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102-615: The Spartans were originally formed as the Northwich Spartans in 1983 and came to Manchester a year later. In 1985 they finished first in the Northern Division of the American Football League with a 10–2 record but lost to their neighbours Manchester Allstars in the first round of the playoffs. In 1986 they again finished with a 10–2 record and this time won their first-round playoff only to suffer

204-710: A 1999 FourFourTwo soccer magazine article about Terry Smith selling the American dream in a positive way, including a photo in the article of Smith wrapped in an American flag. This 22 year-old magazine article was published in England in September, 1999, when Smith was being the first American to ever manage and coach a professional English soccer team. Smith became a full-time professor at Lees-McRae College in North Carolina, teaching eight courses every semester in

306-512: A 20% commission on the sale of the Steelers. Bell became the Steelers' head coach and Rooney became the Steelers' general manager. After assuming ownership, Thompson promptly hired Greasy Neale as the team's head coach. During the first years under Neale, the Eagles' struggles continued, and they finished the 1941 season with a 2–8–1 record. In the 1942 season , there was no improvement as

408-893: A 2–10 team before he arrived into an all-time British record 14–0 undefeated team in his first season in 1988, Smith was chosen by the Great Britain National Governing Body as the head coach of the Great Britain national American football team . As the Manchester Spartans head coach, he won three straight Division Championships, three straight Conference Championships, two straight British National Championships, one Budweiser Bowl championship in 1989 at Crystal Palace in London, England, one Coca-Cola Bowl championship in 1990 at Crystal Palace in London, England, one Eurobowl championship with

510-430: A 2–12 record in 1968 . In 1969 , Leonard Tose bought the team from Wolman for $ 16.155 million, the equivalent of $ 134 million today, representing a record then for the highest amount ever paid for a professional sports franchise. Tose's first official act was to fire Coach Joe Kuharich after a disappointing 24–41–1 record during his five-year reign. Tose then named former Eagles wide receiver Pete Retzlaff

612-544: A 35–7 defeat to Birmingham Bulls in the British American Football League semi-final playoffs. In 1989, under player and coach Terry Smith , the team won the 1989 Budweiser title where they defeated Birmingham Bulls 21–14. In 1990 they were National Champions for the second time, NDMA Coke Bowl I, Manchester Spartans 27-25 Northants Storm. The Spartans also won the Eurobowl with a victory in

714-493: A 5–10–1 season, began showing considerable promise. 1987 saw another strike , which shortened the season by one game. The substitutes who had filled in for the strikers performed poorly and were crushed 41–22 by the Dallas Cowboys . After the strike, the regular Eagles' 1987 team won a 37–20 revenge game against Dallas. The season record was 7–8, of which three games had been played by substitutes. The Eagles reached

816-526: A Director for Elizabethton High School in Tennessee. Under Smith's leadership, the Bartleby program and Elizabethton High School being selected as one of the 10 XQ Super Schools in the entire United States. Smith then wrote a grant document describing and outlining their program, school courses, and educational methods, a document that resulted in their program and school receiving a $ 2.3 million grant from

918-483: A better position. Going into the final game of the season, Chester had pulled themselves up to 23rd in the 24-team division, and faced a three-way battle with Shrewsbury Town and Carlisle United to avoid the drop to the Conference . With fifteen minutes left in the season, Chester were above both Shrewsbury and Carlisle, but conceded a late goal against Peterborough United that was enough to see them relegated from

1020-485: A championship" to its first division title since 1949. The team was aided by their two Pro Bowl receivers, wide receiver Tommy McDonald , who later wrote an autobiography titled They Pay Me to Catch Footballs , and tight end Pete Retzlaff . On November 20, 1960, at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx , Bednarik launched a tackle against New York Giants ' running back Frank Gifford , which has come to be known as The Hit ,

1122-427: A five-yard touchdown. Because of the severe weather, few fans witnessed the joyous occasion. Prior to the start of the 1949 season , the Eagles were sold by Thompson to a syndicate of 100 buyers, known as the " Happy Hundred ", each of whom paid $ 3,000 for a share of the team. While the leader of the "Happy Hundred" was noted Philadelphia businessman James P. Clark , one unsung investor was Leonard Tose . In 1949,

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1224-564: A franchise that had not seriously contended in well over a decade. Despite the team's young talent and Gabriel's occasional flashes of brilliance, the Eagles finished 1976 with the same 4–10 record as in 1975. In 1977 , the first seeds of hope began to emerge. The team obtained hard-throwing quarterback Ron Jaworski in a trade from the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for popular tight end Charle Young . The defense, led by Bergey and defensive coordinator Marion Campbell , began earning

1326-972: A game played in Hamburg, Germany, and Finland 26–0 in the European Nations Championship Final in Hamburg, Germany. After leading the Spartans to the Great Britain national championship in order to qualify for the European Football League European Championship competition, Smith led the Spartans to victories over the Dublin Celts from Ireland in a game played in Dublin, Ireland, the Amsterdam Crusaders from

