View source for New Orleans Jesters

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox football club
| clubname    = New Orleans Jesters
| image       = NOLAJesters.png
| upright     = 0.9
| fullname    = New Orleans Jesters
| nickname    = The Manor
| founded     = {{Start date and age|2003}}
| stadium      = [[Pan American Stadium (New Orleans)|Pan American Stadium]]<BR>[[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]]
| capacity    = 5,000
| chrtitle    = Owner
| chairman    = Dana Stumpf
| mgrtitle    = Head Coach
| manager     = Kenny Farrell
| league      = [[National Premier Soccer League]]
| season      = [[2017 NPSL season|2017]]
| position    = 1st, Southeast<br />Playoffs: Final
| American    = true
| current     = 
| website     = http://www.nolajesters.com

| pattern_la1 = _shoulder stripes green stripes
| pattern_b1  = _shoulder stripes green stripes
| pattern_ra1 = _shoulder stripes green stripes
| leftarm1    = 7F007F
| body1       = 7F007F
| rightarm1   = 7F007F
| shorts1     = 009020
| socks1      = 7F007F

| pattern_la2 = _shoulder_stripes_white_shirt
| pattern_b2  = _shoulder_stripes_white_shirt
| pattern_ra2 = _shoulder_stripes_white_shirt
| leftarm2    = 808080
| body2       = 808080
| rightarm2   = 808080
| shorts2     = 000000
| socks2      = 808080
| }}

The '''New Orleans Jesters''' are an American [[association football|soccer]] team based in [[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]]. Founded in 2003, the team plays in the [[National Premier Soccer League]] (NPSL), the fourth tier of the [[American Soccer Pyramid]]. Nicknamed 'The Jesters', they are coached by Kenny Farrell, play home games at [[Pan American Stadium (New Orleans)|Pan American Stadium]], and their colors are purple, green, and black.

==History==
===Early years===
[[Image:noshellshockers.jpg|thumb|left|Shell Shockers (2003–2007)]]
The New Orleans Shell Shockers entered the [[USL Premier Development League]] (PDL) as an expansion franchise in 2003, playing at the [[George G. Westfeldt Facility]] at [[Tulane University]].

The team played their first season with the nickname the "Shell Shockers" which came from the team's sponsorship by the [[Shell Oil Company]]. In its first season, the team won their first game 2–0 over [[Nashville Metros]], then won seven of the next eight. They outscored many of their opponents – they put four goals past the [[Lafayette Swamp Cats (USL)|Lafayette Swamp Cats]] on two separate occasions, with Jonas Lopez scoring a hat trick in one of the games, and they beat the [[Houston Toros]] 4–0. After a 5–3 loss on the road against [[Memphis Express (soccer)|Memphis Express]], the Shell Shockers won nine in a row and secured the Mid South Division title well before the final game of the season. The Shell Shockers hosted the Southern Conference playoffs and were favorites to progress. They comfortably overcame [[Central Florida Kraze]] 4–1 in the conference semi-final but were uncharacteristically beaten 2–0 in the conference final by Memphis. Head Coach Kenny Farrell was named PDL Coach of the Year.

Having been so dominant the previous year, expectations were high for the Shell Shockers as they approached the 2004 season. After winning their opening fixture of the season 3–1 over the [[Lafayette Swamp Cats (USL)|Lafayette Swamp Cats]], they lost 8–0 to the [[DFW Tornados]] in their next game, having been reduced to nine men by the 57th minute. The team went on a slide, losing to the [[El Paso Patriots]] twice, to DFW once more, and to [[Memphis Express (soccer)|Memphis Express]]. The Shockers ended the season a disappointing fifth in the Mid South Division, 30 points behind divisional champs [[El Paso Patriots]] and well out of the playoffs. Roberto Najarro was the team's top scorer, with 5 goals, while former [[Carlisle United]], [[West Ham United]], and [[Manchester City F.C.|Manchester City]] midfielder [[Ian Bishop (footballer)|Ian Bishop]] registered 5 assists.

