Charleston Battery is an American professional soccer club based in Charleston, South Carolina, and member of the USL Championship. Founded in 1993, the Battery are the oldest continuously operating professional soccer club in the United States.
Charleston are one of the more successful lower-division soccer clubs in the United States, having won four league titles. The Battery won the USISL Pro League in 1996, the USL A-League in 2003, the USL Second Division in 2010 (where they also won the regular season title),[2] and the USL Championship in 2012. They were also crowned the USL Championship Eastern Conference champions and league finalists in 2023. Charleston are also the most successful club in the history of the supporter-led Southern Derby competition with 10 first-place finishes.
Charleston Battery currently play at Patriots Point Soccer Complex in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Previously, the club played its home games at the soccer-specificMUSC Health Stadium in the Daniel Island section of Charleston from 1999 to 2019. The team's colors are black and yellow, with a traditional red scheme for away uniforms. From 2004 through the 2021 season, their head coach and general manager was Mike Anhaeuser.[4]
History
Charleston 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 Battery started as a member of the USISL, which eventually evolved and came to be known as the USL in 1995. The Battery won 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 Charleston Battery moved into what is now known as MUSC Health Stadium, becoming the first non-Major League Soccer professional 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 Raúl Díaz 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 coach.
In 2008 Charleston 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.[5] 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 celebrates winning the league title in 2012.
In 2010 Charleston was invited by several other USL clubs to join the breakaway league eventually known as the North American Soccer League, but 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.[6] Anhaeuser was named the league's coach of the year, his second time receiving the honor.[6] In 2012 Charleston 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.
In recent years Charleston Battery have had loan affiliations with several Major League Soccer clubs, beginning with a one-year deal to become the USL Pro affiliate of Vancouver Whitecaps FC in 2014.[7] For the 2015 season, Battery signed a one-year deal to affiliate with the Houston Dynamo.[8] On January 15, 2016, it was announced that the club would be partnering with the Atlanta United FC for the 2016 MLS season prior to Atlanta's entry to MLS in 2017.
In February 2016, it was announced that longtime majority owner Tony Bakker had sold the club to B Sports Entertainment, an investment group led by local tech executives. Club president Andrew Bell and coach Mike Anhaeuser remained in charge of team operations after the ownership transition. In early 2018 it was announced that Bell would be leaving the club to take over operations of an announced USL expansion club in Memphis, Tennessee, ending a two-decade career in the Charleston front office. Bell was replaced by club operations officer Mike Kelleher.
In October 2019, it was announced that B Sports Entertainment had sold the club to Rob Salvatore of HCFC, LLC with a move to Patriots Point Soccer Complex in Mount Pleasant.[9]
At the conclusion of the 2021 season, the Battery announced on November 1, 2021, that the club and Mike Anhaeuser had parted ways. Anhaeuser joined the Charleston Battery as a player in 1994, and switched into a coaching role in 1999. In 2004, he was named head coach of the club and led Charleston Battery to a U.S. Open Cup Final appearance in 2008 as well as two USL Championships in 2010 and 2012.[4]
On December 20, 2021, Battery announced that they had hired Conor Casey as head coach.[10] However, on October 12, 2022, with one match remaining in the season and the Battery near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, the club and Casey opted to part ways by mutual agreement.[11] Assistant coach Dennis Sanchez was named interim head coach while a search for a permanent replacement began.
On November 17, 2022, Battery announced that they had hired Memphis 901 FC head coach Ben Pirmann for the same position in Charleston.[12] Pirmann was named the 2022 USL Championship Coach of the Year after leading Memphis to a 2nd-place finish in the Eastern Conference and a spot in the conference semifinals.
In 2023, the Battery bounced back with the best turnaround campaign in USL Championship history,[13] amassing a 17-9-8 record in the regular season to finish third in the conference, a 34-point improvement from 2022. Charleston won a league-best 29 points away from home and tied for the most road wins (eight), along with winning 16 points from losing positions (sixth-most in the league). The Battery advanced to the 2023 USL Championship Final after defeating Indy, Birmingham and Louisville in the earlier rounds to claim the Eastern Conference title, the club's first trophy since 2012. Charleston were narrow runners-up in the Final to Phoenix Rising FC at home. The season was highlighted by the break-out campaigns of Fidel Barajas, Nick Markanich, Derek Dodson, Dante Polvara and Trey Muse, and Augustine Williams was the top scorer for a second consecutive year. Barajas matched the single-season assists record with 11, became the club's youngest all-time goalscorer, and was named the USL Championship Young Player of the Year and All-League Second Team. Pirmann was named a finalist for Coach of the Year.
