Former New York Arrow and New York Express defender John Lignos will be inducted into the Long Island Soccer Player Hall of Fame in ceremonies on Saturday.

Ceremonies will be held at the Huntington Hilton in Melville, N.Y.

He will be inducted into the Hall, along with Doc Lawson, Peter Jianette, Nick Megaloudis, Jean Varas and Mary Theresa Varas.

Peter Collins, the late president of the Long Island Junior Soccer League, will receive the Paul LeSueur Ambassador of the Game Award.

The Hall also will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Arrows, who captured the 1981-82 Major Indoor Soccer League title.

Lignos played briefly with the Arrows, before joining the Express. He continued his indoor playing career with the Louisville Thunder and Canton Invaders, where he won the American Indoor Soccer Association championship.

He also played outdoors with the New England Tea Men, which eventually moved to Jacksonville, Fla. He also helped the Tea Men to the 1983 American Soccer League championship. He also played with the Fort Lauderdale Sun (United Soccer League).

When he was 11, Lignos emigrated to the USA from Chios, Greece. He played his youth soccer career with Oceanside United and was a three-time All-Nassau County player at Freeport H.S. He also was an All American at Ulster Community College where he won two NJCAA championships.

Lignos also was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team, and made one appearance with the USMNT playing, in a 2-1 win over Trinidad and Tobago on March 21, 1982.

“The Class of 2022 is an extraordinary example of the amazingly rich history of soccer on Long Island,” LISPHOF founder Kevin L. McCrudden said. “In the early days of men’s and women’s soccer in America, you can find the footprints of some of the greatest and most influential players in America on Long Island. Never mind one of the most influential people in American soccer history, Mr. Peter Collins. Truly one of the ‘founding fathers’ of youth soccer on Long Island and America.”

Added Hall executive director Jim Kilmeade: “The Long Island Soccer Player Hall of Fame not only represents world class athletes, but world class human beings. On behalf of our board of directors, we look forward to learning about their individual life stories and are honored to induct this distinguished Class of 2022. These seven individuals have collectively inspired and impacted the lives of thousands of young soccer players, coaches and fans across Long Island and the Country. We look forward celebrating the 1981-82 national champion – NY Arrows and the careers of Doc Lawson, Peter Jianette, Mary Theresa Varas, Jean Varas, Nick Megaloudis John Lignos and the man at the forefront of the sport on Long Island, Mr. Peter Collins.”

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.