Johnny Moore (soccer)

Early life

Moore moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1967. As a young boy he played for E. Berkovich & Sons, Hayward United, The San Francisco Scots and Tri Valley Soccer Club. He quickly established himself in the youth soccer culture, joining the Ballistic United Soccer Club as an assistant coach.

NASL

In 1974, the San Jose Earthquakes of the North American Soccer League (NASL) signed Moore as the team’s first player. Moore spent four seasons with the Earthquakes playing in both the midfield and as a forward. In addition to his playing field duties, Moore served as the Earthquakes assistant general manager from 1974 to 1976. In 1977, he was elevated to the position of general manager and team Vice President. However, at the end of the season, the Earthquakes traded Moore and John Rowlands to the Oakland Stompers for Volker Foss.

MISL

While it may appear from many accounts that Moore bounced through four teams in the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL), this is deceiving. In 1979, he joined Detroit Lightning for its first, and only year in existence. At the end of the 1979-1980 season, David Schoenstadt bought the team and moved it to San Francisco, California, renaming the team the San Francisco Fog. After only one dismal season in California, Schoenstadt moved it again, this time to Kansas City, Missouri where he renamed the team the Kansas City Comets. Moore remained with the team through both moves and name changes, even coaching the Fog during the 1980-1981 season. While the team was last in the league standings, this season was Moore’s most productive one indoors, as he scored 32 goals in 40 games. He also suffered a concussion which led to his wearing a helmet. He began his final season in MISL with the Comets, but was traded to the Phoenix Inferno. Moore retired from playing professionally in 1982. During his three seasons in MISL, he was a two time second team All Star.

After retiring from playing, Moore returned to the San Francisco area and served as an assistant coach to Roger Thomson for the San Jose Earthquakes during the team’s 1982-1983 MISL season. The NASL had run an indoor schedule in 1981-1982, but had decided not to have a 1982-1983 indoor schedule. As a result, the Earthquakes played in MISL that season.

National team

Having never played a first division match with a U.S. club, Moore earned his cap with the U.S. national team in an August 20, 1972 loss to Canada. He became a regular starter for the U.S. as it ran through its failed qualification bid for the 1974 FIFA World Cup. His last cap came on August 25, 1975, in a loss to Mexico, just as his professional club career was beginning.

General manager of the Earthquakes

On February 8, 2002, the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer hired Moore as the team’s General Manager. He remained with the team for two years, gaining a reputation for building a solid fan base. On January 12, 2004, Moore resigned as the Earthquakes’ owners contempalated moving the franchise to Houston.

Non-soccer venture

Moore has also served as a sales executive with Apple Computer and was the Vice President of Sales at Noah Software. He has also served as a business development manager for Workscape, Inc. In 1997, Moore was inducted into both the California Soccer Hall of Fame and the National Soccer Hall of Fame. He had been previously inducted into the California Youth Soccer Hall of Fame in 1995 and will be inducted into the San Jose Earthquakes Hall of Fame on May 10, 2014.