Edmonton Brickmen
Encyclopedia
The Edmonton Brickmen were an Edmonton
, Alberta
-based soccer club that competed in two now-defunct leagues: the Western Soccer Alliance and the Canadian Soccer League.
where teams from the WSA played a set of matches against the Brickmen and the Canadian National team. Regarded as a successful Canadian soccer club, the Brickmen joined the Western Soccer Alliance in 1986.
Despite a poor performance in that same year, the attendance was reasonable (in ranging between 3000 to 4000 per game), but fancying better chances with the new start-up Canadian Soccer League, the Edmonton Brickmen left.
During their stay in both the Alliance and the CSL, the team used two different stadiums to host their games: John Ducey Park
(now Telus Field
) and Clarke Stadium
for their matches. The choice of John Ducey Park was in part due to the sharing of costs with the Edmonton Trappers
.
The Edmonton Brickmen roster included such notables as: ex-English star Justin Fashanu
, Niall Thompson
, Shel Brodsgaard (now national goalkeeping coach), and two then-young goalkeepers Craig Forrest
and Paul Dolan
.
The team was coached by Ross Ongaro
(who also was involved as player). It was presided over by long-time Edmonton soccer participant, Joe Petrone (who served as director of player personnel for the Edmonton Brickmen from 1988 to 1990) and president Mel Kowalchuk with seed money provided by the Edmonton-based company, the Brick Warehouse
.
(1989) Justin Fashanu
(1989) Craig Forrest
Paul Dolan
Niall Thompson
Ray Hudson
(1987) http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/nasl/naslstar.html Tony Pesznecker
(1982–83)Bob Ammann(1989)
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
-based soccer club that competed in two now-defunct leagues: the Western Soccer Alliance and the Canadian Soccer League.
History
Starting in the Western Soccer Alliance, they were initially part of the 1985 Western Alliance Challenge Series1985 Western Alliance Challenge Series
History of the 1985 Western Alliance Challenge Series. This series of games which included F.C. Seattle, the Victoria Riptide, F.C. Portland and the San Jose Earthquakes led to the creation of the Western Soccer Alliance which later merged with the American Soccer League to form the American...
where teams from the WSA played a set of matches against the Brickmen and the Canadian National team. Regarded as a successful Canadian soccer club, the Brickmen joined the Western Soccer Alliance in 1986.
Despite a poor performance in that same year, the attendance was reasonable (in ranging between 3000 to 4000 per game), but fancying better chances with the new start-up Canadian Soccer League, the Edmonton Brickmen left.
During their stay in both the Alliance and the CSL, the team used two different stadiums to host their games: John Ducey Park
John Ducey Park
John Ducey Park was a 6,500 seat baseball stadium in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Originally built in 1935, it was torn down after sixty years of use in 1995 and replaced by Telus Field on the same site...
(now Telus Field
TELUS Field
Telus Field is a baseball stadium in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is home to the Edmonton Capitals of the independent North American League, and was home to the former Edmonton Trappers, an AAA baseball team of the Pacific Coast League. The Trappers moved to Round Rock, Texas, and became the...
) and Clarke Stadium
Clarke Stadium
Clarke Stadium, in its original incarnation, was a Canadian football stadium located in Edmonton, Alberta.-History:The stadium was originally built in 1938 on land deeded to the City for the purpose of constructing public sports fields by Mackenzie King...
for their matches. The choice of John Ducey Park was in part due to the sharing of costs with the Edmonton Trappers
Edmonton Trappers
The Edmonton Trappers were a minor league baseball team in the Pacific Coast League, ending with the 2004 season. Home games were played at Telus Field in downtown Edmonton, Alberta, Canada....
.
The Edmonton Brickmen roster included such notables as: ex-English star Justin Fashanu
Justin Fashanu
Justinus Soni "Justin" Fashanu was an English footballer who played for a variety of clubs between 1978 and 1997. He was known by his early clubs to be homosexual, and came out to the press later in his career, to become the first professional footballer to be openly gay...
, Niall Thompson
Niall Thompson
Niall Joseph Thompson is an English-born Canadian footballer, who works currently as Assistant coach of Surrey United Firefighters.-Club career :...
, Shel Brodsgaard (now national goalkeeping coach), and two then-young goalkeepers Craig Forrest
Craig Forrest
Craig Lorne Forrest is a Canadian soccer commentator and a former goalkeeper.-Club career:...
and Paul Dolan
Paul Dolan
Kenneth Paul Dolan is a former Canadian national team and Canadian Soccer League goalkeeper.-Club career:...
.
The team was coached by Ross Ongaro
Ross Ongaro
Ross Ongaro is a retired Canadian soccer player who earned one cap each with the Canada U-20 men's national soccer team and Canadian Olympic soccer team. He played professionally in the North American Soccer League, Major Indoor Soccer League, Western Soccer Alliance and American Indoor Soccer...
(who also was involved as player). It was presided over by long-time Edmonton soccer participant, Joe Petrone (who served as director of player personnel for the Edmonton Brickmen from 1988 to 1990) and president Mel Kowalchuk with seed money provided by the Edmonton-based company, the Brick Warehouse
The Brick
The Brick Ltd. opened its first store in Edmonton, Alberta in 1971, and has grown to become one of Canada's largest volume retailers of furniture, mattresses, appliances and home electronics. The company was founded as The Brick Warehouse LP in Edmonton, Alberta with the first warehouse opening on...
.
Notable players
Dave BarnettDave Barnett
David Lane "Dave" Barnett is a former ESPN personality who currently works for the Texas Rangers. Before working for ESPN, Barnett served as the announcer for the NBA's San Antonio Spurs from 1988 to 1996, the Dallas Mavericks from 1981 to 1988, the 1990 Texas Rangers games, and Southwest...
(1989) Justin Fashanu
Justin Fashanu
Justinus Soni "Justin" Fashanu was an English footballer who played for a variety of clubs between 1978 and 1997. He was known by his early clubs to be homosexual, and came out to the press later in his career, to become the first professional footballer to be openly gay...
(1989) Craig Forrest
Craig Forrest
Craig Lorne Forrest is a Canadian soccer commentator and a former goalkeeper.-Club career:...
Paul Dolan
Paul Dolan
Kenneth Paul Dolan is a former Canadian national team and Canadian Soccer League goalkeeper.-Club career:...
Niall Thompson
Niall Thompson
Niall Joseph Thompson is an English-born Canadian footballer, who works currently as Assistant coach of Surrey United Firefighters.-Club career :...
Ray Hudson
Ray Hudson
Ray Hudson , is a retired professional football player and former coach who currently works as an English-language football commentator on Gol TV.-Career:...
(1987) http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/nasl/naslstar.html Tony Pesznecker
Tony Pesznecker
Tony Peszneker is a former Canadian professional soccer player.Peszneker played professionally for both the Minnesota Kicks of the North American Soccer League and the Minnesota Thunder of the USL. He also played for the Edmonton Eagles and Edmonton Brickmen in professional outdoor leagues and...
(1982–83)Bob Ammann(1989)