Minnesota Kicks were a professional soccer team that played at Metropolitan Stadium in the Minneapolis suburb of Bloomington, Minnesota, from 1976 to 1981.
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17 Facts About Minnesota Kicks
2.
The Minnesota Kicks quickly became one of the league's more popular teams, with an average attendance of 23,120 fans per game in 1976.
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3.
The Minnesota Kicks won their division four years in a row from 1976 to 1979.
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4.
The Minnesota Kicks drew over 23,000 fans in each season from 1976 to 1979, with attendance peaking at 32,775 in 1977.
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6.
The name "Minnesota Kicks" was selected by a name-the-team contest, and announced on January 28,1976.
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7.
In 1977, the Minnesota Kicks won the Western Division again, and averaged 32,775 fans, second only to the New York Cosmos.
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8.
The Minnesota Kicks were again led by Alan Willey with 14 goals, while midfielder Alan West was named to the All-Star team.
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9.
In 1979, the Minnesota Kicks signed a major international star in defender Bjorn Nordqvist, Sweden's all-time caps leader.
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10.
The Minnesota Kicks won the Central Division again in 1979, but fell to Tulsa in the playoffs.
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12.
Stars for the Minnesota Kicks included US Soccer Hall of Famers Patrick Ntsoelengoe and Alan Willey, the league's fifth and third league all-time leading scorers respectively.
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13.
Ron Futcher, who along with Willey played all six Minnesota Kicks seasons, went on to become the league's fourth all-time leading scorer.
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14.
Minnesota Kicks were the first team in the NASL to win 4 straight division titles .
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15.
The Minnesota Kicks are remembered for the tailgating in the Metropolitan Stadium parking lot.
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16.
The Minnesota Kicks finished the 1981 season second in the Central Division.
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17.
Minnesota Kicks participated in and finished as runners-up in the 1978 NASL Skelly Indoor Invitational.
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