Cliff Brown (soccer)
Encyclopedia
Cliff Brown was an American soccer goalkeeper
who is currently the head coach of the Newman University
soccer team. Brown played in the North American Soccer League
, Major Indoor Soccer League
, National Professional Soccer League, Lone Star Soccer Alliance
and USISL. He also coached professionally as well as collegiately.
. He attended the University of Washington
where he played on the men’s soccer team from 1974 to 1977.
In 1978, the Seattle Sounders of the North American Soccer League
selected Brown in the third round of the College Draft. He spent most of his two seasons in Seattle with the reserve team, but saw time in six games. In 1979, he signed with the Cleveland Force
in the Major Indoor Soccer League
. He played 28 games during the 1979-1980 season and another 33 games during the 1980-1981 season. In 1981, he moved to the Wichita Wings
. In 1983, he returned to the Pacific Northwest to play for the Tacoma Stars. He was then traded to the Kansas City Comets
during the season. In 1986, he signed as a player-coach with the expansion Toledo Pride
in the American Indoor Soccer Association after being fired by the Fort Wayne Fever
in December 1986. The Pride lasted only until the end of the season before folding. In 1988, was hired as the head coach of Newman University
, a position he still holds. Consequently, over the next six years, he tended to play intermittently during the collegiate offseason. In 1989, Brown moved to the Wichita Blue
which played in the amateur Heartland Soccer League. In 1990, the team moved to the Lone Star Soccer Alliance
and remained in that league until it collapsed following the 1992 season. In February 1991, Brown signed a 15 day contract with Wichita Wings
after all of the team's goalkeepers were injured. He played four games for a 2-2 record. In February 1992, he signed a one game contract with the Tulsa Ambush of the National Professional Soccer League. In April 1993, he played for the Oklahoma City Slickers
in the USISL then returned to the Wichita Blues for the 1994 USISL season. He retired from professional soccer at the end of the season, but continued to play on an amateur basis. In 2001, he joined the Wichita Warriors a semi-pro indoor team.
of the American Indoor Soccer Association. The team fired him in December 1986 after he compiled a 2-3 record to start the season. He was then hired as a player-coach by the Toledo Pride
where he finished the 1986-1987 season. In 1998, he coached the Shreveport/Bossier Lions in the USISL. He entered his current coaching position in 1988 when he became the fourth head coach for the Newman University
men's soccer team. In 1989, he established the school's women's soccer team.
Brown earned his bachelor of science degree in business from Newman in 1991
Goalkeeper (football)
In association football, the goalkeeper occupies a position that represents the last line of defence between the opponent's offence and his own team's goal. The primary role of the goalkeeper is to defend his team's goal and prevent the opposition from scoring a goal...
who is currently the head coach of the Newman University
Newman University
Newman University is a coeducational Catholic liberal arts university in Wichita, Kansas, United States. The university offers both undergraduate and masters level programs.-History:...
soccer team. Brown played in 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:...
, Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
, National Professional Soccer League, Lone Star Soccer Alliance
Lone Star Soccer Alliance
Lone Star Soccer Alliance was a soccer league that existed from 1987 to 1992. While the majority of the teams came from Texas, some also came from Oklahoma and Kansas.-History:...
and USISL. He also coached professionally as well as collegiately.
Player
While born in Georgia, Brown grew up in Tacoma, WashingtonTacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
. He attended the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
where he played on the men’s soccer team from 1974 to 1977.
In 1978, the Seattle Sounders 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:...
selected Brown in the third round of the College Draft. He spent most of his two seasons in Seattle with the reserve team, but saw time in six games. In 1979, he signed with the Cleveland Force
Cleveland Force (1978 – 1988)
The original Cleveland Force was one of the six charter franchises in the original Major Indoor Soccer League . The team played from 1978 to 1988 at the Richfield Coliseum, the home of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and occasionally drew crowds in excess of 20,000 in the mid-80's.Akron businessman Eric J...
in the Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
. He played 28 games during the 1979-1980 season and another 33 games during the 1980-1981 season. In 1981, he moved to the Wichita Wings
Wichita Wings
This article is about the original team. For the current team, see Wichita Wings .The Wichita Wings were a professional indoor soccer franchise based in Wichita, Kansas. The Wings were admitted to the Major Indoor Soccer League as an expansion team on August 21, 1979...
