Alan Willey (born 18 October 1956) is an English former footballer who spent most of his playing career in the United States. He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2003.[1]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 18 October 1956 | ||
| Place of birth | Houghton-le-Spring, England | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1974–1977 | Middlesbrough | 49 | (7) |
| 1976–1981 | Minnesota Kicks | 134 | (80) |
| 1979–1981 | Minnesota Kicks (indoor) | 30 | (39) |
| 1981–1982 | Montreal Manic (indoor) | 10 | (2) |
| 1981–1983 | Montreal Manic | 80 | (34) |
| 1984 | Minnesota Strikers | 24 | (15) |
| 1984–1988 | Minnesota Strikers (indoor) | 191 | (151) |
| 1988–1989 | San Diego Sockers (indoor) | 47 | (20) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Born in Houghton-le-Spring, Willey is the second-leading goal scorer in the history of the North American Soccer League (NASL).[2] Willey played most of his career with the Minnesota Kicks and was inducted into the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2003.
He began his career with the English football club Middlesbrough in 1974.[3] In the NASL, he played for the Minnesota Kicks (1976 to 1981), the Montreal Manic (1981 to 1983) and the Minnesota Strikers (1984).
He finished his NASL career with 129 goals in 238 games[4] and an additional 13 goals in 26 play-off games. He memorably scored five goals in a play-off game against the New York Cosmos in 1978. His nickname was 'The Artful Dodger.'[5]
References
edit- ^ "Alan Willey - 2003 Inductee | National Soccer Hall of Fame". Alan Willey - 2003 Inductee | National Soccer Hall of Fame. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
- ^ Matthew Levine (30 July 2015). "THROWBACK THURSDAY Minnesota Kicks' Alan Willey Scores Five Goals Against Cosmos In Playoff Match". NASL. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
- ^ Mark Wheat (11 June 2015). "Mark Wheat interviews Alan Willey". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
- ^ Plenderleith, Ian (22 September 2015). Rock 'n' Roll Soccer. New York: Thomas Dunne Books. p. 153. ISBN 9781466884007.
- ^ Jon Marthaler (13 June 2015). "United FC to salute Alan Willey, the 'Artful Dodger'". Star Tribune. Retrieved 16 December 2017.