Washington Diplomats

Washington Diplomats
Full name	Washington Diplomats
Nickname(s)	Diplomats, Dips
Founded	1974
Dissolved	1981
Ground	Robert F. Kennedy Stadium; (Capacity: 55,000)
Coach	Gordon Bradley
League	North American Soccer League
Home colours	Away colours

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This article is about the original and second Washington Diplomats of the NASL. For the third team to use the name, see Washington Diplomats (APSL)

The name Washington Diplomats was used by three different soccer teams in Washington, D.C..

[edit] NASL original team

The original Washington Diplomats first came into being when, in 1974, the North American Soccer League (NASL) granted a franchise to a Washington, D.C. based business group. The team played their home games at RFK Stadium except for 1976 when they played at W.T. Woodson High School in Northern Virginia. After a lackluster beginning to the franchise, the Diplomats qualified for the playoffs and increased average game attendance in each of their last three years of existence. Additionally, in their final year, the Diplomats were able to sign the future European Player of the Century Johan Cruyff. After the 1980 season the Diplomats folded when then owner, the Madison Square Garden Corp., had accumulated losses of $6 million and team president Steve Danzansky could not gather enough money to keep the team alive.^[1]

The cheerleaders for the original Diplomats were known as the Honeydips.

1976 shirt badge

[edit] Year-by-year

Year	League	W	L	T	Pts	Regular Season	Playoffs
1974	NASL	7	12	1	70	4th, Eastern Division	Did not qualify
1975	NASL	12	10	—	112	3rd, Eastern Division	Did not qualify
1976	NASL	14	10	—	126	3rd, Atlantic Conference, Eastern Division	Lost 1st Round (New York)
1977	NASL	10	16	—	92	4th, Atlantic Conference, Eastern Division	Did not qualify
1978	NASL	16	14	—	145	2nd, National Conference, Eastern Division	Lost 1st Round (Portland)
1979	NASL	19	11	—	172	2nd, National Conference, Eastern Division	Lost Conference Quarterfinals (Los Angeles)
1980	NASL	17	15	—	159	2nd, National Conference, Eastern Division	Lost 1st Round (Los Angeles)

[edit] NASL new Diplomats

After the original Diplomats folded following the 1980 season, the Detroit Express moved to Washington to become the new Diplomats. This team only lasted for one season.