Nashville Metros are an American soccer team, founded in 1989. The team is a member of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League (PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, and plays in the Southeast Division of the Southern Conference against teams from Atlanta, Bradenton, Cary, Cocoa, Greensboro, Orlando, and West Palm Beach.
The Metros were founded by Lynn Agee and Devinder Sandhu and are currently the longest continuously owned and operated soccer club in the United Soccer Leagues along with the El Paso Patriots. They began play in the Sunbelt Independent Soccer League (indoor) in 1990 but, due to a lack of indoor facilities, the Metros played their entire first season on the road, before finding facilities in Smyrna. The Metros continued to play indoors until 1996, but only managed to win six matches in six seasons. They played outdoors in the USL Premier League during much of the same period, with significantly better results.
The Metros then moved to the A-League second division in 1997, and began concentrating more specifically on outdoor soccer. They made their first U.S. Open Cup appearance in 1998, but were forced to reorganize in 1999 due to financial circumstances. The side became the Tennessee Rhythm and moved from Nashville to Franklin, but returned back to their original venue in 2001, reverting to their original name at the same time. In 2002 the Metros moved down from the A-League to the PDL, mainly due to their ground’s substandard facilities, such as the lack of a press box.
The Metros play their home games atSoccer-specific stadium (SSS) is a term used mainly in the United States and Canada. It was coined by Lamar Hunt to refer to a sports stadium whose primary (but not only) purpose is to host soccer matches. An SSS may host other events such as other sporting events (mostly lacrosse and gridiron football), drum and bugle corps competitions, and concerts, but the design and purpose of an SSS is centered on soccer.
Still, these facilities often face criticism from fans in that they tend to be optimized for staging concerts, often resulting in one section of the stadium behind a goal having very few seats, if any. Instead, a berm or other feature is created where concert stages could be placed without destroying the main field.[citation needed]
A SSS typically has amenities, dimensions and scale suitable for soccer in the United States, including a scoreboard, video screen, luxury suites and possibly even a roof. The field dimensions are within the range found optimal by FIFA — 110-120 yards (100-110m) long by 70-80 yards (64-75m) wide,[1] wider than the regulation American football field width of 53⅓ yards. Lastly, the seating capacity is generally small enough to provide an intimate setting, between 18,000 - 30,000 for a Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise, or between 5,000 - ~15,000 for a franchise in the United Soccer Leagues (whose attendance is subject to more variation), as opposed to the gigantic American football stadiums in which most MLS teams were compelled to play at the league's inception. The seating capacity for USL Premier Development League fields ranges from 1,000-5,000.
The first large SSS in Canada will be BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario. The original Toronto stadium plan was centered on grounds at York University that would have been used by the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts and an MLS team. That stadium would have been 65 yards wide, in accordance with Canadian football standards, and would have had one set of end zone seats mounted on a track so they could be moved: back, to make room for the 150 yard length of the Canadian football field (including the end zones); and forth, to provide an intimate setting for soccer. However, the York University plan was shelved. Plans for movable stands were then scrapped, meaning that BMO Field will be soccer-only when it is completed on the grounds of Exhibition Place.
The term "football-specific stadium" is sometimes used in countries where the sport is known as football, although not so much so in countries where football is the dominant sport and thus football-specific stadia are quite common. The term tends to have a slightly different meaning in these countries, usually referring to a stadium without an athletic track.
Soccer-specific stadium (SSS) is a term used mainly in the United States and Canada. It was coined by Lamar Hunt to refer to a sports stadium whose primary (but not only) purpose is to host soccer matches. An SSS may host other events such as other sporting events (mostly lacrosse and gridiron football), drum and bugle corps competitions, and concerts, but the design and purpose of an SSS is centered on soccer.
Still, these facilities often face criticism from fans in that they tend to be optimized for staging concerts, often resulting in one section of the stadium behind a goal having very few seats, if any. Instead, a berm or other feature is created where concert stages could be placed without destroying the main field.[citation needed]
A SSS typically has amenities, dimensions and scale suitable for soccer in the United States, including a scoreboard, video screen, luxury suites and possibly even a roof. The field dimensions are within the range found optimal by FIFA — 110-120 yards (100-110m) long by 70-80 yards (64-75m) wide,[1] wider than the regulation American football field width of 53⅓ yards. Lastly, the seating capacity is generally small enough to provide an intimate setting, between 18,000 - 30,000 for a Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise, or between 5,000 - ~15,000 for a franchise in the United Soccer Leagues (whose attendance is subject to more variation), as opposed to the gigantic American football stadiums in which most MLS teams were compelled to play at the league's inception. The seating capacity for USL Premier Development League fields ranges from 1,000-5,000.
The first large SSS in Canada will be BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario. The original Toronto stadium plan was centered on grounds at York University that would have been used by the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts and an MLS team. That stadium would have been 65 yards wide, in accordance with Canadian football standards, and would have had one set of end zone seats mounted on a track so they could be moved: back, to make room for the 150 yard length of the Canadian football field (including the end zones); and forth, to provide an intimate setting for soccer. However, the York University plan was shelved. Plans for movable stands were then scrapped, meaning that BMO Field will be soccer-only when it is completed on the grounds of Exhibition Place.
The term "football-specific stadium" is sometimes used in countries where the sport is known as football, although not so much so in countries where football is the dominant sport and thus football-specific stadia are quite common. The term tends to have a slightly different meaning in these countries, usually referring to a stadium without an athletic track.
Ezell Park in Nashville, Tennessee, which became their permanent home in 1997 after years of using high school and municipal stadia in Nashville and Franklin. The team's colors are blue and white.