In 2005, the team moved to [[Pan American Stadium (New Orleans)|Pan American Stadium]] in [[City Park (New Orleans)|City Park]] and won their first game over [[Memphis Express (soccer)|Memphis Express]]. The team then lost their next five games, including a 5–2 defeat at the hands of the [[Nashville Metros]]. A brief mid-season surge that included a pair of wins over divisional [[Laredo Heat]] sparked the potential for a revival, but four more defeats, including another to Nashville, ended any playoff hopes New Orleans may have had. The team finished sixth in the Mid South Division. Pablo Araya-Espinozo was the season's top scorer, with 9 goals.

In August 2005, [[Hurricane Katrina]] heavily damaged Pan American Stadium, along with much of the rest of the area.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.uslsoccer.com/home/121598.html | title=Shell Shockers to re-build home | publisher=United Soccer Leagues | date=February 16, 2006 | access-date=July 2, 2008 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930185124/http://www.uslsoccer.com/home/121598.html | archive-date=September 30, 2007 }}</ref> As a result, the Shell Shockers played at [[Muss Bertolino Stadium]] in nearby [[Kenner, Louisiana]] for the 2006 season. After their plight was featured by international media, the Shockers, with the support of teams like [[New England Revolution]] and individuals such as former Northern Ireland manager [[Lawrie Sanchez]], pledged to help raise $1&nbsp;million to the redevelopment of City Park.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://centercircle.ussoccer.com/fullStory.jsp_46-281329.html | title=New Orleans Shell Shockers Persevere in Katrina's Wake | publisher=U.S. Soccer Federation | date=September 1, 2006 | access-date=July 16, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061217180342/http://centercircle.ussoccer.com/fullStory.jsp_46-281329.html | archive-date=December 17, 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.boston.com/sports/soccer/articles/2007/03/27/pitching_in_from_the_pitch/ | title=Pitching in from the pitch | work=The Boston Globe | date=March 27, 2007 | access-date=January 29, 2009 | first1=Frank | last1=Dell'Apa}}</ref> That season the team won just 4 games. The Shockers finished fourth in the Mid South Division, almost 30 points behind divisional champs [[Laredo Heat]]. Gautreau and Roberto Najarro were the team's top scorers, with 3 goals each.

In 2007 the team finished the season fifth in the Mid South Division. That season the Shockers did beat their new Louisiana rivals, the [[Baton Rouge Capitals]], new divisional team [[Mississippi Brilla]], and the [[Austin Lightning]]. Unfortunately the team was unable to win any of its 8 away games throughout the season. [[Ged Quinn]], Brandon Chagnard, and Gino Ray were the team's top scorers for the year, with 13 goals between them, while Jamie Davies contributed six assists.

[[Image:NO Jesters.PNG|thumb|right|130px|Jesters (2009)]]
The team's sponsorship with the [[Shell Oil Company]] ended after the 2007 season, and "Shell" was dropped from the team's name.<ref name="Shockers open season on road">{{cite news|last=Huff|first=Pierce W.|title=Shockers open season on road – Team features new owner, new name|newspaper=The Times-Picayune|date=May 3, 2008|location=New Orleans|page=8 Sports}}</ref> In 2008, businesswoman Dana Stumpf also bought out long-time chairman Gary Ostroske, and the team moved to a new home within City Park, [[Tad Gormley Stadium]] for four games.<ref>{{cite web| title=New Orleans Shell Shockers Staff| url=http://www.noshellshockers.com/en/pages/staff.php| publisher=New Orleans Shell Shockers| access-date=July 16, 2013| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080827071006/http://www.noshellshockers.com/en/pages/staff.php| archive-date=August 27, 2008| year=2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| title=New Orleans Shell Shockers Official Schedule (2008)| publisher=uslsoccer.com| url=http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2008/22349.html| access-date=December 13, 2008| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081230043354/http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2008/22349.html| archive-date=December 30, 2008}}</ref> They also played at Lupin Field at [[Isidore Newman School]] for four games. The Shockers struggled for much of the 2008 season. For the fifth year in a row, New Orleans ended the year at the wrong end of the Mid South Division standings, finishing seventh. Brandon Chagnard was the team's top scorer with 4 goals.

