Stephen Kinsey (born 2 January 1963) is an English former football forward who began his career in 1979 with Manchester City before moving to the United States in 1986. He then played professionally in the Major Indoor Soccer League, American Soccer League and others before retiring in 1997.

Steve Kinsey
Personal information
Full name Stephen Kinsey[1]
Date of birth (1963-01-02) 2 January 1963 (age 61)
Place of birth Manchester, England
Position(s) Forward / Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1979–1986 Manchester City 101 (15)
1982Chester (loan) 3 (1)
1982Chesterfield (loan) 3 (0)
1986–1988 Minnesota Strikers (indoor) 99 (63)
1988–1989 Fort Lauderdale Strikers ? (24)
1988–1989 Los Angeles Lazers (indoor) 19 (12)
1989–1990 Dallas Sidekicks (indoor) 43 (16)
1990 Miami Freedom
1990–1991 Tacoma Stars (indoor) 48 (21)
1991 Tampa Bay Rowdies 5 (0)
1991 Rochdale 6 (1)
1991–1992 St Mirren 6 (0)
1992 Coleraine 1 (0)
1992 Fort Lauderdale Strikers 11 (7)
1993 Molde FK 4 (1)
1994 Milwaukee Wave (indoor) 0 (0)
1994–1995 Detroit Neon (indoor) 28 (39)
1996 Tampa Bay Terror (indoor) 14 (14)
1996 Richmond Kickers 16 (3)
1996–1997 Buffalo Blizzard (indoor) 15 (2)
International career
1980–1981 England Youth 5 (2)
1981 England U20 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

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Kinsey played for Manchester City between 1979 and 1986. He played 101 times for the team in the Football League and scored 15 goals, including one at Wembley against Chelsea in the first Full Members' Cup Final, before transferring to Minnesota Strikers in the United States to play indoor football.

On 30 October 1986, the Minnesota Strikers of the Major Indoor Soccer League signed Kinsey.[2] He came into the league after Alan Merrick, coach of the Strikers saw Kinsey playing in England during the summer of 1986.[3] He was named the 1986–1987 Newcomer of the Year.[4] At the completion of the 1988 MISL playoffs in May, Kinsey signed with the outdoor Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the American Soccer League.[5][6] The Strikers went to the ASL championship game where they fell to the Washington Diplomats. However, Kinsey did not play as he had torn a groin muscle in the semi-finals. In late October 1988, Kinsey signed with the Los Angeles Lazers of MISL for the 1988–89 indoor season. The nagging groin injury limited Kinsey to nineteen games with the Lazers.

In March 1989, he signed with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers for the upcoming outdoor season.[7][8] Leg injuries continued to hamper Kinsey, leading him to lose six regular season games. The Strikers would go on to win the league championship. When the Los Angeles Lazers folded during the summer, the Wichita Wings of MISL claimed Kinsey in the 12 July dispersal draft.[9] After the Wings failed to tender an offer to Kinsey, he signed with the Dallas Sidekicks as a free agent. After the San Diego Sockers eliminated the Sidekicks from the playoffs, Kinsey signed with the Miami Freedom of the American Professional Soccer League.

In the fall of 1990, Kinsey again returned to the MISL, this time with the Tacoma Stars.[10] On 7 June 1991, he signed with the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the APSL, but delayed joining the team as his wife was close to delivering a baby in Tacoma.[11] In August 1991, the Rowdies released Kinsey after he failed to score in five games, then spent another seven on the bench.[12] Kinsey then returned to the UK where he played for three teams in quick succession during the 1991–92 season: Rochdale, St Mirren and Coleraine.

In May 1992, Kinsey returned to the United States where he signed with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers.[13] He rediscovered his scoring touch, bagging goal in his first game and totalling seven in eleven games.

Kinsey returned to Europe where he played for Molde FK in the Norwegian Premier League.

In February 1994, Kinsey signed with the Milwaukee Wave of the National Professional Soccer League. Limits on foreign players prevented the Wave from fielding Kinsey, but he was available in the event of injuries to any other players.[14] The team released him at the end of the season.

The Detroit Neon of the Continental Indoor Soccer League then drafted Kinsey in April 1994.[15][16] He played two summer indoor seasons with the Neon. In January 1996, Kinsey signed with the Tampa Bay Terror of the National Professional Soccer League.[17] In March 1996, he signed with the Richmond Kickers of the USISL.[18] In the fall of 1997, Kinsey signed a series of 15-day contracts with the Buffalo Blizzard before signing for the remainder of the season in December 1997.[19]

Kinsey has run a summer soccer camp for children in Florida. He splits his time between the US and the UK

References

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  1. ^ "Steve Kinsey". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  2. ^ DEALS THE SEATTLE TIMES – Friday, 31 October 1986
  3. ^ Strikers' Kinsey puts life on target Star Tribune: Newspaper of the Twin Cities – Wednesday, 5 November 1986
  4. ^ MISL Yearly Award Winners
  5. ^ STRIKERS SIGN HUDSON AND KINSEY Miami Herald, The (FL) – Friday, 20 May 1988
  6. ^ "The Year in American Soccer – 1988". Archived from the original on 13 July 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
  7. ^ STRIKERS SIGN 4 PLAYERS, INCLUDING SCORER KINSEY Sun-Sentinel – Thursday, 23 March 1989
  8. ^ "The Year in American Soccer – 1989". Archived from the original on 9 February 2012. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
  9. ^ SOCCER USA TODAY – Wednesday, 12 July 1989
  10. ^ SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW – MAJOR SOCCER LEAGUE HAS STABLE LINEUP, NEW NAME THE SEATTLE TIMES – Sunday, 14 October 1990
  11. ^ Rowdies hit road with specific goal The Tampa Tribune – Saturday, 8 June 1991
  12. ^ Rowdies take time to analyze The Tampa Tribune – Tuesday, 27 August 1991
  13. ^ NEW-LOOK STRIKERS EDGE ROWDIES 1–0 Sun-Sentinel – Sunday, 31 May 1992
  14. ^ Wave snags Kinsey Milwaukee Sentinel – Wednesday, 23 February 1994
  15. ^ CONTINENTAL INDOOR SOCCER LEAGUE USA TODAY (Arlington, VA) – Tuesday, 7 June 1994
  16. ^ The Year in American Soccer – 1994
  17. ^ NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL SOCCER LEAGUE FINAL OFFICIAL STATISTICS – 1995–1996 Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  18. ^ KICKERS DUE FRESH LOOK, NEW DIVISION – MANY '95 PLAYERS ARE NOW IN MLS Richmond Times-Dispatch – Saturday, 30 March 1996
  19. ^ NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL SOCCER LEAGUE FINAL OFFICIAL STATISTICS – 1996–1997 Archived 24 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine
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