# Dallas Sidekicks (1984–2004)

The Dallas Sidekicks were one of the longest operating professional soccer teams, either indoor or outdoor, in the United States, based in Dallas, Texas, and operating from 1984 until suspending operations following the 2003–04 season. The team was founded as a member of the original Major Indoor Soccer League. Over the years, the team played in four other leagues (CISL, WISL, PSA, and the second incarnation of the MISL). The team's most famous player was Tatu, who was known for throwing his shirt into the stands after every goal. The team hosted the 1989 MISL All-Star Game. The team was one of the most successful franchises in indoor soccer history, making the playoffs in 16 of their 19 seasons of play. In the playoffs, the team made it to the championship game/series eight times, winning four titles.
An expansion team named after this team began play in the Professional Arena Soccer League on November 3, 2012. Home games for the new Dallas Sidekicks are played at the Allen Event Center in Allen, Texas.

## Honors

Championships (4)
* 1986–87 MISL
* 1993 CISL
* 1998 PSA
* 2001 WISL
Division Titles (5)
* 1989–90 MISL Western Division
* 1993 CISL Regular Season
* 1994 CISL Eastern Division
* 1998 PSA Regular Season
* 2003–04 MISL II Western Division

## Key moments

The first goal (and first powerplay goal) in team history was scored by forward Herve Guilliod on November 2, 1984, in a game against the Las Vegas Americans. Goals #100, #2,000, and #3,000 were all scored by all-time team scoring leader Tatu.
Around noon on Feb. 13, 1989 The Dallas Sidekicks filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, one hour before the Mavericks were scheduled to file suit seeking to force the Sidekicks to repay a $519,000 debt. Team president David Shuttee said the debt was from 1986, when a group of Dallas businessmen purchased the Sidekicks from Mavericks owner Donald Carter.

## Rivalry

During the MISL I days, the Sidekicks main rivals were the San Diego Sockers, Tacoma Stars, and Minnesota Strikers. During the 1990s, a rivalry developed between the Sidekicks and Monterrey La Raza.

## Head coaches

In March 2013, Gordon Jago was named to the 2013 class of the Indoor Soccer Hall of Fame.
| Year | Coach | Record | Notable wins |
| 1984–1989 & 1991–1997 | Gordon Jago | 231–203 | 2 Championship victories (1986–87 in the MISL and 1993 in the CISL) |
| 1989–1991 | Billy Phillips | 53–49 | 1 Western Division Title (1989–90 in the MISL ) |
| 1998–2004 | Tatu | 84–68 | 2 Championship victories (1998 and 2001 in the WISL) |

### Retired uniform numbers

* #5 Mike Powers 1987–2001
* #8 Wes McLeod 1986–1992
* #9 Tatu 1984–2003
* #10 Kevin Smith 1984–92, 1995–98
* #11 David Doyle 1991–2004
* #22 Doc Lawson 1985–91
* #23 Nick Stavrou 1991-04
* #31 Krys Sobieski 1985–91
* Gordon Jago Head Coach/General Manager 1984–98

### Former players

* #00 Shawn Ray 1994–95, 1996–98
* #4 Rusty Troy 1995–2004
* #5 Mike Powers 1987–2001
* #8 Wes McLeod 1986–1992
* #9 Tatu 1984–2003
* #10 Kevin Smith 1984–92, 1995–98
* #11 David Doyle 1991–2004
* #18 Nick Efthimiou 1993–1999
* #22 Doc Lawson 1985–91
* #31 Krys Sobieski 1985–91

## Arenas

* Reunion Arena, 1984–2004
* American Airlines Center, 2001 (one game)
* Inwood Soccer Center, 1986–2004 (practice facility & exhibition games)