1428-722: A halftime Christmas pageant. The team had only one winning season, in 1966 , finishing second in the NFL Eastern Conference . The Eagles lost to the Baltimore Colts 20–14, in the post-season's third place consolation game, the Playoff Bowl , which was held at the Orange Bowl in Miami . The Eagles finished 6–7–1 in 1967 . In the following season, the Eagles fell even further in the standings, recording

1530-771: A head coach, while losing only 15. Due to his coaching success, Smith was selected as the National Coach of the Year three straight times, and as the European Coach of the Year twice. In addition, due to his playing and coaching success, Smith was selected to the Great Britain American Football Hall of Fame in 2004, and to the Minor league football (gridiron) American Football Association (AFA) Hall of Fame in 1995. Smith went on to become

1632-475: A player, he would succeed Shaw as head coach. Ownership, however, opted to promote assistant coach Nick Skorich instead, and Van Brocklin quit the organization in a fit of pique, instead becoming head coach of the expansion Minnesota Vikings . Back-up quarterback Sonny Jurgensen became the Eagles' starter for the 1961 season ; they finished a half-game behind the New York Giants for first place in

1734-411: A proper training facility with two excellent training pitches for Atkins' team, while Smith's team had endured training on a free piece of unlined grass in the middle of a horse racetrack. However, despite these many financial investments in the team, the team began slowly under Atkins, losing seven of his first nine matches in charge, with only one win and one draw, and falling well adrift at the bottom of

1836-650: A replay to overcome non-league minnows Whyteleafe in the FA Cup . However, they did find success in the Worthington Cup, beating First Division Port Vale 6–5 on aggregate; they won 2–1 at the Deva Stadium in a game which saw both Marcus Bent and Martyn Lancaster sent off, and then drew 4–4 in the return leg at Vale Park . They also had success in the FA Cup, as they made it to the third round for just

1938-401: A reported $ 65 million (equal to $ 184 million today) to pay off his more than $ 25 million ($ 71 million today) in gambling debts at Atlantic City casinos. The team again struggled during the 1985 season, and Campbell was fired after week 16, to be replaced by assistant head coach/defensive backs coach Fred Bruney for the season's last game. In the 1985 Supplemental draft,

2040-482: A reputation as one of the hardest-hitting in the league. 1978 saw one of the great moments in Eagles history, The Miracle at the Meadowlands , when Herman Edwards returned a fumble by Giants ' quarterback Joe Pisarcik for a touchdown with 20 seconds left in the game, resulting in a 19–17 Eagles victory. The Eagles would edge into the playoffs with a 9–7 season. Young running back Wilbert Montgomery became

2142-655: A single game with 15 pass receptions for 245 yards on July 7, 1991. His career best receiving yards season was 1988 with 1020 yards. He was named to the All-Europe Team on several occasions as both a wide receiver and free safety. After coaching at U.S. colleges, Smith went to Great Britain after signing with the Manchester Spartans football club in the NFL-sponsored League. Due to his high level of success, which included turning around

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2244-557: A suitable replacement for the Yellow Jackets in the lucrative Philadelphia market, the National Football League granted an expansion franchise to an ownership group headed by Bert Bell and Lud Wray , who were also awarded the liquidated assets of the defunct Yellow Jackets organization. The Bell–Wray group had to pay an entry fee of $ 3,500, or roughly US$ 67,000 in inflation-adjusted 2022 dollars, and assumed

2346-498: A tackle that is routinely ranked as one of the hardest and most vicious hits in NFL history. With the game tied 10 to 10 in the fourth quarter, Gifford caught a short pass over the middle and was immediately hit by Bednarik with a clothes line tackle so hard that it dropped Gifford to the ground unconscious. Gifford was removed from the field on stretcher and transported to a local hospital by ambulance, where he remained for ten days. Gifford

2448-656: A total debt of $ 11,000 the Yellow Jackets owed to three other NFL franchises. Drawing inspiration from the Blue Eagle logo of the National Recovery Administration , a centerpiece of President Franklin D. Roosevelt 's New Deal policies, Bell and Wray named their new franchise the Philadelphia Eagles. While it could seem as if the Yellow Jackets simply rebranded as the Eagles, both the Eagles organization and NFL officially regard

2550-639: A trade with the Los Angeles Rams . During the 1959 season , the team showed flashes of talent, and finished in second place in the Eastern Division. Former Eagles owner and co-founder Bert Bell had become NFL commissioner , and attended the Eagles game on October 11 at Franklin Field against the Pittsburgh Steelers , a team Bell used to own. Bell refused the box seats that the Eagles reserved for him and purchased his own tickets to sit with

