Benny Dargle
Encyclopedia
Bernard "Benny" Dargle is a retired English
-born American
soccer player who played as a defender
, making over 400 career appearances in a professional career which lasted from 1978 to 1992.
, England
and played college soccer for the University of Akron
from 1975 to 1977. He began his pro-career in 1978 with the Cleveland Cobras
of the American Soccer League
before moving to the Detroit Express
of the North American Soccer League
in 1979. He played two outdoor and one indoor seasons with the Express before moving to the Washington Diplomats
in 1981. The Dips folded at the end of the season and on October 6, 1981, the Seattle Sounders
selected Dargle first in the dispersal draft. He finished his NASL career with the Sounders in 1983. When the Sounders folded at the end of the 1983 season, the Vancouver Whitecaps selected Dargle in the dispersal draft, but he did not sign with that team. Instead, he turned to indoor soccer with the Cleveland Force of the Major Indoor Soccer League with whom he played five seasons. On June 16, 1988, the Force released Dargle, along with several other players, as the team folded. Dargle remained in Cleveland after no other MISL team signed him. In the summer of 1989, Dargle was signed by the expansion Cleveland Crunch
after a successful trial. On June 20, 1990, Dargle became a free agent when the Crunch allowed his contract to lapse. He then moved to the Canton Invaders
of the American Indoor Soccer Association. He became the head coach during the 1990-1991 season and remained so until resigning in July 1992. He continued to play until the end of the 1992-1993 season. In January 1996, he returned to the Invaders on a fifteen day contract.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-born American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soccer player who played as a defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
, making over 400 career appearances in a professional career which lasted from 1978 to 1992.
Career
Dargle was born in LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and played college soccer for the University of Akron
University of Akron
The University of Akron is a coeducational public research university located in Akron, Ohio, United States. The university is part of the University System of Ohio. It was founded in 1870 as a small college affiliated with the Universalist Church. In 1913 ownership was transferred to the City of...
from 1975 to 1977. He began his pro-career in 1978 with the Cleveland Cobras
Cleveland Cobras
The Cleveland Stars were an American soccer club based in Cleveland, Ohio and a member of the American Soccer League in 1972-73. Before the 1974 season, the name was changed to the Cleveland Cobras. The Stars' colors were blue and white...
of the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
before moving to the Detroit Express
Detroit Express
The Detroit Express was a soccer team based in suburban Detroit that played in the now defunct North American Soccer League from 1978 to 1980. Its home field was the Pontiac Silverdome. The Express were co-owned and directed by famous English soccer pundit Jimmy Hill who was also the managing...
of the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
in 1979. He played two outdoor and one indoor seasons with the Express before moving to the Washington Diplomats
Washington Diplomats
The Washington Diplomats were an American soccer club based in Washington, D.C.. Throughout their existence, the club played their home games at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium...
in 1981. The Dips folded at the end of the season and on October 6, 1981, the Seattle Sounders
Seattle Sounders (NASL)
The Seattle Sounders were a U.S. professional soccer team based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1974, the team belonged to the North American Soccer League where it played both indoor and outdoor soccer. The team folded after the 1983 NASL outdoor season.-Stadium:The Sounders played at Memorial...
selected Dargle first in the dispersal draft. He finished his NASL career with the Sounders in 1983. When the Sounders folded at the end of the 1983 season, the Vancouver Whitecaps selected Dargle in the dispersal draft, but he did not sign with that team. Instead, he turned to indoor soccer with the Cleveland Force of the Major Indoor Soccer League with whom he played five seasons. On June 16, 1988, the Force released Dargle, along with several other players, as the team folded. Dargle remained in Cleveland after no other MISL team signed him. In the summer of 1989, Dargle was signed by the expansion Cleveland Crunch
Cleveland Crunch
The Cleveland Crunch was formed in 1989 as an expansion team in the Major Soccer League to replace the Cleveland Force, which had folded on July 22, 1988. Akron businessmen George S. Hoffman and Stuart Lichter formed an ownership group, named Al Miller general manager and former Force star Kai...
after a successful trial. On June 20, 1990, Dargle became a free agent when the Crunch allowed his contract to lapse. He then moved to the Canton Invaders
Canton Invaders
The Canton Invaders was an indoor soccer club based in Canton, Ohio that competed in the National Professional Soccer League.After the 1995/96 season, the team became the Columbus Invaders.- Canton Invaders :...
of the American Indoor Soccer Association. He became the head coach during the 1990-1991 season and remained so until resigning in July 1992. He continued to play until the end of the 1992-1993 season. In January 1996, he returned to the Invaders on a fifteen day contract.