Atlanta Silverbacks U23’s 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 ...
team based in
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
,
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. Founded in 2006, the team played in the
USL Premier Development League
USL League Two (USL2), formerly the Premier Development League (PDL), is a semi-professional developmental soccer league sponsored by United Soccer Leagues in the United States and Canada, forming part of the United States soccer league syste ...
(PDL), the fourth tier of the
American Soccer Pyramid
The United States soccer league system is a series of professional and amateur soccer leagues based, in whole or in part, in the United States. Sometimes called the American soccer pyramid, teams and leagues are not linked by the system of prom ...
, until 2008, when the franchise folded and the team left the league.
The team played its home games at the soccer-specific
RE/MAX Greater Atlanta Stadium in nearby
Chamblee, Georgia
Chamblee ( ) is a city in northern DeKalb County, Georgia, United States, northeast of Atlanta. The population was 30,164 as of the 2020 census.
History
The area that would later become Chamblee was originally dairy farms. During the late ninet ...
. The team's colors were red, black and white.
History
The Atlanta Silverbacks U23's entered the PDL in 2006 as the new development arm of the
Atlanta Silverbacks
The Atlanta Silverbacks FC were an American professional soccer club based in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1998 as Atlanta Ruckus, the club played in many leagues over the years before folding after the 2015 season. The team played its home game ...
USL First Division
The USL First Division (usually referred to as USL-1) was a professional men's soccer league in the United States and Canada from 2005 to 2010.
During its existence, it formed the second tier of soccer in the United States soccer league system b ...
franchise. With the backing and support of their parent organization, the first year was pretty successful for the club. The team were unbeaten in their first five games, the highlight of which was an impressive 3–0 victory over
Ajax Orlando Prospects
Ajax Orlando Prospects was an American soccer team, founded in 2002. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2006, when the team left the league ...
that featured a brace by striker Damone Priestley. The highlights in June included a free-scoring see-sawing game against
Raleigh CASL Elite which the Silverbacks emerged from as 4–3 winners, and an impressive 6–0 demolition
West Virginia Chaos
West Virginia United (formerly West Virginia Chaos and West Virginia Alliance FC) is an American soccer team based in Charleston, West Virginia. Founded in 2003, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.
Hi ...
that featured a hat trick from defender John Drummond. The Silverbacks form faded in the latter half of the season, where they managed two wins in their final seven games. A 2–2 tie away at
Nashville Metros
The Nashville Metros were an American soccer team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1989, the team most recently played in the Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the South A ...
on the final day of the season eventually left the Silverbacks 3rd in the South Atlantic Division, just out of the playoffs. Midfielder
Jyler Noviello was the top scorer, registering 7 goals on the season, while John Drummond tallied 6 assists to go with his own 5 goals.
2007 was much of the same for the Silverbacks, who continued to tally a number of impressive results. The team lost just two games all season – 4–0 to
Cary RailHawks U23's
North Carolina FC U23 is an American soccer team based in Cary, North Carolina. It was founded in 2002 as the Raleigh Elite, and the current affiliate of North Carolina FC, a third division club in the United Soccer League. The team plays in ...
in June and 2–1 away to the
Palm Beach Pumas
Palm Beach Pumas was an American soccer team based in West Palm Beach, Florida, United States. Founded in 2000, the team played in the USL Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2008, when the franc ...
in July – and were models of consistency for much of the year. In fact, the season ended with the Silverbacks on a 5-game winning streak which included a massive 8–0 hammering of
Cocoa Expos
Cocoa Expos was an American soccer team, founded in 1993. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2007, when the team left the league and the fran ...
and a 2–0 final day victory against divisional champions
Carolina Dynamo
North Carolina Fusion U-23, formerly known as Carolina Dynamo, is an American soccer team based in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.
The ...
; however, the gods were not smiling on the men from Atlanta as
Central Florida Kraze
Orlando City U-23 was an American soccer team based in Lake Mary, Florida, United States. Founded in 1998, the team played in the Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Southeast Division of the ...
