Detroit Cougars

The Detroit Cougars were an American professional soccer team based out of Detroit, Michigan that was a charter member of the United Soccer Association (USA) in 1967. When the USA and rival National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) merged in 1968 to form the North American Soccer League (NASL), the team moved to the new league. The Cougars played its home matches at the University of Detroit Stadium for the 1967 USA season and at Tiger Stadium for the 1968 NASL season, except when scheduling conflicts with the Detroit Tigers forced the team to play at the University of Detroit Stadium. The team folded at the conclusion of the 1968 NASL season. History Origins In 1966 several groups of entrepreneurs were exploring the idea of forming a professional soccer league in United States. One of these groups, United Soccer Association (USA) led by Jack Kent Cooke, selected 12 cities for team locations and a group headed by William Clay Ford, owner of the Detroit Lions, and John Fetzer, owner of the Detroit Tigers, were selected to run the Detroit franchise. The USA originally planned to start play in the spring of 1968; however the rival National Professional Soccer League, which secured a TV contract from CBS, announced it was ready to launch in 1967. Not wanting to let the rival league gain an advantage, the USA decided to launch early. Not having secured any player contracts, the league imported teams from Europe, Brazil, and Uruguay to represent the franchise cities. Northern Irish team Glentoran F.C. was brought over to play as the Cougars with player-coach John Colrain hired to act in the same capacity with the team. Prior to the season, the organization announced that Millwall F.C. center forward player-coach Len Julians was signed to coach the team for the 1968 season. United Soccer Association 1967 The Cougars opened the season on May 27, 1967, against the Boston Shamrock Rovers in Lynn, Massachusetts, with the match ending in a 1-1 draw. The team's first home match at the University of Detroit Stadium on June 4, 1967, against the Vancouver Royal Canadians drew 11,629 spectators and also ended in a 1-1 draw. The team's match on June 14, 1967, against the Houston Stars, represented by Brazilian team Bangu Atlético Clube, ended 17 minutes before the end of regulation with the Stars winning 2-0 when Houston fullback Luiz Alberto kicked Tommy Jackson in the kidney and police were needed to restore order on the pitch.