The Carolina Lightnin' was an American
soccer
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
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. 20,163 fans 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.
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
Coaches
*
Rodney Marsh 1980–1983
* Bob Benson 1980–1983
Notable players
*
Bobby Moore
Robert Frederick Chelsea Moore (12 April 1941 – 24 February 1993) was an English professional footballer. He most notably played for West Ham United, captaining the club for more than ten years, and was the captain of the England natio ...
(1983)
*
Paul Child (1982)
*
Pat Fidelia (1982–1984)
*
Matt Kennedy
Matt Kennedy is a retired American soccer goalkeeper who played in the North American Soccer League, American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League.
In 1979, Kennedy signed with the Philadelphia Fury of the North American Soccer League, ...
(1983)
*
Stuart Lee
Stuart Lee (born 11 February 1953) is an English former football forward. Lee was born in Manchester, and played professionally in England, Wales and the United States.
Player
In 1971, Lee began his professional career when he signed with Bo ...
(1983) 25 Apps 11 Goals
*
Scott Manning (1981–1982)
*
Dave Philpotts
David Ronald Philpotts (born 31 March 1954 in Bromborough, Cheshire - now Merseyside) is a retired professional football defender from England.
Philpotts began his career with Coventry City in 1972. He played only three games with the first ...
(1978–83)
* Dave Pierce (1981–1983) 60 Apps Winning assist ASL Final 1981
*
Mal Roche (1981) 22 Apps 8 Goals
*
Derek Smethurst (1982) 6 Apps
*
Don Tobin (1981)
*
Tony Suarez (1981–1983) 22 Apps 15 Goals
*
Dave Power (1981–1983) Captain
*
Hugh O'Neill (1981–1982) Winning goal ASL Final 1981
*
Santiago Formoso (1981, 1983)
References
Scott, David. (2007, April 20). ''Suarez, ex-soccer star and fan favorite, dies''. The Charlotte ObserverAmerican Soccer History Archives
Sports teams in Charlotte, North Carolina
Defunct soccer clubs in North Carolina
American Soccer League (1933–1983) teams
1984 disestablishments in North Carolina
Association football clubs disestablished in 1984
1981 establishments in North Carolina
Association football clubs established in 1981
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