Gremio Lusitano

Gremio Lusitano is an amateur soccer team from Ludlow, Massachusetts.

Gremio Lusitano
Full nameGremio Lusitano
Founded1922
StadiumLusitano Stadium
Capacity3,000
PresidentCelso Correira
LeagueConnecticut Soccer League
WebsiteClub website

Founded in 1922 in a garage on Franklin Street,[1] the team had competed for several seasons during the 1930s in the New England Division of the American Soccer League,[2] but for most of its existence it has been an amateur or semi-professional club. John Palhete was the team's first coach[3] and they play their home games in Lusitano Stadium, which is owned by the club.

Teams founded

Ludlow Lusitano

Besides the name Gremio Lusitano, during its history, the club also used different names. In the 1937–38 American Soccer League, the club played as Lusitano S.C..[4][5]

During the 1938–39 American Soccer League, the club started to use the name Ludlow Lusitano[6] to play the ASL's New England Division, making it to the final of the National Amateur Cup in 1952.[7] For the 1956/57 season, the team returned to be known as Ludlow S.C.. After the division folded in 1953, the club took part in different regional leagues before finally joining the ASL.

The club played with this name the National Challenge Cup in 1984 and 1985.[8] In total, the Gremio Lusitano played the National Challenge Cup four times.[9]

Western Mass Pioneers

The club also founded the Western Mass Pioneers of the USL League Two, after not being able to use the name Gremio Lusitano due to the fact that USISL had set a condition for new teams which prohibited ethnic team names

Western Mass Lady Pioneers

Between 2004 and 2009, the club owned the Western Mass Lady Pioneers of the W-League.

Year-by-year
Year Division League Reg. Season Playoffs U.S. Open Cup
1938/39 N/A ASL 2nd No playoff ?
1955/56 3rd
1956/57 5th
1957/58 9th

References
  1. Gremio Lusitano club boasts rich soccer history Union-News (Springfield, MA) - Thursday, June 17, 1993
  2. "New England Division". Archived from the original on 2009-03-03. Retrieved 2009-11-04.
  3. John Palhete, 90, ex-president, coach of Portuguese club Union-News (Springfield, MA) - Tuesday, December 18, 1990
  4. "Soccer Standings". The Boston Globe. March 28, 1938. p. 8.
  5. "Soccer Standings". The Boston Globe. April 11, 1938. p. 6.
  6. "Ludlow Lusitano Franchise History (1938-1957)". Star Crew. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  7. "USA - List of Cup Winners".
  8. "History". Lusitano Stadium. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  9. "LUSITANOS TO PIONEERS: WESTERN MASS' ENDURING PASSION". ussoccer.com. Retrieved 2020-12-29.


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