Frank Dell'Apa

Steve Nicol

April 13, 1996 – New England Revolution’s first game

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Tampa Bay Mutiny 3:2 Revolution at Tampa Stadium (Att.: 26,473)

Rob Ukrop gave the Revolution a 20th-minute lead, finishing a Welton cross, Alexi Lalas starting the sequence from central defense. The Mutiny scored on three set pieces, Revolution defender Mike Burns disputing the foul that led to the third goal, saying “the referee (Zimmerman Boulos) knows he made a mistake.” Roy Lassiter’s 25th-minute goal tied the score, the first of his 27 for the season, which remains an MLS record. Ivan McKinley, who would play for the Revolution from 1997-2000, broke the deadlock early in the second half, and U.S. national team defender Steve Pittman converted off a Carlos Valderrama assist for a 3-1 lead, before Ukrop cut the deficit in the 70th minute. Ukrop would not score another goal for the Revolution, and was waived after playing nine games as the team set up roster space for acquiring Joe-Max Moore. [Read more…] about April 13, 1996 – New England Revolution’s first game

March 25, 2007 – Revolution 3:1 Olimpia, Tad Gormley Stadium, New Orleans

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New Orleans was still recovering, less than two years post-Hurricane Katrina, and this preseason game between the Revolution and CD Olimpia turned out to be unique among the sporting events related to the city’s rebuilding. Adam Cristman scored two goals, Andy Dorman one, for the Revolution (Argentinian Jose Pacini converted for Olimpia) before a predominantly Honduran 8,947 crowd that included Mayor Ray Nagin. Brad Knighton’s performance in goal also helped establish his status as a high-level backup.

The Revolution’s visit involved several New England connections. The trip was set up by New Orleans Shellshockers coach Kenny Farrell, a former Salem State star. The Revolution had conducted preseason training in New Orleans in 2004, and the venture had concluded with Carlos Llamosa’s season-ending knee injury on the turf at Tulane University in a game that included a 10th-minute ejection of Jose Cancela. After that experience, the Revolution were inclined to avoid New Orleans, but Farrell persuaded Steve Nicol to return, partly because Farrell pitched him on involving the Revolution in the city’s rehabilitation. Nicol was also convinced by the refurbishing of the soccer field at Tad Gormley Stadium, via a donation from the New Orleans’ Saints’ Reggie Bush (in ’04, most of the fields the Revolution trained on were poor quality). [Read more…] about March 25, 2007 – Revolution 3:1 Olimpia, Tad Gormley Stadium, New Orleans

Jan. 24, 2008 – Revolution draft Dube, Chris Tierney; lose Noonan to Norway

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Two excellent pickups for the Revolution, the day after losing Pat Noonan to Aalesund FK. Dube totaled 14 goals in 72 regular-season games, 18th on the Revolution scoring list. Tierney’s 214 regular-season matches rank him No. 4 on the team list.

But the Revolution were unable to compensate for the loss of players such as Andy Dorman and Noonan, the team’s demise accelerating. Below es excerpt from my story for The Boston Globe 1/24/2008 editions:

Noonan leaves Revolution for Europe

Pat Noonan became the second Revolution player to depart for Europe on a free transfer this winter, joining Aalesund FK in Norway yesterday. [Read more…] about Jan. 24, 2008 – Revolution draft Dube, Chris Tierney; lose Noonan to Norway

Jan. 17, 2003 – Revolution select Pat Noonan with No. 9 pick in SuperDraft

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Jan. 17, 2003 – Revs select Pat Noonan with No. 9 pick in MLS SuperDraft, acquire Matt Reis from LA Galaxy in exchange for Alex Pineda Chacon

Noonan went on to score 46 goals in all competitions in four years with the Revolution, second on the team’s all-time list at time, before departing for Aalesund in Norway.

