View source for Cincinnati Silverbacks

{{Short description|Indoor soccer club in Ohio, U.S.}}
{{about|the soccer club|other uses|Silverback (disambiguation)}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2017}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox football club
| clubname = Cincinnati Silverbacks
| nickname = Silverbacks
| ground = [[Heritage Bank Center|The Crown]]
| season = 
| current = 
| image = Cincinnati Silverbacks logo.png
| fullname = Cincinnati Silverbacks
| shortname = 
| founded = 1995
| dissolved = 1998
| chrtitle = 
| chairman = Rich Neumann
| ceo = 
| mgrtitle = Head Coach
| manager = Georger Fernandez
| league = [[National Professional Soccer League II|NPSL]]
| position = 
| largestwin = 
| worstdefeat = 
| topscorer = 
| fansgroup = 
| honours = 
}}

The '''Cincinnati Silverbacks''' were an [[indoor soccer]] club based in [[Cincinnati, Ohio]], that competed in the [[National Professional Soccer League II|National Professional Soccer League]].

==History==
They performed under the leadership of All-Star goalkeeper Carlos Pena. Other star players included [[Gino DiFlorio]] (who scored a team record 10 points in his Silverback debut against rival [[Cleveland Crunch]]), Franklin McIntosh, [[Shawn Medved]], and Dennis Brose. Games were held at the [[Cincinnati Gardens]] for their first two seasons before moving downtown along with the [[Cincinnati Cyclones]] where they would compete at The Crown (now known as [[Heritage Bank Center]]) for their final year of competition.<ref name="Crossley">{{cite web|last1=Crossley|first1=Andy|title=1995–1998 Cincinnati Silverbacks|url=http://www.funwhileitlasted.net/2016/04/17/cincinnati-silverbacks/|website=www.funwhileitlasted.net|accessdate=7 May 2016}}</ref>

Despite their performance and fan support, the Silverbacks were discontinued due to not generating revenue. The Detroit-based Nederlander Organization, which manages Riverbend and the Taft Theater in Cincinnati as well as the Crown, was a partner in Cincinnati Entertainment Associates Ltd., which owned the Crown, Cyclones and Silverbacks. Former President Rich Neumann said a contributing factor to the club's demise was a lack of weekend home dates. Of the 20 home games played in an average season, the Silverbacks would need at least 15 to be on a Friday or Saturday night. In their final season, 13 games were played on Friday or Saturday. Roughly 75 percent of Silverbacks ticket sales come from groups, with less than 10 percent—believed to be around 100—season ticket holders.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.enquirer.com/editions/1998/05/21/silverbacks2.html|title=Silverbacks may not return|website=www.enquirer.com|access-date=2016-12-12}}</ref>

The team was previously known as the [[Dayton Dynamo]], from 1987/88-1994/95.

==Year-by-year==
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!GP
!W
!L
!%
!GB
!GF
!GA
!League
!Avg. attendance
!Division
!Playoffs
|-
|[[1995–96 National Professional Soccer League|1995–96]]
|40
|14
|26
|.350
|17
|496
|579
|NPSL
|3,759
|5th, American
|DNQ
|-
|[[1996–97 National Professional Soccer League|1996–97]]
|40
|21
|19
|.525
|8
|570
|517
|NPSL
|3,173
|2nd, American Central
|Conference Semifinals
|-
|[[1997–98 National Professional Soccer League|1997–98]]
|40
|15
|25
|.375
|13
|563
|604
|NPSL
|5,145
|3rd, American Central
|Conference Quarterfinals
|}

==1995–96: The Inaugural Season==

===Roster===

{{Fs start}}
{{Fs player | no=0  | nat=USA | pos=GK | name= [[Mark Simpson (soccer)|Mark Simpson]]}}
{{Fs player | no=01  | nat=USA | pos=GK | name= John Mers}}
{{Fs player | no=1  | nat=USA | pos=GK | name= Carlos Pena}}
{{Fs player | no=2  | nat=USA | pos=DF | name= Jeff Popp}}
{{Fs player | no=3  | nat=USA | pos=FW | name= [[Jason Maricle]]}}
{{Fs player | no=5  | nat=USA | pos=FW | name= Scott Lawler}}
{{Fs player | no=5  | nat=USA | pos=DF   | name= [[Scott Cannon]]}}
{{Fs player | no=7  | nat=SCO | pos=DF | name= [[Vince Beck]]}}
{{Fs player | no=8  | nat=USA | pos=MF | name= [[Chris King (soccer)|Chris King]]}}
{{Fs player | no=9  | nat=USA | pos=FW | name= [[Jimmy Glenn]]}}
{{Fs player | no=10 | nat=USA | pos=DF | name= [[Mike Gosselin]]}}
{{Fs player | no=11 | nat=USA | pos=FW | name= Dennis Brose}}
{{Fs player | no=14 | nat=USA | pos=MF | name= Chris Pfau}}
{{Fs player | no=20 | nat=USA | pos=MF | name= Doug Tegge}}
{{Fs player | no=22 | nat=USA | pos=DF | name= Willy Merrick}}
{{fs mid}}
{{Fs player | no=25 | nat=USA | pos=MF | name= [[Tony Bono]]}}
{{Fs player | no=   | nat=USA | pos= | name= Jeff Alcala}}
{{Fs player | no=   | nat= ZAF | pos= | name= Michael Araujo}}
{{Fs player | no=   | nat= | pos=FW | name= Terry Brown}}
{{Fs player | no=   | nat=USA | pos=DF | name= [[Chuck Codd]]}}
{{Fs player | no=   | nat=USA | pos=FW | name= Dan Creech}}
{{Fs player | no=   | nat=USA | pos=FW | name= [[George Fernandez]]}}
{{Fs player | no=11  | nat=USA | pos=FW | name= [[Jim Foley (soccer)]]}}
{{Fs player | no=   | nat=GUY | pos=MF | name= [[Lyndon Hooper]]}}
{{Fs player | no=   | nat=USA | pos=DF | name= Paul McDonnell}}
{{Fs player | no=   | nat=USA | pos=DF | name= [[Matt Kmosko]]}}
{{Fs player | no=   | nat=USA | pos=FW | name= [[Bernie Lilavois]]}}
{{Fs player | no=   | nat=USA | pos=FW | name= [[Shawn Medved]]}}
{{Fs player | no=   | nat=USA | pos=MF | name= Steve Provan}}
{{Fs player | no=   | nat= | pos= | name= Mark Thomas}}
{{Fs player | no=   | nat=MEX | pos=MF | name= Armando Valdivia}}
{{Fs end}}

==References==
<references />

{{National Professional Soccer League (1984–2001)}}

[[Category:Soccer clubs in Cincinnati|S]]
[[Category:Soccer clubs in Ohio]]
[[Category:Defunct indoor soccer clubs in the United States]]
[[Category:National Professional Soccer League (1984–2001) teams]]
[[Category:1995 establishments in Ohio]]
[[Category:1998 disestablishments in Ohio]]
[[Category:Association football clubs established in 1995]]
[[Category:Association football clubs disestablished in 1998]]


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