Detroit City FC
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| Full name | Detroit City Football Club | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Le Rouge, DCFC, City, The Club of The People | |||
| Founded | 2012 | |||
| Ground | Cass Technical High School Stadium, Detroit, MI (Plans announced to move in 2016 to Keyworth Stadium, Hamtramck, MI)[1] | |||
| Capacity | 4,000 | |||
| Head Coach | Ben Pirmann | |||
| League | National Premier Soccer League | |||
| Website | http://www.detcityfc.com/ | |||
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Detroit City FC (DCFC) is a semi-professional American soccer club based in Detroit, Michigan that plays in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid. Detroit City plays its home games at Cass Technical High School in downtown Detroit, but has announced plans to move in 2016 to Keyworth Stadium in Hamtramck, a small city encircled by Detroit.[1] The club manager is Ben Pirmann.
Detroit City FC has a rivalry with FC Buffalo, and AFC Cleveland with whom it contests the Rust Belt Derby. The team's nickname is Le Rouge, derived from Detroit's French roots and the River Rouge that flows through Detroit and many of its suburbs.
History
Detroit City FC was started by a group of five Detroit residents who wanted a club of their own that would promote the city and help build community through soccer.[2] In their first season in the NPSL, Detroit City FC finished second in the five team Great Lakes Conference of the Midwest Region. Le Rouge went on to lose 2-1 to AFC Cleveland in the Great Lakes Conference Semi-finals, ending their season with a 5-2-5 record. In December 2012, it was announced that head coach Kylie Stannard and associate coach Cale Wassermann would not be returning for a second season with the team due to other obligations. The following month, Ben Pirmann took over as head coach and Adil Salmoni was hired as associate head coach.
In 2013, Detroit City finished first in the Great Lakes Conference of the Midwest Region and was ranked #1 in the NPSL following an undefeated regular season and a Rust Belt Derby Championship. After beating rival AFC Cleveland for the third time that season in the semi-finals 3-1, DCFC lost to the Erie Admirals, ending the season with a 12-1-1 record.[citation needed]
Current Season
The club went 8-3-3 in all competitions in 2014 and finished in second place in a newly aligned Great Lakes West Conference of the Midwest Region of the National Premier Soccer League, which is one of two fourth-division soccer leagues in the United States. Detroit City FC made its Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup debut on May 7, losing to RWB Adria in penalty kicks after a 2-2 draw. In the NPSL regular season, the club claimed the Rust Belt Derby trophy for its second-straight year. Additionally, the team extended its home winning streak to 15 games, with its last home loss being in July 2013. In attendance, the club reached its all-time record of 3,884 supporters for its 3-1 win against the Michigan Stars on July 11, 2015.[citation needed]
In The Community
Since its beginning in 2012, Detroit City FC has been dedicated to supporting the city of Detroit and building community through its own partnerships and philanthropic missions, as noted in the club's motto, "Passion for our city. Passion for the game."[3]
The club operates the Detroit City Futbol League, a recreational, community-driven adult soccer league in the summer.[4] In 2014, the team announced its first fall recreational adult league, Soktoberfest.[5] Detroit City FC also works with Think Detroit PAL to operate free youth soccer clinics and give free admission to Detroit PAL participants.
Each season, one regular-season home game is dedicated as a fundraiser for a Detroit-area charity. On May 26, 2013, the club's match against Zanesville Athletic benefitted the Wounded Warrior Project and Hooligans for Heroes, a nonprofit started by members of the Northern Guard Supporters. On June 6, 2014, the club became the first American sports team to wear a uniform in support of LGBTQ inclusion in a regulation match. Le Rouge dedicated the June 6th match versus Erie Admirals S.C. to inclusivity in sports, auctioning off the commemorative jerseys to benefit the Ruth Ellis Center, a Highland Park, MI., shelter for at-risk, runaway and homeless LGBTQ youth.[6]
Also in 2014, the club announced its partnership with United Way of Southeastern Michigan to support its "Michigan No Kid Hungry" initiative and promote healthy lifestyles for youth in Detroit.[7] On September 7, 2014, City hosted its inaugural Detroit Public Schools Showcase, which featured a friendly match for City followed by a regulation match between Cass Tech High School and Detroit Renaissance High School, with proceeds from the night going toward the boys soccer programs.[8] The club has strong ties with Cass Tech High School, investing thousands of dollars into improving the Cass Tech field, a benefit to the both the soccer and football programs. City also presented the Cass Tech girls soccer program with new uniforms early in the 2014 season.
Club Culture
Supporters
The soccer supporting culture at DCFC matches is made up of several groups, with the largest and most notable being the Northern Guard Supporters.
Known for setting off smoke bombs, marching into the stadium in a parade-like manner, and chanting an established series of songs and cheers, supporters groups have become a staple at Detroit City FC home and away games.[citation needed]
Rivalries
Supporters of Detroit City FC, FC Buffalo, and AFC Cleveland formed the 'Rust Belt Derby'. The winner of the Derby is based on the head to head record of the midwestern clubs during regular season NPSL matches.[9] These are typically high pressure games and particular fan favorites, especially by Detroit City FC supporter groups who have been known to greatly antagonize DCFC’s opponents.[10] Cleveland won the inaugural Rust Belt Derby on June 23, 2012 following a 1-1 draw with Detroit.[11] Detroit City FC would come back and win the 2013 Rust Belt Derby trophy after beating FC Buffalo 2-1. The 2014 trophy went to Detroit on goal differential after all three teams finished with a win and a loss in Derby play, and Detroit would win again in 2015 after a 1-1 draw in the FC Buffalo-AFC Cleveland Derby match that Buffalo needed to win by more than a goal to take the trophy.
