Phil Woosnam facts for kids
Woosnam circa 1975
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Phillip Abraham Woosnam | ||
| Date of birth | 22 December 1932 | ||
| Place of birth | Caersws, Powys, Wales, UK | ||
| Date of death | 19 July 2013 (aged 80) | ||
| Place of death | Dunwoody, Georgia, US | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Bangor University | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1952–1953 | Manchester City | 1 | (0) |
| 1953–1954 | Sutton United | ||
| 1954–1959 | Leyton Orient | 108 | (19) |
| 1959–1962 | West Ham United | 138 | (26) |
| 1962–1966 | Aston Villa | 106 | (24) |
| 1967–1968 | Atlanta Chiefs | 21 | (9) |
| National team | |||
| 1959–1963 | Wales | 17 | (3) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1967–1968 | Atlanta Chiefs | ||
| 1968 | United States | ||
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Phillip Abraham Woosnam (born December 22, 1932 – died July 19, 2013) was a talented Welsh football player and manager. He was born in Caersws, Wales. Phil played for many football clubs in England and the United States. He also proudly played for the Welsh national team. People often said he was a very smart player with great football skills.
Later, he became the commissioner of the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1969 to 1982. He helped the league grow a lot during these years. In 1997, he was honored by being added to the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame.
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Phil Woosnam's Football Career
Phil Woosnam started playing football when he was young. He played for Montgomeryshire Schoolboys and later for the Welsh youth international team. He earned eight amateur caps, with his first game against England in 1951.
While studying physics, he was the captain of Bangor University's football team. After university, Woosnam served in the Royal Artillery. He played for the Army XI team alongside famous players like Eddie Colman and Duncan Edwards.
Playing for English Clubs
Woosnam played for several clubs before becoming a professional. These included Wrexham, Manchester City, and Sutton United. He then joined Leyton Orient. He became a professional player in January 1957.
In October 1958, he played his first senior international game for Wales against Scotland. While at Leyton Orient, he also played for the London XI team. In 1955, he was named the amateur footballer of the year.
In November 1958, West Ham United signed Woosnam for £30,000. He left his job as a physics teacher to focus on football. He played 138 league games for West Ham, scoring 26 goals. He also played 15 cup games, scoring three goals. During his time at West Ham, he earned 15 more international caps for Wales.
In 1962, Woosnam moved to Aston Villa for £25,000. He played his first game for Villa on December 1, 1962. He scored 24 goals in 106 league games for Aston Villa. He also earned two more international caps for Wales.
Playing in the United States
In 1966, Phil Woosnam moved to the United States. He was hired as a coach for the Atlanta Chiefs. However, he also played for the team. He scored the very first goal in a football game at the Atlanta Fulton County Stadium.
In 1968, Woosnam became the main coach for the Atlanta Chiefs. He was even named 'Coach of the Year' in 1968. Later that year, he also became the head coach of the United States national team.
Leading the NASL
Phil Woosnam became the commissioner of the NASL in 1969. He held this important role until 1982. Many people believe he was very important in helping the NASL grow.
He worked hard to promote the league and even got TV deals with major networks like CBS and ABC. In the 1970s, he helped bring in new teams, including the famous New York Cosmos. He also helped the league expand to the western United States, adding teams in cities like Los Angeles, Seattle, and Vancouver.
However, the league also grew too quickly under his leadership, expanding to 24 teams. This led to financial problems for the league. Because of these money issues, the team owners decided to remove Woosnam from his role in 1982.
After leaving the NASL, Woosnam continued to work in soccer. He helped bring the 1994 World Cup to the United States. In 1997, he was honored by being inducted into both the US National Soccer Hall of Fame and the Georgia Soccer Hall of Fame.
Phil Woosnam's Family
Phil Woosnam was related to other famous sports figures. He was a cousin of the golfer Ian Woosnam. He was also the nephew of the English footballer, Max Woosnam. Phil Woosnam later became a citizen of the United States.
His Passing
Phil Woosnam passed away on July 19, 2013, in Dunwoody, Georgia. He was 80 years old. He died from health problems related to prostate cancer and Alzheimer's disease.
See also
In Spanish: Phil Woosnam para niños
