AFC Cleveland
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| Full name | AFC Cleveland | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Royals | ||
| Founded | 2011 | ||
| Stadium | Stan Skoczen Stadium, Independence, OH | ||
| Capacity | 2,200[1] | ||
| Chairman | Terry Lawriw | ||
| Manager | Carter Poe | ||
| League | National Premier Soccer League | ||
| 2016 | 1st, Great Lakes East | ||
| Website | Club home page | ||
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AFC Cleveland is an American soccer team based in the Cleveland suburb of Independence, Ohio, United States. Founded in 2011 and playing its first season in 2012, the team plays in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), a national league at the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Midwest Region.[2]
History
Following the folding of the Cleveland City Stars in 2009, the city of Cleveland was without a soccer team. On November 11, 2011, AFC Cleveland announced that they would join the National Premier Soccer League.
AFC stands for A Fans' Club signifying that the organization is for the fans and created by the fans.
Supporters Group
6th City Syndicate is the supporters’ group for Cleveland soccer.
Year-by-year
| Year | Division | League | Regular Season | Playoffs | 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[3] |
| 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 |
Players
2016 Roster
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Head Coach
-
Andy Hoggarth (2012–2014) -
Aaron McGuiness (2014) -
Carter Poe (2015-Present)
Honors
National Premier Soccer League
- National Playoffs
- Champions (1): 2016
- Midwest Region
- Champions (1): 2016
- Runners-Up (2): 2012, 2015
- Great Lakes Conference
- Champions (2): 2012, 2016
- Rust Belt Derby Champions: 2012
- Perform Pain Reliever Presidential Cup Champions: 2013
- I-71 Cup Champions: 2015
Rivalries
- Supporters of AFC Cleveland, Detroit City FC, and FC Buffalo and formed the 'Rust Belt Derby' modeled after the Cascadia Cup. The winner of the Derby is based on the head to head record of the midwestern clubs during regular season NPSL matches.[4] Cleveland won the initial Rust Belt Derby on June 23, 2012 following a 1-1 draw with Detroit.[5]
- AFC Cleveland has also participated in in-state rivalry matches against the Cincinnati Saints and Zanesville Athletic.
Stadium
2012: Byers Field
2013: Krenzler Field
2014: DiSanto Field
2015: Rocky River High School
2016: Stan Skoczen Stadium, Independence, Ohio
Kit Supplier and sponsorship
From 2012-13, the kit sponsor of the club was Admiral Sportswear.[6] In the 2014 season, Givova took over as the kit sponsor.
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt partner |
|---|---|---|
| 2012–2013 | Admiral Sportswear | AdmiralSoccer.com |
| 2014–2015 | Givova | Rocky River Urgent Care |
| 2016– | Joma | NovaCare |
References
- ↑ http://afccleveland.com/stadium/index.html#
- ↑ "Cleveland join revamped Midwestern NPSL". The Soccer Room. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
- ↑ Josh Hakala (April 9, 2013). "Great Lakes Division teams decline 2013 US Open Cup berths as NPSL entries finalized". TheCup.us. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
- ↑ http://www.soccernewsday.com/usa/a/134/the-rust-belt-derby
- ↑ "The Rust Belt Derby". Soccer News Day. Soccer News Day. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
- ↑ AFC Cleveland Begins with Admiral Archived July 14, 2014, at the Wayback Machine.
Official External Links
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| Defunct men's outdoor leagues |
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Sports teams based in and around Cleveland | ||
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| Baseball |  | |
| Basketball | ||
| Football | ||
| Hockey | ||
| Roller derby | ||
| Soccer | ||
| College athletics (NCAA Division I) | ||
| College athletics (NCAA Division III) | ||
| Related | ||
