Jeff Bourne
Encyclopedia
Jeff Bourne was an English football (soccer)
striker
who spent most of his early career in the lower English divisions before moving to the United States where he played six seasons in the North American Soccer League
, two in the second division American Soccer League
. He led the ASL in scoring in 1983.
in February 1971. He saw limited time with the first team, playing mostly with the reserves until January 1974. He finished the 1973-1974 season with nine goals as Derby County finished third in the standings. He found himself back with the reserves the next season, with occasional stretches of first team. In 1976, Derby County loaned Bourne to the Dallas Tornado
of the North American Soccer League
(NASL). When it became apparent that Bourne would never be more than a sporadic player with the club, Derby County sold his contract to Crystal Palace F.C.
for £30,000 in March 1977. At the time that Bourne joined Crystal Palace the team was in a free fall. They had slipped from the top division to the third in two seasons and appeared in danger of falling further. Crystal Palace had just sold Paul Hammond to the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the NASL. They then used the cash to purchase Bourne. Bourne made an immediate impact, scoring nine goals in fifteen games and helping Crystal Palace return to the Second Division. Despite his contribution, Bourne was considered a poor long term investment and he was sent to the Dallas Tornado
in the spring of 1978.
of the North American Soccer League
on loan from Derby County in 1976. He scored fifteen goals in twenty-two games earning second team All Star honors. In 1978, Dallas purchased his contract from Crystal Palace. In 1979, the Tornado traded Bourne to the Atlanta Chiefs
for the first round in the 1979 College Draft. Bourne scored eighteen goals in twenty-nine games for the Chiefs in 1979, but his production dropped to five goals in twenty games in 1980. As a result, the Chiefs sent Bourne to the Seattle Sounders where he finished the season with two goals in eight games. That winter, Bourne was one of the top players during the NASL indoor season, scoring twenty-one goals in seventeen games. Bourne played the 1981 season, his last in the NASL, with Seattle. In the fall of 1981, he signed with the Wichita Wings
of the Major Indoor Soccer League
. In the 1981-1982 season, he twenty goals. In 1982, he signed on loan from the Wings to the Oklahoma City Slickers
of the American Soccer League
. The Slickers went to the championship series where it fell to the Detroit Express
. Bourne then returned to the Wings for the 1982-1983 indoor season. The Slickers attempted to acquire him for the 1983 ASL season, but the Wings asking price was too high and Bourne signed with the Dallas Americans
. He led the league in scoring with seventeen goals. He returned to the Wings and was the league's second leading scorer when he suffered a season ending injury in April 1984. There are also indications that he may have played in the United Soccer League
in 1984.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
striker
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 spent most of his early career in the lower English divisions before moving to the United States where he played six seasons 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:...
, two in 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...
. He led the ASL in scoring in 1983.
England
Bourne began his career with non league club Burton Albion before signing with Derby CountyDerby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
in February 1971. He saw limited time with the first team, playing mostly with the reserves until January 1974. He finished the 1973-1974 season with nine goals as Derby County finished third in the standings. He found himself back with the reserves the next season, with occasional stretches of first team. In 1976, Derby County loaned Bourne to the Dallas Tornado
Dallas Tornado
Dallas Tornado were a soccer team based in Dallas that played in the NASL. They played from 1967 to 1981. Their home fields were Cotton Bowl , P.C. Cobb Stadium , Franklin Field , Texas Stadium and Ownby Stadium on the SMU campus...
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:...
(NASL). When it became apparent that Bourne would never be more than a sporadic player with the club, Derby County sold his contract to Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
for £30,000 in March 1977. At the time that Bourne joined Crystal Palace the team was in a free fall. They had slipped from the top division to the third in two seasons and appeared in danger of falling further. Crystal Palace had just sold Paul Hammond to the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the NASL. They then used the cash to purchase Bourne. Bourne made an immediate impact, scoring nine goals in fifteen games and helping Crystal Palace return to the Second Division. Despite his contribution, Bourne was considered a poor long term investment and he was sent to the Dallas Tornado
Dallas Tornado
Dallas Tornado were a soccer team based in Dallas that played in the NASL. They played from 1967 to 1981. Their home fields were Cotton Bowl , P.C. Cobb Stadium , Franklin Field , Texas Stadium and Ownby Stadium on the SMU campus...
in the spring of 1978.
United States
Bourne first played in the United States when he came to the Dallas TornadoDallas Tornado
Dallas Tornado were a soccer team based in Dallas that played in the NASL. They played from 1967 to 1981. Their home fields were Cotton Bowl , P.C. Cobb Stadium , Franklin Field , Texas Stadium and Ownby Stadium on the SMU campus...
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:...
on loan from Derby County in 1976. He scored fifteen goals in twenty-two games earning second team All Star honors. In 1978, Dallas purchased his contract from Crystal Palace. In 1979, the Tornado traded Bourne to the Atlanta Chiefs
Atlanta Chiefs
The Atlanta Chiefs were a soccer team based in Atlanta, Georgia that played in the NPSL and NASL from 1967 to 1972. Their home fields were Atlanta Stadium and Tara Stadium . The club was the brainchild of Dick Cecil, then Vice President of the Atlanta Braves baseball franchise who were the Chiefs'...
for the first round in the 1979 College Draft. Bourne scored eighteen goals in twenty-nine games for the Chiefs in 1979, but his production dropped to five goals in twenty games in 1980. As a result, the Chiefs sent Bourne to the Seattle Sounders where he finished the season with two goals in eight games. That winter, Bourne was one of the top players during the NASL indoor season, scoring twenty-one goals in seventeen games. Bourne played the 1981 season, his last in the NASL, with Seattle. In the fall of 1981, he signed 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...
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 1981-1982 season, he twenty goals. In 1982, he signed on loan from the Wings to the Oklahoma City Slickers
Oklahoma City Slickers
The Oklahoma City Slickers was an American soccer club based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma that played in three lower division U.S. leagues, the American Soccer League, United Soccer League and USISL.-American Soccer League:...
of 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...
. The Slickers went to the championship series where it fell 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...
. Bourne then returned to the Wings for the 1982-1983 indoor season. The Slickers attempted to acquire him for the 1983 ASL season, but the Wings asking price was too high and Bourne signed with the Dallas Americans
Dallas Americans
Dallas Americans was an American soccer club based in Dallas, Texas that was a member of the American Soccer League. It is also the name of a Indoor American Football team.After the ASL folded, the club joined the newly formed United Soccer League....
. He led the league in scoring with seventeen goals. He returned to the Wings and was the league's second leading scorer when he suffered a season ending injury in April 1984. There are also indications that he may have played in 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 1984.