However, the Arrows did make one significant, and crucial, addition: they signed Slaviša "Steve" Zungul, a virtually unknown Yugoslavian player.

Zungul was a seasoned outdoor player from HNK Hajduk Split who had gained permission of the Yugoslavia Football Federation to play outside of his native country for a few months.

In truth, he planned to defect to the West and play in the MISL for a few years before jumping to the North American Soccer League once things settled down.

When it became apparent he had no intention of returning to Hajduk, the Yugoslavia Football Federation obtained a ruling from FIFA forbidding any FIFA-sanctioned outdoor team from signing him.

[1][2] On December 22, 1978, the New York Arrows kicked off the first season of MISL, playing in the league's first game, at home versus the Cincinnati Kids.

Despite four consecutive championships from 1978 to 1982 and a combined regular season record of 114-26 (.814), New York averaged only 7,049 fans for their 70 home games during their dynasty era, less than half-filling the Nassau Coliseum.

The Arrows' lease on the Coliseum expired on July 4, and a group of players looked into buying the club from owner David Schoenstadt.

Undaunted, the indoor circuit tried again with the New York Express in 1986, but this proved to be an even bigger disaster: the club folded in February 1987 after losing 23 of their 26 games.