===Rebranding===
Following the 2008 season, the team underwent a full rebranding. It changed its name, colors, and crest entirely, rebranding themselves as the New Orleans Jesters to better reflect New Orleans culture.<ref name="pdl.uslsoccer.com">{{cite web|title=New Orleans Jesters Unveiled|url=http://www.nolajesters.com/news/archives/index.html?article_id=3|publisher=New Orleans Jesters|access-date=July 16, 2013|date=January 28, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140513042208/http://www.nolajesters.com/news/archives/index.html?article_id=3|archive-date=May 13, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> The team returned to [[Pan American Stadium (New Orleans)|Pan American Stadium]] following a full renovation that included the installation of [[FieldTurf]].<ref>{{cite web|title=FieldTurf and NFL Assist Post-Katrina Pan American Stadium in Rebuilding Efforts|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2008/08/21/idUS180824+21-Aug-2008+GNW20080821|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140513075732/http://www.reuters.com/article/2008/08/21/idUS180824+21-Aug-2008+GNW20080821|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 13, 2014|publisher=Reuters|access-date=December 13, 2008|date=August 21, 2008}}</ref>

The team also developed a renewed focus on improving the local community and developing young soccer talent. In its first year as the New Orleans Jesters, the team went undefeated in the regular season and posted one loss in the playoffs. That year, two players were named to the All-Conference Team, and one received All-League Honors.

===Move to NPSL===
On November 2, 2012, it was announced that the Jesters would compete in the [[National Premier Soccer League]], ending the club's nine-year stint in the PDL.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.nationalpremiersoccerleague.com/home/675627.html | title=Growth continues for NPSL | publisher=National Premier Soccer League | date=November 2, 2012 | access-date=December 25, 2012 | url-status=usurped | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214224753/http://www.nationalpremiersoccerleague.com/home/675627.html | archive-date=December 14, 2013 }}</ref>

===2019 hiatus===
In early 2019, the Jesters exercised their right to become inactive for the 2019 NPSL season. In 2020, the Jesters resumed play in the NPSL.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nolajesters.com/new-orleans-jesters-2020-npsl-schedule-released/|title=New Orleans Jesters 2020 NPSL Schedule Released|publisher=nolajesters.com|date=February 11, 2020|access-date=February 16, 2020}}</ref>

==Players==
===Notable former players===
''This list of notable former players comprises players who went on to play professional soccer after playing for the Jesters, or those who previously played professionally before joining the team.''

*{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Ian Bishop (footballer)|Ian Bishop]]
*{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Steve McAnespie]]
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[Jared Montz]]
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[Anthony Peters]]
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[Patrick Mullins]]
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[Andrew Tarbell]]

