San Francisco Glens
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| Full name | San Francisco Glens SC | |||
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| Nickname(s) | The Glens, Green and White, Blanco y Verde | |||
| Founded | 1961 | |||
| Ground | Boxer Stadium | |||
| Capacity | 3,500 | |||
| Coach | Jimmy Conrad | |||
| League | USL League Two | |||
| 2019 | 8th, Southwest Division Playoffs: DNQ | |||
| Website | http://www.sfglens.com/ | |||
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San Francisco Glens Soccer Club, commonly known as SF Glens, is an American soccer club based in San Francisco that was founded in 1961. Their first team currently competes in USL League Two (formerly USL PDL), the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.
Before establishing a USL League Two franchise in 2018, the Glens had been a longtime member of the San Francisco Soccer Football League (SFSFL) and were once affiliated with the San Francisco Seals' PDL team, which is now defunct. The Glens continue to field an SFSFL team, but the USL League Two franchise is now the club's official first team.
Today, the Glens are the official North American partner of 2. Bundesliga club Holstein Kiel, and their youth program, known as the SF Glens Academy, enjoys MLS Next status. It is also the only youth club in San Francisco that is a member of the USL Academy and a Partner in Development Training with the San Jose Earthquakes.[1]
Combined as one entity (USL League Two first team, SFSFL second and third teams, and SF Glens Academy youth teams), the Glens are the largest club in San Francisco with over 70 teams and approximately 1,200 active players.[2][3]
History
Beginnings
The Glens were founded in 1961 by Dr. Michael McFadden as one of a number of Irish American amateur sides that had emerged in the SFSFL during the 1960s. The emergence of the Glens during this period was based on the coaching of Irishman Neil Hagan coupled with a talented crop of young players like Tom and Steve Ryan, Jim Boyle, and Tom and Tim Harvey, among others.
It was also during these early years when the club struck up a friendship with Celtic F.C. that still endures today, when the European giants visited San Francisco in 1957 to play a friendly match and as legend has it, provided the Glens with their first kits when they debuted four years later.
National Amateur Success
The result of Hagan's leadership was promotion to the SFSFL's Premier division by the end of the decade. The Glens went on to national prominence by advancing all the way to the National Amateur Cup final in 1979 where they lost 1–0 to Atlanta Datagraphic. Their national success also spilled over into qualification for the prestigious U.S. Open Cup three times in a five-year stretch from 1978–1982.
SFSFL Title Teams
The untimely death of Hagan in 1981 left a void that might have been the end of other clubs. However, Sean Shannon stepped into the spotlight and quietly remolded the team into a championship-winning outfit by bringing in players such as Paul Mitchell and Mal Roche. By 1984, the Glens captured their first SFSFL championship in 1984—the first by an Irish side. In 1990, they returned to the National Amateur Cup final that season. Unfortunately, they were on the wrong side of another 1–0 result, this time to the St. Petersburg Kickers. Three years later under Shannon, the Glens captured their second SFSFL title.
Return to the SFSFL
After a brief hiatus, the SF Glens returned to the SFSFL in 2015 with a Premier Division and reserve team open to all comers. Three years later behind coach Bill Chu, the SFSFL Glens earned a berth in the California Soccer Association North (CSAN) State Cup Final, falling to Club Marin in extra time, 4–2.
A New Era in USL League Two
In 2018, the Glens announced the establishment of a new franchise in the USL Premier Development League with dual intentions: to create a top of the pyramid for their SF Glens Academy youth program and SFSFL teams, and also to set a foundation to enter the professional ranks in the future. J. Ramon Estevez was hired as the PDL franchise's inaugural team president/general manager and Javier Ayala-Hil as head coach.[4] Mike McNeill, executive director of football for the youth side, doubles as a member of the PDL front office as well.[5]
Though the Glens missed the playoffs in their first PDL season, they closed the campaign on a four-game unbeaten streak and were one of only two teams to take points from eventual Southwest Division champion FC Golden State Force.
In September 2018, the club announced that U.S. World Cup veteran and MLS Cup champion Jimmy Conrad had agreed to become their new technical director and associate head coach.[6] In December 2018, Mike McNeill took on the reins of the team presidency. One month later, the Glens had four players selected in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft--a first for any San Francisco club and the third-most among all clubs in the PDL, now rebranded as USL League Two.
The Glens entered an official partnership with 2. Bundesliga club Holstein Kiel in 2019, as San Francisco and Kiel are sister cities.
In February 2020, the club announced that Ayala-Hil would step down as head coach and named Conrad his successor.[7]
Supporters
The SF Glens supporters' group is known as the SF Glens Brigade, or Briogáid Ghleann (as it is known in Irish Gaelic as a nod to the club's Irish roots). They meet at Boxer Stadium in Balboa Park during matches and travel on the road to support the club.