2652-532: Is an American sportsman, known for his playing and coaching career in American football and baseball, and his ownership of professional sports teams. After starting his playing career as a defensive back for American football franchise New England Patriots , Smith moved abroad to the United Kingdom, where he achieved international success as the player and head coach of the Manchester Spartans . Smith

2754-483: Is filmed from high in the stands. This skill would benefit the team considerably the following season, when Smith would scout all of Chester's impending Cup opponents. His methods included saying aloud the Lord's Prayer during his pre-match team talk, preparing lengthy written strategic game plans for each match that he went over in his pre-match team talk and gave copies of to each player, always staying positive no matter

2856-494: The 1971 season, Williams was fired and replaced by assistant coach Ed Khayat, a defensive lineman on the Eagles' 1960 NFL championship team. Williams and Khayat were hampered by Retzlaff's decision to trade longtime starting quarterback Norm Snead to the Minnesota Vikings in early 1971, leaving the Eagles a choice between journeyman Pete Liske and raw Rick Arrington . Khayat lost his first two games but won six of

2958-656: The Manchester Spartans American football team overseas in Great Britain British American Football Association . As a wide receiver and free safety from 1988–1998, Smith set playing records with the Spartans, including setting the then British National League record for pass interceptions in a season with 11 (according to http://www.britballnow.co.uk/ ), and the British record for pass receptions in

3060-656: The National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays its home games at Lincoln Financial Field in the South Philadelphia Sports Complex . The franchise was established in 1933 as a replacement for the bankrupt Frankford Yellow Jackets when a group led by Bert Bell secured the rights to an NFL franchise in Philadelphia. Since their formation,

3162-487: The New York Giants has been ranked the top rivalry of all time by NFL Network , the fourth-best NFL rivalry by Sports Illustrated , and one of the fiercest and best-known football rivalries by ESPN . The Eagles' bitter rivalry with the Dallas Cowboys has become more high-profile and intense since the 1960s, and the team has a historic rivalry with the Washington Commanders . Their rivalry with

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3264-658: The Philadelphia Phillies , to begin playing at the Baker Bowl . The Eagles played their first game on October 15, 1933, against the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds in New York City , and lost the game 56–0. The Eagles struggled over the course of their first decade, never winning more than four games in any of their first ten seasons. Their best finish was in 1934 , the second season for

3366-449: The Pittsburgh Steelers dates back to 1933 and is known as the "Battle of Pennsylvania ". The Philadelphia Eagles rank among the best teams in the NFL for attendance and have sold out every home game continuously since the 1999 season . The Eagles are owned by Jeffrey Lurie . As of 2023, the Eagles franchise value has increased to $ 4.9 billion, according to Forbes , making them

3468-529: The University of Pennsylvania . Franklin Field had a vastly expanded seating capacity for the Eagles. While Connie Mack Stadium had a capacity of 39,000, Franklin Field's capacity was 60,000. In 1969, the grass field at Franklin Field was replaced by AstroTurf , making Franklin Field the first NFL stadium to use artificial turf. In 1958 , the Eagles took several steps to improve, hiring Buck Shaw as head coach and acquiring quarterback Norm Van Brocklin in

3570-491: The playoffs in 1988 , but lost to the Chicago Bears , the team that Ryan had helped lead to a Super Bowl XX victory as defensive coordinator. The game became known as the " Fog Bowl ", due to the inclement weather during the game. The Eagles lost, 20–12. The following two years would see playoff appearances as well, but the team never made it past the first round. This failure was very frustrating to Eagles fans, as

3672-414: The "bend-don't-break" defensive strategy in the 1970s. Philadelphia struggled through the mid-1980s, marked by flagging fan participation. The team failed to make the playoffs in 1983 and 1984 . The team nearly moved to Phoenix, Arizona at the end of the 1984 season. In 1985 , Tose was forced to sell the Eagles to Norman Braman and Ed Leibowitz, highly successful automobile dealers from Florida, for

3774-658: The 100 meter, 200 meter, and 400 meter, and he also ran the 4x100, 4x200, and 4x400 relays. Smith was nominated for the Southern Conference Athlete of the Year. Smith started his professional American football career in 1982. He was signed as a free agent by the New England Patriots. However, he injured his knee in a pre-season game against the Philadelphia Eagles , an injury that required major reconstructive surgery, and

3876-621: The 10th-most valuable team in the NFL. The Frankford Athletic Association was organized in May 1899 in the parlor of the Suburban Club. The cost of purchasing a share in the association was $ 10. However, there were also contributing memberships, ranging from $ 1 to $ 2.50, made available to the general public. The Association was a community-based non-profit organization of local residents and businesses. In keeping with its charter, which stated that "all profits shall be donated to charity", all of

3978-570: The 5th highest single season batting average in Furman history, and he was selected first-team All-Southern Conference and MVP. He finished his career with a .363 career batting average, which is still the second-highest career batting average in Furman history, and the highest career Furman average for the past sixty years. He also stole 29 bases out of 31 attempts, giving him the highest career success rate for steals in Furman history for any player who has attempted more than 10 attempts. In track, he ran

