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Toronto FC II

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by GrouchoPython (talk | contribs) at 16:04, 27 November 2022 (infobox update - 2022 season results). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Toronto FC II
Nickname(s)Young Reds
Short nameTFCII
FoundedNovember 20, 2014 (9 years ago) (November 20, 2014)
StadiumYork Lions Stadium
OwnerMaple Leaf Sports & Entertainment
PresidentBill Manning
Head coachGianni Cimini
LeagueMLS Next Pro
20222nd, Eastern Conference
Playoffs: Conference Finals
Websitehttps://www.torontofc.ca/tfcii
Current season

Toronto FC II is a Canadian professional soccer team based in Toronto, Ontario, who play in MLS Next Pro, a third tier league of the United States soccer league system. It is the reserve team and minor league affiliate of Toronto FC as well as in partnership with Toronto FC Academy.

History

Pre-history

Upon their entrance into Major League Soccer, Toronto FC fielded their reserves in the MLS Reserve League from 2007 to 2013. In 2014, Toronto FC entered into a one-year partnership with the Wilmington Hammerheads of the USL to serve as their affiliate, with whom they would loan players to.[1]

Formation

On November 20, 2014, Toronto FC announced the creation of a reserve team that would play in the third-tier United Soccer League under the name Toronto FC II.[2][3][4] The team began play in March 2015, playing at the then-newly constructed 3,500-seat stadium at the Ontario Soccer Centre in Vaughan, just north-northwest of Toronto.[5] They played their first match on June 27, 2015, against Wilmington Hammerheads.[6] From 2017, the USL was sanctioned as a second-tier league.[7]

On July 2, 2018, the team announced they would move down from the United Soccer League to USL League One for the league's first season in 2019.[8] TFC II played in Saskatoon for the first SK Summer Soccer Series, which is hosted by the Saskatchewan Selects.[9] The Selects defeated TFC II 2–0.[10]

In July 2020, the team withdrew from the 2020 USL League One season, due to travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[11] They returned to the league in 2021, beginning the season at the Grande Sports World training facility in Casa Grande, Arizona, due to continued travel restrictions caused by the continuing pandemic.[12] After playing their first three home games there, following three home games were played at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida. Toronto FC II ultimately resumed playing their home games in Toronto on July 30, 2021, when they hosted Greenville Triumph SC at the BMO Training Ground.[13]

MLS Next Pro

The club announced on December 6, 2021, that it was joining the 21-team MLS Next Pro for the inaugural 2022 season.[14] In their debut season, they qualified for their first-ever playoff birth, after winning the Northeast Division.[15] After defeating Philadelphia Union 2 in the Conference semi-finals, they were defeated by Columbus Crew 2 in extra time in the Conference finals.[16]

Players and staff

Roster

As of November 15, 2022[17]