Danny Payne
Encyclopedia
Danny Payne was an American soccer midfielder
who spent six seasons in the American Soccer League
and one in the North American Soccer League
.
. He attended Livermore High School
where he was a four year varsity soccer player. He then attended Chico State University where he was a 1978 Honorable Mention (third team) All American soccer player. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in accounting in 1982. Payne was inducted into the Chico State Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999.
of the American Soccer League
drafted Payne and he signed with the Gold on March 29, 1979. That season, the Gold won the league championship. The Oakland Stompers
of the North American Soccer League
drafted Payne, but he never played for their first team. Instead, in 1981, he played nine games with the Atlanta Chiefs
. The Chiefs folded at the end of the season and in 1982, Payne moved to the Georgia Generals
of the ASL. He finished his career with the Carolina Lightnin'
. After his retirement, he moved to Pleasanton, California
where he founded an accounting firm.
He died of cancer on June 10, 2005.
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
who spent six seasons in the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
and one in the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
.
Youth
Payne grew up in Livermore, CaliforniaLivermore, California
Livermore is a city in Alameda County. The population as of 2010 was 80,968. Livermore is located on the eastern edge of California's San Francisco Bay Area....
. He attended Livermore High School
Livermore High School
Founded in 1891, Livermore High School is a public high school located in the city of Livermore, California, USA, and is part of the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District . In 2007, it was chosen as one in four schools in Alameda County to receive the California Distinguished School...
where he was a four year varsity soccer player. He then attended Chico State University where he was a 1978 Honorable Mention (third team) All American soccer player. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in accounting in 1982. Payne was inducted into the Chico State Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999.
Professional
In 1979, the Sacramento GoldSacramento Gold
The Sacramento Gold was an American soccer club based in Sacramento, California that was a member of the American Soccer League.Prior to the 1977 season the team was known as the Sacramento Spirits....
of the American Soccer League
American Soccer League
The American Soccer League has been a name used by three different professional soccer leagues in the United States. The first American Soccer League was established in 1921 by the merger of teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League. For...
drafted Payne and he signed with the Gold on March 29, 1979. That season, the Gold won the league championship. The Oakland Stompers
Oakland Stompers
The Oakland Stompers were a soccer team in the North American Soccer League which played the 1978 season in the NASL. The Stompers played in the Western Division of the American Conference and finished the year with a 12-18 record...
of the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
drafted Payne, but he never played for their first team. Instead, in 1981, he played nine games with the Atlanta Chiefs
Atlanta Chiefs
The Atlanta Chiefs were a soccer team based in Atlanta, Georgia that played in the NPSL and NASL from 1967 to 1972. Their home fields were Atlanta Stadium and Tara Stadium . The club was the brainchild of Dick Cecil, then Vice President of the Atlanta Braves baseball franchise who were the Chiefs'...
. The Chiefs folded at the end of the season and in 1982, Payne moved to the Georgia Generals
Georgia Generals
Georgia Generals were a professional soccer team in the USA. They played for one season in the ASL. They were formed when the Cleveland Cobras franchise moved to Atlanta, Georgia. Their owner was Walt Russell...
of the ASL. He finished his career with the Carolina Lightnin'
Carolina Lightnin'
The Carolina Lightnin was an American soccer club based in Charlotte, North Carolina that was a member of the American Soccer League. The Lightnin' played home matches at American Legion Memorial Stadium. Attendance at home games averaged 6,000 spectators...
. After his retirement, he moved to Pleasanton, California
Pleasanton, California
Pleasanton is a city in Alameda County, California, incorporated in 1894. It is a suburb in the San Francisco Bay Area located about east of Oakland, and west of Livermore. The population was 70,285 at the 2010 census. In 2005 and 2007, Pleasanton was ranked the wealthiest middle-sized city in...
where he founded an accounting firm.
He died of cancer on June 10, 2005.