Barajas and Muse were sold to MLS sides Real Salt Lake and Portland Timbers, respectively, in the following offseason prior to the 2024 campaign.[14]
Colors and badge
Charleston's traditional colors are yellow, black and red. In Charleston Battery's first few seasons, the home kit was typically black and white with a red accent. Beginning in 1997 the club began using black with yellow stripes, which has remained in use as the home jersey ever since. The Charleston away kit has typically been a combination of red, white and black, though for the 2017 season the away kit is either the 25 Anniversary black and silver combination, or white and black.
The club badge remained the same iconic logo from 1993 through the 2019 season, other than minor adjustments in color, resolution and the addition of four stars representing each of the team's league championships. It is a classic shield in the club's signature yellow and black stripes, featuring a pair of crossed artillery cannons (alluding to the city's naval history and current presence) above a depiction of a football ball.
In December 2019, the club unveiled the new branding for 2020 and moving forward. Matthew Wolff, who has designed a number of logos for soccer clubs around the world, was instrumental in working with Battery ownership to create a modern representation of Charleston's crest.[15] The new logo featured crossed cannons on a black circle, with the iconic crescent shape, with Charleston emblazoned across the top and 1993, the year the club was established at the bottom.
Charleston 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 (previously known as Blackbaud Stadium) in the suburban Daniel Island area in 1999. The first privately funded soccer-specific stadium built in the United States, it seats 5,100 people.[17] MUSC Health Stadium is modeled on lower level English soccer stadiums and features an on-site pub called The Three Lions behind the west stand. The stadium site also features a training field and club offices.
In 2016, the ownership built the second-largest video board in the Southeast. MUSC Health Stadium's jumbotron is 3,000 square feet. When comparing the square footage to stadium seats ratio, the video board is the largest in the world.
Additionally, the complex includes sky boxes, a plaza for corporate entertaining, and state-of-the-art media capabilities, making it one of the premier professional soccer venues in the U.S.
In 2019, under new ownership led by Rob Salvatore, the club announced that Charleston Battery would move off Daniel Island to Patriots Point in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.[16] The current stadium complex is home to the College of Charleston soccer, baseball and softball teams. Situated off the Ravenel Bridge in Mt. Pleasant, Battery's new stadium is back in the heart of Charleston. Patriots Point sits a short drive from all corners of the Holy City and minutes from the best bars, restaurants and attractions the city has to offer.
After extensive renovations and expansion in early 2020, Patriots Point opened to limited fans during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. The stadium held its grand opening during the 2021 season as fans 'packed the Point' to cheer on the Black and Yellow.[18] The ownership group has continued to expand developments at Patriots Point, with the introduction of premium seating options via shipping containers transformed into suite-like boxes with multiple levels. The stadium currently holds three "suite boxes" that fans can rent out for matches.[19]
Club culture
The independent supporters' group is The Regiment,[20] who stand in Supporters Section directly behind the north goal of the stadium, along with other supporters' groups including the American Outlaws-affiliated Queen Anne's Revenge and the Spanish-speaking Charleston Barra Brava.
Charleston 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.
The supporters' groups compete with supporters of the Charlotte Independence, Jacks Militia[21] in the Southern Derby Cup, which Charleston Battery had won a record nine times.
The supporters' groups compete with supporters of the Tampa Bay Rowdies, Ralph's Mob and the Skyway Casuals, in the No Quarter Derby.[22]
Halfway through the 2021 season, the club introduced a cannon in the stadium to fire off after each Battery goal and at the start and end of matches.
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.
This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by Charleston Battery. For the full season-by-season history, see List of Charleston Battery seasons.
^1. Avg. attendance include statistics from league matches only. ^2. Top goalscorer(s) includes all goals scored in league play, playoffs, U.S. Open Cup, and other competitive matches.
MUSC Health Stadium was a soccer-specific stadium located in the Daniel Island area of Charleston, South Carolina that served as the home of the Charleston Battery of the USL Championship.
Wilmington Hammerheads FC was a semi-professional American soccer team based in Wilmington, North Carolina. Founded in 1996, the team last competed in the Premier Development League, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid in 2017.