4080-821: The AFC a year before) 21–20 and the Houston Oilers 18–17 on six field goals by kicker Tom Dempsey . The latter game had been called the "Johnny Rodgers Bowl," because the loser, in finishing last in the league, would gain the first overall pick in the 1973 NFL draft , which was then presumed to be Nebraska wingback Johnny Rodgers , the Heisman Trophy winner . With their loss, the Oilers got first pick and took University of Tampa defensive end John Matuszak , who later faced Philadelphia in Super Bowl XV . With

4182-471: The Browns lit up the Eagles' vaunted defense for 487 total yards, including 246 passing yards, in a 35–10 rout. The Eagles never recovered from the loss, and finished the 1950 season 6–6. Following the 1950 season, Greasy Neale retired and was replaced by Bo McMillin . Two games into the 1951 season , McMillin was forced to retire following a diagnosis of terminal stomach cancer . Wayne Millner finished out

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4284-565: The Division table. Atkins' team lost his ninth match in charge by a 7–1 score at home to Brighton & Hove Albion, even though Smith's young team had defeated Brighton 3–2 away at Brighton earlier in the season. Afterwards, however, results began to improve, and a 5–0 home victory over Mansfield Town in April, where Smith signee Angus Eve, Trinidad & Tobago's career leading goal scorer with 43 national team goals, scored two goals, put Chester in

4386-571: The Eagles acquired the rights to the Memphis Showboats ' elite pass rusher Reggie White . In 1986 , the arrival of head coach Buddy Ryan and his fiery attitude sparked team performance and ignited the fan base. Immediately infusing the team with his hard-as-nails attitude, the Eagles quickly became known for their tough defense and tougher attitudes. Ryan began rejuvenating the team by releasing several aging players, including Ron Jaworski. Randall Cunningham took his place and, despite

4488-800: The Eagles have appeared in the playoffs 30 times, won 15 division titles (including 12 in the NFC East ), appeared in four pre- merger NFL Championship Games , winning three of them ( 1948 , 1949 , and 1960 ), and appeared in four Super Bowls , winning Super Bowl LII at the end of the 2017 season . As of 2023, 13 individuals affiliated with the Eagles have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame : Chuck Bednarik , Bell, Bob Brown , Harold Carmichael , Brian Dawkins , Sonny Jurgensen , Greasy Neale , Tommy McDonald , Pete Pihos , Norm Van Brocklin , Steve Van Buren , Dick Vermeil , and Reggie White . The team's intense rivalry with

4590-522: The Eagles played at Municipal Stadium in South Philadelphia . In 1940, Bell balked at a 66% rent increase plus 10% of the gate receipts proposed by the City of Philadelphia for use of Municipal Stadium and signed a lease for Shibe Park, which was renamed Connie Mack Stadium in 1954. At Connie Mack Stadium, the Eagles were also able to play night games, since lights were installed at the stadium

4692-570: The Eagles returned to the NFL Championship game for a third consecutive year. The Eagles were favored by a touchdown, and won 14–0 for their second consecutive title game shutout. Running back Steve Van Buren rushed for 196 yards on 31 carries for the Eagles, and their defense held the Rams to just 21 yards on the ground. Chuck Bednarik was selected as the first overall pick in the 1949 NFL draft . An All-American lineman/linebacker from

4794-530: The Eagles' first head coach after being persuaded to assume the position by Bell, his former teammate at Penn . The Eagles originally intended to play their home games at Shibe Park, which was the home of the Philadelphia Athletics professional baseball in Philadelphia. When negotiations for use of Shibe Park fell through, however, the Eagles struck a deal with the Athletics' crosstown rival,

4896-424: The Eagles' way, beginning with Tose's imprudent decision to bring comedian Don Rickles into the pregame locker room to lighten the mood. Jaworski's first pass was intercepted by Rod Martin, setting up an Oakland touchdown. Later in the first quarter, a potential game-tying 40-yard touchdown pass to Rodney Parker was nullified by an illegal-motion penalty. The final score was 27–10. Journeyman quarterback Jim Plunkett

4998-486: The Eagles, when they tied for third in the East. The Eagles' early rosters largely consisted of former Penn, Temple , and Villanova players who played for the Eagles for a few years before going on to other things. In 1935 , Bell proposed an annual college draft to equalize talent across the league. The draft was a revolutionary concept in professional sports. Having teams select players in inverse order of their finish in

5100-594: The Eastern Conference standings with a 10–4 record. Despite the on-the-field success, however, the franchise was in turmoil. The 1962 team , decimated by injury, managed only three wins and were embarrassed at home in a 49–0 loss to the Packers . The off-field chaos continued through 1963 , as the 65 shareholders remaining from the original Happy Hundred sold the team to Jerry Wolman , a 36-year-old millionaire Washington developer who outbid local bidders for

