CARSON, Calif. – Cobi Jones is an LA Galaxy legend and the former Galaxy star told an nostalgic story of his game with the club during the team’s Season Ticket Member Rally on Sunday.
Speaking in a town hall with former Galaxy stars Mike Magee and Clint Mathis, Jones told the assembled crowd about his emotions during the club’s first game and the perception of the team back in 1996.
“People have to remember that in Los Angeles, to be honest, not a lot of players wanted to play for this team. They didn’t think that soccer would be successful in Los Angeles. They had traps covering the Rose Bowl to fit 20 or 30 thousand,” Jones told the crowd. “I can remember to this day pulling up the stadium two hours before the game on team bus and the parking lot outside the field was absolutely full. There were fans running up to the bus waving and chanting. When we went out to the stadium, there were already 40 thousand out there.
“And one of the most impressive things about that game is that after the game, which had 69 thousand fans attend, there were still people waiting to enter the stadium. That’s how they under estimated the love of soccer in the city of Los Angeles. It was an amazing time and it’s something that no one that was there will ever forget.”
