The Oakland Clippers (active 1967–1968, also named the California Clippers) were an American soccer team based in Oakland, California. They played in the non-FIFA sanctioned National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) in 1967 and the North American Soccer League (NASL) in the following season. Their home field was Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum.

Overview The Clippers brought the first-ever national professional championship in any sport to the San Francisco Bay Area and the City of Oakland. Team owners originally planned to play in San Francisco until General Manager Derek Liecty convinced them that the new Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum was a better choice than San Francisco's old and windy Kezar stadium. Through connections in Yugoslavia, the Clippers were able to hire Dr. Aleksandar Obradovic, former Team Manager of Red Star of Belgrade. Obradovic brought with him Red Star coach and former Yugoslav international Ivan Toplak as well as a nucleus of six first-division players who were willing to play in the non-sanctioned league. During the 1967/1968 season the Clippers had players from ten countries. In 1967 they won the NPSL Western Division and overall regular season titles. They went on to win the NPSL Final over the Baltimore Bays by a two-game, home-and-home aggregate score of 4-2. They also won the Commissioner's Cup over the St. Louis Stars by a score of 6-3. Following the 1967 season, the team joined the newly formed North American Soccer League (NASL), the result of the merger between the NPSL and the United Soccer Association (USA).

In 1968, the Clippers had an identical record to the Western Division Champion San Diego Toros and a higher goal-differential, but the Toros had more league points. As the result of a disputed referee’s off-side call in their final regular season game against the San Diego Toros, a 3-3 tie, the Clippers finished in second place and were eliminated from the playoffs. The unique points system denied them the chance to defend their 1967 NPSL title in 1968’s merged league. The North American Soccer League was near collapse in September 1968. Having no possible League opponents west of Dallas, Texas and wanting to maintain the team while waiting for the NASL to become reconstituted, the Clippers began playing an independent schedule as the California Clippers against top foreign club teams. These efforts included bringing to the United States for the first time a team from the Soviet Union, league club champion Dynamo Kiev. The three-game match up was split with a win and a tie for each. Alarmed by the success of the Clippers and concerned that such an independent schedule might thwart plans for a reconstituted NASL, the United States Soccer-Football Association placed restrictions on the Clippers and prevented them from arranging any further international games. Just before the ban, the Clippers defeated Italian league champion Fiorentina in their final game by a score of 4-2 and posted an exhibition match record of 7-6-2. The Clippers ceased operations on June 4, 1969. The team's owners had lost $1.5 million while running the team and cited the dysfunctional relationship between various governing bodies as a reason for folding the team.

Several Clippers players, as well as coach Ivan Toplak, went on to join the original San Jose Earthquakes team founded as a member of the North American Soccer League in 1974: Goalkeeper Mirko Stojanovic, leading scorer Ilija Mitić, Momčilo "Gabbo" Gavrić, and Milan Čop.

Media coverage The Clippers had matches on CBS national TV, including both legs of the championship final. KPIX provided coverage, though the Clippers' home leg of the championship was blacked out locally. Locally, KTVU provided tape delayed matches.

Year-by-year YearLeagueWLTPtsReg. seasonPlayoffsCup1967NPSL19851851st, Western DivisionWon ChampionshipWon Commissioners Cup1968NASL18861852nd, Pacific Divisiondid not qualifydid not enter

Honors

National Professional Soccer League Champions: 1967 Premiers: 1967 Commissioner's Cup: 1967 Western Division: 1967

1967 First Team All-Stars Mirko Stojanovic Mel Scott Ilija Mitic Mario Baesso

North American Soccer League 1968 First Team All-Stars Mirko Stojanović Mel Scott Momcilio Gavric David Davidovic Ilija Mitic

1968 Second Team All-Stars Milan Čop Mario Baesso

Team roster

1967 Roster

Player Position Birth Date Height Weight Hometown Baesso, Mario D September 5, 1945 5'7 -- São Paulo, Brazil Bena, Stevan D August 23, 1935 5'11" 170 Serbia Conde, Leonel G 1937 6'2" 174 Uruguay Constancia, Jose F March 19, 1945 -- -- Willemstad, Curaçao Čop, Milan M, D October 5, 1941 5'10" 168 Slavonski Brod, Croatia Crawford, Roel M October 7, 1947 -- -- Limón, Costa Rica Davidović, Dimitri D, M May 21, 1944 5'10" 160 Aleksandrovac, Serbia Djukic, Dragan M March 29, 1939 6'1" 160 Belgrade, Serbia Gavrić, Momčilo D August 4, 1938 5'10" 170 Sinj, Croatia Hoftvedt, Trond M May 30, 1941 5'10" 166 Oslo, Norway Lievano, George F -- -- -- San Salvador, El Salvador Lukić, Ilija F December 12, 1942 5'9" 150 Serbia Lunnis, Roy D November 4, 1939 -- -- London, England Marin, Edgar F, M March 22, 1943 5'5" 135 San Jose, Costa Rica Milosevic, Sele F April 4, 1940 6'0" 167 Šabac, Serbia Mitić, Ilija M, F July 19, 1940 5'10" 160 Belgrade, Serbia Quirós, William F, M October 10, 1941 5'5" 143 Alajuela, Costa Rica Rowan, Barry F April 24, 1942 5'9" 163 Willesden, England Saccone, Ademar F, M October 11, 1934 5'10" 160 Montevideo, Uruguay Scott, Melvyn M September 26, 1939 -- -- Claygate, England Stojanović, Mirko G July 11, 1939 6'0" 190 Zagreb, Croatia Wiestal, Kay-Arne F -- 5'10" 165 Sweden Zuniga, Jose F -- -- -- Costa Rica

References