{{short description|American soccer team}} {{Infobox football club | nickname = | stadium = Keyworth Stadium <br> Hamtramck, Michigan | capacity = | season = |pattern_la1= |pattern_la2= |pattern_b2= |pattern_ra1= |pattern_ra2= |pattern_sh1= |pattern_sh2= |pattern_so1= |pattern_so2= |leftarm1= |leftarm2= |body1= |body2= |rightarm1= |rightarm2= |shorts1= |shorts2= |socks1= |socks2= | clubname = | image = | image_size = | fullname = Detroit Besa SC | founded = 1974 | owntitle = Owner(s) | owner = | chrtitle = | chairman = | ceo = | mgrtitle = | manager = | coach = | league = | position = | website = | current = |pattern_b1= | firstgame = | largestwin = | worstdefeat = | topscorer = | fansgroup = | honours = }} '''Detroit Besa''' is an American soccer club based in Hamtramck, Michigan, an enclave of Detroit. The club was founded in 1974 and originally competed in the Second Division of the Detroit Soccer League (DSL). In 1979, the club made the transition to the professional level by becoming the fourth American franchise (Buffalo Blazers, Detroit Canadians, and Detroit Vardar) to compete in Canada's National Soccer League (NSL).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Litterer|first=David A.|date=June 7, 2013|title=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation - Canadian National Soccer League|url=https://www.rsssf.org/usadave/cnsl.html|access-date=2020-12-29|website=RSSSF}}</ref> After competing in the NSL for three seasons, they returned to the amateur level by rejoining the Detroit Soccer League.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=1979-1982 NSL Seasons|url=http://canadiansoccerleague.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/NSL_1921_1992.pdf|website=canadiansoccerleague.ca}}</ref>
Detroit originally played their home matches at Keyworth Stadium in Hamtramck, Michigan. The club was later renamed '''Drita S.C.''' and played in the Michigan Premier Soccer League in 2018.
== History == Detroit Besa was formed in 1974 as a soccer club that represented the Albanian American community in Metro Detroit and played in the Second Division of the Detroit Soccer League (DSL).<ref>{{Cite web|date=May 20, 1974|title=Detroit Soccer League|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/98135990/?terms=detroit%20besa&match=1|access-date=2021-01-01|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Detroit Free Press|page=46|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web|last=Pepper|first=Jon|date=August 6, 1981|title=They play soccer for honor|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/98977654/?terms=national%20soccer%20league%20detroit%20besa&match=1|access-date=2020-12-30|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Detroit Free Press|page=41|language=en}}</ref> Detroit would debut in the National Amateur Cup tournament during its inaugural year.<ref>{{Cite news|date=November 18, 1974|title=Germania Hits in Soccer Camp|page=48|work=Detroit Free Press}}</ref> In 1976, Detroit defeated Carpathia Kickers by a score of 2-0 for the DSL second division title.<ref>{{Cite web|date=October 25, 1976|title=Vartar, Besa Soccer Champs|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/98249281/?terms=detroit%20besa%20detroit%20soccer%20league&match=1|access-date=2021-01-01|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Detroit Free Press|page=44|language=en}}</ref> In 1977, the club was promoted to the First Division and was fined by the league after a brawl erupted between fans during a match.<ref>{{Cite news|date=May 19, 1977|title=Soccer Games Cancelled After Brawl at Roseville|page=27|work=The Herald-Palladium}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Guidi|first=Gene|date=May 29, 1977|title=Fans' Tempers Lead to Blowup in Soccer Ranks|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/98893760/?terms=detroit%20besa%20soccer&match=1|access-date=2021-01-01|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Detroit Free Press|page=3|language=en}}</ref> The remainder of the season, Besa competed in the 1977 National Amateur Cup, but were eliminated in the state semifinal by Detroit Sport Club.<ref>{{Cite web|date=November 21, 1977|title=3-Goal Man a Soccer Hero|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/98925783/?terms=detroit%20besa&match=1|access-date=2021-01-01|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Detroit Free Press|page=66|language=en}}</ref>
