New Orleans Shell Shockers
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| Full name | New Orleans Jesters |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Jesters |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Stadium |
Pan American Stadium New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Capacity | 5,000 |
| Owner | Dana Stumpf |
| Head Coach | Kenny Farrell |
| League | National Premier Soccer League |
| 2013 | 4th, Southeast Playoffs: DNQ |
| Website | Club home page |
The New Orleans Jesters are an American 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. The Jesters, coached by Kenny Farrell, play home games at Pan American Stadium, and their colors are purple, green, and white.
The New Orleans Shell Shockers entered the USL Premier Development League (PDL) as an expansion franchise in 2003, playing at the soccer stadium of Tulane University. The name "Shell Shockers" came from the team's sponsorship by the Shell Oil Company. The team made a huge impact in their first season, winning their first game 2-0 over Nashville Metros, then winning seven of the next eight. They outscored more experienced opponents at every turn, and scored plenty of goals with it - they put four goals past the 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, 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. Unfortunately, despite winning their opening fixture of the season 3-1 over the Lafayette Swamp Cats, they were flattened 8-0 by 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. 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 midfielder Ian Bishop registered 5 assists.
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