Providence’s Tewfik Abdallah, who became the second Egyptian (Hassan Hesazi was first) to play in England and the first to compete in the American Soccer League, opened the scoring “18 minutes after the start … on the frozen Kinsley Park surface …” Abdallah performed for Derby County, Cowdenbeath, Bridgend Town and Hartlepool. [Read more…] about Dec. 28, 1924 – Providence FC 5:1 Fleisher Yarn, Kinsley Park
Boston SC had recruited several top British players, including player-manager Tommy Muirhead from Rangers, for its inaugural season. [Read more…] about Sept. 13, 1924 – Boston SC 2:1 Providence Clamdiggers, ASL opener at Walpole Street Grounds
U.S. national team captain Tommy Florie converted a penalty kick and Tewfik Abdallah also scored as the Providence Clamdiggers took a 2-1 halftime lead, Barney Battles countering for Boston. Abdallah, nicknamed “Toothpick,” moved from Zamalek to Derby County in 1920, becoming the second Egyptian to play professionally in England. Abdallah played for Providence from 1924-26, then moved to the Fall River Marksmen, Hartford Americans and New York Nationals before returning to Egypt to play for Al Ahly and El Mokhtalt, concluding his career with Montreal Carsteel.
The previous day, Battles had scored as Boston took a 3-1 victory over the Ben Millers of St. Louis in the American Professional Championship before a 4,000 crowd at the Walpole Street Grounds.
TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY
Soccer was thriving and the U.S. was producing goal-scorers during the 1927-28 American Soccer League season. In this game, Tommy Florie would score Providence’s third goal on an 82nd-minute penalty kick and New Bedford-born Arnie Oliver would convert for the “JayPees.” Both Florie and Oliver led their team in scoring that season, and went on to join the U.S. national team for the first World Cup in 1930 in Uruguay.
Three of the ASL’s top eight scorers were U.S.-born, and others, such as Johnny Nelson and Archie Stark, had moved to the U.S. as teenagers. [Read more…] about Feb. 5, 1928 – Providence Clamdiggers 3×1 J&P Coats