Kevin Payne, who helped DC United form Major League Soccer’s first dynasty before taking over as chairman of Toronto FC, has died. He was 69 years old.
the washington post reported that Payne passed away on Sunday in Charleston, South Carolina from a lung disease.
Payne was inducted into the United States National Soccer Hall of Fame in the builder category in 2021.
MLS commissioner Don Garber called Payne “one of the most successful club managers in the league”.
“Kevin played an important role in shaping the league and helped DC United form MLS’s first dynasty by winning three of the first four MLS Cup championships,” Garber noted in a statement.
“DC United remains one of the most successful teams in league history. »
Payne led DC United from 1994 to 2001 and again from 2004 to 2012. He then became the first chairman of Toronto FC, but was unable to repeat his previous successes.
When he arrived in Toronto in November 2012, Payne joined a franchise that had been unable to make the playoffs since joining the league in 2007. The Toronto squad had won only 45 games in those six campaigns.
Payne was sacked from Toronto FC in September 2013.