. In 1983, he returned to the Pacific Northwest to play for the Tacoma Stars. He was then traded to the Kansas City Comets
Kansas City Comets
The Kansas City Comets were a professional indoor soccer team based for most of its existence in Kansas City, Missouri. They played in the original Major Indoor Soccer League from 1979–1991, when they folded...
during the season. In 1986, he signed as a player-coach with the expansion Toledo Pride
Toledo Pride
The Toledo Pride were an American indoor soccer team. They played only one season in the American Indoor Soccer Association.-Ownership: Edward Cochran Robert Ransom John Glase Frank DeJulius Joshua Gotlieb...
in the American Indoor Soccer Association after being fired by the Fort Wayne Fever
Fort Wayne Fever
Fort Wayne Fever was an American soccer team based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States. Founded in 2003, the team played in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2009, after which the franchise folded and the team left the league.The team...
in December 1986. The Pride lasted only until the end of the season before folding. In 1988, was hired as the head coach of Newman University
Newman University
Newman University is a coeducational Catholic liberal arts university in Wichita, Kansas, United States. The university offers both undergraduate and masters level programs.-History:...
, a position he still holds. Consequently, over the next six years, he tended to play intermittently during the collegiate offseason. In 1989, Brown moved to the Wichita Blue
Wichita Blue
Wichita Blue, known in 1994 as Wichita Blue Angels, was an American soccer club based in Wichita, Kansas. The Blue played in several leagues including the Heartland Soccer League, Lone Star Soccer Alliance and the USISL.-History:...
which played in the amateur Heartland Soccer League. In 1990, the team moved to the Lone Star Soccer Alliance
Lone Star Soccer Alliance
Lone Star Soccer Alliance was a soccer league that existed from 1987 to 1992. While the majority of the teams came from Texas, some also came from Oklahoma and Kansas.-History:...
and remained in that league until it collapsed following the 1992 season. In February 1991, Brown signed a 15 day contract with Wichita Wings
Wichita Wings
This article is about the original team. For the current team, see Wichita Wings .The Wichita Wings were a professional indoor soccer franchise based in Wichita, Kansas. The Wings were admitted to the Major Indoor Soccer League as an expansion team on August 21, 1979...
after all of the team's goalkeepers were injured. He played four games for a 2-2 record. In February 1992, he signed a one game contract with the Tulsa Ambush of the National Professional Soccer League. In April 1993, he played for the Oklahoma City Slickers
Oklahoma City Slickers
The Oklahoma City Slickers was an American soccer club based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma that played in three lower division U.S. leagues, the American Soccer League, United Soccer League and USISL.-American Soccer League:...
in the USISL then returned to the Wichita Blues for the 1994 USISL season. He retired from professional soccer at the end of the season, but continued to play on an amateur basis. In 2001, he joined the Wichita Warriors a semi-pro indoor team.
Coach
Brown gained his first coaching experience while still a player at the University of Washington. In 1978 and 1979, he was an assistant with the team. In 1986, Brown was hired by the Fort Wayne FlamesFort Wayne Flames
The Fort Wayne Flames were an indoor soccer club based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, that competed in the American Indoor Soccer Association, playing home games at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum from 1986-1989....
of the American Indoor Soccer Association. The team fired him in December 1986 after he compiled a 2-3 record to start the season. He was then hired as a player-coach by the Toledo Pride
Toledo Pride
The Toledo Pride were an American indoor soccer team. They played only one season in the American Indoor Soccer Association.-Ownership: Edward Cochran Robert Ransom John Glase Frank DeJulius Joshua Gotlieb...
where he finished the 1986-1987 season. In 1998, he coached the Shreveport/Bossier Lions in the USISL. He entered his current coaching position in 1988 when he became the fourth head coach for the Newman University
Newman University
Newman University is a coeducational Catholic liberal arts university in Wichita, Kansas, United States. The university offers both undergraduate and masters level programs.-History:...
men's soccer team. In 1989, he established the school's women's soccer team.
Brown earned his bachelor of science degree in business from Newman in 1991