Atlanta Silverbacks FC: Difference between revisions

| image = Atlanta Silverbacks logo (2002–2013).svg

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| fullname = Atlanta Silverbacks Football Club

| nickname = Silverbacks

| dissolved = {{Start date and age|2015}}

| capacity = 5,000

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The club had 2 independent supporter groups, Westside 109 and the Atlanta Ultras. The Ultras were established in 2011 & were known to support both the Silverbacks men's and women's side. The Ultras were also to be known for their fanatical support at Silverbacks Park, as well as away matches. They had a reputation for their unfriendly or challenging attitude towards fans from opposing clubs.{{citation needed|date=February 2022}}

 

===Atlanta Ruckus (1994–1998)===

 

The Ruckus nearly failed even before it had played a game. Six weeks before the 1995 season, Chase experienced financial difficulties and failed to post the required $100,000 letter of credit with the league by the March 1 deadline. The league nearly revoked the franchise, but, South African businessman Johnny Imerman quickly stepped in and bought the team.<ref>{{cite web|first=Doug|last=Crest|url=http://www.socceramerica.com/article/15442/ruckus-given-proper-incentive.html|title=Ruckus given proper incentive|publisher=socceramerica.com|date=1 January 1995}}</ref> The Ruckus, under former [[United States men's national soccer team|U.S. national team]] coach [[Lothar Osiander]], began its competitive existence on May 5, 1995, when it defeated the [[Vancouver Whitecaps (1986–2010)|Vancouver Whitecaps]] in the first game of the newly renamed [[A-League (1995–2004)|A-League]]. The Ruckus experienced a mid-season loss of form, but the addition of several new players, including [[Justin Fashanu]], led to a resurgence. Atlanta made it to the [[1995 A-League|championship series]], only to lose to the [[Seattle Sounders (1994–2008)|Seattle Sounders]] in three games. After losing nearly $600,000 in 1995 and continuing to lose money in 1996, Imerman arranged for the league to take over team operations in June 1996.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/1996/08/7/Franchises/FRANCHISE-NOTES.aspx?hl=new&sc=0|title=FRANCHISE NOTES|publisher=sportsbusinessdaily.com|date=7 August 1996}}</ref> In August 1996, Vincent Lu purchased the franchise. In June 1998, the league suspended the team after Lu refused to sign a renewed franchise agreement with the league.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.socceramerica.com/article/18899/a-league-league-takes-over-operation-of-atlanta-r.html|title=SoccerAmerica&nbsp;– A-League: League takes over operation of Atlanta Ruckus 06/18/1998|publisher=socceramerica.com|date=18 June 1998}}</ref> The A-League continued to operate the team, now known as the '''A-League Atlanta'''. At the time [[Umbro]] had a promotional contract with the A-League and it contacted a local Atlanta law firm, [[Alston & Bird]], about the possibility of litigation against the league and Lu. However, this contact resulted in Alston & Bird lawyer John Latham purchasing the team along with his friend Bobby Glustrom.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.emory.edu/EMORY_MAGAZINE/issues/2011/summer/features/soccer.html|title=Kicking Grass|publisher=emory.edu|date=2011}}</ref> In September 1998, Latham and Glustrom hired [[Mike Balson]] as general manager. Balson then hired 1996 USISL Coach of the Year [[Nuno Piteira]] as head coach.

In a September 1998 press conference at [[Zoo Atlanta]], the two partners also announced the team would be known as the '''Atlanta Silverbacks''' in honor of [[Willie B.]], a silverback gorilla who was a star attraction at the zoo. The team also moved to [[James R. Hallford Stadium|DeKalb Memorial Stadium]] for the 1999 season. From at least 1999 to at least 2001, the Silverbacks were affiliated with the [[Dallas Burn]] of [[Major League Soccer]]. In January 2000, David Cormack joined Latham and Glustrom as owners of the Silverbacks, but left in September to become the Chief Executive of [[Aberdeen F.C.]] In 2000, Atlanta and [[Nashville Metros|Tennessee Rhythm]] began an annual competition for the Willie B. Cup.<ref>[http://www.thecitizen.com/archive/main/archive-000809/sports/sp-03.html Silverbacks win first ever Willie B. Cup] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501083610/http://www.thecitizen.com/archive/main/archive-000809/sports/sp-03.html |date=May 1, 2008 }}</ref> Between 2000 and 2007, when the cup was discontinued, the Silverbacks won it four times.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://a-leaguearchive.tripod.com/champs.htm|title=USL First Division Champions|publisher=tripod.com}}</ref> Despite the new ownership group, coach and stadium, the Silverbacks continued to struggle on the field. From 1996 through 2001, the team went through seven coaches and missed the playoffs six consecutive seasons. In 2002, the Silverbacks, under head coach Brett Mosen, made the playoffs and went to the third round of the [[Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup]]. In 2003, Atlanta began another string of poor seasons, failing to make the playoffs for four seasons. Finally in 2007, for the first time since its inaugural season in 1995, Atlanta made it to the league championship, falling to the Seattle Sounders.

