Alan Green (soccer)

Alan Green is a former professional Association football player. Born in England, he began his career with Coventry City before moving to the United States in 1979. He played a total of seven seasons in the North American Soccer League and earned one cap with the U.S. national team.

Professional

Green, a native of Worcester, England, began his professional career with Coventry City. He joined the club as a striker in 1970, but did not make his first team debut until April 22, 1972. That was his only appearance during the 1971-1972 season. He peaked with the club during the 1975-1976 season when he played 31 games and scored 9 goals. After that his appearances and goals slowly began to taper off. In 1977, Coventry loaned Green to the Washington Diplomats of the North American Soccer League (NASL). The NASL’s season ran during the summer months allowing British players to join the teams during the English off season.^[1] Green played 16 games, scoring 9 goals and assisting on 5 others. At the end of the 1978-1979 English season, Green left Coventry to move permanently to the North American Soccer League.^[2] He rejoined the Washington Diplomats where he remained for the next two years. Green became a prolific scorer with the Dips, finding the net 42 times in 56 games. His scoring feats led to his selection as an NASL All Star Honorable Mention for 1980. At the end of the 1980 season, the Dips sold Green to the Jacksonville Tea Men.^[3] He spent two seasons with the Tea Men. In his first season, Green again gained NASL All Star Honorable Mention. However, his scoring pace began to fade in 1982 when he bagged only six goals on 18 games. At the end of the season, the Tea Men traded Green to the San Jose Earthquakes. He played the 1982-1983 NASL indoor season with the Earthquakes, scoring seven goals. In 1983, U.S. Soccer, in coordination with the NASL, entered the United States national team, as Team America, into the NASL as a franchise. The team drew on American citizens playing in the NASL, Major Indoor Soccer League and American Soccer League. However, both U.S. Soccer and the NASL soon discovered that many top American players preferred to remain with their existing clubs. In order to fill the roster, U.S. Soccer was forced to draw on foreign imports, and it negotiated with the Earthquakes to loan Green to Team America.^[4] When Team America finished the 1983 season with a 10-20 record, the worst in the NASL, U.S. Soccer withdrew the team from the league. At the end of the 1983 outdoor NASL season, Green became a free agent and signed with the New York Cosmos as the team prepared for the 1983-1984 NASL indoor season.^[5] When Green moved to the Cosmos, he still had not yet become an American citizen, but received his citizenship in November 1983.^[6] Green played with the Cosmos through the indoor season and the subsequent 1984 outdoor season.

U.S. National Team

Once Green gained U.S. citizenship, he earned a single cap with the United States national team in a May 30, 1984 scoreless tie with Italy. He started but came off for Perry Van der Beck.^[7]

References

External links

• Coventry Bio
• NASL/MISL stats