Victor Moreland
Encyclopedia
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Victor "Vic" Moreland (born June 15, 1957 in Belfast
) is a retired professional footballer from Northern Ireland who began his career in Northern Ireland, spent two seasons in the Football League
before moving to the United States. He then played six seasons in the North American Soccer League
, seven in the Major Indoor Soccer League
as well as several season in several lower division indoor and outdoor leagues.
of the North American Soccer League
. He returned to Ireland and began the 1978-1979 season with them before Glentoran sold him and Billy Caskey
to Derby County
for £90,000 in September 1978. He played two seasons with Derby before the team sold his contract, along with Caskey's to the Tulsa Roughnecks
for $100,000 in 1980. The NASL ran an indoor season during the 1980-1981 winter. Up to this time, Moreland had played as a defensive midfielder, but beginning with the 1981 NASL outdoor season, he moved permanently to the backline. In 1984, he was named to the All League Second Team. In the fall of 1984, he moved to the Chicago Sting
of the Major Indoor Soccer League
. On September 18, 1985, the Sting sold his contract to the Dallas Sidekicks
. On June 15, 1988, the Sidekicks released him in order to reduce the team's player salaries. He signed with the Wichita Wings
on July 1, 1988. In June 1989, he returned to outdoor soccer with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the American Soccer League
. That year, the Strikers won the league title, then defeated the San Diego Nomads
of the Western Soccer League
for the first national outdoor championship since the demise of the NASL in 1984. On June 18, 1989, the Cleveland Crunch
selected Moreland in the MISL expansion draft. However, he refused to sign with Cleveland and the Crunch allowed him to sign with the Wings in September 1989 in return for an undisclosed amount of cash and the Wing's first round selection in the 1990 MISL Draft. He remained with the Wings until the spring of 1991. In the summer of 1990 and 1991, he played for the Strikers, this time also adding duties as an assistant coach. In August 1991, he was named as a player-coach with the Tulsa Ambush in the National Professional Soccer League. Moreland retired in 1992. He came out of retirement in November 1994, to play for the Tulsa Roughnecks
in the 1994-1995 USISL indoor season. He continued to play for the Roughnecks during the 1995 USISL outdoor season, then became the head coach of the Roughnecks for the 1995-1996 indoor season. He remained with the team until the start of the 1996 outdoor season, when he stepped down as coach. He continued to play sporadically for the Roughnecks into the 1997-1998 indoor season, filling in when ever injuries caught the team shorthanded. He founded, and continues to run, the Tulsa Nationals Soccer Academy in 1995.
against Bulgaria
. He scored his only goal with the national team in a 5-1 loss to England
on October 17, 1979. His last international game came a month later when Northern Ireland defeated Ireland on November 21, 1979.
Victor "Vic" Moreland (born June 15, 1957 in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
) is a retired professional footballer from Northern Ireland who began his career in Northern Ireland, spent two seasons 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...
before moving to the United States. He then played six seasons 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:...
, seven 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...
as well as several season in several lower division indoor and outdoor leagues.
Club career
Moreland began his career as a midfielder with Glentoran in 1973. In 1978, Glentoran sent him on loan to the Tulsa RoughnecksTulsa Roughnecks
-NASL:The Tulsa Roughnecks were a North American Soccer League team from Tulsa, Oklahoma. They played at Skelly Stadium on the campus of the University of Tulsa. The Roughnecks were a regular in the NASL playoffs, and won the NASL Soccer Bowl in 1983, defeating the Toronto Blizzard at B.C. Place...
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:...
. He returned to Ireland and began the 1978-1979 season with them before Glentoran sold him and Billy Caskey
Billy Caskey
Billy Caskey is a retired professional soccer midfielder from Northern Ireland. He played in the Irish Football League, Football League, North American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League...
to Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
for £90,000 in September 1978. He played two seasons with Derby before the team sold his contract, along with Caskey's to the Tulsa Roughnecks
Tulsa Roughnecks
-NASL:The Tulsa Roughnecks were a North American Soccer League team from Tulsa, Oklahoma. They played at Skelly Stadium on the campus of the University of Tulsa. The Roughnecks were a regular in the NASL playoffs, and won the NASL Soccer Bowl in 1983, defeating the Toronto Blizzard at B.C. Place...
for $100,000 in 1980. The NASL ran an indoor season during the 1980-1981 winter. Up to this time, Moreland had played as a defensive midfielder, but beginning with the 1981 NASL outdoor season, he moved permanently to the backline. In 1984, he was named to the All League Second Team. In the fall of 1984, he moved to the Chicago Sting
Chicago Sting
The Chicago Sting was an American professional soccer team based in Chicago, Illinois. The Sting played in the North American Soccer League from 1975 to 1984 and in the Major Indoor Soccer League from in the 1982-83 season and again from 1984 to 1988...
of 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...
. On September 18, 1985, the Sting sold his contract to the Dallas Sidekicks
Dallas Sidekicks
The Dallas Sidekicks were one of the longest operating professional soccer teams, either indoor or outdoor, in the United States, based in Dallas, Texas, and operating from 1984 until suspending operations following the 2004 season. The team was founded as a member of the original Major Indoor...
. On June 15, 1988, the Sidekicks released him in order to reduce the team's player salaries. He signed with 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...
on July 1, 1988. In June 1989, he returned to outdoor soccer with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers 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...
. That year, the Strikers won the league title, then defeated 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...
of the Western Soccer League
Western Soccer League
Western Soccer Alliance was a professional soccer league featuring teams from the West Coast of the United States and Western Canada. The league began in 1985 as the Western Alliance Challenge Series. In 1986, it became the Western Soccer Alliance...
for the first national outdoor championship since the demise of the NASL in 1984. On June 18, 1989, the 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...
selected Moreland in the MISL expansion draft. However, he refused to sign with Cleveland and the Crunch allowed him to sign with the Wings in September 1989 in return for an undisclosed amount of cash and the Wing's first round selection in the 1990 MISL Draft. He remained with the Wings until the spring of 1991. In the summer of 1990 and 1991, he played for the Strikers, this time also adding duties as an assistant coach. In August 1991, he was named as a player-coach with the Tulsa Ambush in the National Professional Soccer League. Moreland retired in 1992. He came out of retirement in November 1994, to play for the Tulsa Roughnecks
Tulsa Roughnecks (USISL)
The second Tulsa Roughnecks were an American soccer team that played in the United Soccer Leagues from 1993-99.-History:In January 1993, Tulsa businessman "Mack" Amini applied for a franchise in the United States Interregional Soccer League...
in the 1994-1995 USISL indoor season. He continued to play for the Roughnecks during the 1995 USISL outdoor season, then became the head coach of the Roughnecks for the 1995-1996 indoor season. He remained with the team until the start of the 1996 outdoor season, when he stepped down as coach. He continued to play sporadically for the Roughnecks into the 1997-1998 indoor season, filling in when ever injuries caught the team shorthanded. He founded, and continues to run, the Tulsa Nationals Soccer Academy in 1995.
National team
In March 1978, Moreland played one game with the Northern Ireland U-21 team. On November 29, 1978, he earned his first of six caps with the Northern Ireland national football teamNorthern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
against Bulgaria
Bulgaria national football team
The FIFA Bulgaria national football team is an association football team fielded by the Bulgarian Football Union, a member association of UEFA. The team's home ground is Vasil Levski in Sofia and Luboslav Penev is in charge manager after replacement of Lothar Matthäus...
. He scored his only goal with the national team in a 5-1 loss to England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
on October 17, 1979. His last international game came a month later when Northern Ireland defeated Ireland on November 21, 1979.