Kit Sponsors
The SF Glens made history when they announced that global brand Carlsberg would be the presenting sponsor for their inaugural season kit, as Liverpool F.C., Wimbledon F.C., and F.C. Copenhagen are the only other club teams in association soccer to ever don the renowned beer company's logo on the front of their jerseys. The Glens' other kit sponsors are Soccerloco, Rubica, and Thomas Quinn Law. In addition, the club entered a contract with Casa Sanchez Foods to feature the iconic Jimmy the Cornman logo on their coaches' apparel.[8]
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Main shirt sponsor | Training gear sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Nike | Carlsberg | Casa Sanchez |
| 2019 | Nike | Carlsberg, Speakeasy | Carlsberg |
| 2020 | Nike | Carlsberg, Speakeasy | Powerade |
Squad
Current squad
The following 18 players were named in the squad for the USL League Two regular-season game against Southern California Seahorses on May 30, 2019.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Recent callups
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Record
SFSFL
| Year | Division | League | Regular Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 2 | SFSFL Majors | 6th |
| 2001 | 2 | SFSFL Majors | 1st |
| 2002 | 1 | SFSFL Premier | 9th |
| 2003 | 1 | SFSFL Premier | 7th |
| 2004 | 1 | SFSFL Premier | 5th |
| 2005 | 1 | CPSA | 1st |
| 2006 | 1 | CPSA | 3rd |
| 2007 | 1 | CPSA | |
| 2008 | 1 | CPSA | 5th |
| 2015 | 1 | SFSFL Premier | 3rd |
| 2016 | 1 | SFSFL Premier | 9th |
| 2017 | 1 | SFSFL Premier | 6th |
| 2018 | 1 | SFSFL Premier | 8th |
| 2019 | 1 | SFSFL Premier | 5th |
USL League Two
| Year | Division | League | Regular Season | Playoffs | Open Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 4 | USL PDL | 7th, Southwest | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2019 | 4 | USL League Two | 8th, Southwest | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2020 | 4 | USL League Two | Season canceled due to COVID-19 | N/A | N/A |
Glens in the Pros
Sam Junqua - 2018 - selected in 2019 MLS SuperDraft by Houston Dynamo (1st round, 8th overall)
Roy Boateng - 2018 - selected in 2019 MLS SuperDraft by New York Red Bulls (1st round, 16th overall)
Shinya Kadono - 2018 - selected in 2019 MLS SuperDraft by D.C. United (3rd round, 72nd overall)- Sam Ebstein - 2018 - selected in 2019 MLS SuperDraft by FC Dallas (4th round, 87th overall)
Yohannes Harish - 2018-19 - signed by Oakland Roots SC, 2019 - Luke Dennison - 2018 - signed by Longford Town FC, 2019
- Aydan Bowers - 2019 - signed by FC Helsingor, 2019
- Amir Bashti - 2019 - signed by Atlanta United 2, 2019
- Salifu Jatta - 2019 - signed by Oakland Roots SC, 2019
- Drake Callender - 2019 - signed by Inter Miami CF, 2019
- Isaiah Dargan - 2018-19 - signed by Chattanooga Red Wolves, 2020
- Simon Lekressner - 2019 - selected in 2020 MLS SuperDraft by New England Revolution (2nd round, 30th overall)
- Andrew Konstantino - 2018-19 - signed by Reno 1868 FC, 2020
- Jonathan Orozco - 2019 - signed by Oakland Roots SC, 2020
- Josiah Romero - 2019 - signed by Oakland Roots SC, 2020
- Arda Bulut - 2018-19 - signed by Louisville City FC, 2020
- Nabi Kibunguchy - 2019 - selected in 2021 MLS SuperDraft by Minnesota United FC (1st round, 18th overall)
SFSFL Honors
League
- Premier Division: 1983–84, 1989–90
- Division II: 1978–79, 2001
- Division III: 1977–78
- Division IV: 1976–77
- California North: 1978–79, 1979–80, 1982–83
- National Finalists: 1979, 1990
- California North: 1977–78, 1979–80, 1980–81
- Champions: 1983–84
- Finalists: 2018
California State Intermediate Cup (1): 1968–69
Carlsberg Cup
- S.F. Champions: 2001
- National Finalists: 2001
References
- ^ "NEWS: Earthquakes Launch Partners in Development Training Program". Retrieved 13 January 2018.
- ^ "SF Vikings Soccer League". Retrieved 29 March 2013.
- ^ "SFGate.com". Retrieved 15 July 2018.
- ^ https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/video/3899326-soccer-club-the-san-francisco-glens-get-glenned/
- ^ https://blog.sfgate.com/soccer/2018/05/03/sf-glens-pro-soccer-ambitions-start-with-pdl-club/
- ^ https://www.sfglens.com/news_article/show/952069
- ^ https://www.sfglens.com/news_article/show/1083370
- ^ https://www.sfglens.com/partners
External links
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