Paul Dougherty
Encyclopedia
Paul Dougherty is an English
former professional footballer and football coach who began his career with Wolverhampton Wanderers
in England
. He then moved to the United States
where he became a journeyman
player, bouncing through sixteen teams in multiple indoor and outdoor leagues.
He is currently the head coach of the San Diego WFC SeaLions
, who play in the Women's Premier Soccer League
.
club Wolverhampton Wanderers
at age 16. He made his league debut while still an apprentice during the 1983/84 season
that saw the club lose their top flight status. He made the most appearances of his Wolves career during the following season, which also saw him spend time on loan at Torquay United
during February 1985.
He failed to establish himself as a regular choice though, and played only sporadically over the next two years as the club continued to slide down the divisions under a succession of managers. At the end of the 1986/87 season
, he moved to the U.S. to further his career there, where he would remain employed as a player for the next eighteen years. He did however make a very brief (1 game) return to English football playing for Cheltenham Town
in October 1990.
to the Kansas City Comets
in exchange for a foreign player visa. On February 25, 1987, Dougherty moved up to the Sockers' first team. In addition to playing for the Sockers, he later also enrolled at San Diego State University
. Whereas his lack of height hindered his development as an outdoor player, it served him in good stead in the indoor game which prized quickness and agility over size and stamina. Over the next five years, he earned four titles as the Sockers dominated indoor soccer. In 1989, he was named the “Championship Series Unsung Hero” as the Sockers knocked off the Baltimore Blast for the title. On August 1989, Dougherty became a free agent and when the Baltimore Blast made him an offer, the Sockers decided not to match it. On September 2, 1989, he signed with the Blast. In 1990, the Blast and Sockers again met in the championship series, this time with Dougherty playing for Baltimore, but the Sockers again defeated the Blast. He became a free agent and returned to England where he received interest from only one fourth division team. He then returned to the United States where he signed with the San Diego Sockers on October 17, 1990. When the Sockers moved to the Continental Indoor Soccer League
(CISL) in 1992, Dougherty left the team and signed with the Buffalo Blizzard
of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL). During his two stints with the Sockers, Dougherty had played 204 games and scored 104 goals. At the time, the NPSL was the higher paying of the two indoor leagues. Dougherty remained with the Blizzard for three seasons, from 1992 to 1996. At the completion of the 1995-1996 NPSL season, Dougherty jumped both teams and leagues. On May 1, 1996, he signed with the Houston Hotshots
of CISL. That season he was the CISL third leading scorer while the Hotshots went to the championship series, only to fall to the Monterrey La Raza. Dougherty was named All-CISL. The next season, the Hotshots did not go so far in the playoffs, but Dougherty led the league in scoring, garnering both All CISL and CISL MVP honors. The CISL folded at the end of the 1997, leading Dougherty to move to Major League Soccer
(MLS)
as the team prepared for the Western Soccer Alliance playoffs. He played only one play off games as the San Jose Earthquakes eliminated the Nomads in penalty kicks. Then in 1990, he spent the outdoor season with the Orlando Lions
in the American Professional Soccer League
(APSL) which had been formed that year by the merger of the WSA and east coast American Soccer League
. On June 12, 1991, he signed with the Miami Freedom
of the APSL. On July 1, 1991, the Freedom released Dougherty and seven other players in a bid to maintain financial solvency. He signed with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers the next day. While he sat out the 1992 APSL season, instead spending time with two of his indoor clubs, he returned to the APSL in 1993, this time on loan from the Blizzard to the Tampa Bay Rowdies. That season was one of his best as he bagged eight goals in twenty-two games and a spot on the APSL All Star team. Once again, he took time off from the outdoor game to devote himself to indoor soccer. However, in 1995 he signed with the Montreal Impact
of A-League, successor to the APSL. He once again earned All Star honors.
of Major League Soccer
(MLS) signed Dougherty. He played sixteen games that season, before the MetroStars traded him to the Tampa Bay Mutiny
for Mike Duhaney
in July. Dougherty began the 1999 season with the Mutiny but was traded on August 2, 1999 with Sam George
and a draft pick to the Chicago Fire for Ritchie Kotschau
and Manny Lagos
. When Dougherty failed to produce with Chicago, they sent him on loan to the Charleston Battery
of the USL First Division
. In March 2000, Dougherty was able to add another team to his resume, having been a member of it for only a few hours. The Fire released Dougherty on March 15, 2000. He was then selected by the New England Revolution
the next day in the Waiver Draft. The Revs then turned around and traded Dougherty to the Colorado Rapids
in exchange for a fifth round pick in the upcoming Super Draft.http://www.intermark.com/Rapids/rp000316.html Dougherty spent the 2000 season with the Rapids, but failed to score in twenty-four games and on October 31, 2000 he announced his retirement.
