Paul Kennedy
Editor in Chief & General Manager of SoccerAmerica
OBITUARY: Noel Lemon (1944-2012)
Noel Lemon, who passed away on Thursday at the age of 68, was perhaps best known as the general manager of the NASL Tulsa Roughnecks, but he also played a pivotal role in the history of American soccer as the promoter of international matches in the late 1980s and early 1990s, providing much-needed competition for the U.S. national team and keeping outdoor soccer alive the years between the end of the NASL and the launch of MLS.
A native of Northern Ireland, where he played for Glentoran and other clubs, Lemon later played for clubs in Philadelphia.
As general manager of the Tulsa Roughnecks during the heyday of the NASL, Lemon was one of league’s most colorful executives.
