The Carolina Lightnin' was an American soccer club based in

Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...

that was a member of the American Soccer League. The Lightnin' played home matches at

American Legion Memorial Stadium American Legion Memorial Stadium is a 10,500-seat stadium located on 7th Street in the Elizabeth community of Charlotte, North Carolina. It is located on a complex with the Grady Cole Center. Both are located next to Central Piedmont Community C ...

. 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 United Soccer League (USL), formerly known as United Soccer Leagues, is a soccer league in the United States and Canada. It organizes several men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Men's leagues currently organized are the ...

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 The Charlotte Eagles are an American professional soccer team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1991, the team plays in USL League Two, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The team plays its home games at ...

in 1993.

Honors

ASL Champions * 1981 ASL Rookie of the Year * 1981

Tony Suarez Antonio Jose "Tony" Suarez (February 2, 1956 – April 18, 2007) was a Cuban-American soccer forward. He played professionally in the American Soccer League and Major Indoor Soccer League and was the 1981 American Soccer League Rookie of the ...

ASL First Team All Star * 1981

Don Tobin Don Tobin (1 November 1955) is an English retired footballer who played in leagues including the English Football League, the League of Ireland, the American Soccer League, and Major Indoor Soccer League. Since 1995 he has coached at various l ...

Year-by-year

Coaches

Rodney Marsh Rodney William Marsh (born 11 October 1944) is an English former footballer and football coach; he later worked as a broadcaster. A forward, he won nine caps for England between 1971 and 1973, scoring one international goal. Brought up in the ...

1980–1983 * Bob Benson 1980–1983

Notable players

* Bobby Moore (1983) * Paul Child (1982) * Pat Fidelia (1982–1984) * Matt Kennedy (1983) * Stuart Lee (1983) 25 Apps 11 Goals * Scott Manning (1981–1982) * Dave Philpotts (1978–83) * Dave Pierce (1981–1983) 60 Apps Winning assist ASL Final 1981 * Mal Roche (1981) 22 Apps 8 Goals *

Derek Smethurst Derek Smethurst (born 24 October 1947, in Durban) is a retired South African soccer forward who played professionally in South Africa, England and the United States. Biography Born into a sporting family, both his father Norman and brother P ...

(1982) 6 Apps *

(1981) *

(1981–1983) 22 Apps 15 Goals * Dave Power (1981–1983) Captain * Hugh O'Neill (1981–1982) Winning goal ASL Final 1981 *

Santiago Formoso Santiago Formoso (born July 4, 1953) is an American soccer defender who spent five seasons in the North American Soccer League. He also earned seven caps with the U.S. national team in 1976 and 1977. Club career Santiago Formoso was born in ...

(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 {{NorthCarolina-footyclub-stub