The History of Atlanta Soccer

In this special mini-episode, we cover the history of Atlanta United Special Olympics Unified, a team of athletes (those with intellectual disabilities) and partners (those without intellectual disabilities) that come together to play soccer in an inclusive manner. On Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, Unified plays their first home match of the season at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Following the first team match between rivals Atlanta United and Nashville SC in Major League Soccer, the clubs' Special Olympics Unified Teams will kick off. After the final whistle of the MLS match, supporters are welcome to stay and cheer on the Unified superstars as they take the pitch. Atlanta United's Special Olympics program has been baked into the club's identity since the inception. The Unified Team played its inaugural season in 2017, just like the first team. That first year, there were 14 members and the team played two matches, one home and one away against Orlando City SC. Atlanta United director of community engagement Marissa Ahrens shares the story of how the program got started. We also hear from Unified team manager Lina Saul on what to expect at a Unified matchday and play-by-play announcer Mike Conti on his memories and observations calling Unified matches. Find out more at atlutd.com/podcast. Click here to learn more about Atlanta United Unified.

Atlanta United and Charlotte FC have a budding rivalry. But the two soccer clubs also have a lot in common. In this special bonus episode, we honor the life of Anton Walkes, an English fullback who played for both Atlanta United and Charlotte FC in the Eastern Conference during his MLS career. Tragically, Walkes passed away in 2023. A year-and-a-half after his death, we take a moment to remember him. We talk to people from both sides, Atlanta and Charlotte. Together, we share our memories and pay tribute to Walkes as a soccer player, teammate, friend, partner, and father and show how the two teams came together to honor his legacy on matchday. The History of Atlanta Soccer presented by Piedmont is an audio series from Atlanta United. Hosted by Sandy McAfee and Jason Longshore, this audio documentary dives deep into the rich, beautiful and passionate history of soccer in Atlanta, Georgia. Find out more at atlutd.com/podcast

In this special mini-episode of The History of Atlanta Soccer, presented by Piedmont, we discuss the history of the Atlanta-Charlotte rivalry which is slowly brewing since the "Queen City" club joined MLS. Ahead of their first meeting in 2024 we talked we player who knows both sides well, Atlanta United forward Daniel Ríos. Ríos signed for Charlotte FC when they joined the league in 2022, having played before for another MLS Southern rival, Nashville SC. He later went back to his hometown club Chivas Guadalajara in Mexico, before coming on loan to Atlanta United this past offseason. During his time at both Nashville and Charlotte he played against Atlanta United, and is now poised to face Charlotte for the first time since he left the club. The History of Atlanta Soccer presented by Piedmont is an audio series from Atlanta United. Hosted by Sandy McAfee and Jason Longshore, this series dives deep into the rich, beautiful, passionate history of soccer in Atlanta, Georgia.   Find out more ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://atlutd.com/podcast

It's Rivalry Week at Atlanta United! In this special mini-episode, we discuss the history of the Atlanta-Nashville rivalry ahead of their first meeting in 2024 with an MLS veteran who knows both sides well, Atlanta United midfielder Dax McCarty. McCarty previous played for Nashville SC from 2020-2023 before signing with Atlanta United this past offseason. He was also part of the club's inaugural roster that went up against Atlanta United in Nashville's MLS debut in 2020. Read more on Dax McCarty in our Behind The Stripes piece here: https://www.atlutd.com/news/behind-the-stripes/dax-mccarty The History of Atlanta Soccer presented by Piedmont is an audio series from Atlanta United. Hosted by Sandy McAfee and Jason Longshore, this series dives deep into the rich, beautiful, passionate history of soccer in Atlanta, Georgia.   Find out more ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://atlutd.com/podcast

Sandy McAfee and Jason Longshore sit down at Brewhouse Café for a LIVE episode of The History of Atlanta Soccer podcast, presented by Piedmont. April 16, 2024 marked 10 years since MLS announced that the league was expanding with a club in Atlanta. The announcement in 2014 signified Atlanta as the 22nd franchise in MLS. The club began MLS play in 2017 and won the MLS Cup in 2018. The event was a joyful celebration as we shared memories and favorite moments from the past 10 years. Special guests included former Atlanta United player and member of the 2018 MLS Cup squad Greg Garza, play-by-play announcer Mike Conti, Atlanta United communications director Chris Winkler, and members from the club's official supporter groups.

Together, we reminisce with our listeners about the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. We asked local residents to provide their stories and memories from 1996, and we've gathered them in this very special episode. We explore how soccer became an instrumental part of the city following the Olympic Games. We also cover how 1996 was the first year that women's soccer was included as a sport in the Olympics as we speak with one of the advocates who led the charge. The History of Atlanta Soccer presented by Piedmont is a narrative podcast from Atlanta United. Hosted by Sandy McAfee and Jason Longshore, this series dives deep into the rich, beautiful, passionate history of soccer in Atlanta, Georgia. To learn more, visit atlutd.com/podcast

Today's episode is a continuation of Part 2 of the Atlanta Chiefs, where we look at what brought the ending of the Chiefs franchise and how their success in DeKalb paved the way for a new team, the Georgia Generals. Subscribe and review so we can continue to reach more Atlanta soccer and history fans. The History of Atlanta Soccer, presented by Piedmont is a new audio series from Atlanta United. Hosted by Sandy McAfee and Jason Longshore, this series dives deep into the rich, beautiful, passionate history of soccer in Atlanta, Georgia.   Find out more ⁠⁠⁠http://atlutd.com/podcast

