John Wilson (soccer) facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | John Wilson | ||
| Date of birth | October 26, 1977 | ||
| Place of birth | Seneca, South Carolina, United States | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||
| Playing position | Left back, winger | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1999–2003 | Charleston Battery | 114 | (1) |
| 2000 | → Raleigh Capital Express (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2000 | → Kansas City Wizards (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2000 | → MLS Pro 40 (loan) | 9 | (0) |
| 2002 | → New England Revolution (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2004 | Rochester Raging Rhinos | 22 | (0) |
| 2005–2007 | D.C. United | 28 | (0) |
| 2008–2014 | Charleston Battery | 155 | (2) |
| Total | 333 | (3) | |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2014–2021 | Charleston Battery (assistant) | ||
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John Wilson (born October 26, 1977, in Seneca, South Carolina) is a former American professional soccer player. He spent most of his career playing as a left fullback for the Charleston Battery. Wilson played 269 games for Charleston, which is the second-highest number of appearances in the club's history.
Contents
Playing Career
College Soccer Days
John Wilson grew up in Seneca, South Carolina. He played college soccer at Clemson University. During his time with the Clemson Tigers, he played as a forward.
Wilson helped his college team win an ACC Championship. They also reached the NCAA Final Eight in 1998. In his college career, he scored 18 goals and made 35 assists.
Starting Professional Soccer
In 1999, the Kansas City Wizards drafted Wilson to play in MLS. However, he decided to stay in South Carolina. He joined the Charleston Battery, a team in the A-League.
At Charleston, Wilson changed his position to a left back. Fans voted him the best defender in his first season. In 2000, he played briefly on loan for a few teams. These included the Kansas City Wizards, who won the MLS Cup that year. He also played for Raleigh Capital Express and the MLS Pro 40 team.
Success with Charleston Battery
Wilson continued to excel with the Charleston Battery. In both 2001 and 2002, fans again voted him the team's best defensive player. He also had a short loan spell with the MLS team New England Revolution in 2002. During this time, he scored his only MLS goal.
In 2003, Wilson helped Charleston win the A-League Championship. He was also named a First Team All-League defender. In 2004, he moved to another A-League team, the Rochester Raging Rhinos.
Time with D.C. United
On May 27, 2005, Wilson signed with D.C. United, a team in Major League Soccer. He mostly played left back, but sometimes played left midfield. Wilson also played in the Copa Sudamericana for D.C. United. He appeared in two games against a Chilean team called Universidad Católica.
He also spent a lot of time with D.C. United's reserve team. He helped them win the first-ever MLS Reserve Division title.
Return to Charleston
After dealing with some injuries, D.C. United released Wilson on June 26, 2007. He then returned to the Charleston Battery before the 2008 season. Wilson played seven more seasons with the Battery. He often served as the team's captain during this time.
Wilson first announced he would retire after the 2010 season. But he changed his mind and signed a new contract with Charleston in 2011. On September 13, 2012, he announced his retirement again. However, he rejoined the team for the 2013 season. He finally retired for good after the 2014 season. The Battery's last home game of that year was a special event to celebrate Wilson's contributions to the club.
After retiring as a player, Wilson stayed with the club. He worked as an assistant coach to Mike Anhaeuser until 2021. After the 2021 season, Wilson moved to a role in the Battery's main office. He now helps lead the club's community engagement programs.
Achievements and Awards
D.C. United
- Major League Soccer Supporter's Shield (1): 2006
Charleston Battery
- A-League Champions (1): 2003
- USL Second Division Champions (1): 2010
- USL Second Division Regular Season Champions (1): 2010
- USL Pro Champions: 2012
Individual Awards
- First Team All A-League (1): 2003
See also
In Spanish: John Wilson (futbolista) para niños
