Bradley coached the likes of Pelé, Frank Beckenbauer and Carlos Alberto during his spell as coach of the famous New York Cosmos.

Born in Easington, the former Blackhall CW player represented Bradford Park Avenue and Carlisle in the Football League in the 1950s before emigrating to Canada in 1963 with wife, Vera.

After playing in the Eastern Canada Professional Soccer League, he travelled south to play in the German-American League, a semi-professional competition in the metropolitan New York area.
And it was there where Breadley's career took off.

He signed for New York Cosmos as player-coach in 1971, their first year in the North American Soccer League.

Clive Toye, the Cosmos' first general manager, said in the New York Times: "If you could take the soccer DNA of many of today's outstanding U.S. players, you could trace it back to the Cosmos and Gordon Bradley."

Gordon took the Cosmos to their first league championship, in 1972, and remained with the club until 1977.

He signed Pelé in 1975 and soon afterwards another World Cup winner, West Germany's Franz Beckenbauer.

The team drew big crowds to the Giants Stadium.

Bradley went on to coach the NASL's Washington Diplomats for three seasons, the great Johan Cruyff being part of their side.

After ending his pro coaching career, Bradley settled in the Washington area.

In 1985, he became the coach at George Mason University. He retired in 2000, having won 183 games.

In 1996, he was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta, N.Y.

Bradley is survived by his wife of 49 years, Vera, sons Paul and Doug, and five grandchildren.