Carolina Lightnin'

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. 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