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Ron Newman (born January 19, 1936 in Farnham, England) is a former soccer player and coach.
Born near Portsmouth, Newman played in the English Football League with Woking, Portsmouth, Orient, Crystal Palace and Gillingham. In 1967 Newman came to the United States to play for the Atlanta Chiefs in the National Professional Soccer League (where he was team MVP in 1967), before being traded to the Dallas Tornado (North American Soccer League) during the 1968 season.
After retiring, Newman coached the Tornado from 1969 to 1975, winning a championship in 1971. In the 1976 season he coached the Los Angeles Skyhawks (American Soccer League), then returned to the NASL in 1977 to coach the Fort Lauderdale Strikers.
In July 1980 Newman became coach of the San Diego Sockers, with whom he won 10 championships in 11 seasons, losing a semi-final in 1986-1987 to the Tacoma Stars, bringing his career total to 13. The NASL folded in 1985, after which time the Sockers played in the Major Soccer League, where Newman's innovations added new positions and tactics to the indoor game.
Newman coached the Kansas City Wizards of Major League Soccer from the inception of the league in 1996 until 1999. The Wizards won the Western Division title in 1997. Newman retired with an all-time coaching record of 753-296-27 after being inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1992.
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