This draft marked former Revolution coach Steve Nicol’s ability to find underrated collegiate prospects late in the first round. In 2004, Nicol took Clint Dempsey at No. 8 and in 2005, Michael Parkhurst No. 9. [Read more…] about Jan. 17, 2003 – Revolution select Pat Noonan with No. 9 pick in SuperDraft

Jan. 16, 2004 – Revolution select Clint Dempsey with No. 8 pick

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Jan. 16, 2004 – New England Revolution select Clint Dempsey with No. 8 pick, Felix Brillant (56th overall) and Andy Dorman (58th overall) in sixth round of MLS SuperDraft

Some good and some not-so-good players were chosen ahead of Dempsey. But what boggles belief is that Dempsey had trained with Dallas and wanted to play there, since it was close to his Nacogdoches home – yet the Burn passed him by twice, to go for Ramon Nuñez and Clarence Goodson. I recall an early-season 2004 interview with Dempsey in which he expressed shock, and a hint of resentment, in having been selected later than Freddy Adu (and being paid considerably less). [Read more…] about Jan. 16, 2004 – Revolution select Clint Dempsey with No. 8 pick

Jan. 14, 2005 – Revolution select Michael Parkhurst with No. 9 pick

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Jan. 14, 2005 – Revolution select Michael Parkhurst with No. 9 pick, James Riley in the second round (21st overall) and Tony Lochhead in third round (33rd overall) in MLS SuperDraft

Michael Parkhurst proved to be another exception to the rule about the U.S. development system. Parkhurst emerged as a central defender, emphasizing skill over size, on the way to a collegiate career at Wake Forest and U.S. national team residency in Bradenton, Fla.

Stacey DeCastro was probably the first coach to recognize Parkhurst’s talent. [Read more…] about Jan. 14, 2005 – Revolution select Michael Parkhurst with No. 9 pick

Jan. 13, 2011 – Revolution select A.J. Soares with No. 6 pick in draft

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Today in NE Soccer History

Jan. 13, 2011 – Revolution select A.J. Soares with No. 6 pick in MLS SuperDraft

This turned out to be Steve Nicol’s final MLS draft as Revolution coach, and Nicol showed he still could pick winners. In 1999, when Nicol arrived in the U.S. to be a player/coach with the Framingham-based Boston Bulldogs he might not have known the difference between the MLS draft and the Selective Service. But Nicol caught on quickly and two of his prize picks were central defenders: Michael Parkhurst (2005) and Anthony James Soares. [Read more…] about Jan. 13, 2011 – Revolution select A.J. Soares with No. 6 pick in draft

Jan. 11, 2002 – Revolution transformed by Dispersal Draft

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Today in NE Soccer History

Jan. 11, 2002 – Revolution acquire Mamadou Diallo, Carlos Llamosa, Steve Ralston, Jim Rooney, Alex Pineda Chacon, Shaker Asad in MLS Dispersal Draft

The New England Revolution transformed themselves over a one-month span in 2002.

On Jan. 8, 2002, the league announced the elimination of the Miami Fusion and Tampa Bay Mutiny. That set up the Revolution for a bonanza as they had three of the first six picks in the dispersal draft. [Read more…] about Jan. 11, 2002 – Revolution transformed by Dispersal Draft

Jan. 10, 2007 – Clint Dempsey granted work permit by UK Home Office

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Today in NE Soccer History

Jan. 10, 2007 – Clint Dempsey granted work permit by UK Home Office

The Revolution collected 62 percent of Dempsey’s transfer fee, and put the money to use to start its academy. This deal also seemed fated to be the first of many moves involving Revolution players. Shalrie Joseph was being recruited by Celtic. Taylor Twellman would receive offers, the best a $3.5 million deal from Preston North End. [Read more…] about Jan. 10, 2007 – Clint Dempsey granted work permit by UK Home Office

Jan. 3, 2003 – Revolution acquire Peter Nowak from Chicago Fire

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Today in New England Soccer History

Jan. 3, 2003 – Revolution acquire Peter Nowak from Chicago in exchange for draft pick. Nowak, 38, retires before the season starts.

Here is my story for the Boston Globe. The Revolution had reached the 2002 MLS Cup final and were about to add Shalrie Joseph, Pat Noonan and Matt Reis for the ’03 season. Nowak seemed ready to go. [Read more…] about Jan. 3, 2003 – Revolution acquire Peter Nowak from Chicago Fire