, a former indoor team mate of Dougherty’s, was coaching the Pittsburgh Riverhounds
of the USL A-League. The Riverhounds needed some added offensive production heading into the post season as well as for upcoming Open Cup
games. Dougherty signed with the Riverhounds on July 20, 2001. Haaskivi’s gamble paid off as Dougherty provided instant offense, including a goal in the Open Cup quarterfinal match against his old team, the Chicago Fire. At the end of the season the Riverhounds released Dougherty and he moved back to San Diego to pursue a coaching career. However, Dougherty was unable to call it quits to playing and on February 5, 2004, he rejoined the San Diego Sockers for one last indoor season.http://www.sockers.com/news/?cat=16&id=261 Unfortunately, the magic was gone and the Sockers folded midway through the season.
of the USL A League. In 2002, he left the Flash and joined the staff of the La Jolla Nomads Soccer Club. http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/07/03/sports/community/21_37_057_2_05.txt This is significant in that Dougherty had begun his U.S. outdoor career fourteen years earlier with the Nomads senior team, the San Diego Nomads
. In 2004, he took the Nomads U-15 team to the U.S. national championship only to have his boys fall, 5-4, to the Greater Boston Bolts. In addition to coaching with the Nomads, he became an assistant coach with the UC San Diego
men’s team as well as the Manchester Soccer Club and Rancho Santa Fe Attack.
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...
former professional footballer and football coach who began his career with Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
in 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...
. He then moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where he became a journeyman
Journeyman (sports)
A journeyman or journeywoman is an athlete or professional sports player who is technically competent, but unable to excel. In certain parts of the world the term has less negative connotations and the inability to excel is not needed for a player to be labelled thus.-Definitions:Alexandra Allred...
player, bouncing through sixteen teams in multiple indoor and outdoor leagues.
He is currently the head coach of the San Diego WFC SeaLions
San Diego WFC SeaLions
San Diego WFC SeaLions is an American women’s soccer team, founded in 1988. The team is a member of the Women's Premier Soccer League, the third tier of women’s soccer in the United States and Canada...
, who play in the Women's Premier Soccer League
Women's Premier Soccer League
The Women's Premier Soccer League is a national women's soccer league in the United States and Puerto Rico, and is on the 2nd level of women's soccer in the United States soccer pyramid, alongside the W-League and below Women's Professional Soccer....
.
English football league
Dougherty began his career when he signed as an apprentice with English First DivisionFootball League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
club Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
at age 16. He made his league debut while still an apprentice during the 1983/84 season
1983-84 in English football
The 1983–84 season was the 104th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Liverpool had a great first season under the management of Joe Fagan as they wrapped up their third successive league title and the 15th in their history...
that saw the club lose their top flight status. He made the most appearances of his Wolves career during the following season, which also saw him spend time on loan at Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
during February 1985.
He failed to establish himself as a regular choice though, and played only sporadically over the next two years as the club continued to slide down the divisions under a succession of managers. At the end of the 1986/87 season
1986-87 in English football
The 1986–87 season was the 107th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :The First Division championship went to Everton in their final season under the management of Howard Kendall before his departure to Athletic Bilbao. His side overcame a spate of injuries to fight off...
, he moved to the U.S. to further his career there, where he would remain employed as a player for the next eighteen years. He did however make a very brief (1 game) return to English football playing for Cheltenham Town
Cheltenham Town F.C.
Cheltenham Town Football Club is an English football club playing in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. Founded in 1887, the team has played at four different grounds, namely Agg-Gardner's Recreation Ground, Carter's Field and now the Abbey Business Stadium, although it is more...
in October 1990.
Indoor soccer
In the fall of 1986, the San Diego Sockers began working the paperwork to allow Dougherty to try out with the team. Dougherty arrived in California in January 1987 and began training with the Sockers' reserve team. On February 11, 1987, the Sockers traded Gary CollierGary Collier
Gary Collier is a retired American college and professional basketball player who attended the University of Tulsa.Collier played four seasons for the Golden Hurricane and was named the 1994 MVC player of the year...
