Alan Hinton, former NASL and "A-League" Sounders
coach. Greg Roth / NSS
It was 1980, and the sun was blaring down as I was chopping wood outside. Van Halen was blasting on the radio. I worked outside at a Washington State Park in the middle of nowhere in Grays Harbor. I stayed at my Grandmother's farm during the week then went back home to Olympia on weekends.
When the Sounders were in town, I would drive up to Seattle to watch them play in the old Kingdome. The Sounders were coached by the great former Derby County left winger and current Sounder FC radio color man, Alan Hinton.
To Continue...
Hinton had a storied soccer career in England and the U.S. He started his playing career with the Wolverhampton. (This year "The Wolves" are in the hunt for promotion to the prestigious Barclay's English Premier League).
Hinton played there until 1964 and then Nottingham Forrest until 1967. After that, he played for Derby County Football Club from 1967 to 1975. Hinton was capped by the England National team three times and the England U-23 England National team 7 times and scored six goals while in service to them.
Hinton then moved across the ocean to play in the old North American Soccer League for the Dallas Tornado in 1977 and then the NASL Vancouver Whitecaps in 1978. After that, he started his coaching career in the the United States and has been here ever since, coaching great players and helping evangelize the growth of soccer in the state of Washington and U.S.
1980 was a great year for the Sounders
With Hinton helping guide the Sounders to victory, life was good for soccer fans in Seattle because we had "The Lads", as we called them affectionately. We had players like forward Roger Davies, midfielder Ray Hudson, midfielder forward Tommy Hutchison, midfielder Steve Buttle and defender Bruce Rioch, midfielder Roy Greaves and midfielder Frank Barton among others.
The sport and club was at the peek of popularity in the Emerald City. The Sounders were a huge draw in Seattle that year, averaging almost 25,000 fans per match. On Saturday it was not uncommon to have 28,000 to 30,000 in attendance. I was there among the thousands cheering one of the most exciting and best teams in the NASL that year.
I went with friends or I took my dates. If they didn't like the Sounders or Soccer before that, they did after that night. The club was just pure magic and the atmosphere... electric.
That year, the team went on to win 25 matches while only losing seven. Two of those losses were decided in overtime and three were 1-nil decisions. Every time the "The Lads" would win, which was quite often at home that year, a player would grab a flag from the supporters. He would host it high as he and the rest of the club would take a victory lap to celebrate the win and the fans that supported them that night. No one left early from a Sounders match in 1980.
Finally we meet
After years of admiring Hinton's accomplishments locally and his contribution to the broader soccer community, I finally had a chance to meet him on an adult league soccer pitch last fall waiting for my team to play. Yes, Hinton still plays the game he loves in the GSSL (Greater Seattle Soccer League), several nights per week. In fact, he just renewed his membership card for two more years, which he proudly displayed for me. Over a week ago at Sounder FC Training at Qwest field, I had a chance to catch up with the former Sounders gaffer. We spoke about his role with the old Sounders and the NASL and how he helped resurrect the Sounders name in the 90's.
NSS: What are some of the biggest distinctions you notice between MLS and the NASL?
"There are a lot more league rules today than I and Jimmy Gabriel had. I came in in 1979 for the 1980 season. All we had to do in those days was we had to have two American players on the field then. I was lucky, I had Jeff Stock, Mark Peterson, and Ian Bridge who was a Canadian central defender so I had no problems fielding quality players. Plus, we had a lot of good young promising players from this area. In addition we could bring in four good loan players and most of us brought in a lot of players from the big leagues(in Europe)and we could sign who we wanted, so there were no restrictions".
On the MLS player acquisition process
"It's quite complicated in Major League Soccer. Of course Sigi has been in the league for many years, he knows all the rules, you are allowed designated players, you have draft players, you have to do a special draft then you have to go the league to get permission to do something different. In addition, I think, if an offer comes in from overseas it has to be approved by the league. MLS has sold probably 10-15 players to Europe for big money. That will probably slow down, now that a major recession has hit the English clubs. The rules are very different. I compliment Sigi for putting a good team together with his background people and having a team as good as this."
On knowing the right players to bring in
"I think it was easier for me, don't forget I was 38 when I came here so I finished in the big leagues four years prior to that. I knew the players that could produce and who were good guys. I was able to bring in many top players."
NSS: Do you think it was easier because of the relationships that you had built with the players?
"On the one hand, yeah, I had a good reputation in England. I played on the the national team and won a couple of championships in the 70's at Derby Football Club and they trusted me. Bringing them to a city like Seattle was easy as well because all you've got to say is: "Bobby Moore (former 1966 World Cup Captain) is here" Bobby passed away a few years ago. Geoffrey Hurst (Scored winning goal in 1966 World Cup) was here, (Former Sounders coach and Dundee United player) Jimmy Gabriel and (current Tottenham Hotspur and former Sounders Reserve coach) Harry Redknapp... Harry knows everybody (laughs). You knew they would give a good report on the beautiful city we have here."
NSS: I look at you in being instrumental in bringing the Seattle Sounders name back in the form of the old "A League" (Which became later known as the USL) franchise. Am I correct?
"What happened when I was with the Tacoma Stars, I was concerned about what was going on with the Seattle Sounders name because I thought it had a really good value and future. The youth programs were very successful. You had very successful college programs that were getting better and better, co-ed leagues, men's league, women's leagues and the GSSL. Everyone was doing fantastic. So, I actually, through my attorney, was able to control the Sounders name. I controlled it (the name) for 8-9 years."
The Sounders name lives again
" I partnered with some former Microsoft people, they financed (the team) and came to me and asked me if I wanted to get back in pro soccer. We put it together and we called it the Seattle Sounders. In 1994 we won the division as an expansion team. The following year (1995), we won the national (A-League) championship."
Hinton decides to move on
"(After 1995) They wanted to cut the budget significantly and I didn't want to do that so I told them I was leaving and I did leave. I felt comfortable with the name being left in their hands because they were committed to soccer (eventually Adrian Hannauer became managing partner of the USL club in 2002). I walked away from the name but we know where it is today and I am very happy about that (smiles)."
I am happy too. The Seattle Sounders FC are back in an even bigger way than before. As he was in 1980, Alan Hinton is part of my Sounders experience, which for this Sounders fan from the 70's and 80's, is comforting to know.
Reach Greg Roth - Sounders Fan Insider at nextseasonsports@gmail.com
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