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 when the Charlotte Eagles elevated to the USISL in 1993.

Honors
ASL Champions
 * 1981

ASL Rookie of the Year
 * 1981 Tony Suarez

ASL First Team All Star
 * 1981 Don Tobin, Tony Suarez

Coaches

 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Rodney Marsh 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 (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)