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...
in exchange for a foreign player visa. On February 25, 1987, Dougherty moved up to the Sockers' first team. In addition to playing for the Sockers, he later also enrolled at San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
. Whereas his lack of height hindered his development as an outdoor player, it served him in good stead in the indoor game which prized quickness and agility over size and stamina. Over the next five years, he earned four titles as the Sockers dominated indoor soccer. In 1989, he was named the “Championship Series Unsung Hero” as the Sockers knocked off the Baltimore Blast for the title. On August 1989, Dougherty became a free agent and when the Baltimore Blast made him an offer, the Sockers decided not to match it. On September 2, 1989, he signed with the Blast. In 1990, the Blast and Sockers again met in the championship series, this time with Dougherty playing for Baltimore, but the Sockers again defeated the Blast. He became a free agent and returned to England where he received interest from only one fourth division team. He then returned to the United States where he signed with the San Diego Sockers on October 17, 1990. When the Sockers moved to the Continental Indoor Soccer League
Continental Indoor Soccer League
The Continental Indoor Soccer League was an indoor soccer league that played from 1993 to 1997.-History:When the Major Soccer League folded in the summer of 1992, two of its former teams joined a group of hockey and basketball arena owners led by Ron Weinstein who wanted to create a league to...
(CISL) in 1992, Dougherty left the team and signed with the Buffalo Blizzard
Buffalo Blizzard
The Buffalo Blizzard was an indoor soccer team based in Buffalo, New York. The team was a member of the now defunct NPSL from 1992 to 2001. From 1992-1996, the team played at Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, and they moved to HSBC Arena in 1996 where they played until 2001.The team was originally...
of the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL). During his two stints with the Sockers, Dougherty had played 204 games and scored 104 goals. At the time, the NPSL was the higher paying of the two indoor leagues. Dougherty remained with the Blizzard for three seasons, from 1992 to 1996. At the completion of the 1995-1996 NPSL season, Dougherty jumped both teams and leagues. On May 1, 1996, he signed with the Houston Hotshots
Houston Hotshots
The Houston Hotshots were a professional indoor soccer team in Houston, Texas. They played in the Continental Indoor Soccer League from 1994 to 1997, and moved to the World Indoor Soccer League in 1999 after the CISL folded...
of CISL. That season he was the CISL third leading scorer while the Hotshots went to the championship series, only to fall to the Monterrey La Raza. Dougherty was named All-CISL. The next season, the Hotshots did not go so far in the playoffs, but Dougherty led the league in scoring, garnering both All CISL and CISL MVP honors. The CISL folded at the end of the 1997, leading Dougherty to move to Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
(MLS)
Outdoor minor leagues
By the time Dougherty moved to MLS, he was already a veteran of several outdoor U.S. teams. While he made his name with the indoor game, he also was a consistent performer outdoors. In July 1988, while in San Diego with the Sockers, Dougherty signed with the San Diego NomadsSan Diego Nomads
-History:The Nomads joined the Western Soccer Alliance in 1986. In 1989, the WSA changed its name to the Western Soccer League and in 1990, the team joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the WSL merged with the American Soccer League. After winning the WSL championship in...
as the team prepared for the Western Soccer Alliance playoffs. He played only one play off games as the San Jose Earthquakes eliminated the Nomads in penalty kicks. Then in 1990, he spent the outdoor season with the Orlando Lions
Orlando Lions
The Orlando Lions was an American soccer team from Orlando, Florida which existed from 1985 to 1996. Over the years, the Lions competed at both the amateur and professional levels including some seasons as an independent team....
in the American Professional Soccer League
American Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
(APSL) which had been formed that year by the merger of the WSA and east coast 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...
. On June 12, 1991, he signed with the Miami Freedom
Miami Freedom
The Miami Sharks were an inaugural franchise of the third incarnation of the American Soccer League in 1988. The team were renamed the Miami Freedom and joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the ASL merged with the Western Soccer League...
of the APSL. On July 1, 1991, the Freedom released Dougherty and seven other players in a bid to maintain financial solvency. He signed with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers the next day. While he sat out the 1992 APSL season, instead spending time with two of his indoor clubs, he returned to the APSL in 1993, this time on loan from the Blizzard to the Tampa Bay Rowdies. That season was one of his best as he bagged eight goals in twenty-two games and a spot on the APSL All Star team. Once again, he took time off from the outdoor game to devote himself to indoor soccer. However, in 1995 he signed with the Montreal Impact
Montreal Impact
Montreal Impact was a Canadian professional soccer club based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1992, the team played in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid until the 2011 season. The owner Joey Saputo now operates the MLS team Montreal ImpactThe...
of A-League, successor to the APSL. He once again earned All Star honors.
