AFC Cleveland was an American semi-professional soccer club based in the Cleveland suburb of Independence, Ohio. Founded in 2011 and playing its first season in 2012, the team spent six years in the fourth-tier National Premier Soccer League.[2] After being expelled from the NPSL at the end of the 2017 season,[3] AFC Cleveland folded and was replaced by Cleveland SC, who began play in the NPSL in 2018.[4]
 | |
| Full name | AFC Cleveland |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Royals |
| Founded | November 11, 2011 |
| Dissolved | December 12, 2017 |
| Ground | Stan Skoczen Stadium, Independence, OH |
| Capacity | 2,200[1] |
| Website | https://www.afccleveland.com/ |
History
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Following the folding of the Cleveland Internationals in 2010, the city of Cleveland was without a soccer team.[5] On November 11, 2011, AFC Cleveland announced that they would join the National Premier Soccer League.[6]
AFC stands for A Fans' Club, signifying that the organization is for the fans and created by the fans, and was inspired by the English club AFC Wimbledon.[7]
Stadium
edit| Period | Stadium | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Byers Field | Parma, Ohio |
| 2013 | Krenzler Field | Cleveland, Ohio |
| 2014 | DiSanto Field | |
| 2015 | Rocky River HS Stadium | Rocky River, Ohio |
| 2016–2017 | Stan Skoczen Stadium | Independence, Ohio |
Kit supplier and sponsorship
editFrom 2012 to 2013, the kit sponsor of the club was Admiral Sportswear.[8] Beginning with the 2014 season, Givova took over as the kit sponsor.[9]
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 2012–2013 | Admiral Sportswear | AdmiralSoccer.com |
| 2014–2015 | Givova | Rocky River Urgent Care |
| 2016–2017 | Joma | NovaCare |
Club culture
editSupporters
edit6th City Syndicate is the supporters' group for Cleveland soccer.[10]
Rivalries
edit- Supporters of AFC Cleveland, Detroit City FC, and FC Buffalo formed the Rust Belt Derby, modeled after the Cascadia Cup. The winner of the Derby was based on the head to head record of the Midwestern clubs during regular season NPSL matches. Cleveland won the initial Rust Belt Derby on June 23, 2012, following a 1–1 draw with Detroit.[11]
- AFC Cleveland also participated in in-state rivalry matches against Zanesville Athletic FC, with whom they contested the Presidential Cup,[12] and Dayton Dynamo.[13] Prior to the Cincinnati Saints relocating to Dayton to become the Dynamo, they and AFC Cleveland played for the I-71 Cup.[14]
Players and staff
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Notable former players
editThis list of notable former players comprises players who went on to play professional soccer after playing for the team in the NPSL, or those who previously played professionally before joining the team.
Robby Dambrot- Bryan Gallego
- Riley Grant
- Alex Ivanov
Sergio Manesio- Bradley Ruhaak
- Nate Shultz
Kotaro Umeda- Matt Walker
- Shane Wiedt
Head coach history
edit| Name | Nationality | Tenure |
|---|---|---|
| Andy Hoggarth |  England
|
2012–2014 |
| Aaron McGuiness |  Australia
|
2014 |
| Carter Poe |  United States
|
2015–2017 |
| Mike Sesar | United States
|
2017 |
Honors
edit| National | ||
|---|---|---|
| Competitions | Titles | Seasons |
| National Premier Soccer League | 1 | 2016 |
| Midwest Region (Playoffs) | 1 | 2016 |
| Great Lakes Conference (Playoffs) | 2 | 2012, 2016 |
| Great Lakes Conference (Regular Season) | 1 | 2016 |
- Minor Trophies
- Rust Belt Derby Champions: 2012
- Presidential Cup Champions: 2013
- I-71 Cup Champions: 2015
Year-by-year
edit| Season | Division | League | Regular Season | Playoffs | U.S. Open Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 4 | NPSL | 3rd, Midwest-Great Lakes | Regional Finals | Did not qualify |
| 2013 | 4 | NPSL | 4th, Midwest-Great Lakes | Conference Semi-Finals | Declined Entry[15] |
| 2014 | 4 | NPSL | 3rd, Midwest-Great Lakes East | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2015 | 4 | NPSL | 2nd, Midwest Conference | Regional Finals | Did not qualify |
| 2016 | 4 | NPSL | 1st, Midwest-Great Lakes East | Champions | 2nd Round |
| 2017 | 4 | NPSL | 4th Midwest - East | Did not qualify | 2nd Round |
References
edit- ^ "STAN SKOCZEN STADIUM AT INDEPENDENCE HIGH SCHOOL". AFCCleveland.com. Retrieved January 5, 2018.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Cleveland join revamped Midwestern NPSL". TheSoccerRoom.com. Archived from the original on April 22, 2012. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
- ^ @NPSLSoccer (December 12, 2017). "NEWS: The #NPSL today announced the termination of the memberships of AFC Cleveland (@AFCCleveland) and Sports Club Corinthians USA (@SCorinthiansUSA) in line with the NPSL Bylaws for teams not in good financial standing with the league" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "New Cleveland semipro soccer team is off to a hot start". CrainsCleveland.com. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
- ^ "History of Soccer in Cleveland". Homepages.Sover.net. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
...folding after a last-place finish. Cleveland fans were again left pining, and things looked rather bleak as the first decade of the 21st century ended. Outside of the local amateur leagues, the only soccer in the city was provided by the amateur USL-PDL's Internationals...
- ^ "HISTORY – AFC Cleveland". AFCCleveland.com. Retrieved June 28, 2018.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Sandrick, Bob (June 3, 2012). "New soccer club calls Parma home". The Plain Dealer. Advance Publications. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
- ^ "AFC Cleveland Begins with Admiral". AFCCleveland.com. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014.
- ^ О футболе в Америке в одном видео [About football in America in one video]. Givova-Sport.com (in Russian). Retrieved June 28, 2018.
- ^ "6th City Syndicate". 6CSCleveland.com. Archived from the original on June 29, 2018. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
- ^ "The Rust Belt Derby". SoccerNewsDay.com. Archived from the original on May 8, 2012. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
- ^ "The Battle for Ohio Begins with a Bang". ISNSoccer.com. Archived from the original on June 29, 2018. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
- ^ "Dynamo realigns with NPSL Midwest East". DaytonDailyNews.com. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
- ^ "BATTLE FOR OHIO: THE I-71 CUP". AFCCleveland.com. Retrieved June 28, 2018.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Great Lakes Division teams decline 2013 US Open Cup berths as NPSL entries finalized". TheCup.us. April 9, 2013. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
External links
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