Brian Budd
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Brian Budd (born in Toronto) is a former professional soccer player who became known to sports television audiences in Canada and briefly in the United States through his exploits in the Superstars multi-discipline sports competition in the late 1970s.
Raised in Vancouver, Budd won the Canadian Superstars competition four years running from 1977 to 1980. He won a World Superstars competition held for a short time in the late 70s and early 80s an unprededented three consecutive times, 1978, 1979, and 1980. The story goes that large American TV network ABC arranged it so that Budd could no longer compete beyond 1980 becaused he, an unknown to the American TV audience, had embarrassingly beaten all the famous American football and baseball stars entered and that this resulted in the network receiving low ratings for its broadcast.
Budd played seven seasons in the North American Soccer League. He began his career with the Vancouver Whitecaps in 1974 in the team's inaugural season and remained with the squad until 1978, when he played for the Colorado Caribou in that team's only season. He then joined the Toronto Blizzard for the remainder of 1978 and the whole of 1979. He finished his NASL career in 1980 playing for the Houston Hurricane. At some time Budd was also on the Ayr United F.C. reserves in Scotland.
Budd was also a Canadian national soccer team member. He scored two goals in earning seven caps, including one against the Americans in a 1978 World Cup qualifying match played in Port-au-Prince, Haiti on December 22, 1976, in which Canada prevailed 3-0.
Budd also played indoor soccer professionally with the Cleveland Force of the original Major Indoor Soccer League. He led the Force in scoring in their maiden season, 1978-79, with 29 points (25 goals, 4 assists) and was named the team's MVP. He also played for the Baltimore Blast.
Budd is now also a soccer analyst on The Score's segment Sportsworld, along with James Sharman and fellow former international Paul James.
