Charleston Battery
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| Full name | Charleston Battery | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Battery | ||
| Founded | 1993; 22 years ago | ||
| Stadium | MUSC Health Stadium Charleston, South Carolina |
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| Capacity | 5,113 | ||
| Owner | Tony Bakker | ||
| Head Coach | Mike Anhaeuser | ||
| League | USL | ||
| 2015 | 3rd, Eastern Conference Playoffs: Conference Semifinals |
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| Website | Club home page | ||
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Charleston Battery is an American professional soccer club based in Charleston, South Carolina. Founded in 1993, the team plays in the United Soccer League and, along with the Richmond Kickers, is the oldest continuously operating professional club in the United States.
Charleston is one of the more successful lower division soccer teams in the United States, having previously won the USISL Pro League in 1996, the USL A-League in 2003, and the final season of the USL Second Division in 2010.[1] In 2012, the team won the USL Pro Championship, winning its fourth title in club history.
The club has played its home games at the soccer-specific MUSC Health Stadium in the Daniel Island section of Charleston since 1999. The team's colors are black and yellow, with a traditional red scheme for away uniforms. Since 2005, their head coach and general manager has been Mike Anhaeuser.
Contents
History
The Battery was formed in 1993 by an ownership group of local soccer enthusiasts led by Tony Bakker, a native of London who had relocated his software company Blackbaud to the Charleston area in 1989. The club hired experienced college coach and University of South Carolina graduate Tim Hankinson to develop the team, and the Battery started as a member of the USISL, which eventually evolved and came to be known as the USL in 1995. The Battery won the their first league championship in 1996 under Portuguese manager Nuno Piteira, defeating the Charlotte Eagles 3–2 in the final. In 1997 Charleston became one of the original clubs of the newly branded A-League (later the USL First Division).
In 1999 the Battery moved into what is now known as MUSC Health Stadium, becoming the first non-Major League Soccer club in the United States to build its own stadium, and forged a reputation as one of the country's most well-established lower division clubs. The Battery hired veteran English coach Alan Dicks and signed many experienced domestic players such as Paul Conway, Dan Calichman and Eric Wynalda while also bringing in notable foreign signings such as Terry Phelan and Raul Diaz Arce. In 2001 Dicks was replaced by fellow Englishman Chris Ramsey, who led Charleston to the A-League championship in 2003 with a 3-0 victory in the final over Minnesota Thunder in Charleston. Following Ramsey's departure in 2004, the club promoted longtime player and assistant coach Mike Anhaeuser to be the club's new manager.
In 2008 the Battery reached the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup final for the first time, playing against Major League Soccer team D.C. United at RFK Stadium.[2] In the final the Battery conceded an early goal but bounced back with a quick-fire equalizer through an Ian Fuller goal, assisted by Chris Williams. Later in the half Lazo Alavanja hit the post but at half time the scores were tied at 1–1. At the start of the second half Charleston conceded early again, but in the final seconds of extra time Marco Reda put the ball in the back of the net for Charleston, only to have his goal controversially disallowed as offside. D.C. United would go on to win the match 2–1. Charleston remain the most recent non-MLS club to play in the Open Cup final.
In 2010 Charleston was invited by several other USL clubs to join the breakaway league eventually known as the North American Soccer League, but the Battery chose to remain in the USL system and self-relegate to the USL Second Division, which eventually became the chief USL professional division. In their first third division season in 2010, Charleston led the league standings for the entire year and went undefeated at home. Charleston defeated the Richmond Kickers 2–1 in the final to claim the club's third league championship. Lamar Neagle was named the USL-2 league MVP and lead the league in scoring with 13 league goals.[3] Anhaeuser was named the league's manager of the year, his second time receiving the honor.[3] In 2012 the Battery won their fourth league title in club history, defeating local rivals Wilmington Hammerheads 1-0 in the final. Micheal Azira scored a 74th-minute winner after Jose Cuevas slipped a pass to him on the left side of the penalty area.
On January 23, 2014, it was announced that the Battery had signed a one-year deal to become the USL Pro affiliate of Vancouver Whitecaps FC.[4] For the 2015 season, the Battery signed a one-year deal to affiliate with the Houston Dynamo on December 22, 2014.[5]
Colors and badge
Charleston's traditional colors are yellow, black and red. The club badge is a classic shield in yellow and black featuring a pair of crossed artillery cannons (alluding to the city's naval history and prominent role in the American Civil War and American Revolution) above a depiction of a traditional-style soccer ball.
Stadiums
- Stoney Field; Charleston, South Carolina (1993–1998)
- MUSC Health Stadium (formerly Blackbaud Stadium); Daniel Island, South Carolina (1999–present)
The Battery played their first six seasons in downtown Charleston at Stoney Field, a facility they shared with various college and high school sports teams.
The club moved to MUSC Health Stadium (known until 2015 as Blackbaud Stadium) on Daniel Island in 1999. The first privately funded soccer-specific stadium built in the United States, it seats 5,100 people.[6] MUSC Health Stadium is modeled on lower level English soccer grounds and features an on-site pub called The Three Lions behind the west stand.
Club culture
The Battery's official supporters' group is 'The Regiment', who stand in section E1 with other supporters' groups including the American Outlaws-affiliated Queen Anne's Revenge and the Spanish-speaking Charleston Barra Brava.
The Battery competes for the Coffee Pot Cup every time it faces their rival team D.C. United of Major League Soccer, a trophy established by the two sides' supporters and currently held by DC. The clubs have regularly faced each other in friendlies and cup competitions, with the 2008 US Open Cup final remaining the highest profile match between the two clubs to date. Charleston are also longtime league rivals of the Richmond Kickers, DC's minor league affiliate.