's 3–0 victory over Palm Beach in their final regular season game left the Silverbacks third in the division for a second year in a row, pipped at the post to the playoff spot on goal difference. Striker
Ryan Roushandel
Ryan Massoud Roushandel (born November 11, 1985) is an American soccer player and coach.
Youth career
Roushandel started his collegiate career at Clemson University, going all the way to the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament as a redshirt freshm ...
notched an impressive 8 goals on the season, while both David Bell and Patrick Murray registered 4 assists each.
The Silverbacks entered the 2008 season with plans to emulate their big brothers, who had finished as runners-up in the 2007 USL1 playoffs; they started strongly, opening with an exciting 3–3 tie at home against
Cary RailHawks U23's
North Carolina FC U23 is an American soccer team based in Cary, North Carolina. It was founded in 2002 as the Raleigh Elite, and the current affiliate of North Carolina FC, a third division club in the United Soccer League. The team plays in ...
, and winning four of their next five games of the season, including an impressive 4–0 drubbing of the hapless
Palm Beach Pumas
Palm Beach Pumas was an American soccer team based in West Palm Beach, Florida, United States. Founded in 2000, the team played in the USL Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2008, when the franc ...
. They began June with a whopping 7–1 demolition of
Nashville Metros
The Nashville Metros were an American soccer team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1989, the team most recently played in the Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the South A ...
in which
Chad Burt scored a hat trick, but thereafter the Silverbacks suffered a dip in form. They lost three games on the trot in late June, conceding a late goal to lose 2–1 at
Carolina Dynamo
North Carolina Fusion U-23, formerly known as Carolina Dynamo, is an American soccer team based in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.
The ...
, and letting
Bradenton Academics
IMG Academy Bradenton is an American soccer team based in Bradenton, Florida, United States. Founded in 1998, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.
The team is associated with IMG Academy and the ...
score on them five times, and suddenly their playoff spot was in jeopardy. Despite winning three of their final games of the regular season, all of which were high scoring thrillers, and included a last-minute winner in the 3–2 victory over Nashville, and a 4–2 final day blowout over
Carolina Dynamo
North Carolina Fusion U-23, formerly known as Carolina Dynamo, is an American soccer team based in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.
The ...
in which Ryan Roushandel scored a hat trick, they were never quite able to make up the deficit brought on by their mid season slump, eventually finishing a close 4th in the Southeast Division, 6 point out of the playoffs. Ryan Roushandel scored 12 goals for the season, while Jeff Scannella contributed 9 assists.
Following the conclusion of the 2008 season, the team's parent organization, the senior
Atlanta Silverbacks
The Atlanta Silverbacks FC were an American professional soccer club based in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1998 as Atlanta Ruckus, the club played in many leagues over the years before folding after the 2015 season. The team played its home game ...
, announced they would be withdrawing from the 2009 USL First Division campaign in order to "assess the landscape".
As such, the Silverbacks U23's also withdrew from the PDL.
Year-by-year
Head coaches
*
Steve Muccillo (2006–2008)
Stadia
*
RE/MAX Greater Atlanta Stadium (
Silverbacks Park
Atlanta Silverbacks Park is a sports complex in unincorporated DeKalb County, just outside Atlanta, United States that is currently used primarily for soccer. It was formerly the home venue of the Atlanta Silverbacks soccer club, from which the co ...
);
Chamblee, Georgia
Chamblee ( ) is a city in northern DeKalb County, Georgia, United States, northeast of Atlanta. The population was 30,164 as of the 2020 census.
History
The area that would later become Chamblee was originally dairy farms. During the late ninet ...
(2006–2008)
Average attendance
References
External links
Atlanta Silverbacks
{{Georgia Sports
U23s
Reserve soccer teams in the United States
Defunct Premier Development League teams
Association football clubs established in 2006
Association football clubs disestablished in 2008
2006 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)
2008 disestablishments in Georgia (U.S. state)