Scott Manning (soccer)

Manning grew up in Rochester, New York where he played basketball and baseball at R.L. Thomas High School. He began playing soccer as a senior. He played goalkeeper his freshmen year of college at Monroe Community College. In 1976, he transferred to SUNY Cortland. In 1977, Cortland finished runner up in the NCAA Men's Division III Soccer Championship to Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania. He was a 1978 SUNY-East Honorable Mention goalkeeper.[1]

In 1980, Manning was selected for the U.S. Olympic soccer team which qualified for the finals in Moscow. However, the team did not compete after President Jimmy Carter elected to boycott the games in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

In 1979, Manning signed with the Pennsylvania Stoners of the American Soccer League and spent two seasons with the team. He was the 1980 league leading goalkeeper with a 1.01 goals against average.[2] In the fall of 1979, he signed with the Buffalo Stallions of the Major Indoor Soccer League. In 1981, he joined the Carolina Lightnin' of the ASL. After the 1982 ASL season, he moved indoors permanently, signing with the Phoenix Inferno.

He later played for the Baltimore Blast. He was voted 1984 Championship Series MVP as Baltimore defeated the St. Louis Steamers in the championship series 4 games to 1. The following year Manning was league Goalkeeper of the Year and ALL-MISL team selection in leading the year in Goals Against Average with a 3.89 GAA. Manning played the fourth most games of any MISL goalie, 353. In the fall of 1991, Manning expected to sign a new contract with the Blast, but the team declined to make him an offer. He then became a free agent. In February 1992, he played six games with the Wichita Wings after starter Kris Peat was injured.[3] In April 1992, Manning came out of retirement to play four play-off games for the Dallas Sidekicks after Joe Papaleo tore his anterior cruciate ligament.[4][5]