Keith Eddy
Encyclopedia
Keith Eddy is a retired English
footballer
. Eddy played for Barrow
, Watford
and Sheffield United
in England, as well as the New York Cosmos
in the United States. He went on to manage the Toronto Blizzard
in the NASL
from 1979 to 1981, and in retirement founded the Tulsa Soccer Club.
, Lancashire
, Eddy began playing football at the age of eight, and turned professional at 17. He played as a midfielder
, and made 482 appearances in the Football League
for Barrow
, Watford
and Sheffield United
. He was then signed by the New York Cosmos
as part of a squad strengthening program following the arrival of Pelé
; fellow British players to sign with the Cosmos at the same time included Tony Field, Dave Clements
and Terry Garbett
. Eddy spent two seasons with the Cosmos, making 30 appearances in the NASL
, becoming captain of a team which included Pele, Franz Beckenbauer
and Giorgio Chinaglia
. In 1977, he left the Cosmos but was first named as NASL all–star in 1976.
He became head coach of the Toronto Blizzard
during their first season under that name. They finished with a 14–16 record, reaching the playoffs but being knocked out by his former club, the Cosmos. He resigned in 1981, after the team fell to a 4–14 record placing them in bottom place in the North American Soccer League.
Retiring from professional football, he founded Tulsa Soccer Club, an organisation which promotes development in soccer in Oklahoma. Originally formed with four teams, it expanded and as of 2011, now features some thirty teams.
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...
footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
. Eddy played for Barrow
Barrow A.F.C.
Barrow A.F.C. are an English football club founded in 1901 based in the town of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria. Following promotion at the end of the 2007–08 season, they currently play in the Conference National. The club spent over fifty years in the Football League between 1921 and 1972, and have...
, Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
and Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
in England, as well as the New York Cosmos
New York Cosmos
The New York Cosmos were an American soccer club based in New York City, New York and its suburbs. The team played home games in three stadiums around New York before moving in 1977 to Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, where it remained for the rest of its history...
in the United States. He went on to manage the Toronto Blizzard
Toronto Blizzard (NASL)
The Toronto Blizzard were a professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that played in the North American Soccer League.-History:The Toronto Metros joined the NASL in 1971. Their home field was Varsity Stadium....
in the NASL
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:...
from 1979 to 1981, and in retirement founded the Tulsa Soccer Club.
Career
Born in Barrow-in-FurnessBarrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness is an industrial town and seaport which forms about half the territory of the wider Borough of Barrow-in-Furness in the county of Cumbria, England. It lies north of Liverpool, northwest of Manchester and southwest from the county town of Carlisle...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, Eddy began playing football at the age of eight, and turned professional at 17. He played as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
, and made 482 appearances in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
for Barrow
Barrow A.F.C.
Barrow A.F.C. are an English football club founded in 1901 based in the town of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria. Following promotion at the end of the 2007–08 season, they currently play in the Conference National. The club spent over fifty years in the Football League between 1921 and 1972, and have...
, Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
and Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
. He was then signed by the New York Cosmos
New York Cosmos
The New York Cosmos were an American soccer club based in New York City, New York and its suburbs. The team played home games in three stadiums around New York before moving in 1977 to Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, where it remained for the rest of its history...
as part of a squad strengthening program following the arrival of Pelé
Pelé
However, Pelé has always maintained that those are mistakes, that he was actually named Edson and that he was born on 23 October 1940.), best known by his nickname Pelé , is a retired Brazilian footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time...
; fellow British players to sign with the Cosmos at the same time included Tony Field, Dave Clements
Dave Clements
Dave Clements in Larne in County Antrim, was a football player and manager from Northern Ireland. He started his career as a left winger but also played as a defensive midfielder and left full back throughout a career which lasted from 1964 to 1976 in which time he played for Coventry City,...
and Terry Garbett
Terry Garbett
Terry Graham Garbett is a retired English footballer who played for Middlesbrough, Watford, Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield United in England, as well as the New York Cosmos in the United States....
. Eddy spent two seasons with the Cosmos, making 30 appearances in the NASL
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:...
, becoming captain of a team which included Pele, Franz Beckenbauer
Franz Beckenbauer
Franz Anton Beckenbauer is a German football coach, manager, and former player, nicknamed Der Kaiser because of his elegant style, his leadership, his first name "Franz" , and his dominance on the football pitch...
and Giorgio Chinaglia
Giorgio Chinaglia
Giorgio Chinaglia is a former football striker from Italy. He grew up and played his early football in Cardiff, Wales and began his career with Swansea Town in 1964. A year later at age 19, Chinaglia returned to Italy to play for Massese, and then Internapoli, before joining S.S. Lazio in 1969...
. In 1977, he left the Cosmos but was first named as NASL all–star in 1976.
He became head coach of the Toronto Blizzard
Toronto Blizzard (NASL)
The Toronto Blizzard were a professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that played in the North American Soccer League.-History:The Toronto Metros joined the NASL in 1971. Their home field was Varsity Stadium....
during their first season under that name. They finished with a 14–16 record, reaching the playoffs but being knocked out by his former club, the Cosmos. He resigned in 1981, after the team fell to a 4–14 record placing them in bottom place in the North American Soccer League.
Retiring from professional football, he founded Tulsa Soccer Club, an organisation which promotes development in soccer in Oklahoma. Originally formed with four teams, it expanded and as of 2011, now features some thirty teams.