The Carolina Challenge Cup, officially the Breeze Airways™ Carolina Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a four-team round robin pre-season competition hosted by the Charleston Battery. It was started in 2004 and features teams from Major League Soccer and the United Soccer Leagues. The Columbus Crew edged out D.C. United on goal differential to win the 2004 competition, while the San Jose Earthquakes won the 2005 competition. San Jose's second iteration, the Houston Dynamo, won the 2006 and 2007 versions. The San Jose Earthquakes again won the tournament on their return to the MLS in 2008 while Real Salt Lake claimed the title in their debut in 2009.
John Wilson is an American former professional soccer player who spent the majority of his career with the Charleston Battery, playing mostly as a left fullback. Wilson finished his career with 269 appearances for Charleston, second only to Dusty Hudock in club history.
The Southern Derby is a fan-based U.S. professional soccer cup competition between USL Championship (USLC) teams based in the South-Atlantic region of the United States. It was founded in 2000. The Southern Derby trophy is currently held by the Charleston Battery.
North Carolina FC is an American professional soccer team in Cary, North Carolina, a suburb of Raleigh, and member of the USL Championship. Founded in 2006, the team previously was named the Carolina Railhawks.
The 2006 Season was the 20th edition of the United Soccer Leagues season.
David "Dusty" Hudock is an American former professional soccer player who played as a goalkeeper. Hudock began his career in the APSL, playing primarily for the Seattle Sounders, before moving to the Charleston Battery of the A-League and USL First Division.
The 2004 Carolina Challenge Cup was the first staging of the Carolina Challenge Cup, a preseason soccer tournament co-hosted by USL A-League side, Charleston Battery and USL Pro Soccer League club Wilmington Hammerheads. Held from March 20–March 28, the Cup featured two Major League Soccer clubs, one USL Pro Soccer League club, and one USL A-League club.
Michael Anhaeuser is a former American soccer player and coach. He has spent his entire professional playing career with the Charleston Battery, playing five seasons for the club as a midfielder before moving into the coaching staff.
The 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was the 96th edition of the USSF's annual national soccer championship, running from June through early September.
The 2009 season is the 23rd season played by the United Soccer Leagues. Season titles will be contested by 20 professional men's clubs in the USL First Division and USL Second Division, as well as 37 professional and amateur women's clubs in the W-League and 68 professional and amateur men's teams in the USL Premier Development League.
The 2010 Charleston Battery season was the club's seventeenth year of professional soccer. The team played in the USL Second Division (USL-2), the third tier of the American soccer pyramid, having voluntarily self-relegated from the USL First Division at the end of the 2009 season. Charleston played its home games at Blackbaud Stadium on Daniel Island. The team was coached by Michael Anhaeuser, in his sixth year as head coach, and was assisted by former Battery player Ian Fuller. The Battery finished the regular season in first place with a record of 11–4–5, 38 points, and hosted the USL-2 championship match at Blackbaud Stadium on August 28, 2010. Charleston finished the regular season without a home defeat. The Battery defeated the Richmond Kickers 2–1 to win their third league title. Lamar Neagle led the USL-2 in scoring with 13 league goals and was named the league MVP. Battery manager Mike Anhaeuser was named the league's manager of the year.
The USL Championship (USLC) is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began play in 2011. The USL is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) as a Division II league since 2017, placing it under Major League Soccer in the hierarchy. The USL is headquartered in Tampa, Florida.
The 2012 Carolina Challenge Cup was the ninth staging of the Carolina Challenge Cup, a preseason soccer tournament hosted by USL Pro side, Charleston Battery. Held from February 25–March 3, the Cup featured three Major League Soccer clubs and one USL PRO club.
Charlotte Independence is an American soccer team based in Charlotte, North Carolina that plays in the USL League One, the third tier of the American soccer pyramid.
Augustine "Augi" Williams is a Sierra Leonean professional footballer who plays as a forward for USL Championship club Indy Eleven and the Sierra Leone national team.
The 2017 Carolina Challenge Cup was the 13th edition of the Carolina Challenge Cup, an annual soccer tournament held in South Carolina by the Charleston Battery. The tournament ran from February 18 to 25, with all matches played at MUSC Health Stadium in Charleston, South Carolina.
Ben Pirmann is an American soccer coach who is the head coach of USL Championship club Charleston Battery.
The 2024 Charleston Battery season is the club's 34th year of existence and their 21st season in the second tier of the United States soccer league system. It was their fourteenth season in the USL Championship (USLC) as part of the Eastern Conference.
↑ Staff, Charleston Battery (December 13, 2019). "Battery Unveil New Branding, New Logo". Charleston Battery | South Carolina's Premier Pro Soccer Club. Archived from the original on November 4, 2021. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
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