5202-402: The English association football team Chester City F.C. and subsequently installed himself as the first-team coach". The writers and actors of the Ted Lasso series often spoke about Terry Smith before the series began. In this interview and AppleTV+ video, Brendan Hunt, the outstanding co-creator of Ted Lasso, and actor who portrays assistant manager Coach Beard in the Ted Lasso series, discusses

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5304-416: The Football League on goal difference. Atkins left, and fan favourite Graham Barrow returned as manager. He completely rebuilt the team, and in the 2000–01 season, his side managed a respectable ninth place, reached the third round of the FA Cup for the second successive season (in a controversial loss to Blackburn Rovers), made it to the semi-finals of the FA Trophy , and won the Conference League Cup ,

5406-407: The Frankford Athletic Association. In the early 1920s, the Frankford Athletic Association's Yellow Jackets gained the reputation as being one of the best independent football teams in the nation. In 1922, Frankford absorbed the Philadelphia City Champion team, the Union Quakers of Philadelphia. That year, Frankford captured the unofficial championship of Philadelphia. During the 1922 and 1923 seasons,

5508-467: The Great Britain National Team, Smith led Great Britain to victories over France, Germany, and Finland by a combined score of 99–12 to win the 1989 European Nations Championship. Prior to Smith becoming head coach, no British team in history, club team or national team, had ever won a single game in European competition. However, Smith transformed the British game and went a perfect 7 wins and no losses in all European competitions with both of his two teams,

5610-402: The Manchester Spartans in 1990 in Rimini, Italy, and one European Championship in Hamburg, Germany as the National team head coach with the Great Britain National Team in 1989. As the head coach of the Great Britain national team, Smith and his British national team defeated France 35–6 in the European Quarter-Final in a game played in Birmingham, England, Germany 38–6 in the European Semi-Final in

5712-458: The NFL. 1970 was also the last season for the Eagles at Franklin Field; the team finished the first post-merger season in last place in their division at 3–10–1. In 1971 , the Eagles moved to Veterans Stadium , which had just been constructed and was initially acclaimed as a triumph of ultra-modern sports engineering. After a 3–10–1 record in 1970 and three consecutive blowout losses to Cincinnati , Dallas , and San Francisco to open

5814-426: The Netherlands in the European Quarter-Final in a game played in Manchester, England, the Berlin Adler from Germany in the European Semi-Final in a game played in Rimini, Italy, and the Legnano Frogs from Italy in the European Championship Final in Rimini, Italy, to win the 1990 Eurobowl Championship. Smith and his Spartans also played in the Schweppes Cool Masters European Final in Hamburg, Germany in 1992. With

5916-415: The School of Business and Management. He was promoted to become the Head of both the Sport Management Department and the Health and Fitness Department within the School of Business and Management. He was also promoted to become the Faculty Athletic Representative where he served in the President’s cabinet and reported directly to Dr. Barry Buxton, the outstanding Lees-McRae College President. Smith became

6018-415: The Spartans and the Great Britain national team, winning the first two European Championships in British American football history. As a result of these successes, Smith was nominated by Queen Elizabeth II for national end-of-year awards. Smith was the first coach in European history to have won both the Club European Championship and the European Nation’s Championship. He won more than 100 games in total as

6120-419: The University of Pennsylvania, Bednarik would go on to become one of the greatest and most beloved players in Eagles history. In 1950 , the Eagles opened the season against the AAFC champion Cleveland Browns , who, along with two other AAFC franchises, had just joined the NFL . The Eagles were expected to make short work of the Browns, who were widely considered the dominant team in a lesser league. However,

6222-478: The Week for his outstanding performance in a game versus VMI in 1980, and he was also chosen as the Player of the Week for his performances in games versus both The University of North Carolina in 1980 and The University of Florida in 1981. In the three games combined, Smith totaled 59 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 3 passes defended, 3 fumbles caused, 1 fumble recovered, and 1 pass interception. In baseball, he started for two seasons in centerfield, hitting .414 in 1982,

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6324-429: The XQ Foundation. Smith was invited by the United States Congress, and by U.S. Congressman Phil Roe of Tennessee’s First District, to come to Washington, D.C. for Smith to speak on Capitol Hill to the United States Congress. Smith was one of only four public school educators in the entire United States to be honored with this invitation and achievement. Smith created a television show titled ‘The Veteran's Voice’. As

6426-402: The Yellow Jackets compiled a 6–2–1 record against teams from the National Football League. This led to the Association being granted an NFL franchise in 1924, thus becoming the Frankford Yellow Jackets . In spite of winning the NFL championship in 1926, midway through the 1931 season , the Yellow Jackets went bankrupt and were forced to cease operations. After more than a year of searching for

