Frank Dell'Apa

Providence

Knoxville’s New England connections pay off

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Former New England Revolution striker Ian Fuller guided One Knoxville FC to a 2-0 victory over the Spokane Velocity in the USL League 1 final before a sellout 7,500 crowd at Covenant Health Park on Sunday, Nov. 16. Fuller, 46, in his first year as head coach, played at Clemson University before joining the Revolution in 2002, pairing with Taylor Twellman up front as the team advanced to the MLS Cup final. Fuller followed Adrian Heath from the Austin Aztex to MLS as an assistant with Orlando City and Minnesota United before being hired by Knoxville.

Knoxville starters included winger Mark Doyle, who competed for Rhode Island FC last year; Callum Johnson, a former New York Red Bulls Academy midfielder who played three seasons at Boston College before transferring to Clemson; Stavros Zarokostas, a midfielder from La Salle Academy in Providence via the University of Rhode Island. Zarokostas set up Nico Rosamilia for the opening goal in the fourth minute, and Kempes Tekiela added a 54th-minute penalty kick.

Dec. 28, 1924 – Providence FC 5:1 Fleisher Yarn, Kinsley Park

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Providence’s Tewfik Abdallah, who became the second Egyptian (Hassan Hesazi was first) to play in England and the first to compete in the American Soccer League, opened the scoring “18 minutes after the start … on the frozen Kinsley Park surface …” Abdallah performed for Derby County, Cowdenbeath, Bridgend Town and Hartlepool. [Read more…] about Dec. 28, 1924 – Providence FC 5:1 Fleisher Yarn, Kinsley Park

Sept. 13, 1924 – Boston SC 2:1 Providence Clamdiggers, ASL opener at Walpole Street Grounds

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Boston SC had recruited several top British players, including player-manager Tommy Muirhead from Rangers, for its inaugural season. [Read more…] about Sept. 13, 1924 – Boston SC 2:1 Providence Clamdiggers, ASL opener at Walpole Street Grounds

April 12, 1925 – Providence 3:1 Boston at Kinsley Park (Att.: 4,000)

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U.S. national team captain Tommy Florie converted a penalty kick and Tewfik Abdallah also scored as the Providence Clamdiggers took a 2-1 halftime lead, Barney Battles countering for Boston. Abdallah, nicknamed “Toothpick,” moved from Zamalek to Derby County in 1920, becoming the second Egyptian to play professionally in England. Abdallah played for Providence from 1924-26, then moved to the Fall River Marksmen, Hartford Americans and New York Nationals before returning to Egypt to play for Al Ahly and El Mokhtalt, concluding his career with Montreal Carsteel.

The previous day, Battles had scored as Boston took a 3-1 victory over the Ben Millers of St. Louis in the American Professional Championship before a 4,000 crowd at the Walpole Street Grounds.

TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY

Feb. 5, 1928 – Providence Clamdiggers 3×1 J&P Coats

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Soccer was thriving and the U.S. was producing goal-scorers during the 1927-28 American Soccer League season. In this game, Tommy Florie would score Providence’s third goal on an 82nd-minute penalty kick and New Bedford-born Arnie Oliver would convert for the “JayPees.” Both Florie and Oliver led their team in scoring that season, and went on to join the U.S. national team for the first World Cup in 1930 in Uruguay.

Three of the ASL’s top eight scorers were U.S.-born, and others, such as Johnny Nelson and Archie Stark, had moved to the U.S. as teenagers. [Read more…] about Feb. 5, 1928 – Providence Clamdiggers 3×1 J&P Coats