May 16, 2014 (Kearny, NJ) The Major Leaque Soccer Leaque has put together a short film entitled Great Scot about John Harkes and his selection along with Tab Ramos and Tony Meola as starters for the 1990 United States World Cup Team. The film traces the roots of a strong soccer tradition in town from Scotland and Scottish workers who immigated to the United States to work in the mills in Kearny. Immigrants continue to this day with the greater West Hudson Soccer Tradition.



The film has scenes in Kearny including a walk with John Harkes and his father Jim Harkes from his home to the Scots Club in Kearny. The Scots Club soccer teams have played and continue to play a role in Kearny's rich soccer tradition and history. The film is directed and edited by Jim Podhoretz for the MLS Insider sponsored by Adidas.

Although it does not mention the neighboring town of Harrison, the film has scenes from the Courts on corner of South Frank E. Rodgers Blvd and Jersey Street where John Harkes, Tab Ramos and Tony Meola played in their youth. The Courts are legendary. The Courts were transformed from a tennis court by Harrison town officials when young soccer enthusiasts kept using it as a mini soccer field instead of a tennis venue. Town Officials got tired of replacing the tennis net. Later the Courts were identified as one of the best training facility for soccer players because its confined space made young players have to control the soccer ball in order to score in a smaller soccer goal. It's too bad the film didn't mention Harrison along with Kearny as contributing to John Harkes success. KOTW has thus augmented the record here. The Courts as evidenced by the film and the dialogue in the firm from John Harkes, his father Jim Harkes and Robert McCourt standing outside the large black fence looking at the new generation of soccer players primarily children of South American immigrants. Talent scouts still hang out outside on the sidewalk looking in for the next John Harkes, Tab Ramos and Tony Meola. Further down Frank E. Rodgers Blvd. is the Red Bulls Soccer Stadium. A larger venue but still the same game.

The film is narrated by Tom McCabe a Soccer Historian. John Millar, the legendary soccer coach for Kearny High School from 1975 to 2006 and now the Kearny Athletic Director was also interviewed.