6528-433: The bottom of the Division following a 2–1 win over Halifax Town . Smith hired veteran manager Ian Atkins to the dual role of director of football and manager in a bid to avoid relegation, while Smith himself took on the role of goalkeeper coach for the remainder of the season. With the excellent improvements in the club’s financial position, the club was able to sign twelve new players that Atkins wanted and chose, doubling

6630-420: The club to Stephen Vaughan and left at the start of October 2001, with the club completely out of debt other than what it owed him. In 2003, a British court ordered Chester City to repay £300,000 in unpaid loans to Smith and his family. However, Smith still wanted to help the club, and so he accepted a settlement of far less than half that amount. In 2004, Chester City FC finished first in their division, and

6732-502: The club, then Smith was able to get all the club's debts paid off within only five months, which was two and a half years earlier than the administration required. As a result, the club was out of debt for the first time in at least many decades. In Smith's four months and 21 league matches in charge of team affairs, Chester managed wins against Brighton & Hove Albion , Shrewsbury Town and others, but lost 5–1 and 4–1 to Leyton Orient and Carlisle United respectively, and required

6834-530: The current difficulties and circumstances, developing a school program where he went with players to speak with and coach schoolchildren, and to give out free tickets to each child for the upcoming matches, and appointing captains for the defence, midfield and attack. In late December 1999, with Chester out of debt and on firm financial footing for the first time in decades thanks to Smith’s tight monetary policies, Smith chose to step down as manager. His decision came only one match after his team had pulled itself off

6936-431: The defensive side of the line, most notably through the addition of future Pro Bowl linebacker Bill Bergey in 1974 . Overall, however, the team was still mired in mediocrity. McCormack was fired after a 4–10 1975 season . In 1976 , Dick Vermeil was hired from UCLA to coach the struggling Eagles, who had managed only one winning season from 1962 to 1975. Vermeil faced numerous obstacles as he attempted to rejuvenate

7038-411: The development of creative set pieces, both corners and free kicks, for all the Cup matches that were based upon the weaknesses he perceived in the opponents' defensive alignment. In addition, Barrow approached Smith at the start of the season, and asked him to watch the first half of every Chester match from up in the stands as a scout would, and then report what he saw to Barrow at halftime while Barrow

7140-419: The exception of the Providence Steam Roller , which won in 1928. By 1936 , the Eagles suffered significant financial losses and were sold through a public auction. Bert Bell was the only bidder and became the sole owner of the team. Wray refused a reduction in his salary and left the team. Bell assumed the head coaching position and led the team to a record of 1–11, last place in the league. From 1936 to 1939,

7242-411: The fans. During the fourth quarter, while sitting behind the end zone, Bell suffered a heart attack and died later that day. The Eagles' 1960 season remains one of the most celebrated year in team history. Shaw, Van Brocklin, and Bednarik , each in their last season before retirement, led an Eagles team more notable for its grit than its talent. One observer later quipped that the team had "nothing but

7344-755: The final over the Legano Frogs in the same year. 1984-1985 - George Aguado 1988-1990 - Terry Smith 1991 - Nigel Dias 1992 - Terry Smith 1993 - Terry Smith Terry Smith - Played for the New England Patriots in the NFL prior to England, was the Spartans player/head Coach, wide receiver and free safety. Smith was also the Head Coach of the Great Britain National Team, coaching Great Britain to its first European Nations Championship in 1989. Terry Smith (American football, born 1959) Terry Michael Smith (born May 1959)

7446-622: The first Eagle since Steve Van Buren to exceed 1,000 yards in a season. In 1979 , the Eagles tied for first place with an 11–5 record, as Montgomery shattered team rushing records with a total of 1,512 yards. In 1980 , the team dominated the NFC, facing its chief nemesis, the Dallas Cowboys , in the NFC Championship Game . The game was played in cold conditions before faithful fans at Veterans Stadium . Led by an outstanding rushing performance by Montgomery, whose long cutback TD run in

7548-532: The first half is one of the most memorable in Eagles history, and a gutsy game from fullback Leroy Harris , who scored the Eagles' only other TD that day, the Birds earned a berth in Super Bowl XV with a 20–7 victory. The Eagles traveled to New Orleans for Super Bowl XV , where they were heavily favored over the Oakland Raiders , who had squeaked into the playoffs as a wild-card team. Things did not go

7650-430: The first silverware for the club in over 70 years. During the season, Smith served as Barrow's scout and set-piece strategist for all Cup opponents, travelling on his own to scout opponents at least once or twice before Chester played them. In this scouting role, Smith utilized his American football background, where every American Football play is planned and choreographed from a set position in intricate detail, to focus on

7752-413: The formidable Lombardi the sole championship game loss of his storied career. Bednarik lined up at center on offense and at linebacker on defense. Fittingly, the game ended as Bednarik tackled a struggling Jim Taylor and refused to allow him to stand until the last seconds had ticked away. Van Brocklin came to Philadelphia and agreed to play through 1960 with an understanding that, upon his retirement as

