- Carolina Lightnin'
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The Carolina Lightnin' was an American soccer club based in Charlotte, North Carolina that was a member of the American Soccer League. The Lightnin' played home matches at American Legion Memorial Stadium. Attendance at home games averaged 6,000 spectators. More than 20,000 attended the September 1981 match against the New York United in which the Lightnin' won the American Soccer League championship by a score of 2-1.
After the ASL folded, the club joined the newly formed United Soccer League as the Charlotte Gold. However, the team folded at the end of the 1984 season. Pro soccer returned to the city in the form of the Charlotte Eagles in 1993.
Contents
Honors
ASL Champions
- 1981
ASL Rookie of the Year
- 1981 Tony Suarez
ASL First Team All Star
- 1981 Don Tobin, Tony Suarez
Year-by-year
Year Division League Reg. Season Playoffs U.S. Open Cup 1981 2 ASL 1st, Freedom Champion Did not enter 1982 2 ASL 4th Semifinals Did not enter 1983 2 ASL 3rd, Eastern Semifinals Did not enter 1984 N/A USL 2nd, Southern Did not qualify Did not enter Coaches
Rodney Marsh 1981-1983
Dave D'Errico 1984
Notable players
- Paul Child (1982)
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Pat Fidelia (1982-84) - Matt Kennedy (1983)
- Stuart Lee (1983) 25 Apps 11 Goals
- Scott Manning (1981-82)
- Stuart Metcalfe (1981-82)[1]
- Dave Philpotts (1978-83)
- Mal Roche (1981) 22 Apps 8 Goals
Derek Smethurst (1982) 6 Apps
Don Tobin (1981)
Tony Suarez (1981-83) 22 Apps 15 Goals- Dave Power (1981-83) Captain
- Hugh O'Neill (1981-82) Winning goal ASL Final 1981
References
- Scott, David. (2007, April 20). Suarez, ex-soccer star and fan favorite, dies. The Charlotte Observer
- [2]
David Power Captain 1981-1983
Categories:- United States soccer club stubs
- Sports in Charlotte, North Carolina
- North Carolina soccer teams
- Defunct soccer clubs in the United States
- American Soccer League (1933–1983) teams
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