Pittsburgh Phantoms (NPSL)
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| Full name | Pittsburgh Phantoms | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1967 | ||
| Dissolved | 1967 | ||
| Stadium |
Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | ||
| Capacity | 35,714 | ||
| Chairman | Peter Block & Richard George | ||
| Manager | Pepi Gruber | ||
| League | National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) | ||
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The Pittsburgh Phantoms were a professional soccer team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1967. The club was a member of the non-FIFA sanctioned National Professional Soccer League (NPSL). All of the team's home games were played at Forbes Field, which also served as the home of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Prior to the 1967 season, Herb Vogt was introduced as the team's head coach and general manager. At his first press conference, he gave the first public announcement that the team would be named the "Pittsburgh Phantoms". The colors of the team's uniforms were purple and white. However two months later, Vogt returned to Germany and resigned from his position with the team.
János Bédl then became the Phantom's second coach and was given a three-year $65,000 contract. However Bédl was fired after just four games. He later sued the team, settling out of court for $32,500. He then joined the Chicago Spurs as their head coach for the remainder of the 1967 season. Co Prins then became the head coach for a handful of games before being replaced by Josef "Pepi" Gruber in June.[1]
In addition to the multiple coaching changes, the Phantoms settled out of court with Sparta Rotterdam, a Dutch professional soccer club based in Rotterdam, for $50,000 when the team signed Theo Laseroms to a contract, while he was still under contract with Sparta.[2]
Following the 1967 season, the NPSL merged with the United Soccer Association to form the North American Soccer League. The Phantoms folded before the 1968 NASL season due to poor attendance, drawing only an average of 3,122 – only the Chicago Spurs had a lower average.
Year-by-year
| Year | Division | W | L | T | Pts | League | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | NPSL | 10 | 14 | 7 | 132 | 5th, Eastern Division | Did not qualify |
