Dennis Mepham
Encyclopedia
Dennis Mepham is a retired American soccer defender
who played professionally in the North American Soccer League
, American Soccer League
, United Soccer League
and Major Indoor Soccer League
where played basketball for two years and soccer for four. When he graduated, he held the team record for both career and single season scoring with 25 and 11 goals respectively. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in finance in 1980 and was inducted into the BGSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1986.
of the North American Soccer League
drafted Mepham in 1980. The Lancers folded at the end of the season and he signed with the Buffalo Stallions
of the Major Indoor Soccer League
in the fall of 1980. He returned to the outdoor game in 1981 with the Rochester Flash
of American Soccer League
. That season, he was a first team All Star. He continued to play for the Flash through the 1983 season. At the end of the season, both the Flash and the league collapsed. In 1984, he played for the Buffalo Storm
of the United Soccer League
. In August 1984, the Stallions sold Mepham's contract to the Cleveland Force
. He was a regular with the Force until the 1987-1988 season when he suffered from a hairline fracture to his leg bone. In June 1988, the Force released Mepham after he refused to take a 25% reduction in pay. Mepham then went into the real estate business in Cleveland. In the summer of 1989, he signed with the expansion Cleveland Crunch
. The Crunch released Mepham in June 1990. He retired from playing professionally that summer.
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
who played professionally 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:...
, 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...
, United Soccer League
United Soccer League
The United Soccer League was a professional soccer league in the United States in the mid-1980s.After the demise of the second incarnation of the American Soccer League in 1983, four ASL teams founded the USL...
and 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...
Youth
Mepham attended Brighton High School where he was an outstanding basketball and soccer player. He then attended Bowling Green State UniversityBowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
where played basketball for two years and soccer for four. When he graduated, he held the team record for both career and single season scoring with 25 and 11 goals respectively. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in finance in 1980 and was inducted into the BGSU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1986.
Professional
The Rochester LancersRochester Lancers
The Rochester Lancers were a soccer team based in Rochester, New York that played in the American Soccer League from 1967 until 1969 and the North American Soccer League from 1970 to 1980 at Aquinas Stadium...
of 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:...
drafted Mepham in 1980. The Lancers folded at the end of the season and he signed with the Buffalo Stallions
Buffalo Stallions
The Buffalo Stallions were a soccer team based out of Buffalo, New York that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League from 1979 to 1984. Their home arena was Buffalo Memorial Auditorium.-History:...
of 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...
in the fall of 1980. He returned to the outdoor game in 1981 with the Rochester Flash
Rochester Flash
The Rochester Flash was an American soccer club based in Rochester, New York that was a member of the American Soccer League.After the ASL folded, the club joined the newly formed United Soccer League....
of 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...
. That season, he was a first team All Star. He continued to play for the Flash through the 1983 season. At the end of the season, both the Flash and the league collapsed. In 1984, he played for the Buffalo Storm
Buffalo Storm
Buffalo Storm were an American professional soccer team. They played for one season in the USL-1984 Roster: Dennis Mepham Randy Pikuzinski Rudy Pikuzinski Carlos Salguero Däniel Johansson...
of the United Soccer League
United Soccer League
The United Soccer League was a professional soccer league in the United States in the mid-1980s.After the demise of the second incarnation of the American Soccer League in 1983, four ASL teams founded the USL...
. In August 1984, the Stallions sold Mepham's contract to the Cleveland Force
Cleveland Force (1978 – 1988)
The original Cleveland Force was one of the six charter franchises in the original Major Indoor Soccer League . The team played from 1978 to 1988 at the Richfield Coliseum, the home of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and occasionally drew crowds in excess of 20,000 in the mid-80's.Akron businessman Eric J...
. He was a regular with the Force until the 1987-1988 season when he suffered from a hairline fracture to his leg bone. In June 1988, the Force released Mepham after he refused to take a 25% reduction in pay. Mepham then went into the real estate business in Cleveland. In the summer of 1989, he signed with the expansion Cleveland Crunch
Cleveland Crunch
The Cleveland Crunch was formed in 1989 as an expansion team in the Major Soccer League to replace the Cleveland Force, which had folded on July 22, 1988. Akron businessmen George S. Hoffman and Stuart Lichter formed an ownership group, named Al Miller general manager and former Force star Kai...
. The Crunch released Mepham in June 1990. He retired from playing professionally that summer.