Ian Anderson (Scottish footballer)
Encyclopedia
Ian Anderson was a Scottish
professional football defender
who spent most of his career playing in the United States.
Anderson began his professional career with Dundee F.C.
when he was sixteen, his debut with the first team coming in August 1972. In December 1975, Dundee sent him to St. Johnstone F.C., and in 1977 St. Johnstone sent him on loan to the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the North American Soccer League
. In 1978, the Rowdies traded the American rights to Anderson to the Houston Hurricane
in exchange for draft picks. Houston then purchased his contract from St. Johnstone. That fall, the Houston Summit became a member of the Major Indoor Soccer League
. The team was essentially the Houston Hurricane in an indoor guise. He was a 1978-1979 MISL All Star with Houston.
When both the Hurricane and Summit collapsed in 1980, Anderson signed with the Cleveland Force
of MISL. In December 1980, the Rowdies selected Anderson in the NASL Dispersal Draft which included players from the disbanded Hurricane. While the team wanted him for the NASL indoor season, he remained with the Force for the rest of the season, garning first team All Star honors. He returned to the Rowdies for the 1981 outdoor season before moving indoors permanently that fall with the Force.
On January 6, 1982, the New Jersey Rockets
purchased Anderson from the Cleveland Force. and in February 1982, Anderson replaced the fired Timo Liekoski
as head coach of the New Jersey Rockets. In 1983 he moved to the Wichita Wings
, where he played two seasons. In October 1985, he signed with the Canton Invaders
of the American Indoor Soccer Association. In 1986-1987, he coached the Kansas Argyles, an independent indoor soccer team.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
professional football defender
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 spent most of his career playing in the United States.
Anderson began his professional career with Dundee F.C.
Dundee F.C.
Dundee Football Club, founded in 1893, are a football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland. They are nicknamed The Dee or The Dark Blues and play their home matches at Dens Park. Their shirt colour is dark blue. Dundee currently play in the Scottish First Division, having been relegated from...
when he was sixteen, his debut with the first team coming in August 1972. In December 1975, Dundee sent him to St. Johnstone F.C., and in 1977 St. Johnstone sent him on loan to the Tampa Bay Rowdies 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:...
. In 1978, the Rowdies traded the American rights to Anderson to the Houston Hurricane
Houston Hurricane
The Houston Hurricane was a soccer team based out of Houston that played in the NASL. They played from 1978 to 1980. Their home field was the Astrodome. Their colors were orange, white and red....
in exchange for draft picks. Houston then purchased his contract from St. Johnstone. That fall, the Houston Summit became a member 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...
. The team was essentially the Houston Hurricane in an indoor guise. He was a 1978-1979 MISL All Star with Houston.
When both the Hurricane and Summit collapsed in 1980, Anderson signed with 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...
of MISL. In December 1980, the Rowdies selected Anderson in the NASL Dispersal Draft which included players from the disbanded Hurricane. While the team wanted him for the NASL indoor season, he remained with the Force for the rest of the season, garning first team All Star honors. He returned to the Rowdies for the 1981 outdoor season before moving indoors permanently that fall with the Force.
On January 6, 1982, the New Jersey Rockets
New Jersey Rockets
The New Jersey Rockets were an indoor soccer team based out of East Rutherford, New Jersey that played in the Major Soccer League for the 1981 season. Their home arena was the Brendan Byrne Arena, now known as the Izod Center...
purchased Anderson from the Cleveland Force. and in February 1982, Anderson replaced the fired Timo Liekoski
Timo Liekoski
Timo Liekoski is a Finnish soccer coach who managed teams in the North American Soccer League, Major Indoor Soccer League, American Indoor Soccer Association and Major League Soccer...
as head coach of the New Jersey Rockets. In 1983 he moved to 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...
, where he played two seasons. In October 1985, he signed with the Canton Invaders
Canton Invaders
The Canton Invaders was an indoor soccer club based in Canton, Ohio that competed in the National Professional Soccer League.After the 1995/96 season, the team became the Columbus Invaders.- Canton Invaders :...
of the American Indoor Soccer Association. In 1986-1987, he coached the Kansas Argyles, an independent indoor soccer team.