The 1996 Columbus Crew season was the club's first season of existence and their first season in Major League Soccer, the top flight of soccer in the United States. The first match of the season was on April 13 against D.C. United. It was the first season under head coach Timo Liekoski who resigned on August 2. Tom Fitzgerald took over as interim head coach through the rest of the season.
Roster
Out on loan
(on loan to Ohio Xoggz) (on loan to Milwaukee Rampage)
Technical Staff
Non-competitive
Preseason
Midseason
Competitive Overview
MLS
Standings
Eastern Conference
Overall table
Results summary
Results by round
Match results
MLS Cup Playoffs
Conference Semifinals
Statistics Appearances and goals Under "Apps" for each section, the first number represents the number of starts, and the second number represents appearances as a substitute.
|colspan=12 align=center|Players who left Columbus during the season:
Disciplinary record No. Pos. Name MLS MLS Cup Playoffs Total 1 GK Bo Oshoniyi300030 1 GK Brad Friedel101020 2 FW Mac Cozier100010 3 DF Mike Clark420042 4 DF Janusz Michallik200020 5 MF Paul Caligiuri212041 6 MF Todd Yeagley211031 7 DF Shane Battelle200020 8 DF Brian Bliss300030 9 FW Billy Thompson100010 10 MF Brian Maisonneuve100010 11 FW Adrián Paz100010 12 FW Pete Marino000000 15 MF Doctor Khumalo200020 16 MF Rob Smith200020 17 FW Ricci Greenwood000000 17 DF Todd Miller000000 17 FW Paul Young000000 18 GK David Winner200020 19 MF Robert Warzycha602080 20 FW Brian McBride000000 21 DF Ricardo Iribarren512071 22 FW Marcelo Carrera000000 29 GK Pat Harrington000000Players who left Columbus during the season: 13 DF Mark Watson200020 14 FW Obi Monome000000 17 FW Paul Young000000 17 FW Dante Washington000000 21 MF Brandon Ward000000 - GK Ron Fearon000000
Clean sheets
No. Name MLS MLS Cup Playoffs Total Games Played 1 Bo Oshoniyi20213 1 Brad Friedel40412 18 David Winner0007 29 Pat Harrington1014Players who left Columbus during the season: - Ron Fearon0000
Transfers
In Pos.PlayerTransferred fromFee/notesDateSource MF Doctor Khumalo Kaizer Chiefs Allocated by the league. December 21, 1995 MF Brian Maisonneuve Indiana Hoosiers Allocated by the league. February 1, 1996 FW Adrián Paz Shanghai Pudong Allocated by the league. February 4, 1996 DF Brian Bliss FC Carl Zeiss Jena Allocated by the league. February 4, 1996 FW Brian McBride VfL Wolfsburg Drafted in round 1 of the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft. February 6, 1996 DF Mark Watson Vancouver 86ers Drafted in round 2 of the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft. February 6, 1996 FW Billy Thompson Tampa Bay Terror Drafted in round 3 of the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft. February 6, 1996 DF Mike Clark Richmond Kickers Drafted in round 4 of the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft. February 6, 1996 GK Bo Oshoniyi New York Centaurs Drafted in round 5 of the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft. February 6, 1996 MF Brandon Ward Hampton Roads Mariners Drafted in round 6 of the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft. February 6, 1996 DF Janusz Michallik New York Centaurs Drafted in round 7 of the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft. February 7, 1996 MF Todd Yeagley Richmond Kickers Drafted in round 8 of the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft. February 7, 1996 DF Ramiro Corrales California Jaguars Drafted in round 9 of the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft. February 7, 1996 FW Marcelo Carrera Canton Invaders Drafted in round 10 of the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft. February 7, 1996 DF Shane Battelle St. Louis Knights Drafted in round 11 of the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft. February 7, 1996 FW Pete Marino Bayer Leverkusen Drafted in round 12 of the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft. February 7, 1996 FW Paul Young Charleston Battery Drafted in round 13 of the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft. February 7, 1996 DF Laurence Piturro Long Island Rough Riders Drafted in round 14 of the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft. February 7, 1996 DF Todd Haskins Washington Warthogs Drafted in round 15 of the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft. February 7, 1996 MF Manny Catano Des Moines Menace Drafted in round 16 of the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft. February 7, 1996 FW Mac Cozier Charlotte 49ers Drafted in round 1 of the 1996 MLS College Draft. March 4, 1996 FW Ricci Greenwood Seattle Pacific Falcons Drafted in round 2 of the 1996 MLS