{{Short description|American soccer team}} {{Infobox football club | nickname = | stadium = Detroit, 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 Vardar Soccer Club | founded = 1972 | owntitle = Owner(s) | owner = | chrtitle = | chairman = | ceo = | mgrtitle = | manager = | coach = | league = Michigan Soccer League | position = | website = | current = |pattern_b1= | firstgame = | largestwin = | worstdefeat = | topscorer = | fansgroup = | honours = }} '''Detroit Vardar''' is an American soccer team based in Detroit, Michigan. The club was founded in 1972, and originally competed in the Second Division of the Detroit Soccer League (DSL). After several notable achievements at the amateur level the organization made the transition to the professional level by becoming the fourth American franchise (Buffalo Blazers, Detroit Besa, and Detroit Canadians) 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> Though their tenure in the NSL lasted for only a season, and returned to the amateur level in 1980 by joining the Michigan Soccer League.
== History == Detroit Vardar was formed in 1972 and represented the Macedonian American community in the Detroit metropolitan area, and competed in the Second Division of the Detroit Soccer League (DSL).<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=May 10, 1978|title=National Amateur Soccer|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/89570766/?terms=detroit%20vardar%20soccer&match=1|access-date=2021-01-03|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|page=35|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-09-23|title=Vardar Soccer Club|url=https://thecnsl.com/vardar-soccer-club/|access-date=2021-01-03|website=The Canadian National Soccer League|language=en}}</ref> In 1974, Vardar secured promotion to the First Division by defeating Macedonian SC.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=October 10, 1974|title=Soccer Finals Held Sunday|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/98568383/?terms=detroit%20vardar%20soccer&match=1|access-date=2021-01-03|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Detroit Free Press|page=58|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=May 3, 1975|title=22 Detroit Soccer Clubs Open Season|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/98206536/?terms=detroit%20vardar%20soccer&match=1|access-date=2021-01-03|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Detroit Free Press|page=30|language=en}}</ref> In 1976, Detroit claimed their first DSL Championship, and secured a berth to the National Amateur Cup.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=April 4, 1977|title=Star Bright|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/98530100/?terms=detroit%20vardar%20soccer&match=1|access-date=2021-01-03|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Detroit Free Press|page=60|language=en}}</ref> The club would also compete in the 1977 National Challenge Cup, but were eliminated in the semifinal round to the Cleveland Serbians.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=April 2, 1977|title=Vardar Meets Windsor Stars|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/98537638/?terms=detroit%20vardar%20soccer&match=1|access-date=2021-01-03|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Detroit Free Press|page=58|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=March 28, 1977|title=Serbians Oust|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/98537621/?terms=detroit%20vardar%20soccer&match=1|access-date=2021-01-03|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Detroit Free Press|page=45|language=en}}</ref> During the regular season Vardar secured their second consecutive DSL Championship, and added the Michigan Cup by defeating Ann Arbor Heidelberg of the Michigan Soccer League.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=October 31, 1977|title=Vardar takes Cup Finals|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/98962017/?terms=detroit%20vardar%20soccer&match=1|access-date=2021-01-03|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Detroit Free Press|page=56|language=en}}</ref> Detroit Vardar would conclude the season by defeating Detroit Sport Club to win the Michigan state title in the 1977 National Amateur Cup tournament.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=December 5, 1977|title=V for Vardar|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/98593060/?terms=detroit%20vardar%20soccer&match=1|access-date=2021-01-03|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Detroit Free Press|page=48|language=en}}</ref>
Vardar produced another fruitful season in 1978 as the club secured their third consecutive DSL Championship by defeating Detroit Besa.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=October 2, 1978|title=Vardar soccer champion again|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/98626328/?terms=detroit%20vardar%20soccer&match=1|access-date=2021-01-03|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Detroit Free Press|page=67|language=en}}</ref> Detroit would also secure the double by defeating Iraqi SC for the Challenge Cup.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=October 16, 1978|title=Vardar is champ|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/98922758/?terms=detroit%20vardar%20soccer&match=1|access-date=2021-01-03|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Detroit Free Press|page=60|language=en}}</ref> In the 1978 National Amateur Cup the club faced Pennsylvania state champion Upper Santa Clare in the first round of the tournament.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=May 12, 1978|title=Vardar plays in Pittsburgh|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/98578121/?terms=detroit%20vardar%20soccer&match=1|access-date=2021-01-03|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Detroit Free Press|page=24|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>{{Cite news|last=Diener|first=Seymour|date=March 21, 1979|title=Ottawa team eyes planned soccer league|page=17|work=Ottawa Journal|url=|access-date=}}</ref> Unfortunately Vardar's tenure in the NSL was short lived as the team withdrew from the competition near the conclusion of the season.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=1979 NSL Season|url=https://canadiansoccerleague.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/NSL_1921_1992.pdf|access-date=|website=canadiansoccerleague.ca}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=September 10, 1979|title=National League (Ontario)|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/422254526/?terms=detroit%20vardar%20soccer&match=1|access-date=2021-01-03|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Montreal Gazette|page=39|language=en}}</ref>
For the remainder of the 1979 season Detroit joined the Michigan Soccer League, and featured in the Maxwell Cup final, but were defeated by Mt. Clemens Inter Booters.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=November 5, 1979|title=It's Mt. Clemens|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/99261634/?terms=detroit%20vardar%20soccer&match=1|access-date=2021-01-03|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Detroit Free Press|page=64|language=en}}</ref> The following season in the Michigan League Detroit reached the Michigan Soccer Association championship final, but were defeated by Hamtramck White Eagles.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=October 25, 1982|title=Hamtramck retains soccer title|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/98990796/?terms=detroit%20vardar%20soccer&match=1|access-date=2021-01-03|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Detroit Free Press|page=64|language=en}}</ref> In 1984, Vardar once more made the Maxwell Cup final, but were defeated by Hamtramck White Eagles.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=October 23, 1984|title=Soccer - Michigan League|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/99117275/?terms=detroit%20vardar%20soccer&match=1|access-date=2021-01-03|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Detroit Free Press|page=44|language=en}}</ref>
== Honors == *'''Detroit Soccer League Championship''': 1976, 1977, 1978 *'''Michigan Cup''': 1977 *'''Michigan Challenge Cup''': 1978
== References == <references />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Detroit Vardar}} Category:1972 establishments in Michigan Category:Association football clubs established in 1972 Category:Soccer clubs in Michigan Category:Soccer clubs in Detroit Category:Canadian National Soccer League teams Category:Diaspora soccer clubs in the United States