Washington Diplomats

This article is about the original and second Washington Diplomats of the NASL. For the third team to use the name, see Washington Diplomats (1988–1990)

Washington Diplomats

Full name	Washington Diplomats
Nickname(s)	Diplomats, Dips
Founded	1974
Dissolved	1991
Stadium	Robert F. Kennedy Stadium (Capacity: 55,000)
Coach	Gordon Bradley
League	North American Soccer League
Home colors Away colors

The Washington Diplomats were an American soccer club based in Washington, D.C.. Throughout their existence, the club played their home games at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium. Founded as an expansion franchise in 1971, the Diplomats competed in the now-defunct North American Soccer League, then the top-tier soccer league of the American soccer pyramid.

Plagued with mediocrity in their first few seasons of existence, the Diplomats did not qualify for the playoffs until 1976, their fifth year in the league. Immediately, the Diplomats were knocked out by the New York Cosmos in the first round. The following season, the club played their home matches in Northern Virginia at W.T. Woodson High School, before going back to RFK Stadium. During the next three seasons, the Diplomats achieved more regular season success and reached the postseason every year from 1977 until 1980. Consequently, the club experienced a spike in average attendance, nearing 20,000 fans a game by the 1980 season.

Following the end of the 1980 season, the original Diplomats club folded when then owner, the Madison Square Garden Corp., had accumulated losses of $6 million and team president Steve Danzansky could not gather enough money to keep the team alive. However, that same season the Detroit Express NASL franchise relocated to the Washington metropolitan area, renaming themselves the "Diplomats" due to perceived familiarity of the moniker to the area. However, a regression of attendance and a lack of field success spelt the death knell of the franchise, and the Diplomats folded following the 1981 season.

History

Before the Dips

Main articles: Washington Whips and Washington Darts

The Washington Whips were a soccer team based in Washington, D.C. that played in the United Soccer Association. The league was made up of teams imported from foreign leagues. The Washington club was actually Aberdeen F.C. from Scotland.

Following the 1967 season, the USA merged with the National Professional Soccer League to form the North American Soccer League with the teams from the former USA having to create their rosters from scratch. Their home field was RFK Stadium. The team's owner was Earl Foreman, later owner of the Virginia Squires of the American Basketball Association and president of the original Major Indoor Soccer League. Edward T. Reynolds was the booth announcer for the club prior to the merger.

Original NASL franchise

The original Washington Diplomats first came into being when, in 1974, the North American Soccer League (NASL) granted a franchise to a Washington, D.C. based business group. The team played their home games at RFK Stadium except for 1976 when they played at W.T. Woodson High School in Northern Virginia. After a lackluster beginning to the franchise, the Diplomats qualified for the playoffs and increased average game attendance in each of their last three years of existence. Additionally, in their final year, the Diplomats were able to sign the future European Player of the Century Johan Cruyff. After the 1980 season the Diplomats folded when then owner, the Madison Square Garden Corp., had accumulated losses of $6 million and team president Steve Danzansky could not gather enough money to keep the team alive.

The cheerleaders for the original Diplomats were known as the Honeydips until 1980 when their name was change to the Sidekicks. The team also ran ad campaigns calling themselves "the Dips."

Post-Dips

Main article: D.C. United

Seasons

Season	League record										Playoffs	Additional Honors	U.S. Open Cup	Top scorer(s)
	Div	League	Pld	W	L	T	GF	GA	Pts	Position				Name(s)	Goals
1974	1	NASL	22	7	12	1	29	36	70	Eastern Division 4th place
1975	1	NASL	22	12	10	0	43	47	112	Eastern Division 3rd place
1976	1	NASL	24	14	10	0	46	38	126	Atlantic Conference Eastern Division 3rd place	R1
1977	1	NASL	26	10	16	0	39	42	98	Atlantic Conference Eastern Division 4th place
1978	1	NASL	30	16	14	0	50	36	167	National Conference Eastern Division Runners-up	R1
1979	1	NASL	30	19	11	0	68	50	172	National Conference Eastern Division Runners-up	Conf. QF
1980	1	NASL	32	17	15	0	72	61	159	National Conference Eastern Division Runners-up	R1
1981	1	NASL	32	15	17	0	59	58	135	Eastern Division 3rd place
1983	1	NASL	30	10	20	0	33	54	79	Western Division 4th place
1988	2	ASL	20	10	10	0	27	30	30	Southern Division Runners-up	Champions
1989	2	ASL	20	11	9	0	27	32	27	Southern Division Runners-up	SF

NASL new Diplomats

After the original Diplomats folded following the 1980 season, the Detroit Express moved to Washington to become the new Diplomats. This team only lasted for one season.

Year-by-year

Year	League	W	L	T	Pts	Regular Season	Playoffs
1981	NASL	15	17	—	135	3rd, Eastern Division	Did not qualify

Famous players

Bermuda

• Gary Darrell (1974–80)
• Randy Horton (1975)

Canada

• Mike Bakić (1978–79)
• Bob Iarusci (1979–80)
• Carmine Marcantonio (1978–80)

England

• Mike Barry (1975)
• Paul Cannell (1976, 1978–79, 1981)
• Peter Carr (1981)
• Mike Dillon (1978–79)
• Ray Graydon (1978)
• Alan Green (1977, 1979–80)
• Clive Haywood (1981)
• Trevor Hebberd (1981)
• Kenny Hill (1977)
• Gerry Ingram (1975–76)
• Ross Jenkins (1981)
• Don McAllister (1977)
• Jimmy Redfern (1977)
• Peter Silvester (1977)
• Bobby Stokes (1978–80)
• Trevor Thompson (1976) [1]

Hungary

• József Horváth (1979–80)

Netherlands

• Johan Cruyff (1980–81)
• Guus Hiddink (1978)
• Wim Jansen (1980)
• Thomas Rongen (1980)

Scotland

• Jim Brown (1981)
• Eddie Colquhoun (1981)
• Tommy O'Hara (1978–80) [2]
• Alex Pringle (1977–78)
• Jim Steele (1977–79)

Northern Ireland

• Bill Irwin (1978–80)

South Africa

• Andries Maseko (1978–79)
• Ken Mokgojoa (1978–80)

USA

• Sonny Askew (1977–80)
• Tony Crescitelli (1979–80)
• Don Droege (1979–80)
• Randy Garber (1977–78)
• Ane Mihailovich (1978–80)
• Dragan Radovich (1979–80)

Wales

• Donato Nardiello (1981)

Coaches

• Gordon Bradley

Staff & Ownership

• Stephen Danzansky

Average attendance per game

• 1974: 4,975
• 1975: 8,847
• 1976: 5,963
• 1977: 13,037
• 1978: 10,783
• 1979: 11,973
• 1980: 19,205
• 1981: 16,106

See also

• D.C. United
• Team America (NASL)
• Washington Darts
• Washington Whips

External links

• nasljerseys.com, unofficial NASL website includes Diplomats info