 

 

 

 

At the [[2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup]], the Silverbacks defeated MLS teams [[Real Salt Lake]] and [[Colorado Rapids]] to reach quarterfinals, where they lost to [[Chicago Fire Soccer Club|Chicago Fire]].

* {{flagicon|USA}} [[Pablo Cruz (soccer)|Pablo Cruz]]

* {{flagicon|USA}} [[Mark Bloom]]

* {{flagicon|SLV}} [[Junior Burgos]]

* {{flagicon|USA}} [[Jeff Cassar]]

* {{flagicon|USA}} [[Nico Colaluca]]

* {{flagicon|JAM}} [[Fabian Dawkins]]

* {{flagicon|USA}} [[John Doyle (soccer, born 1966)|John Doyle]]

* {{flagicon|ENG}} [[Justin Fashanu]]

* {{flagicon|BLZ}} [[Deon McCaulay]]

* {{flagicon|USA}} [[Daryl Sattler]]

{{div col end}}

*''See also [[All-time Atlanta Silverbacks roster]]''

 

*'''[[North American Soccer League (2011–2017)|North American Soccer League]]'''

*'''[[A-League (1995–2004)|A-League]]'''

**'''Runner-up (Playoffs)''' (1): 1995

!Playoffs

!Open Cup

|-

!colspan="7"|Atlanta Ruckus

|[[1996 A-League|A-League]]

|7th (3–19)

|4,315

|-

|[[1997 A-League|USISL A-League]]

|7th, Central (12–16)

|2,406

|-

|[[1998 A-League|USISL A-League]]

|6th, Atlantic (7–21)

|923

|-

|[[1999 A-League|USL A-League]]

|5th, Atlantic (15–13)

|2,703

|-

|[[2000 A-League|USL A-League]]

|6th, Atlantic (11–14–3)

|3,327

|-

|5th, Central (13–12–1)

|1st Round

|1,094

|-

|[[2003 A-League|USL A-League]]

|5th, Southeast (4–17–7)

|[[2003 U.S. Open Cup|3rd Round]]

|1,200

|[[2004 A-League|USL A-League]]

|5th, Eastern (14–11–3)

|[[2004 U.S. Open Cup|4th Round]]

|1,662

|[[2005 United Soccer Leagues|USL First Division]]

|8th (10–15–3)

|[[2005 U.S. Open Cup|3rd Round]]

|1,724

|[[2006 United Soccer Leagues|USL First Division]]

|8th (10–13–5)

|[[2006 U.S. Open Cup|3rd Round]]

|2,298

|[[2008 United Soccer Leagues|USL First Division]]

|9th (8–12–10)

|[[2008 U.S. Open Cup|2nd Round]]

|2,281

|[[2011 North American Soccer League season|NASL]]

|8th (4–20–4)

|''Denied entry''

|2,866

|[[2012 North American Soccer League season|NASL]]

|7th (7–12–9)

|[[2012 U.S. Open Cup|3rd Round]]

|4,505

|8th&nbsp;– Spring (3–5–1)<br />

10th&nbsp;– Fall (3–11–4)

|[[2014 U.S. Open Cup|Quarterfinals]]

|4,053

|11th&nbsp;– Spring (1–4–5)<br />

6th&nbsp;– Fall (6–7–7)

|[[2015 U.S. Open Cup|4th Round]]

|4,024

{{s-start}}

{{succession box | before = [[Charlotte Eagles]] | title = [[Southern Derby]] Winner | years = 2002| after = [[Charleston Battery]]}}

{{succession box | before = Atlanta Silverbacks | title = Southern Derby Winner | years = 2006| after = Carolina RailHawks FC}}

{{s-end}}

{{USSoccer}}

 

[[Category:Soccer clubs in Atlanta|S]]

[[Category:Association football clubs established in 1998]]

[[Category:A-League (1995–2004) teams]]

[[Category:Soccer clubs in Georgia (U.S. state)]]