MLS
After the CISL folded at the end of 1997, Dougherty began pursuing full time employment in an outdoor league. On February 3, 1998, the MetroStarsMetrostars
Metrostar may refer to:*New York Red Bulls, formerly called the "MetroStars", a soccer team from New York*Manila Metro Rail Transit System, popularly called "The Metrostar Express", a part of the metropolitan rail system in Manila...
of Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
(MLS) signed Dougherty. He played sixteen games that season, before the MetroStars traded him to the Tampa Bay Mutiny
Tampa Bay Mutiny
The Tampa Bay Mutiny was a charter franchise of Major League Soccer active from 1996 - 2001. They initially played in Tampa Stadium and were immediately successful, winning the first MLS Supporters' Shield behind MLS MVP Carlos Valderrama and high-scoring forward Roy Lassiter, whose 27 goals in...
for Mike Duhaney
Mike Duhaney
Mike Duhaney is a retired American soccer player who played in Major League Soccer and the German third division. He was the 1997 Major League Soccer Rookie of the Year....
in July. Dougherty began the 1999 season with the Mutiny but was traded on August 2, 1999 with Sam George
Sam George (soccer)
Sam George was a U.S. soccer midfielder who played two seasons in the Western Soccer Alliance, three in the Continental Indoor Soccer League and four in Major League Soccer.-Youth:...
and a draft pick to the Chicago Fire for Ritchie Kotschau
Ritchie Kotschau
Richard Scott Kotschau is a former American soccer player who last played as a defender for the Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer.-Career:...
and Manny Lagos
Manny Lagos
Manuel "Manny" Lagos is a former American soccer midfielder who last played for the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer, and is the current Head Coach of NSC Minnesota Stars...
. When Dougherty failed to produce with Chicago, they sent him on loan to the Charleston Battery
Charleston Battery
Charleston Battery is an American professional soccer team based in Charleston, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in the American Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
of the USL First Division
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
. In March 2000, Dougherty was able to add another team to his resume, having been a member of it for only a few hours. The Fire released Dougherty on March 15, 2000. He was then selected by the New England Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
the next day in the Waiver Draft. The Revs then turned around and traded Dougherty to the Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
in exchange for a fifth round pick in the upcoming Super Draft.http://www.intermark.com/Rapids/rp000316.html Dougherty spent the 2000 season with the Rapids, but failed to score in twenty-four games and on October 31, 2000 he announced his retirement.
Minor leagues
Dougherty didn’t stay retired for long. Kai HaaskiviKai Haaskivi
Kai Haaskivi is a retired, Finnish, soccer player. He starred in the North American Soccer League, playing outdoor as well as indoor soccer. He also played for the Finland national football team. He now coaches in the United States.- Professional :The 178 cm midfielder began his NASL career...
, a former indoor team mate of Dougherty’s, was coaching the Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Pittsburgh Riverhounds is an American professional soccer team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1999, the team plays in the National Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
of the USL A-League. The Riverhounds needed some added offensive production heading into the post season as well as for upcoming Open Cup
2001 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
-Schedule:Note: Scorelines use the standard U.S. convention of placing the home team on the right-hand side of box scores.-First round:Four PDL and four USASA teams start.-----Second round:...
games. Dougherty signed with the Riverhounds on July 20, 2001. Haaskivi’s gamble paid off as Dougherty provided instant offense, including a goal in the Open Cup quarterfinal match against his old team, the Chicago Fire. At the end of the season the Riverhounds released Dougherty and he moved back to San Diego to pursue a coaching career. However, Dougherty was unable to call it quits to playing and on February 5, 2004, he rejoined the San Diego Sockers for one last indoor season.http://www.sockers.com/news/?cat=16&id=261 Unfortunately, the magic was gone and the Sockers folded midway through the season.
Coaching
When the Riverhounds released Dougherty, he returned to San Diego where he became an assistant coach with the San Diego FlashSan Diego Flash
San Diego Flash is an American soccer team based in San Diego, California, United States. Founded in 1998, the team returned to competitive play in 2011 when it made its debut in the Southwest Flight of the West Division of the National Premier Soccer League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer...
of the USL A League. In 2002, he left the Flash and joined the staff of the La Jolla Nomads Soccer Club. http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/07/03/sports/community/21_37_057_2_05.txt This is significant in that Dougherty had begun his U.S. outdoor career fourteen years earlier with the Nomads senior team, the San Diego Nomads
San Diego Nomads
-History:The Nomads joined the Western Soccer Alliance in 1986. In 1989, the WSA changed its name to the Western Soccer League and in 1990, the team joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the WSL merged with the American Soccer League. After winning the WSL championship in...
. In 2004, he took the Nomads U-15 team to the U.S. national championship only to have his boys fall, 5-4, to the Greater Boston Bolts. In addition to coaching with the Nomads, he became an assistant coach with the UC San Diego
University of California, San Diego
The University of California, San Diego, commonly known as UCSD or UC San Diego, is a public research university located in the La Jolla neighborhood of San Diego, California, United States...
men’s team as well as the Manchester Soccer Club and Rancho Santa Fe Attack.