Jeff Durgan

{{Infobox football biography

| name= Jeff Durgan

| fullname = Jeffrey D. Durgan

| image = Jeff Durgan, MISL 1984-85 media guide page 018.tif

| caption = Durgan circa 1984

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1961|8|29}}

| birth_place = Tacoma, Washington, United States

| height = {{height|ft=6|in=2}}

| position = Defender

| years1 = 1980–1982

| years2 = 1981–1982

| years3 = 1983

| years4 = 1983–1984

| years5 = 1984

| years6 = 1984–1985

| years7 = 1985

| clubs1 = New York Cosmos

| clubs2 = New York Cosmos (indoor)

| clubs3 = Team America

| clubs4 = New York Cosmos

| clubs5 = New York Cosmos (indoor)

| clubs6 = New York Cosmos (MISL)

| clubs7 = F.C. Seattle

| caps1 = 81

| caps2 = 13

| caps3 = 27

| caps4 = 13

| caps5 = 24

| caps6 = 14

| caps7 = 4

| goals1 = 0

| goals2 = 3

| goals3 = 0

| goals4 = 0

| goals5 = 2

| goals6 = 0

| goals7 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 1983–1985

| nationalteam1 = United States

| nationalcaps1 = 7

| nationalgoals1 = 1

}}

Jeffrey Durgan (born August 29, 1961, in Tacoma, Washington) is a retired U.S. soccer defender who played professionally for the New York Cosmos and seven times for the U.S. national team.

NASL

Durgan was born and raised in Tacoma, Washington, where he attended Stadium High School. After graduating, Durgan turned professional with the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League (NASL), debuting in April 1980.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1980/04/28/archives/durgan-18-helping-cosmos-as-a-reserve-from-high-school-in-a-year.html|title=Durgan, 18, Helping Cosmos as a Reserve|last=Yannis|first=Alex|date=28 April 1980|work=New York Times|accessdate=23 November 2009}} In his first year in the league he started 28 of the Cosmos' 32 regular games.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GdMSAAAAIBAJ&sjid=IvsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3655,365160&dq=jeff-durgan+rookie&hl=en|title=Sports over lightly|last=Wires|date=17 September 1980|work=The Ledger|accessdate=23 November 2009}} Showing what sportswriter George Vecsey called "a controlled aggressiveness characteristic of a player far beyond his years", he was named the league's Rookie of the Year, beating Tacoma youth teammate Mark Peterson of the Seattle Sounders.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/09/25/sports/sports-of-the-times-an-american-soccer-ace.html|title=Sports of The Times; An American Soccer Ace|last=Vecsey|first=George|date=25 September 1981|work=New York Times|accessdate=23 November 2009}}{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FOcLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=F1kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7052,296222|title=His days as America's 'one and only' numbered|last=Beard|first=Randy|date=1 July 1983|work=The Evening Independent|accessdate=23 November 2009}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}

In 1982, he was selected as a second team NASL All Star.{{cite news|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/669839902.html?dids=669839902:669839902&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Sep+05%2C+1982&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=No+Sockers+on+All-Star+Team&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023202144/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/669839902.html?dids=669839902:669839902&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&type=historic&date=Sep+05,+1982&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=No+Sockers+on+All-Star+Team&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 23, 2012|title=No Sockers on All-Star Team|date=5 September 1982|work=Los Angeles Times|accessdate=23 November 2009|quote=Named to the second team were goalkeeper Jan van Beveren of Fort Lauderdale; defenders Barry Wallace of Tulsa, Jeff Durgan and Carlos Alberto of the Cosmos}} Durgan won the Soccer Bowl, the NASL championship, with the Cosmos in 1980{{cite magazine|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1123797/1/index.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025165651/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1123797/1/index.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 25, 2012|title=The Joint Was Jumping|last=Gammon|first=Clive|date=29 September 1980|magazine=Sports Illustrated|publisher=CNN|accessdate=24 November 2009}} and 1982,{{cite web|url=http://national.soccerhall.org/NASL_ChampionshipGameHistory.htm|title=NASL Championship Game Summaries|work=National Soccer Hall of Fame|accessdate=24 November 2009|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090826134412/http://national.soccerhall.org/NASL_ChampionshipGameHistory.htm|archivedate=26 August 2009}} but they lost in 1981 to the Chicago Sting after a penalty shootout.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=950&dat=19810928&id=BgMMAAAAIBAJ&sjid=o1kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6880,3451348|title=Windy City fans show they love a champion|last=Associated Press|date=28 September 1981|work=Evening Independent|accessdate=24 November 2009}}