==Year-by-year==
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Division
!League
!Regular season
!Avg. attendance
!Playoffs
!Open Cup
|-
|[[2003 PDL season|2003]]
|4
|USL PDL
|bgcolor="B3B7FF"|1st, Mid South
|711 (10th in PDL)
|Conference Finals
|''did not qualify''
|-
|[[2004 PDL season|2004]]
|4
|USL PDL
|5th, Mid South
|278 (31st in PDL)
|''did not qualify''
|''did not qualify''
|-
|[[2005 PDL season|2005]]
|4
|USL PDL
|6th, Mid South
|600 (13th in PDL)
|''did not qualify''
|''did not qualify''
|-
|[[2006 PDL season|2006]]
|4
|USL PDL
|4th, Mid South
|719 (8th in PDL)
|''did not qualify''
|''did not qualify''
|-
|[[2007 PDL season|2007]]
|4
|USL PDL
|5th, Mid South
|321 (31st in PDL)
|''did not qualify''
|''did not qualify''
|-
|[[2008 PDL season|2008]]
|4
|USL PDL
|7th, Mid South
|172 (52nd in PDL)
|''did not qualify''
|''did not qualify''
|-
|[[2009 PDL season|2009]]
|4
|USL PDL
|3rd, Southeast
|1,007 (8th in PDL)
|Divisional Semi-finals
|''did not qualify''
|-
|[[2010 PDL season|2010]]
|4
|USL PDL
|5th, Southeast
|1,167 (9th in PDL)
|''did not qualify''
|''did not qualify''
|-
|[[2011 PDL season|2011]]
|4
|USL PDL
|4th, Mid South 
|1,500 (5th in PDL)
|''did not qualify''
|''did not qualify''
|-
|[[2012 PDL season|2012]]
|4
|USL PDL
|5th, Mid South 
|
|''did not qualify''
|''did not qualify''
|-
|[[2013 NPSL season|2013]]
|4
|NPSL
|4th, Southeast
|
|''did not qualify''
|''did not qualify''
|-
|[[2014 NPSL season|2014]]
|4
|NPSL
|3rd, Southeast 
|
|Conference Finals
|''did not qualify''
|-
|[[2015 NPSL season|2015]]
|4
|NPSL
|5th, Southeast
|
|''did not qualify''
|''did not qualify''
|-
|[[2016 NPSL season|2016]]
|4
|NPSL
|3rd, Southeast
|
|Divisional Semi-finals
|''did not qualify''
|-
|[[2017 NPSL season|2017]]
|4
|NPSL
|1st, Southeast
|
|Conference Finals
|''did not qualify''
|-
|[[2018 NPSL season|2018]]
|4
|NPSL
|3rd, Southeast
|
|Conference Finals
|''Lost in First Round''
|-
|2019
|rowspan=1 colspan=7 align=center|'''''On Hiatus'''''
|-
|[[2020 NPSL season|2020]]
|4
|NPSL
| colspan="4" style="text-align:center;"|'''''Season cancelled due to [[COVID-19 pandemic]]'''''<ref>{{cite web |last1=Prince-Wright |first1=Joe |title=2020 NPSL season cancelled |url=https://soccer.nbcsports.com/2020/03/26/2020-npsl-season-cancelled/ |website=ProSoccerTalk |publisher=NBC Sports |access-date=June 15, 2020 |date=March 26, 2020}}</ref>
|-
|[[2021 National Premier Soccer League season|2021]]
|4
|NPSL
|4th, Gulf Coast
|
|Conference Finals
|Cancelled
|-
|[[2022 National Premier Soccer League season|2022]]
|4
|NPSL
|3rd, Gulf Coast
|
|Conference Finals
|Lost in First Round
|-
|[[2023 National Premier Soccer League season|2023]]
|4
|NPSL
|5th, Gulf Coast
|
|''did not qualify''
|''did not qualify''
|-
|[[2024 National Premier Soccer League season|2024]]
|4
|NPSL
|7th, Gulf Coast
|
|''did not qualify''
|''did not qualify''
|}
|}
<small>Attendance statistics are calculated by averaging each team's self-reported home attendances from the PDL's historical match archive.<ref name="stats">{{cite web|url=http://www.uslsoccer.com/history/index_E.html|title=USL Stat Archives|publisher=United Soccer Leagues|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131208011525/http://www.uslsoccer.com/history/index_E.html|archive-date=December 8, 2013}}</ref></small>

==Honors==
* USL PDL regular-season champions 2003
* USL PDL Mid South Division champions 2003
* Louisiana Cup winners 2016

==Head coaches==
* {{flagicon|IRL}} Kenny Farrell (2003–present)

==Home stadiums==
* [[George G. Westfeldt Complex]] at [[Tulane University]]; [[New Orleans]] (2003–2004)
* [[Muss Bertolino Stadium]]; [[Kenner, Louisiana]] (2006–2007)
* [[Tad Gormley Stadium]]; New Orleans, 4 games (2008)
* Lupin Field at [[Isidore Newman School]]; New Orleans, 4 games (2008)
* [[Pan American Stadium (New Orleans)|Pan American Stadium]]; New Orleans (2005, 2009–2018, 2020–present)

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.nolajesters.com Official website]

{{New Orleans Jesters}}
{{National Premier Soccer League}}
{{USSoccer}}
{{Louisiana Sports}}

[[Category:New Orleans Jesters| ]]
[[Category:Association football clubs established in 2003]]
[[Category:2003 establishments in Louisiana]]
[[Category:Soccer clubs in New Orleans]]