## Year-by-year

| League Champions | Runners-Up | Division/League Champions* | Playoff Berth |
| Year | League | Reg. Season | GF | GA | Pct | Finish | Playoffs | Owner(s) | Attendance Average | Slogan |
| 1984–85 | MISL | 12–36 | 194 | 286 | .250 | 7th West | did not qualify | Donald Carter | 4,969 | Fast, Fun and Furious! |
| 1985–86 | MISL | 25–23 | 220 | 231 | .521 | 3rd East | Lost Eastern Division Semifinals vs. Minnesota Strikers, 1–3 | Donald Carter | 6,654 | It'll knock yer socks off! |
| 1986–87** | MISL | 28–24 | 209 | 197 | .538 | 3rd East | Won Eastern Division Semifinals vs. Baltimore Blast, 3–2 Won Eastern Division Finals vs. Cleveland Force, 4–1 Won MISL Finals vs. Tacoma Stars, 4–3 | Stan Finney, Jan Rogers, Joe Shea | 8,637 | The wild side of soccer! |
| 1987–88 | MISL | 28–28 | 200 | 204 | .500 | 3rd East | Lost Eastern Division Semifinals vs. Cleveland Force, 1–3 | Stan Finney, Jan Rogers, Joe Shea | 9,878 | Never Say Die |
| 1988–89 | MISL | 24–24 | 185 | 206 | .500 | 3rd MISL | Lost Semifinals vs. San Diego Sockers, 3–4 | Stan Finney, Jan Rogers, Joe Shea | 8,567 | Get your kicks |
| 1989–90 | MISL | 31–21 | 217 | 190 | .596 | 1st West | Lost Western Division Finals vs. San Diego Sockers, 2–4 | David Paschal | 9,004 | N/A |
| 1990–91 | MSL | 20–32 | 257 | 294 | .385 | 4th West | did not qualify | Phill Cobb | 6,920 | N/A |
| 1991–92 | MSL | 22–18 | 231 | 229 | .550 | 2nd MISL | Won Semifinals vs. Cleveland Crunch, 4–2 Lost MISL Finals vs. San Diego Sockers, 2–4 | Donald Carter | 7,003 | N/A |
| 1993 | CISL | 23–5 | 230 | 150 | .821 | 1st CISL | Won Semifinal Game vs. Monterrey La Raza, 11–6 Won CISL Finals vs. San Diego Sockers, 2–1 | Donald Carter | 5,800 | N/A |
| 1994 | CISL | 24–4 | 255 | 160 | .857 | 1st East | Won Quarterfinals vs. Pittsburgh Stingers, 2–0 Won Semifinals vs. Washington Warthogs, 2–0 Lost CISL Finals vs. Las Vegas Dustdevils, 1–2 | Donald Carter | 7,310 | N/A |
| 1995 | CISL | 18–10 | 215 | 165 | .643 | 2nd East | Won Quarterfinals vs. Mexico Toros, 2–0 Lost Semifinals vs. Monterrey La Raza, 0–2 | Donald Carter | 9,380 | N/A |
| 1996 | CISL | 16–12 | 186 | 167 | .571 | 3rd East | Won Quarterfinals vs. Anaheim Splash, 2–0 Lost Semifinals vs. Monterrey La Raza, 0–2 | Sonny Willams, Donald Carter | 9,202 | Hot Soccer Cool Seat |
| 1997 | CISL | 13–15 | 165 | 160 | .464 | 4th East | Lost Quarterfinals vs. Monterrey La Raza, 1–2 | Sonny Willams, Donald Carter | 9,212 | Major League Fun |
| 1998 | PSA | 8–2 | N/A | N/A | .800 | 1st WISL | Won PSA Championship Game vs. Sacramento Knights, 6–2 | Sonny Willams, Donald Carter | 9,167 | NSN Never Say Never™ |
| 1999 | WISL | 15–7 | 127 | 88 | .773 | 2nd WISL | Won Semifinal Game vs. Monterrey La Raza, 4–3 Lost WISL Championship Game vs. Sacramento Knights, 6–7 | Sonny Willams, Donald Carter | 8,860 | N/A |
| 2000 | WISL | 17–7 | 153 | 107 | .708 | 2nd WISL | Won Semifinal Game vs. Utah Freezz, 7–4 Lost WISL Championship Game vs. Monterrey La Raza, 5–6 | Sonny Willams, Donald Carter | 7,482 | N/A |
| 2001 | WISL | 14–10 | 109 | 108 | .583 | 2nd WISL | Won Semifinals vs Sacramento Knights, 2–0 Won WISL Finals vs. San Diego Sockers, 2–1 | Sonny Willams, Donald Carter | 8,640 | Not Your Ordinary Soccer |
| 2002–03 | MISL | 9–27 | 342 | 427 | .250 | 4th West | did not qualify | Sonny Willams | 7,851 | Fast and Furious |
| 2003–04 | MISL | 21–15 | 213 | 167 | .583 | 1st West | Won Quarterfinal Game vs. Cleveland Force, 7–4 Lost Semifinal Game vs. Baltimore Blast, 1–6 | Sonny Willams | 5,756 | N/A |
* *There were 7 seasons where the league the Sidekicks were competing in did not feature divisions, so there was a regular season league champion before the playoffs began.
* **This 1986–87 Sidekicks team was inducted into the Pizza Hut Park Texans Credit Union Walk of Fame. Known forever in Dallas as the "Never Say Die" season, the Dallas Sidekicks defeated a heavily favored Tacoma Stars squad to win the 1987 MISL Championship. Down three games to two in a best-of-seven series, the Sidekicks won the final two games 5–4 and 4–3 respectively, both in overtime and both in front of sold-out arenas in Tacoma and Dallas.