[1] The Express were co-owned by Roger Faulkner, Sonny Van Arnem, Gary Lemmen and Jimmy Hill who was also the managing director and chairman of the English club Coventry City.

On July 12, Francis scored five times as the Express slaughtered the San Jose Earthquakes, 10–0, which as of 2021 is still the widest margin of victory in an American major pro soccer match (NASL or MLS).

Detroit went on to win the NASL American Conference Central Division title with a 20–10 mark, and Francis had the only tally in a 1–0 defeat of the Philadelphia Fury in the first round of the playoffs.

They had competition, as the Major Indoor Soccer League also decided to place a franchise in the Motor City: the Detroit Lightning.

Neither of Detroit's indoor soccer teams did much at the box office: The Express drew 3,937 fans per match at the Silverdome, while the Lightning could only manage 3,520 a game at Cobo Hall.

Without Francis, the Express slipped to a 14–18 mark, missing the playoffs by a single point (130-129 to the Houston Hurricane) and drawing only 11,198 a game—not all that bad by NASL standards, but not enough to pay the bills, either.

Argentinian Pato Margetic was signed to replace Trevor Francis at the forward spot and he led the team with 11 goals and 11 assists.

In the spring of 1981, Jimmy Hill won a court battle to move the team to RFK Stadium to become the new Washington Diplomats, replacing the old franchise of that name which had folded.

Mac also wears a Detroit Express shirt in the Season 5 (2009) episode "The Gang Gives Frank an Intervention" of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.