College Draft. March 4, 1996 DF Todd Miller Westminster Griffins Drafted in round 3 of the 1996 MLS College Draft. March 4, 1996 DF Paul Caligiuri FC St. Pauli Drafted in round 1 of the 1996 MLS supplemental draft. March 4, 1996 MF Michael Robles Montclair Standard Falcons Drafted in round 2 of the 1996 MLS supplemental draft. March 4, 1996 MF Rob Smith Delaware Wizards Drafted in round 2 of the 1996 MLS supplemental draft. March 4, 1996 GK Kevin East Jersey Dragons Drafted in round 3 of the 1996 MLS supplemental draft. March 4, 1996 GK David Winner Tampa Bay Cyclones March 20, 1996 FW Robert Warzycha Budapest Honvéd Signed via discovery. June 4, 1996 GK Ron Fearon Leyton Orient F.C. Signed via discovery. June 11, 1996 FW Dante Washington Washington Warthogs Signed as a free agent. June 18, 1996 DF Ricardo Iribarren Belgrano de Córdoba Allocated by the league. June 28, 1996 GK Pat Harrington Kansas City Wiz Picked up on waivers. June 30, 1996 GK Brad Friedel Galatasaray Rights traded from Dallas Burn for Dante Washington and a pick in the 1997 MLS supplemental draft. August 9, 1996 MF Altimont Butler San Jose Clash Traded for Mac Cozier November 7, 1996
Loan in Pos.PlayerParent clubLength/NotesBeginningEndSource FW Obi Monome Ohio Xoggz Signed with Cleveland Crunch after his loan. September 5, 1996 September 9, 1996
Out Pos.PlayerTransferred toFee/notesDateSource DF Ramiro Corrales San Jose Clash Traded for the 13th overall pick in the 1996 MLS supplemental draft. February 7, 1996 MF Manny Catano Hawaii Tsunami Placed on waivers. March 25, 1996 MF Michael Robles San Fernando Valley Golden Eagles Placed on waivers. March 25, 1996 DF Laurence Piturro Long Island Rough Riders Placed on waivers. April 3, 1996 DF Todd Haskins Placed on waivers. April 3, 1996 GK Kevin East Central Jersey Riptide Placed on waivers. April 16, 1996 FW Paul Young South Carolina Shamrocks Placed on waivers. June 5, 1996 MF Brandon Ward Richmond Kickers Placed on waivers. July 2, 1996 DF Mark Watson New England Revolution Placed on waivers. July 16, 1996 FW Dante Washington Dallas Burn Traded for the rights to Brad Friedel and a pick in the 1997 MLS supplemental draft. August 9, 1996 GK Ron Fearon Chelmsford City August 9, 1996 FW Mac Cozier San Jose Clash Traded for Altimont Butler November 7, 1996 GK Bo Oshoniyi Connecticut Wolves Placed on waivers. November 7, 1996 GK Pat Harrington Detroit Safari Placed on waivers. November 7, 1996 DF Shane Battelle Retired Placed on waivers. November 7, 1996 FW Ricci Greenwood Columbus Invaders Placed on waivers. November 7, 1996
Loans out Pos.PlayerLoanee clubLength/NotesBeginningEndSource FW Ricci Greenwood Ohio Xoggz Columbus retains right to recall April 16, 1996 End Of Season DF Todd Miller Milwaukee Rampage Columbus retains right to recall April 16, 1996 End Of Season
MLS Draft picks
Draft picks are not automatically signed to the team roster. Only those who are signed to a contract will be listed as transfers in. The picks for the Columbus Crew are listed below: Round Pick Player Position Team 11 Brian McBrideFWVfL Wolfsburg211 Mark WatsonDFVancouver 86ers321 Billy ThompsonFWTampa Bay Terror431 Mike ClarkDFRichmond Kickers541 Bo OshoniyiGKNew York Centaurs651 Brandon WardMFHampton Roads Mariners761 Janusz MichallikDFNew York Centaurs871 Todd YeagleyMFRichmond Kickers981 Ramiro CorralesDFCalifornia Jaguars1091 Marcelo CarreraFWCanton Invaders11101 Shane BattelleDFSt. Louis Knights12111 Pete MarinoFWBayer Leverkusen13121 Paul YoungFWCharleston Battery14131 Laurence PiturroDFLong Island Rough Riders15141 Todd HaskinsDFWashington Warthogs15151 Manny CatanoMFDes Moines Menace
Round Pick Player Position College 110 Mac CozierFWUNC Charlotte220 Ricci GreenwoodFWSeattle Pacific330 Todd MillerDFWestminster College
Round Pick Player Position Team 110 Paul CaligiuriDFFC St. Pauli213 Michael RoblesMFMontclair Standard Falcons220 Rob SmithMFDelaware Wizards330 Kevin EastGKJersey Dragons
Awards
MLS Player of the Week WeekPlayerOpponent(s)Link 2 Brian McBride D.C. United 4 Bo Oshoniyi NY/NJ MetroStars 6 Brian McBride New England Revolution 19 Adrián Paz Dallas BurnSan Jose Clash 21 Brad Friedel LA Galaxy 22 Brian Maisonneuve Kansas City Wiz 24 Brad Friedel NY/NJ MetroStarsNew England Revolution
MLS Player of the Month MonthPlayerStatsLink September Brad Friedel
1996 MLS All-Star Game Starters FW Brian McBride Reserves MF Doctor Khumalo
Postseason MLS Executive of the Year Jamey Rootes
Crew Team Awards Most Valuable Player – Brian McBride Defensive Player of the Year – Brad Friedel Scoring Champion – Brian McBride Man of the Year – Todd Yeagley Coach's Award – Paul Caligiuri
References