Andrew Parkinson (soccer): Difference between revisions

| name= AndyAndrew Parkinson

| years2 = 1977–19791978–1979

| years12 = 1985–1986

| clubs13 = [[ (APSL)| ]]

| caps1 = 26

'''Andrew Parkinson''' (born May 5, 1959) is a retired American [[soccer]] [[Striker (association football)|forward/midfielder]] born in Johannesburg, South Africa who spent time playing in both South Africa and England before immigrating to the U.S. where he played five seasons in the [[North American Soccer League (1968–1984)|North American Soccer League]], two in [[Major Soccer League|Major Indoor Soccer League]] and one in the [[American Soccer League (1988-1989)|American Soccer League]]. Parkinson earned two [[cap (sports)|caps]] with the [[USMNT|U.S. national team]] in 1984.

Parkinson, a native of [[Johannesburg]], [[South Africa]] played professional soccer for [[Jomo Cosmos|Highlands Park]] in his native South Africa winning the league title and earning a league medal with Highlands Park in 1977 at 18 years of age. In MarchFebruary 1978, Parkinson movedflew to England where he tried out with English [[Premier League|First Division]] club [[Newcastle United]]. Parkinson was granted a work permit since he was a South African citizen and signed on 27th27 February 1978 for Newcastle United at 18 years of age and debuted three days later for Newcastle United against Manchester United in the English first division. As fate would have it, the following week Parkinson, in just his second game for Newcastle United, suffered a broken ankle from a late tackle by a Leeds United defender which sidelined Parkinson for the rest of the 1978 season. Parkinson played two seasons 1978/1979 in England for Newcastle United under manager Bill McGarry. Due to a lack of playing time at Newcastle United Parkinson opted to be a free agent at the end of the 1979 season and accepted an offer from Peterborough United. He then movedsigned toin June 1979 for lower-division club [[Peterborough United F.C.|Peterborough United]] where he played 13 games, scoring 7 goals inhalfway through the 1979-19801979–1980 season. In December 1979 Parkinson left Peterborough United and in February 1980 Andrew Parkinson was sold to the Philadelphia Fury of the North American Soccer League during the 1979/80 season.

In 1980, Parkinson then moved to the [[United States]] where he signed with the [[Philadelphia Fury (1978–80)|Philadelphia Fury]] of the [[North American Soccer League (1968–1984)|North American Soccer League]] (NASL). Once again, he played a single season before the Fury was relocated to Montreal becoming the [[Montreal Manic]]. Parkinson had a successful two seasons with the Montreal Manic scoring the first two goals for the new franchise in the first game of the season winning 2 - 1 against the Toronto Blizzard and leading them to the playoffs and was one of the leading goal scorers once again. During this time, Parkinson received his U.S. citizenship. In 1983, the [[U.S. Soccer Federation]], in coordination with the NASL, entered the [[United States men's national soccer team|U.S. national team]], known as [[Team America (soccer)|Team America]], into the NASL as a league franchise. The team drew on U.S. citizens playing in the NASL, [[Major Soccer League|Major Indoor Soccer League]] and [[American Soccer League (1988-1989)|American Soccer League]]. Parkinson turned down a new contract offer from the Montreal Manic for the 1983 season becoming a free agent and signing for the Ft Lauderdale Strikers instead, playing in the opening seasons first two indoor matches for [[Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1977–83)|Fort Lauderdale]] in the [[1983 NASL Grand Prix of Indoor Soccer|1983 indoor NASL]] before being recruited and signing with Team America. When Team America finished the 1983 season in the struggling NASL the team disbanded with Parkinson being the leading goal scorer with 12 goals. The [[New York Cosmos (1971–1985)|New York Cosmos]] acquired Parkinson from Team America when Team America disbanded and he played for the New York Cosmos during the 1983–84 NASL indoor season and the 1984 outdoor season. At the end of the season, the NASL collapsed and the Cosmos jumped to the [[Major Soccer League|Major Indoor Soccer League]]. He began the indoor MISL season with the Cosmos then moved to the [[Chicago Sting]] in March 1985.<ref>''Not all of MISL teams stood pat'' San Diego Union, The (CA) - Tuesday, March 12, 1985</ref> In the fall of 1985, Parkinson signed with the [[Tacoma Stars (MISL)|Tacoma Stars]] indoor of the MISL during the 1985-19861985–1986 season. Andrew Parkinson retired from the beautiful game in 1986 and had a very successful 37 year business career as a General Manager with Porsche in the Automobile business.

[[Category:American men's soccer players]]

[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England]]

[[Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in Canada]]

[[Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States]]

[[Category:AssociationMen's association football forwards]]

[[Category:New York Cosmos (1970–1985) players]]

[[Category:South African expatriate men's soccer players]]

[[Category:South African men's soccer players]]