American Soccer League (1972-1974)
Tombstone
Born: 1972 – ASL expansion franchise
Folded: Postseason 1974
First Game:
Last Game:
ASL Championships: None
Stadia
Marketing
Team Colors:
Ownership
Owners: Bud Cleaver, Al Barrish, et al.
Background
The Delaware Wings were a lower-division pro soccer outfit that played seasons in the obscure American Soccer League from 1972 to 1974. During the Wings’ debut season in 1972, the club shuttled between several high school fields in Wilmington and Milford, Delaware. In 1973, the team moved into city-owned Baynard Stadium in Wilmington and made that their home base for the remainder of their existence.
Team owner Bud Cleaver was a local soccer enthusiast whose son, Walt Cleaver Jr., played fullback for the Wings in 1972.
The Wings’ finest hour was likely an August 16th, 1972 exhibition match against the U.S. Olympic Team at Brandywine High School. It was the Olympians’ final tune-up before departing for the 1972 summer games in Munich, Germany. An announced congregation of 2,200 – several times larger than typical Wings’ crowds – showed up for the match, which the Wings lost 2-1. Delaware’s standout goalkeeper Bill Nuttall kept the locals in the match despite the Olympians outshooting the Wings 38-10. Nuttall later went on to play several seasons in the first division North American Soccer League.
Demise & Aftermath
After a grim 1974 campaign that saw the Wings finish 2-14-2 and average just 407 fans per match, owner Bud Cleaver took a one-year leave of absence from the American Soccer League.
The Wings never re-activated their league membership. But Cleaver continued to operate a youth camp under the Wings name and re-formed the team sporadically in the mid-1970’s for one-off exhibition matches at Baynard Stadium. As late as August 1977, a Cleaver-coached Wings squad hosted the U.S. Olympians at Baynard.
The American Soccer League folded in early 1984.
Delaware Wings Shop
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The Great(er) Delaware Sports Book
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Downloads
6-24-1972 Delaware Wings @ Boston Astros Roster
6-24-1972 Delaware Wings Roster
Links
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