Keith Furphy


Keith Furphy is an English-American former professional footballer who spent most of his career in the United States. He played four seasons in the North American Soccer League, seven in the Major Indoor Soccer League and one each in the American Soccer League and the National Professional Soccer League. Furphy also made six appearances in the Football League for Plymouth Argyle. He is the son of Ken Furphy, a former footballer and coach.

Life and career

In 1978, Furphy moved to the United States where he signed with the Detroit Express of the North American Soccer League. At the time the Express were coached by his father. On 3 May 1980, the Express sent Furphy to the Atlanta Chiefs for cash and the Chiefs' first round pick in the 1981 NASL Draft. The Express made the move as a result of fan dissatisfaction with Furphy playing for his father in Detroit. He spent two seasons with the Chiefs. In the fall of 1981, he signed with the Cleveland Force of the Major Indoor Soccer League and immediately established himself as a high scoring indoor soccer striker. On 2 July 1983, Furphy signed with the Detroit Express, now playing in the second division American Soccer League. He scored two goals in his debut the next day.
He returned to the Force in the fall and played with them through the 1984–1985 season. However, tensions between him and coach Timo Liekoski came to a head that year and Furphy demanded to be traded. On 24 October 1985, the Force sent Furphy to the Kansas City Comets in exchange for the Comets' next three first round draft choices. Furphy began the season with Kansas City, but was traded to the Tacoma Stars in exchange for Dale Mitchell on 6 February 1986. By this time, Furphy had become a naturalized U.S. citizen. Furphy finished the season in Tacoma, but was released by the team at the end of the season and signed with the Baltimore Blast. In 1987, Furphy returned to England to sign with Plymouth Argyle. He made six appearances in the Second Division of the Football League over a three-week period on the left-wing and scored one goal. In the fall of 1988, he signed with Bath City and played one game, a 2–0 victory over Merthyr Tydfil in a November 1988 Westgate Insurance Cup game. On 22 February 1992, the Detroit Rockers of the National Professional Soccer League signed Furphy to a ten-day contract.