This is Part 2 of the Atlanta Chiefs. Part 1 is already available on your podcast feed. In this episode, we take a look at the revival of the Atlanta Chiefs in the 1970s when Pelé had already joined the New York Cosmos in the NASL. Former players and staff of the club share their memories of what it was like to play soccer in the United States during that time. We also look at how the Chiefs even went into Indoor Soccer, leaving a legacy that lasts until today in Atlanta, Georgia. Subscribe and review so we can continue to reach more Atlanta soccer and history fans. The History of Atlanta Soccer, presented by Piedmont is a new audio series from Atlanta United. Hosted by Sandy McAfee and Jason Longshore, this series dives deep into the rich, beautiful, passionate history of soccer in Atlanta, Georgia.   Find out more ⁠⁠http://atlutd.com/podcast

In this episode, we take a look at the Atlanta Apollos, a "one-year wonder", which picked up where the first iteration of the Atlanta Chiefs left off. We talk to those who were part of the last few months of the original Atlanta Chiefs that were successful towards the end of the 1960s, and those who moved on to be part of the Apollos organization, that only lasted one year. Listen to Atlanta Chiefs, Part 1 already on your podcast feed. Next week, we bring you Atlanta Chiefs, Part 2. Subscribe and review so we can continue to reach more Atlanta soccer and history fans. The History of Atlanta Soccer, presented by Piedmont is a new audio series from Atlanta United. Hosted by Sandy McAfee and Jason Longshore, this series dives deep into the rich, beautiful, passionate history of soccer in Atlanta, Georgia.   Find out more ⁠⁠http://atlutd.com/podcast

In this episode, we take a look at the launch, success and legacy of the original Atlanta Chiefs, the first professional soccer club in the city and the first professional sports team to win a championship for Atlanta. Former players share their memories of what it was like to play soccer in the United States during that time. We also look at how two friendly matches against English powerhouse Manchester City paved the way for the sport in the city, and how hosting Brazilian club Santos and Pelé brought Atlanta to the global stage. Listen to Atlanta Chiefs, Part 1 and wait for Part 2 coming in the next few weeks. Subscribe and review so we can continue to reach more Atlanta soccer and history fans. The History of Atlanta Soccer, presented by Piedmont is a new audio series from Atlanta United. Hosted by Sandy McAfee and Jason Longshore, this series dives deep into the rich, beautiful, passionate history of soccer in Atlanta, Georgia.   Find out more ⁠http://atlutd.com/podcast

With this bonus episode, we wanted to take a moment to honor and remember Dick Cecil. He was a pioneer of Atlanta soccer during a time when professional sports in Atlanta were forming their identities. He led the way for Atlanta soccer. Sadly, he passed away in August.  Cecil's career began in baseball, as a scout for the Atlanta Major League Baseball franchise before taking on various roles within the organization. He worked his way up to Vice President of the club.  When they decided to start a soccer club in Atlanta in 1966, Cecil jumped in to lead the effort. He recruited Phil Woosnam to coach the team. The two of them would often go on recruiting trips together to places like France, Sweden, Zambia and Ghana to scout players who would be a good fit for this new endeavor. Together, Cecil and Woosnam assembled the team that would take the field in 1967 as the Atlanta Chiefs and win the NASL title a year later. Cecil would go on to serve as President and Co-Owner of the Atlanta Chiefs in their second iteration from 1979 to 1981.  Cecil would serve many important roles in the soccer community. He acted as Chairman acted as Chairman of the National Professional Soccer League's Players Committee, founding Director of the NASL. He was a consultant to Coca-Coca USA on domestic soccer programs, director of the east coast football venues for the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee, producer of the 1986 FIF/UNICEF World All-Star Games, consultant to the 1994 World Cup USA and consultant to the 1996 Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games.   In 1997, he was inducted into the Georgia Soccer Hall of Fame.  We actually hoped to interview Dick Cecil for this project because of his role in the history of Atlanta soccer. He was on our list of what we called “the big gets,” the home run hitters. While we weren't able to interview him, he was ever-present in our interviews. His name and place in Atlanta soccer will not be forgotten – and his legacy to Atlanta soccer will remain strong.  You're listening to new audio series from Atlanta United, The History of Atlanta Soccer, presented by Piedmont. Hosted by Sandy McAfee and Jason Longshore.

Atlanta United introduces a new audio series, The History of Atlanta Soccer, presented by Piedmont. Hosted by Sandy McAfee and Jason Longshore, we kick off the podcast with The Beginnings, a two-part episode where we set the scene on what Atlanta was like during the early 1900s. In Part 2, we go through what happened during the Great Depression and how hard the South got hit by the economic crisis. We talk to historians Andy Ambrose and Patrick Sullivan who walk us through how soccer continued to grow despite the Depression and how World War II also impacted the growth of the sport in Atlanta, and we also explore how the first organized teams started to take shape. The Beginnings, is a two-part episode. Part 1 is already on your favorite podcast platform, subscribe and review so we can continue to reach more Atlanta soccer and history fans. Find out more ⁠http://atlutd.com/podcast

Atlanta United introduces a new audio series, The History of Atlanta Soccer, presented by Piedmont. Hosted by Sandy McAfee and Jason Longshore, we kick off the podcast with The Beginnings, a two-part episode where we set the scene on what Atlanta was like during the early 1900s, moving through the first two decades of the century and discussing the little pockets of soccer developing in the city. We talk to historians Andy Ambrose and Patrick Sullivan who walk us through how soccer came to Atlanta at the beginning of the century and started to grow within local companies and universities. We look at how the recruitment of British immigrants who lived in Atlanta in World War I affected the spread of soccer across Georgia, and we also explore how significant the first organized league to ever exist in Atlanta was to expand soccer's importance in the region. Listen to The Beginnings, Part 2 already on your favorite podcast platform, subscribe and review so we can continue to reach more Atlanta soccer and history fans. Find out more http://atlutd.com/podcast

Atlanta United introduces a new audio series launching in October called "The History of Atlanta Soccer."