coached the Los Angeles Skyhawks of the American Soccer League (ASL), taking them to the ASL championship, making Newman the only coach to win both an NASL and ASL title. He then returned to the NASL in 1977 to coach the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, where he stayed until 1979.

In July 1980 Newman became coach of the San Diego Sockers. While he had the best Win/Loss record as an outdoor soccer coach (NASL COACH OF THE YEAR 1971,1976,1994) he also made his mark in indoor soccer with San Diego with whom he won 10 championships in 11 seasons in two different leagues (NASL and MISL), only losing a semi-final in 1986-1987 to the Tacoma Stars, bringing his career total to 13. Newman's innovations added new positions and tactics to the indoor game including the sixth attacker and super power play.

Newman became the first coach hired by the MLS when he joined the the Kansas City Wizards of Major League Soccer in 1995. The Wizards won the Western Division title in 1997. Newman retired 1999 with an all-time coaching record of 753-296-27. He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1992. He was inducted into the Dallas Walk of Fame 2006. He was also inducted into the San Diego Hall of Champions as well as the Atlanta Soccer Hall of Fame. Newman received the 'Key of the City' in Fort Lauderdale and twice in San Diego.

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