1996 Tampa Bay Mutiny Roster
Team Record: 19-9 (SO: 1-3) - 58 points
Finishing 1st in MLS's Eastern Conference
Postseason: 2-3
Lost Conference Final
Coach: Thomas Rongen (19-9, SO: 1-3)
Location: Tampa, Florida
Attendance: 186,856, Avg. 11,679 in 16 home dates
The Tampa Bay Mutiny of Major League Soccer ended the 1996 season with a record of 19 wins and 9 losses, with a 1-3 showing in shootouts for 58 points finishing first in MLS's Eastern Conference. The team compiled a postseason mark of 2-3.
The Bay Mutiny led the circuit with 67 goals. Tampa surrendered 54 goals. Roy Lassiter scored 27 goals for the team, while Martin Vasquez, Giuseppe Galderisi, Steve Ralston and Diego Viera each contributed five or more also. Carlos Valderrama recorded 17 assists. Mark Dougherty topped the squad with 17 wins and a team-best 1.12 goals against average, pacing keepers with significant playing time.
Thomas Rongen coached the team. The 1996 Tampa Bay Mutiny lost in the Conference Final.
Click on column headings to sort.
| Player | Pos. | Birth Date | Height | Weight | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derek Backman | M | January 6, 1966 | 6'0" | 170 | , South Africa |
| Scott Budnick | G | October 28, 1971 | 6'2" | 195 | Wichita, KS |
| John Diffley | D | January 11, 1967 | 5'9" | 150 | New York, NY |
| Mark Dougherty | G | November 7, 1967 | 6'2" | 180 | Santa Ana, CA |
| Adam Frye | D | February 15, 1974 | 5'8" | 159 | Alamogordo, NM |
| Giuseppe Galderisi | F | March 22, 1963 | 5'8" | 157 | Salerno, Italy |
| Rivers Guthrie | M | September 25, 1972 | 6'2" | 185 | Charlotte, NC |
| Frankie Hejduk | D | August 5, 1974 | 5'8" | 155 | La Mesa, CA |
| Goran Hunjak | M | November 13, 1965 | 5'9" | 165 | Zagreb, CA Yugoslavia |
| Cle Kooiman | D | July 3, 1963 | 6'1" | 190 | Newport Beach, CA |
| Greg Lalas | D | March 27, 1973 | 6'1" | 185 | Birmingham, MI |
| Roy Lassiter | F | March 9, 1969 | 5'10" | 160 | Washington, DC |
| Ivan McKinley | D-M | June 15, 1969 | 6'2" | 185 | Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Steve Pittman | D | July 18, 1967 | 5'10" | 184 | Wilson, NC |
| Steve Ralston | M | June 14, 1974 | 5'9" | 160 | Oakville, MO |
| Carlos Valderrama | M | September 2, 1961 | 5'9" | 157 | Santa Marta, Colombia |
| Nelson Vargas | M | August 6, 1974 | 5'7" | 150 | Holyoke, MA |
| Martin Vasquez | M | December 24, 1963 | 5'11" | 168 | Yahualica, Jalisco Mexico |
| Diego Viera | F | April 10, 1972 | 6'2" | 180 | Montevideo, Uruguay |
| Evans Wise | M | November 23, 1973 | 6'0" | 155 | Port-of-Spain, Trinidad |
| Frank Yallop | D | April 4, 1964 | 5'10" | 160 | Watford, England |
