Brian Tinnion (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Brian Tinnion is a retired English
Association football forward
who played eleven seasons in the lower English divisions, four in the North American Soccer League
, three in the American Soccer League
and one in the Major Indoor Soccer League
. He also coached professionally in the American Soccer League
and National Professional Soccer League as well as at the collegiate level with Eastern Michigan University
. He was the 1982 ASL league leading scorer and most valuable player (MVP).
which then played in the Third Division
. However, the team dropped to the Fourth Division in 1967. In 1968, he transferred to fellow fourth division club Wrexham F.C. During the 1971-1972 season, he played three games on loan to Chester F.C.
, but otherwise was a regular first team player with Wrexham during his eight seasons in Wales. In 1976, he left Wrexham for the United States where he signed for the New York Cosmos
. He played one season in New York before being selected by Team Hawaii
in the expansion draft. Hawaii lasted only one season before folding and the Colorado Caribous
picked him up in the dispersal draft. He played twenty-four games with Colorado, scoring four goals in 1978 before being traded to the Detroit Express
. The Express left the NASL following the 1980 season and moved to the second division American Soccer League
. In 1982, the Express won the league title as Tinnion led the league in scoring and was named the league MVP. That season, Tinnion coached the team as well as played midfielder. However, he was not listed as head coach as the league prohibited player-coaches. The league changed the rules in 1983 and Tinnion was named the official head coach for 1983 and 1984. Tinnion also spent 1980-1981 Major Indoor Soccer League
with the Wichita Wings
.
which played in the National Professional Soccer League. He was named the 1990-1991 Coach of the Year. The next season, he led the team to the league title. In December 1994, he resigned from the Rockers to become the head coach at Eastern Michigan University
until the university dropped men’s soccer in 1999. In December 2001, Tinnion returned as the head coach of the Rockers, but the team folded at the end of the season. His son, Paul Tinnion, was head coach of the Eastern Michigan University women’s soccer team and is now Director of Coaching of the Michigan Jaguars soccer club based in Novi, Michigan.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
Association football forward
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
who played eleven seasons in the lower English divisions, four in the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
, three in the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
and one in the Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
. He also coached professionally in the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
and National Professional Soccer League as well as at the collegiate level with Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University is a comprehensive, co-educational public university located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Ypsilanti is west of Detroit and eight miles east of Ann Arbor. The university was founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School...
. He was the 1982 ASL league leading scorer and most valuable player (MVP).
Player
Tinnion began his career in 1965 with Workington A.F.C.Workington A.F.C.
Workington A.F.C. is an English football club from Workington, Cumbria. They are in the Conference North, and play their home matches at Borough Park, which has a capacity of 3,101 . The club play in red, and are known locally as the Reds...
which then played in the Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
. However, the team dropped to the Fourth Division in 1967. In 1968, he transferred to fellow fourth division club Wrexham F.C. During the 1971-1972 season, he played three games on loan to Chester F.C.
Chester City F.C.
Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
, but otherwise was a regular first team player with Wrexham during his eight seasons in Wales. In 1976, he left Wrexham for the United States where he signed for the New York Cosmos
New York Cosmos
The New York Cosmos were an American soccer club based in New York City, New York and its suburbs. The team played home games in three stadiums around New York before moving in 1977 to Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, where it remained for the rest of its history...
. He played one season in New York before being selected by Team Hawaii
Team Hawaii
Team Hawaii was a soccer team based out of Honolulu that played in the NASL. The team only lasted one year, 1977. Their home field was Aloha Stadium. Previous to Hawai'i, the team played as the San Antonio Thunder. After leaving Hawai'i, the franchise became known as the Tulsa Roughnecks.-1977...
in the expansion draft. Hawaii lasted only one season before folding and the Colorado Caribous
Colorado Caribous
The Colorado Caribous was a professional soccer team based in Denver, Colorado, that played in the North American Soccer League...
picked him up in the dispersal draft. He played twenty-four games with Colorado, scoring four goals in 1978 before being traded to the Detroit Express
Detroit Express
The Detroit Express was a soccer team based in suburban Detroit that played in the now defunct North American Soccer League from 1978 to 1980. Its home field was the Pontiac Silverdome. The Express were co-owned and directed by famous English soccer pundit Jimmy Hill who was also the managing...
. The Express left the NASL following the 1980 season and moved to the second division American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
. In 1982, the Express won the league title as Tinnion led the league in scoring and was named the league MVP. That season, Tinnion coached the team as well as played midfielder. However, he was not listed as head coach as the league prohibited player-coaches. The league changed the rules in 1983 and Tinnion was named the official head coach for 1983 and 1984. Tinnion also spent 1980-1981 Major Indoor Soccer League
Major Soccer League
The Major Indoor Soccer League, known in its final two seasons as the Major Soccer League, was an indoor soccer league in the USA from 1978 to 1992. After the folding of the North American Soccer League in 1984, the MISL was the Division I soccer league for the United States...
with the Wichita Wings
Wichita Wings
This article is about the original team. For the current team, see Wichita Wings .The Wichita Wings were a professional indoor soccer franchise based in Wichita, Kansas. The Wings were admitted to the Major Indoor Soccer League as an expansion team on August 21, 1979...
.
Coach
After retiring from playing, Tinnion remained in Detroit where he continued to coach. In 1990, he was hired by the Detroit RockersDetroit Rockers
The Detroit Rockers were an indoor soccer team in the National Professional Soccer League from 1990 to 2001. They played in Joe Louis Arena and Cobo Arena in downtown Detroit, Michigan as well as The Palace of Auburn Hills and Compuware Sports Arena in the suburbs...
which played in the National Professional Soccer League. He was named the 1990-1991 Coach of the Year. The next season, he led the team to the league title. In December 1994, he resigned from the Rockers to become the head coach at Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University is a comprehensive, co-educational public university located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Ypsilanti is west of Detroit and eight miles east of Ann Arbor. The university was founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School...
until the university dropped men’s soccer in 1999. In December 2001, Tinnion returned as the head coach of the Rockers, but the team folded at the end of the season. His son, Paul Tinnion, was head coach of the Eastern Michigan University women’s soccer team and is now Director of Coaching of the Michigan Jaguars soccer club based in Novi, Michigan.