# New York Express > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/New_York_Express > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/New_York_Express.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Express > Source revision: 1345509761 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{about||the former Amtrak service|Keystone Service|the 19th century New York newspaper|New York Evening Express}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} The '''New York Express''' was a [soccer](/source/soccer) team based out of [Uniondale, New York](/source/Uniondale%2C_New_York) that played in the [Major Indoor Soccer League](/source/Major_Indoor_Soccer_League_(1978%E2%80%931992)). They played only part of the 1986–87 MISL season before folding just after the league's midseason All-Star Break. Their home arena was [Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum](/source/Nassau_Veterans_Memorial_Coliseum). They were owned by Stan Henry and ex-[New York Cosmos](/source/New_York_Cosmos_(1971%E2%80%931985)) goalie [Shep Messing](/source/Shep_Messing). ==Formation== The Express were formed in late 1985, and played an exhibition schedule in the winter of 1986. The Express featured Messing in goal and former Cosmos star and U.S. National Team player [Rick Davis](/source/Rick_Davis), as well as [Iranian national team](/source/Iran_national_football_team) star [Andranik Eskandarian](/source/Andranik_Eskandarian). New York won all five games it played (all held at the Nassau Coliseum), against such competition as [Arsenal](/source/Arsenal_F.C.) and [Red Star Belgrade](/source/Red_Star_Belgrade) as well as the [Portuguese](/source/Portugal_national_football_team) and [Irish](/source/Northern_Ireland_national_football_team) national teams, drawing about 6,000 fans per contest. Finally, on May 15, 1986, the Express were accepted as an expansion franchise by the MISL. ==1986-87 season== Things did not go nearly as well for the club once they joined the MISL; in fact, it quickly turned into a disaster. Despite drawing a decent crowd of 10,577 for their home opener on November 21, 1986, attendance quickly dropped as New York lost their first ten games, costing coach [Ray Klivecka](/source/Ray_Klivecka) his job on December 23.[https://www.chicagotribune.com/1986/12/24/era-ends-in-style-for-sting/ Leptich, John. "Era Ends In Style For Sting," ''Chicago Tribune'', Wednesday, December 24, 1986.] After three more defeats, the Express hired ex-Arrows coach [Don Popovic](/source/Don_Popovic), who led them to a their first-ever win on January 7, 1987, 6–4 over the [Chicago Sting](/source/Chicago_Sting), in front of 3,106 on Long Island. New York would make it two in a row with a 7–4 victory over the [Kansas City Comets](/source/Kansas_City_Comets_(1979%E2%80%931991)) two nights later at the Coliseum; however, another slump gave the Express a putrid 2–22 record at the All-Star break. (Defender Chris Whyte and midfielder Michael Collins were selected for the game, played at the [Los Angeles Forum](/source/Los_Angeles_Forum) and won by the East over the West, 6–5, in overtime.) On February 14, 1987, the Express got their third (and final) win of the season when Mark Liveric's goal gave New York a 6–5 overtime win over the [Lazers](/source/Los_Angeles_Lazers) in Los Angeles. (It was the Lazers' ninth straight loss ''en route'' to a 16–36 record, worst in the West.) The next day, in a game carried nationally on [ESPN](/source/ESPN), the Express were actually leading the defending champion [Sockers](/source/San_Diego_Sockers_(1978%E2%80%931996)), 2–1, at halftime in San Diego (with Njego Pesa getting both New York tallies). However, a flurry of San Diego goals in the second half made the final score 6–2, dropping the Express' record to 3-23. It would be the last game the New York Express would ever play: two days later, on February 17, the club announced it was bankrupt. Messing blamed poor attendance (an average of 5,212 for 13 home games) and an inability to sell sufficient shares in a $5.2 million public stock offering. MISL commissioner Bill Kentling, unhappy to see its New York team fail so spectacularly, threatened to sue the Express for fraud and breach of contract. The 37-year-old Messing also retired as a player after the death of the Express. ==Legacy== The Express were the fourth and final attempt by the MISL to establish itself in the New York market, after previously failing with the [New York Arrows](/source/New_York_Arrows) (1978–1984), who also played at Nassau Coliseum, the [New Jersey Rockets](/source/New_Jersey_Rockets_(MISL)) (1981–1982), and the post-NASL [New York Cosmos](/source/New_York_Cosmos_(1971%E2%80%931985)) (1984–1985). ==Former coaches== *{{Flagicon|USA}} [Ray Klivecka](/source/Ray_Klivecka) *{{Flagicon|USA}} [Don Popovic](/source/Don_Popovic) *{{Flagicon|USA}} [Mark Steffens](/source/Mark_Steffens) ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== * [http://www.kicksfan.com/opponents/ny/index.htm] * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iqmA8gcWCA] N.Y. Express Games were broadcast on WBAU radio. Play-by-play highlights. Category:Defunct indoor soccer clubs in the United States Category:Sports in Hempstead, New York Express Category:Major Indoor Soccer League (1978–1992) teams Category:Association football clubs established in 1985 Category:Association football clubs disestablished in 1987 Category:1985 establishments in New York (state) Category:1987 disestablishments in New York (state) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [New York Express](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Express) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Express?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.