The team's games are broadcast on YouTube and local radio with play-by-play from club president Andrew Bell, and commentary from former players Stephen Armstrong and Nelson Akwari.
Players and staff
Current roster
Where a player has not declared an international allegiance, nation is determined by place of birth. Squad correct as of September 24, 2015.[7]
Staff
Tony Bakker - Chairman- Andrew Bell – President/Broadcaster
Mike Anhaeuser – Head Coach/General Manager- John Wilson - Assistant Coach
- Dusty Hudock - Assistant Coach
- Bobby Weisenberger – Head Athletic Trainer
- Clark Brisson - Academy Director
Notable former players
This list includes those former players who received international caps while playing for the team, made significant contributions to the team in terms of appearances or goals, or who made significant contributions to the sport either before they played for the team, or after they left.
- See also: All-time Charleston Battery roster
Head coaches
- Tim Hankinson (1993–1994)
Nuno Piteira (1995–1999)- Alan Dicks (1999–2001)
- Chris Ramsey (2001–2004)
- Michael Anhaeuser (2004–present)
Achievements
- USL A-League
- Champions (2): 1996*, 2003
- Atlantic Division Champions (2): 1995*, 2000
- Southeast Division Champions (2): 2002, 2003
- USL Second Division
- USL Pro
- Champions (1): 2012
- US Open Cup
- Runner Up (1): 2008
- Semifinals (2): 1999, 2004
- Quarterfinals (3): 2007, 2009, 2010
- Southern Derby
- Winner (5): 2003, 2005^, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2015
as co-champions^
Record
Year-by-year
| Year | Division | League | Regular Season | Playoffs | Open Cup | Avg. Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 1 | USISL | 5th, Atlantic | Play-in Game | Did not enter | |
| 1994 | 1 | USISL | 2nd, Atlantic | Semifinals | Did not enter | |
| 1995 | 1 | USISL Pro League | 1st, Atlantic | Divisional Semifinals | Did not qualify | |
| 1996 | 3 | USISL Pro League | 2nd, South Atlantic | Champions | Did not qualify | 1,467 |
| 1997 | 2 | USISL A-League | 4th, Atlantic | Division Finals | Did not qualify | 1,737 |
| 1998 | 2 | USISL A-League | 4th, Atlantic | Conference Quarterfinals | Did not qualify | 1,896 |
| 1999 | 2 | USL A-League | 3rd, Atlantic | Conference Quarterfinals | Semifinals | 3,542 |
| 2000 | 2 | USL A-League | 1st, Atlantic | Conference Semifinals | 2nd Round | 3,485 |
| 2001 | 2 | USL A-League | 2nd, Central | 1st Round | 3rd Round | 3,083 |
| 2002 | 2 | USL A-League | 1st, Southeast | Conference Semifinals | 3rd Round | 3,320 |
| 2003 | 2 | USL A-League | 1st, Southeast | Champions | Did not qualify | 3,969 |
| 2004 | 2 | USL A-League | 8th Eastern | Did not qualify | Semifinals | 3,715 |
| 2005 | 2 | USL First Division | 9th | Did not qualify | 2nd Round | 3,649 |
| 2006 | 2 | USL First Division | 3rd | Semifinals | 4th Round | 3,628 |
| 2007 | 2 | USL First Division | 10th | Did not qualify | Quarterfinals | 3,968 |
| 2008 | 2 | USL First Division | 5th | 1st Round | Runner Up | 3,991 |
| 2009 | 2 | USL First Division | 4th | 1st round | Quarterfinals | 3,534 |
| 2010 | 3 | USL Second Division | 1st | Champions | Quarterfinals | 3,641 |
| 2011 | 3 | USL | 4th, American | Division Semifinals | 2nd Round | 3,568 |
| 2012 | 3 | USL | 3rd | Champions | 3rd Round | 3,947 |
| 2013 | 3 | USL | 3rd | Semifinals | 4th Round | 3,554 |
| 2014 | 3 | USL | 5th | Quarterfinals | 3rd Round | 3,770 |
| 2015 | 3 | USL | 3rd, Eastern | Conference Semifinals | 4th Round | 4,080 |
Record vs. International and MLS teams
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Record: W:8–D:1–L:13
Carolina Challenge Cup Record: W:5–D:9–L:20
Exhibition Record: W:5–D:2–L:7
See also
- Battery Park
- Carolina Challenge Cup
- [1] Battery stuffs Sounders, Charleston Post and Courier Article
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/aug/Charleston defeated the Richmond Kickers 2–1 to claim the championship, the third in the history of the club. 13/battery_stuffs_sounders50669/
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ http://www.charlestonbattery.com/stadium_overview.asp
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
| Preceded by | USISL Pro League (USL-2) Winner 1996 |
Succeeded by Albuquerque Geckos |
| Preceded by | USL A-League (USL-1) Champions 2003 |
Succeeded by Montreal Impact |
| Preceded by | USL Pro Champions 2012 |
Succeeded by Orlando City |
| Preceded by | Southern Derby Winner 2003 |
Succeeded by Atlanta Silverbacks |
| Preceded by
Atlanta Silverbacks
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Southern Derby Winner Co-winners with Atlanta Silverbacks 2005 |
Succeeded by Atlanta Silverbacks |
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Sports teams based in South Carolina
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- Charleston Battery
- South Carolina soccer clubs
- Association football clubs established in 1993
- United Soccer League teams
- USL Second Division teams
- Former USL First Division teams
- A-League (1995–2004) teams
- 1993 establishments in South Carolina
