Franco Paonessa is a retired Italian-American professional soccer player who has played in the second and third American Soccer Leagues, United Soccer League, American Indoor Soccer Association and USISL.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | October 24, 1959 | ||
| Place of birth | Italy | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| Fulton–Montgomery Raiders | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1982 | Rochester Flash | ||
| 1984 | New York Nationals | ||
| 1987–1988 | Albany Capitals | ||
| 1989 | New Jersey Eagles | ||
| 1988–1989 | Memphis Storm (indoor) | ||
| 1990–1991 | New York Kick (indoor) | ||
| 1992 | Greek American AA | ||
| 1992–1993 | Canton Invaders (indoor) | 8 | (1) |
| 1996 | New Jersey Stallions | ||
| International career | |||
| 1992 | Puerto Rico | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Paonessa was a junior college All American soccer player at Fulton–Montgomery Community College. In 1982, he signed with the Rochester Flash of the second American Soccer League where he earned Rookie of the Year honors.[1] In 1984, he played for the New York Nationals of the United Soccer League.[2] In 1987, Paonessa joined the Albany Capitals as they played an independent schedule. In 1988, the Capitals joined the third American Soccer League. In 1989, the Capitals did not offer Paonessa a contract and he moved to the New Jersey Eagles.[3] He also played for the Memphis Storm of the American Indoor Soccer League[4] In December 1990, the New York Kick of the National Professional Soccer League signed Paonessa who had been painting houses.[5] He remained with the Kick through the 1990-1991 season. He then played for the Greek American AA of the Cosmopolitan Soccer League.[6] In the fall of 1992, he signed with the Canton Invaders of the NPSL.[7] He then played for the New Jersey Stallions of the USISL. Paonessa has continued to play amateur soccer with U.S. Parma.[8]
International
editPaonessa competed for the Puerto Rico national football team during Puerto Rico's qualification games for the 1994 FIFA World Cup.[9]
Yearly Awards
edit- 1982 ASL Rookie of the Year
References
edit- ^ "The Year in American Soccer - 1982". Archived from the original on 2015-11-28. Retrieved 2009-11-21.
- ^ EJECTION, INJURY DOOM SUN IN 1-0 LOSS Miami Herald, The (FL) - Sunday, June 3, 1984
- ^ 1989 American Soccer League
- ^ POWER WHIPS STORM TO END LOSING STREAK Chicago Tribune - Monday, March 6, 1989
- ^ NEZAJ HAS REASON TO KICK AFTER LATEST LOSS Times Union, The (Albany, NY) - Saturday, December 29, 1990
- ^ SOCCER GAME TO BENEFIT HOSPITAL Times Union, The (Albany, NY) - Friday, July 31, 1992
- ^ NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL SOCCER LEAGUE FINAL OFFICIAL STATISTICS -- 1992-1993 Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ U.S. Parma USASA registration form
- ^ Dominican Republic v Puerto Rico (March 21, 1992), 11v11.com; accessed October 16, 2016.