7854-441: The merger, which was never intended to be a permanent arrangement, was dissolved at the season's end. In 1944 , the Eagles, led by head coach Greasy Neale and running back Steve Van Buren , had their first winning season in team history. After two second-place finishes in 1945 and 1946 , the team reached the NFL Championship game for the first time in 1947 . Van Buren, Pete Pihos , and Bosh Pritchard fought valiantly, but

7956-554: The only Furman athlete for the past 50 years to play and letter in three sports. In football , he started at free safety for two years on two Southern Conference Championship Furman teams, leading all defensive backs with more than 150 tackles in two seasons and being selected to the Academic All-Southern Conference and All-Region teams. He was chosen as the State of South Carolina College Defensive Player of

8058-568: The owner of Mountain Television Network, Smith worked with veteran and author Ken Wiley to air interviews with veterans on local television. He also provided DVD copies of these interviews to veterans' family members. A collection of these DVDs are stored at Watauga County Library. Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia . The Eagles compete in

8160-568: The owner of several professional sports teams, including the National Champion and European Champion Manchester Spartans . In July 1999, he bought financially struggling English League club Chester City , making him the first American owner, chairman, and chief executive in the history of European football. He declared his belief that the club could reach Division One (now the EFL Championship ) within three years. The club

8262-774: The park's capacity to over 39,000, but the Eagles rarely drew more than 25,000 to 30,000. The Eagles finished the 1937 season 2–8–1 and continued to struggle over the next three seasons. In December 1940, Bell intervened to stop the sale of Art Rooney 's Steelers to Alexis Thompson , and Rooney then acquired half of Bell's interest in the Eagles. In a series of events known as the Pennsylvania Polka , Rooney and Bell exchanged their entire Eagles roster and their territorial rights in Philadelphia to Thompson for his entire Steelers roster and his rights in Pittsburgh . Rooney provided assistance to Bell by rewarding him with

8364-433: The player wage bill compared with when Smith was manager. The club was also able to afford to pay for team travel by luxury coaches to away matches instead of the regular buses used during Smith's period, and was able to pay for the team to stay at top hotels with excellent pre-match meals for all away matches instead of traveling to matches by bus on match day as had occurred during Smith's time period. The club also paid for

8466-496: The player wages low, so that the club could not only balance the budget for that season, but also so they could try to pay off the £1 million of debt that Smith inherited. Using this low budget strategy, along with increasing revenue through good Cup runs in the FA Cup and the Worthington Cup , increased attendance and commercial advertising, and with Smith serving as both manager and general manager for free at no cost to

8568-449: The season before being replaced by Jim Trimble . While the remnants of the great 1940s teams managed to stay competitive for the first few years of the decade, and younger players like Bobby Walston and Sonny Jurgensen occasionally provided infusions of talent, the team lacked the total talent necessary for true greatness during most of the 1950s. After the 1957 season , the Eagles moved from Connie Mack Stadium to Franklin Field at

8670-476: The season's last nine, thanks largely to the efforts of the Eagles' defense, led by all-pro safety Bill Bradley , who led the NFL in interceptions (11) and interception return yardage (248). The team regressed in 1972 to finish 2–11–1, and Khayat was released. The two wins (both on the road) proved to be surprises, however. Philadelphia beat the Kansas City Chiefs (which had had the best record in

8772-401: The second overall pick, the Eagles selected USC tight end Charle Young . Khayat was replaced by offensive guru Mike McCormack for the 1973 season . Aided by the skills of quarterback Roman Gabriel and towering young wide receiver Harold Carmichael , they managed to infuse a bit of vitality into a previously moribund offense. New general manager Jim Murray also began to add talent on

8874-432: The standings, a practice still followed today, strove to increase fan interest by guaranteeing that even the worst teams would have the opportunity for annual infusions of the best college talent. Between 1927 , when the NFL changed from a sprawling Midwestern-based association to a narrower, major-market league, and 1934, three teams, the Chicago Bears , New York Giants , and Green Bay Packers , won all but one title with

8976-527: The team finished the season 2–9. In 1943 , with player shortages stemming from the U.S. entry engagement in World War II , it became difficult to fill the roster, and the team merged with the Steelers to form the "Phil-Pitt Eagles", known as the Steagles . Greasy Neale continued to coach the team along with Steelers head coach Walt Kiesling . The team finished the 1943 season with a 5–4–1 record, and

9078-402: The team's excess income was donated to local charitable institutions. The original Frankford Athletic Association apparently disbanded prior to the 1909 football season. Several of the original players from the 1899 football team kept the team together, and they became known as Loyola Athletic Club. In keeping with Yellow Jackets tradition, they carried the "Frankford" name again in 1912, to become

