He was born and “early” raised in Manchester area, England, but Michael Lawrence Renshaw answered a call in 1968 to “come to Dallas to join with a newly forming soccer club, called THE DALLAS TORNADO in the North American Soccer League. That was not surprising, since folks who knew him back in England said that “since the day he could walk, he had a soccer ball at his feet!” He followed that by playing for “Blackpool” before moving to the United States. And, it was not surprising that he realized his dream of playing soccer for the National Team, although it was the U. S. National Team.
Luckily for Mike, later in life he realized his “true passion” when he began coaching women’s high school soccer and began winning championships!
He also was blessed with three siblings, five children, and eight grandchildren (and associated families), who survive him and keep his name and accomplishments alive.
How did he come to join The Dallas Tornado organization? He answered a help-wanted advertisement for proficient soccer players to become members of the neophyte ‘Dallas Tornado Professional Soccer Club’ when he was a mere nineteen years of age and living in England.
That 1968 decision marked the beginning of “half-a-hundred” years of helping the soccer association of Dallas grow to greater heights as Renshaw played, coached, instructed, and commentated.
He played 127 games for the “Tornado” and scored the clinching goal as they defeated Atlanta for the 1971 North American Soccer League Championship, the only outdoor professional championship ever won by a Dallas soccer team!
1975: He played in the game when Pele (maybe the greatest soccer player ever) debuted for the New York Cosmos that ended with a 2—2 tie for the nationally televised match.
Later down the road, the NASL debuted an indoor tournament, and who was the MVP? Renshaw, who punched in two goals and handed out an assist in his team’s victory in the final game.
Why did Mike not play longer than he did? Bad knees forced his retirement in 1978, when he probably had at least five more good years left as a productive player. Doctors warned that continuing to play put him at great risk for lifelong damage and severe problems.
This was hard on him, because he always affirmed that he loved playing in and for the United States.
This retirement led to an announcing career, and he joined up with Norm Hitzges as the main commentating team for the Dallas Sidekicks of the Major Indoor Soccer League. Mike provided color and analysis and was not afraid to point out both the good and bad—and no one on the team took offense, because they knew he completely understood the game and was merely “calling it” exactly as he saw it!
And what just might have been the highlight of this special man’s awesome career? Well, he coached for nine years at the Episcopal School of Dallas and led the girls soccer program (with no titles in their league the past fourteen years) to four consecutive Southwest Preparatory Conference titles in a row from 2014-2017!
Soccer in the Dallas area probably would not have become as popular and not nearly as fast had it not been for MIKE RENSHAW’s influence.
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