Andrew Carleton made some kind of history with first professional start

Have you heard the news? Atlanta United’s first ever homegrown player, Andrew Carleton, made his full professional debut! The 16-year-old was named to the Charleston Battery starting lineup in a 2-1 win over Bethlehem Steel.

Carleton played really well and looked dangerous down the left flank for most of the night.

After the match, Atlanta United celebrated the moment by saying that he was the youngest American to ever start a match in the USL. However, that’s not technically correct as our SB Nation brethren, Once A Metro, pointed out. That honor actually belongs to Chris Gloster, who started a match a match for RBNY II 64 days younger than Carleton was when he started.

Atlanta United was likely trying to point out that Carleton was the youngest American professional soccer player to start a match in the USL. Which is true because Gloster is still an amateur player who is still part of the Red Bulls’ academy. Unfortunately, that one minor detail was omitted and this ridiculous saga ensued. But, kudos to the OaM staff for setting the record straight.

Not to be outdone, the Dirty South Soccer research team has spent the last 24 hours straight researching lower-level American soccer statistics and found our own piece of trivia.

Feel free to fact check this in case we are mistaken, but Andrew Carleton is the youngest American professional soccer player born in Georgia with a pet iguana named Fluffy to ever start a match in the USL. What a moment and honor for the youngster!