The 2023 Lexington SC season was the club's first season since their establishment on October 5, 2021. The club made its league debut in the USL League One as well as its domestic cup debut in the U.S. Open Cup.

Background On October 5, 2021, the United Soccer League announced that Tower Hill Sports had been granted a USL League One expansion team in Lexington to start play in the 2023 season. Tentatively named "Lexington Pro Soccer," the team revealed its official colors, crest, and branding as Lexington Sporting Club on March 22, 2022. The club named Sporting Director Sam Stockley as the club's first ever head coach on October 13, 2022. Following this announcement, the team announced that Warren Goodhind would be joining the coaching staff as the First Assistant Coach on October 18, 2022. On November 15, the team announced that Rangers F.C. legend Nacho Novo would be joining the coaching staff as an assistant coach and head coach of the U-23 squad. Connor Talbot was appointed the Head of Goalkeeping and the goalkeeping coach for the squad in September 2022.

Coaching change In the afternoon of September 17, before their matchup against the Charlotte Independence, the club announced that head coach Sam Stockley would be stepping down from his role to focus on being the club's sporting director full-time. Nacho Novo was promoted to interim manager for the remaining 5 matches. The club's president Vince Gabbert, was quoted as saying the following about the move -

Season squad Squad No.NameNationalityDate of birth (age)Goalkeepers 1Austin CauseyAug 20, 2001 (21)13Amal KnightNov 19, 1993 (29)44Luke Phillips^Oct 25, 2006 (16)Defenders2Tate RobertsonMay 31, 1997 (26)3Owen GreenSep 9, 1998 (24)4Kimball JacksonAug 2, 2004 (18)5Kaelon FoxMay 31, 1995 (28)17Erick Ceja-GonzalezSep 1, 2001 (21)20Diallo IrakozeFeb 10, 2001 (22)26Cesar MurilloFeb 16, 1996 (27)33Franky MartinezAug 9, 1995 (27)57Terique MohammedJan 27, 2000 (23)Midfielders8Charlie Machell (C)Oct 25, 1994 (28)10Don SmartDec 2, 1987 (35)11Seo-In Kim "SoSo"Apr 18, 1995 (28)22Phila DlaminiFeb 26, 1999 (24)25Pierre ManéJun 16, 1998 (25)32Ates DioufMar 24, 2000 (23)Forwards7Jalen JamesMay 10, 2000 (23)9Will BaynhamJun 13, 1997 (26)14Khalid BalogunJul 25, 1998 (24)18Drew PattersonApr 20, 2001 (22)77Nico BrownAug 11, 1998 (24)80Josh HeadJan 6, 2004 (19) ^ - Lexington SC Academy Contract

Transfers

In Pos.PlayerPrevious clubDetailsDateSourceDF Kaelon Fox FC TucsonFree TransferJanuary 9, 2023 MF Ates Diouf San Antonio FCFree TransferJanuary 10, 2023MF Charlie Machell FC TucsonFree TransferJanuary 10, 2023GK Amal Knight Harbour View F.C.Free TransferJanuary 11, 2023DF Tate Robertson Chattanooga FCFree TransferJanuary 12, 2023FW Will Baynham Queen's Park F.C.Free TransferJanuary 12, 2023DF Owen Green South Georgia Tormenta FCFree TransferJanuary 13, 2023MF Pierre Mané Virginia Commonwealth RamsFree TransferJanuary 16, 2023DF Kimball Jackson Xavier MusketeersFree TransferJanuary 17, 2023FW Khalid Balogun Maryland Bobcats FCFree TransferJanuary 17, 2023DF Diallo Irakoze Lexington SC AcademyFree TransferJanuary 18, 2023DF Franky Martinez Chattanooga FCFree TransferJanuary 18, 2023MF Phila Dlamini Saginaw Valley State CardinalsFree TransferJanuary 19, 2023FW Nico Brown Greenville Triumph SCFree TransferJanuary 20, 2023MF Seo-In Kim "SoSo" Chicago House ACFree TransferJanuary 23, 2023FW Drew Patterson Cal Poly MustangsFree TransferJanuary 23, 2023FW Jalen James Campbell Fighting CamelsFree TransferJanuary 24, 2023DF Erick Ceja-Gonzalez Reno UnitedFree TransferJanuary 25, 2023GK Austin Causey Richmond KickersFree TransferJanuary 25, 2023MF Don Smart Greenville Triumph SCFree TransferJanuary 26, 2023DF Terique Mohammed FC EdmontonFree TransferJanuary 27, 2023DF Cesar Murillo Forward Madison FCFree TransferMarch 15, 2023GK Luke Phillips Lexington SC AcademyAcademy ContractMarch 28, 2023FW Josh Head FC Cincinnati 2Free TransferAugust 29, 2023

Competitions Preseason Lexington SC played five preseason exhibition matches in preparation of their first season.

USL League One

Results by round

Matches

U.S. Open Cup

As a member of the USL League One, Lexington SC entered their first-ever Open Cup tournament in the 2nd round, with their Cup opener played on April 5, 2023. They opened the competition against USL Championship powerhouse Louisville City FC. The match was the first competitive match against a fellow professional club from the state of Kentucky for both teams. Fans of both sides named the in-state matchup "El Bluegrassico" inspired by soccer derbies from around the world.

Player statistics

Goals PlacePos.No.Name1Total1MF32 Ates Diouf150152FW77 Nico Brown8083MF10 Don Smart6064DF2 Tate Robertson4044FW14 Khalid Balogun4046DF3 Owen Green1016MF22 Phila Dlamini1016MF25 Pierre Mané1016FW9 Will Baynham1016MF11 Seo-In Kim "SoSo"1016DF4 Kimball Jackson101Total43043

Assists PlacePos.No.NameTotal1DF2 Tate Robertson8082MF8 Charlie Machell3033DF57 Terique Mohammed3033FW14 Khalid Balogun2023MF22 Phila Dlamini2025DF3 Owen Green1015MF32 Ates Diouf1015FW77 Nico Brown1015DF26 Cesar Murillo1015FW7 Jalen James101Total23023

Clean sheets PlacePos.No.NameTotal1GK13 Amal Knight4042GK1 Austin Causey101Total505

Disciplinary No.Pos. Name Total 5DF Kaelon Fox61006132MF Ates Diouf9000908MF Charlie Machell80008013GK Amal Knight3000302DF Tate Robertson6010709ST Will Baynham1000103FW Owen Green1000010025MF Pierre Mané4100414DF Kimball Jackson00000014FW Khalid Balogun1100011020DF Diallo Irakoze00000022MF Phila Dlamini60107077FW Nico Brown80008011MF Seo-In Kim "SoSo"30003018FW Drew Patterson0000007FW Jalen James10102017DF Erick Ceja-Gonzalez4000401GK Austin Causey00000010MF Don Smart41004157DF Terique Mohammed81109126DF Cesar Murillo11001133DF Franky Martinez10001044GK Luke Phillips00000080FW Josh Head000000Total955401005

References