AFC Cleveland

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AFC Cleveland
Full nameAFC Cleveland
Nickname(s)Royals
FoundedNovember 11, 2011; 12 years ago (2011-11-11)
DissolvedDecember 12, 2017; 6 years ago (2017-12-12)
GroundStan Skoczen Stadium, Independence, OH
Capacity2,200[1]
WebsiteClub website

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]

History[edit]

Cleveland players huddle before a game against FC Cincinnati in 2017

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[edit]

From 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[edit]

Supporters[edit]

6th 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[edit]

Cleveland players in action during a 2017 U.S. Open Cup fixture

Notable former players[edit]

This 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.

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]

  1. ^ "STAN SKOCZEN STADIUM AT INDEPENDENCE HIGH SCHOOL". AFCCleveland.com. Retrieved January 5, 2018.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "Cleveland join revamped Midwestern NPSL". TheSoccerRoom.com. Archived from the original on April 22, 2012. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
  3. ^ @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.
  4. ^ "New Cleveland semipro soccer team is off to a hot start". CrainsCleveland.com. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  5. ^ "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...
  6. ^ "HISTORY – AFC Cleveland". AFCCleveland.com. Retrieved June 28, 2018.[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ Sandrick, Bob (June 3, 2012). "New soccer club calls Parma home". The Plain Dealer. Advance Publications. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
  8. ^ "AFC Cleveland Begins with Admiral". AFCCleveland.com. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014.
  9. ^ О футболе в Америке в одном видео [About football in America in one video]. Givova-Sport.com (in Russian). Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  10. ^ "6th City Syndicate". 6CSCleveland.com. Archived from the original on June 29, 2018. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  11. ^ "The Rust Belt Derby". SoccerNewsDay.com. Archived from the original on May 8, 2012. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
  12. ^ "The Battle for Ohio Begins with a Bang". ISNSoccer.com. Archived from the original on June 29, 2018. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  13. ^ "Dynamo realigns with NPSL Midwest East". DaytonDailyNews.com. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  14. ^ "BATTLE FOR OHIO: THE I-71 CUP". AFCCleveland.com. Retrieved June 28, 2018.[permanent dead link]
  15. ^ "Great Lakes Division teams decline 2013 US Open Cup berths as NPSL entries finalized". TheCup.us. Retrieved May 7, 2013.

External links[edit]

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