Current squad As of January 25, 2007
No. Position Player
0 Flag of United States GK Chris Creger
2 Flag of United States FW Brian Lowder
3 Flag of England DF Lee Grant
4 Flag of United States MF Danny Devall
5 Flag of Argentina MF Alejandro Lapalma
6 Flag of United States DF Yaco Gilbert
7 Flag of United States MF Daniel Kelly
8 Flag of England MF Richard Askey
9 Flag of United States FW Xander Vooys
10 Flag of United States MF Mark Photivihok
11 Flag of United States DF Dustin Dawes
12 Flag of United States MF Daniel Payne
13 Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina FW Igor Stjepic
14 Flag of United States MF Ben Buerger
15 Flag of United States FW Jeff Boynton
16 Flag of United States DF Steven Alexander
No. Position Player
17 Flag of Ghana MF Jomo Cromwell
18 Flag of England MF Sean Goulding
19 Flag of United States MF Joey German
20 Flag of United States FW Andrew Ducker
21 Flag of United States MF Alex Sheikh
22 Flag of Turkey FW Turan Cengiz
23 Flag of Turkey FW Volkon Cengiz
24 Flag of United States DF T.J. McCallum
25 Flag of United States DF Fritz Seilbea
26 Flag of United States MF Fynn Glover
27 Flag of United States DF Jason Bristol
31 Flag of Finland FW Pasi Kinturi
32 Flag of United States MF Jared Peeler
35 Flag of United States MF Alex Lorenz
37 Flag of Honduras DF Erick Montalvan
[edit] Year-by-year
Year Division League Reg. Season Playoffs Open Cup
1990/91 N/A SISL Indoor 9th, Southeast Did not qualify N/A
1991 N/A SISL 4th, Southeast Did not qualify Did not enter
1991/92 N/A USISL Indoor 4th, Southeast Did not qualify N/A
1992 N/A USISL 5th, Southeast Did not qualify Did not enter
1992/93 N/A USISL Indoor 4th, Southeast Playoffs N/A
1993 N/A USISL 6th, Southeast Did not qualify Did not enter
1993/94 N/A USISL Indoor 6th, Southeast Did not qualify N/A
1994 3 USISL 5th, Midsouth Divisional Semifinals Did not enter
1994/95 N/A USISL Indoor 4th, Mid-South Did not qualify N/A
1995 "4" USISL Premier 3rd, Eastern Divisional Semifinals Did not qualify
1995/96 N/A USISL Indoor 7th, Southeast Did not qualify N/A
1996 "4" USISL Premier 4th, Eastern Northern Division Finals Did not qualify
1997 2 USISL A-League 2nd, Central Division Semifinals Did not qualify
1998 2 USISL A-League 1st, Central Conference Quarterfinals Quarterfinals
1999 2 USL A-League 6th, Central Did not qualify Did not qualify
2000 2 USL A-League 5th, Central Did not qualify 2nd Round
2001 2 USL A-League 4th, Central 1st Round 2nd Round
2002 "4" USL PDL 4th, Mid South 1st Round Did not qualify
2003 "4" USL PDL 3rd, Mid South Did not qualify 3rd Round
2004 "4" USL PDL 4th, Mid South Conference Semifinals Did not qualify
2005 "4" USL PDL 5th, Mid South Did not qualify Did not qualify
2006 "4" USL PDL 5th, South Atlantic Did not qualify Did not qualify
Notable former players
* Jon Busch
* Steve Klein
* Andy Metcalf
* Richard Mulrooney
* Daryl Sattler
Coaches
* Brett Mosen, 1999-2000
* Andy Poklad, 2001-2004
* Obed Compean, 2005-2006
* Rico Laise, 2007-
Ezell Park
Soccer-specific stadium (SSS) is a term used mainly in the United States and Canada. It was coined by Lamar Hunt to refer to a sports stadium whose primary (but not only) purpose is to host soccer matches. An SSS may host other events such as other sporting events (mostly lacrosse and gridiron football), drum and bugle corps competitions, and concerts, but the design and purpose of an SSS is centered on soccer.
Still, these facilities often face criticism from fans in that they tend to be optimized for staging concerts, often resulting in one section of the stadium behind a goal having very few seats, if any. Instead, a berm or other feature is created where concert stages could be placed without destroying the main field.[citation needed]
A SSS typically has amenities, dimensions and scale suitable for soccer in the United States, including a scoreboard, video screen, luxury suites and possibly even a roof. The field dimensions are within the range found optimal by FIFA — 110-120 yards (100-110m) long by 70-80 yards (64-75m) wide,[1] wider than the regulation American football field width of 53⅓ yards. Lastly, the seating capacity is generally small enough to provide an intimate setting, between 18,000 - 30,000 for a Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise, or between 5,000 - ~15,000 for a franchise in the United Soccer Leagues (whose attendance is subject to more variation), as opposed to the gigantic American football stadiums in which most MLS teams were compelled to play at the league's inception. The seating capacity for USL Premier Development League fields ranges from 1,000-5,000.
The first large SSS in Canada will be BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario. The original Toronto stadium plan was centered on grounds at York University that would have been used by the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts and an MLS team. That stadium would have been 65 yards wide, in accordance with Canadian football standards, and would have had one set of end zone seats mounted on a track so they could be moved: back, to make room for the 150 yard length of the Canadian football field (including the end zones); and forth, to provide an intimate setting for soccer. However, the York University plan was shelved. Plans for movable stands were then scrapped, meaning that BMO Field will be soccer-only when it is completed on the grounds of Exhibition Place.
The term "football-specific stadium" is sometimes used in countries where the sport is known as football, although not so much so in countries where football is the dominant sport and thus football-specific stadia are quite common. The term tends to have a slightly different meaning in these countries, usually referring to a stadium without an athletic track.