In 1983, the U.S. Soccer Federation attempted to create a more successful U.S. national team by entering the team into the NASL as a franchise, known as Team America. USSF then invited players from throughout the NASL, Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL) and American Soccer League to leave their teams to play for Team America. Although he expressed doubts about the new team,{{cite magazine|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1120587/index.htm|title=Red, White, Blue And New|date=7 March 1983|magazine=Sports Illustrated|publisher=CNN|accessdate=23 November 2009|archive-date=February 27, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227105448/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1120587/index.htm|url-status=dead}} Durgan left the Cosmos and signed with Team America, who he captained.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5-YLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EVkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6525,435585|title=Team America is fighting fatigue|last=McDonald|first=Tim|date=2 June 1983|work=Evening Independent|accessdate=23 November 2009}} Many top players stayed with their previous clubs, something Durgan criticized, saying "let them come and help. You have to get off the fence." Team America ended the season at the bottom of the league{{cite magazine|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1121147/1/index.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025165523/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1121147/1/index.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 25, 2012|title=Red, White, Black And Blue|last=Falla|first=Jack|date=22 August 1983|magazine=Sports Illustrated|publisher=CNN|accessdate=23 November 2009}} and when USSF pulled the national team from the NASL at the end of the 1983 season, Durgan rejoined the Cosmos. In May 1984, the Cosmos asked Durgan and two other players to take a 20% pay cut, and another to take a 45% pay cut.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/05/22/sports/4-cosmos-facing-pay-cut-deadline.html|title=4 Cosmos Facing Pay-Cut Deadline|last=Yannis|first=Alex|date=22 May 1984|work=New York Times|accessdate=23 November 2009}} When they refused to accept the cuts the team waived them, and then re-signed Durgan and two other players for less pay after the other eight teams in the NASL declined to sign them under the terms of their original contracts.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/05/26/sports/sports-people-cosmos-clear-waivers.html|title=Cosmos Clear Waivers|date=26 May 1984|work=New York Times|accessdate=23 November 2009}}

When the league folded after the 1984 season, the Cosmos moved to the MISL, but did not make it through the end of the 1984–1985 season before folding.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/02/23/sports/cosmos-fold-indoor-squad.html|title=COSMOS FOLD INDOOR SQUAD|date=February 23, 1985|work=The New York Times}}

F.C. Seattle

When the Cosmos collapsed, Durgan moved back to the Seattle area to sign with the semi-professional F.C. Seattle in the MISL on May 20, 1985, and he captained the team. Seattle coach Bruce Rioch released Durgan from the team on July 29, 1985, after an incident involving a tackle with Canadian player John Catliff.{{cite news|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=list&p_queryname=1&p_product=WE&p_theme=realcities&p_nbid=|title=...AROUND THE MISL|last=Shine|first=Tom |author2=Gary Myers |agency=Knight-Ridder News Service|date=5 August 1985|work=Wichita Eagle|accessdate=23 November 2009}}{{Dubious|date=November 2009}}

National team

Durgan earned seven caps with the U.S. national team between 1983 and 1985. He scored one goal. He was also part of the U.S. Olympic team at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=F_4NAAAAIBAJ&sjid=l3wDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4749,382912|title=Eight Cosmos added to U.S. Olympic soccer team roster|last=New York Times|date=13 July 1984|work=St. Petersburg Times|accessdate=23 November 2009}}{{Dead link|date=October 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Due to a leg injury he only played in the third match, against Egypt, and had to retire in the first half. The game was a 1–1 draw and ended the U.S.'s progression in the tournament.{{cite news|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SB&p_theme=sb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB0D5734A94F796&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|title=TIE ENDS US HOPES IN SOCCER|last=Graswich|first=R.E.|date=3 August 1984|work=Sacramento Bee|accessdate=24 November 2009|quote=Jeff Durgan, who has not played in the tournament because of a leg injury, began the match at stopper ... Durgan didn't complete the first half. He reinjured his muscle in 36th minute and retired from the match.}}

Durgan was named 46th of the top 50 athletes of the 20th century from Washington State by Sports Illustrated.{{cite magazine|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/magazine/features/si50/states/washington/greatest/|title=The 50 Greatest Washington Sports Figures|date=27 December 1999|magazine=Sports Illustrated|publisher=CNN|accessdate=23 November 2009|archive-date=October 20, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020182304/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/magazine/features/si50/states/washington/greatest/|url-status=dead}}

Personal life

After retiring from soccer, Durgan earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Washington.{{Citation needed|date=November 2009}} Durgan currently lives in Michigan with his wife and three children.{{Citation needed|date=November 2009}}

References

External links

[https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10814FC3D5D0C768EDDA00894D9484D81&n=Top%2fNews%2fSports%2fColumns%2fGeorge%20Vecsey 1981 New York Times Profile of Durgan]
[http://nasljerseys.com/Players/D/Durgan.Jeff.htm NASL/MISL stats]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20121102192433/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=48798/index.html Durgan's FIFA player profile]

Category:1961 births

Category:Living people

Category:American men's soccer players

Category:Seattle Storm (soccer) players

Category:Footballers at the 1984 Summer Olympics

Category:Major Indoor Soccer League (1978–1992) players

Category:North American Soccer League (1968–1984) indoor players

Category:New York Cosmos (1970–1985) players

Category:New York Cosmos (MISL) players

Category:North American Soccer League (1968–1984) players

Category:Olympic soccer players for the United States

Category:Parade High School All-Americans (boys' soccer)