Steve Wegerle

Steve Wegerle (born 15 May 1953) is a former professional soccer player who played as a winger.

Steve Wegerle
Geoffrey and Steve Wegerle (1975)
Personal information
Date of birth (1953-05-15) 15 May 1953
Place of birth Pretoria, South Africa
Position(s) Winger
Youth career
Leyland Motors
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1968–1970 Arcadia United
1970–1971 Leyland Motors
1971–1974 Arcadia Shepherds
1975 Coventry City 0 (0)
1975–1976 Feyenoord 5 (1)
1976 Arcadia Shepherds
1977–1981 Tampa Bay Rowdies 138 (32)
1979–1980 Tampa Bay Rowdies (indoor) 5 (5)
1981–1982 New York Cosmos 35 (5)
1981–1982 New York Cosmos (indoor) 18 (7)
1983 Fort Lauderdale Strikers (indoor) 8 (7)
1983 Fort Lauderdale Strikers 19 (0)
1983–1984 Tampa Bay Rowdies (indoor) 25 (5)
1984 Tampa Bay Rowdies 23 (3)
1984–1986 Wichita Wings (indoor) 57 (16)
1986–1987 Tampa Bay Rowdies (indoor) 35 (26)
1988–1990 Tampa Bay Rowdies
National team
South Africa 5 (?)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Wegerle was born in Pretoria. He was voted Player of the Year is South Africa in 1974.[1] He then joined Coventry City in 1975, but made no first team appearances. Steve Wegerle played 5 times for Feyenoord Rotterdam in 1975–76, finishing 2nd with Feyenoord in the Dutch competition, with 88 goals for and 40 goals against. His brother Geoffrey also played for Feyenoord Rotterdam in that 1975/1976 season. After June 1976, Steve Wegerle starred for the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the North American Soccer League for five seasons from 1977 to 1981. While with the Rowdies, Wegerle played in Soccer Bowl '78 and Soccer Bowl '79 (both defeats), as well as the 1979–80 NASL indoor finals, which Tampa Bay won.[2][3][4] He joined the New York Cosmos during the 1981 season at age 28. He played in Soccer Bowl '81 and '82 with the Cosmos, winning the latter. Wegerle played 1983 with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers before returning in 1984 to finish his NASL career with the Rowdies. Wegerle's 152 points in 196 career games ranks him as the league's 27th all-time leading scoring. His 88 assists rank him 4th in that category.

Wegerle played for the Rowdies during the 1986–1987 American Indoor Soccer Association season.[5] He later played for the team in the American Soccer League in 1988 and 1989 and then in the American Professional Soccer League in 1990.[6][7][8]

Wegerle is the father of Bryce Wegerle. His brother Roy Wegerle is a former American international and MLS star, while his brother Geoff Wegerle played in the NASL for the 1978 season with Oakland and 1983 with Toronto. Steve and Roy were on the Rowdies together in 1984. Steve and Geoff played together on the post-NASL Rowdies from 1986 to 1988. Steve's mother is Scottish and his father is German.

References
  1. "Rowdies sign winger Wegerle". Lakeland Ledger. 16 January 1977.
  2. Tierney, Mike (28 August 1978). "Cosmos still rulers of NASL". St. Petersburg Times. p. 5-C. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  3. Tierney, Mike (10 September 1979). "Jago felt final loss deep down". St. Petersburg Times. p. 1-C. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  4. Scheiber, Dave (3 March 1980). "Rowdies slam to No. 1". St. Petersburg Times. p. 1-C. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
  5. The Year in American Soccer – 1987
  6. 1988 Tampa Bay Rowdies
  7. 1989 Tampa Bay Rowdies
  8. 1990 Tampa Bay Rowdies
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