9180-525: The team's general manager and Jerry Williams as its new head coach. With the merger of the NFL and AFL in 1970 , the Eagles were placed in the NFC East Division with the New York Giants , Washington Redskins , and Dallas Cowboys . The Eagles' heated rivalry with the Giants is the oldest of the NFC East rivalries, dating back to 1933, and is often cited as one of the best rivalries in

9282-463: The team, paying an unprecedented $ 5.505 million for control of the club. In 1964 , Wolman hired former Cardinals and Washington Redskins coach Joe Kuharich to a 15-year contract. Over the next five seasons the team failed to make the playoffs and the failures of the team over this period were highlighted by the Santa Claus incident , when fans pelted a Santa Claus with snowballs during

9384-481: The teams as two separate entities. Not only was there no Philadelphia NFL team for a season and a half, but almost no players from the 1931 Yellow Jackets appeared on the Eagles' first roster. In the 1933 NFL season , the Eagles were one of three teams, along with the Pittsburgh Pirates (now the Pittsburgh Steelers ) and the now-defunct Cincinnati Reds , to join the NFL as expansion teams . Wray became

9486-664: The third time in the club's 100-year history. Drawn against Manchester City , they only lost in the final minutes after the score was tied at 1–1 with eleven minutes left. While scouting Man City ahead of the match, Smith, who came up with a very good strategy and team plan for the Man City match, found that when he could watch a match from up in the stands, then he was able to see the necessary tactical adjustments because of his many years of experience coaching American football, where coaches scout opponents by spending hundreds of hours every season watching game footage of their opponents that

9588-416: The year before. In the 1941 season, the Eagles played their home opener at Municipal Stadium, and then moved to Shibe Park. To accommodate football at Shibe Park during the winter, management erected stands in right field, parallel to 20th Street. Some 20-feet high, these east stands included 22 rows of seats. The goalposts stood along the first base line and in left field. The uncovered east stands enlarged

9690-532: The young team lost to the Chicago Cardinals , 28–21 at Comiskey Park in Chicago . Undeterred, the young team rebounded in 1948 to return to the NFL Championship game . With home field advantage and a blinding snowstorm on their side, the Eagles won their first NFL Championship against the Chicago Cardinals by a score of 7–0. The only score came in the fourth quarter when Steve Van Buren ran for

9792-608: Was also head coach of the Great Britain national American football team . He later spent ten years as owner and general manager of professional American football teams, and two years as owner and general manager of English soccer club Chester City from 1999 to 2001, including a spell as manager during part of his ownership. Smith attended Cornell University for two years, where he played American football at wide receiver and free safety and baseball at shortstop and second base. He then transferred to Furman University , where he played football, baseball, and ran track, becoming

9894-408: Was diagnosed with a deep concussion that resulted in his retirement from the game for 18 months. On the 100th anniversary of the NFL's founding, the NFL ranked Bednarik's tackle the 44th greatest play in league history. On December 26, 1960, one of the coldest days in recorded Philadelphia history, the Eagles faced Vince Lombardi 's Green Bay Packers in the 1960 NFL Championship Game and dealt

9996-478: Was in administration when he took over, and close to folding with more than £1 million in debt. He was credited with rescuing Chester from the brink of bankruptcy by supporters at the time, and announced an intention to appoint three supporters to the club board of directors, which he did. At the time of Smith's takeover, most veteran players had been sold and the remaining players were mostly young. He kept these young players and tried to develop them in order to keep

10098-508: Was named the game's MVP. The team got off to a promising start in the 1981 season by winning their first six games. They ended up 10–6 to earn a wild-card berth. However, their hopes to repeat as NFC champs were dashed in the wild-card round by the New York Giants , who won 27–21. After the Eagles finished 3–6 in the strike-shortened 1982 season , Vermeil quit the team, citing "burnout". Defensive coordinator Marion Campbell replaced Vermeil as head coach. Campbell had helped to popularize

10200-748: Was placed on the injured reserve list . He stayed with the Patriots for two years before eventually having to retire because his injured knee would not pass the team physical at the time. He returned to the football field signing for the Arizona Wranglers in the USFL in 1984, and in professional baseball was invited to spring training with the Cincinnati Reds and signed with the Miami Marlins. In 1988, Smith signed to play and coach for

10302-516: Was promoted again into the English League Third Division, thereby at that time fully completing the financial and on-field renovation of the club that had begun when Smith first purchased the club in an effort to rescue it from being closed down in 1999. AppleMagazine.com wrote in its April 23, 2021 edition that Ted Lasso "was actually inspired by the story of Terry Smith, an American gridiron football coach who took over

10404-456: Was walking from the pitch to the dressing room. This good working relationship between them continued throughout the season. In spite of this success, ahead of the 2001–02 season , Smith appointed Gordon Hill , an ex-Manchester United and ex-England player who was a personal friend, to become the new manager. Chester made a dreadful start to the season under Hill, winning only one of their first twelve matches. Smith finally sold his interest in

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