For the second consecutive season, Detroit reached the state semifinal of the 1978 National Amateur Cup.<ref>{{Cite web|date=December 8, 1978|title=Soccer Cuppers back in action|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/98688857/?terms=detroit%20besa%20national%20amateur%20cup&match=1|access-date=2021-01-01|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Detroit Free Press|page=79|language=en}}</ref> Throughout the regular season, Besa clinched the National Conference title and faced Detroit Vardar for the DSL Championship but were defeated by a score of 6-1.<ref>{{Cite web|date=September 29, 1978|title=Besa hosts Vardar in DSL|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/98624038/?terms=detroit%20besa%20detroit%20soccer%20league&match=1|access-date=2021-01-01|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Detroit Free Press|page=62|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=October 2, 1978|title=Vardar soccer champion again|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/98626328/?terms=detroit%20besa%20detroit%20soccer%20league&match=1|access-date=2021-01-01|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Detroit Free Press|page=67|language=en}}</ref> In 1979, the club entered the professional ranks by securing a franchise in the National Soccer League (NSL), and became one of the few American representatives in the history of the Canadian league.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|last=Labow|first=Jeffrey|date=May 6, 1981|title=Canadian flavor for new look NSL|page=S4|work=The Globe and Mail}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Diener|first=Seymour|date=March 21, 1979|title=Ottawa team eyes planned soccer league|page=17|work=Ottawa Journal}}</ref> The following season Detroit briefly played in the Detroit Soccer League, but returned to the NSL for the 1981 season.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=May 6, 1980|title=Detroit Soccer League|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/98650958/?terms=detroit%20besa&match=1|access-date=2021-01-01|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Detroit Free Press|page=36|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Pepper|first=Jon|date=April 26, 1981|title=Son of Express gets ready; old mates pay visit|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/98698281/?terms=detroit%20besa%20national%20soccer%20league&match=1|access-date=2021-01-01|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Detroit Free Press|page=79|language=en}}</ref> The 1981 team was managed by former Yugoslav player Nino Berisic with an assembled roster of players with experience in the American Soccer League.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Pepper|first=Jon|date=August 6, 1981|title=They play the sport of their Yugoslav homeland|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/98977872/?terms=detroit%20besa%20national%20soccer%20league&match=1|access-date=2021-01-01|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Detroit Free Press|page=46|language=en}}</ref> Detroit returned to the NSL for the 1982 season, but withdrew from the competition near the conclusion of the season.<ref>{{Cite news|date=August 18, 1982|title=Tabla de Posiciones National Soccer League|page=12|work=El Popular}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Pepper|first=Jon|date=July 2, 1982|title=Talking to himself|page=41|work=Detroit Free Press}}</ref>
In 1985, the team competed in the Budweiser Indoor League <ref>{{Cite web|date=March 12, 1985|title=Soccer - Indoor|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/99564869/?terms=detroit%20besa%20soccer&match=1|access-date=2021-01-01|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Detroit Free Press|page=42|language=en}}</ref> The club was later renamed '''Drita S.C.''' and played in the Michigan Premier Soccer League in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-07-10|title=Detroit Besa Soccer Club|url=https://thecnsl.com/detroit-besa/|access-date=2021-01-01|website=The Canadian National Soccer League|language=en}}</ref>
== Honors == *'''Detroit Soccer League National Conference''': 1978 *'''Detroit Soccer League Second Division Championship''': 1976
== Seasons == {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" !Season !League !Teams !{{tooltip|Record|Wins, draws, losses}} !Rank !Playoffs !Ref |- |1979 |rowspan="2"|National Soccer League |15 |7–6–11 |7th |– |<ref>{{Cite web|title=Detroit Besa {{!}} SoccerStats.us|url=http://soccerstats.us/teams/detroit-besa/|access-date=2021-01-01|website=soccerstats.us}}</ref> |- |1981 |11 |7–2–11 |8th |– |<ref name=":1" /> |- |1982 |colspan="7"|withdrew from competition |- |}
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Canadian National Soccer League}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Detroit Besa}}
Category:1974 establishments in Michigan Category:Association football clubs established in 1974 Category:Soccer clubs in Michigan Category:Canadian National Soccer League teams Category:Diaspora soccer clubs in the United States Category:Soccer clubs in Detroit Category:Hamtramck, Michigan Category:Albanians sports clubs outside Albania