The end-of-season friendly against the Windsor (Ontario) Stars has become a mainstay of Detroit City FC season fixtures. The final match of the season against Windsor has become a showcase of reserve players for Le Rouge, giving those in attendance a preview of future talent for the next season. It also has become tradition for the Northern Guard Supporters to light off the remainder of their smoke supply from the year as a sendoff for the players and supporters.
Ownership
Sean Mann- Todd Kropp
- Alex Wright
- David Dwaihy
- Ben Steffans
Head Coach
- Kylie Stannard (2012)
- Ben Pirmann (2013 – present)
Associate Head Coach
- Cale Wassermann (2012)
- Adil Salmoni (2013 – present)
- Colby Cunningham (2014 – present)
Stadium
- Cass Technical High School Stadium; Detroit, Michigan (2012–present)
- Record Attendance: 3,884 (July 13, 2015 vs. Michigan Stars)
Players
2015 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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Notable Former Players
- Tyler Arnone now with Real Monarchs
- Adam Bedell now with Orlando City SC
- Knox Cameron former Columbus Crew forward
- Joey Dillon now with Arizona United
Keith Lough now with Penicuik Athletic F.C.- Kofi Opare now with D.C. United
Fabio Pereira now with Uberlândia Esporte Clube
Black Arrow Award Recipients
At the conclusion of each season fans get to vote for the team's MVP and recipient of the Black Arrow Award. The title of the trophy is taken from the nickname of Gil Heron, a Jamaican footballer who lived in Detroit and became the first ever black player for Celtic F.C..
- 2012: Keith Lough and Josh Rogers
- 2013: Zach Myers
- 2014: Cyrus Saydee
- 2015:
David Edwardson
Honors
Domestic League
Regional Competitions
- Rust Belt Derby
- Champions (3): 2013, 2014, 2015
Year-by-year
| Year | Tier | League | Regular Season | Playoffs | U.S. Open Cup | Avg Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 4 | NPSL | 2nd of 5, Midwest-Great Lakes (5-2-5) | Conference Semifinal | Not Eligible[12] | 1295 |
| 2013 | 4 | NPSL | 1st of 6, Midwest-Great Lakes (11-0-1) | Conference Final | Did not qualify[13] | 1715 |
| 2014 | 4 | NPSL | 2nd of 5, Midwest-Great Lakes West (8-3-3) | Did not qualify | First Round | 2857[14] |
| 2015 | 4 | NPSL | 2nd of 13, Midwest (8-2-2) | Regional Semifinal | First Round |
Current Season
2015 NPSL Midwest Region Standings Template:2015 NPSL Midwest standings
Historic Record Vs Opponents
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| 0-0-0 | Win-Loss-Draw |
| 0-0 | Win-Loss |
| * | No games played |
| Opponent | Regular Season | Playoffs | U.S. Open | Total | Played | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 AFC Cleveland
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4-1-3 | 1-2 | * | 5-3-3 | 11 | 0.591 |
| Cincinnati Saints
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4-0-0 | * | * | 4-0-0 | 4 | 1.000 |
 Erie Commodores FC[A]
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3-2-2 | 0-1 | * | 3-3-2 | 8 | 0.500 |
 FC Buffalo
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4-1-2 | * | * | 4-1-2 | 7 | 0.714 |
| Fort Pitt FC Regiment
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2-0-0 | * | * | 2-0-0 | 2 | 1.000 |
| GBFC Thunder
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2-0-1 | * | * | 2-0-1 | 3 | 0.833 |
 Indiana Fire
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1-1-1 | * | * | 1-1-1 | 3 | 0.500 |
 Lansing United
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2-1-1 | * | * | 2-1-1 | 4 | 0.625 |
 Madison 56ers
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1-0-0 | * | * | 1-0-0 | 1 | 1.000 |
| Michigan Bucks
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* | * | 0-1 | 0-1-0 | 1 | 0.000 |
| Michigan Stars FC[B]
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5-1-0 | * | * | 5-1-0 | 6 | 0.833 |
 Minnesota Twin Stars
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1-0-0 | * | * | 1-0-0 | 1 | 1.000 |
| Minnesota United FC Reserves
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0-0-1 | * | * | 0-0-1 | 1 | 0.500 |
 RWB Adria
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* | * | 0-0-1 (0-1 PKs) |
0-0-1 | 1 | 0.500 |
| Zanesville Athletic FC[C]
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3-0-0 | * | * | 3-0-0 | 3 | 1.000 |
| Total | 32-7-11 | 1-3 | 0-1-1 | 33-11-12 | 56 | 0.696 |
- Note: Table includes all competitive matches and does not include friendlies.
- Updated to end of 2015 season
- Notes
Kit Supplier and Sponsor
| Years | Kit manufacturer | Sponsor | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front Sponsor | Back Sponsor | ||
| 2012 | Nike | Independent Detroit businesses sponsored individual players | Slows to Go/ Michigan Greensafe Products |
| 2013 | None | CorePower/MillKing it Productions | |
| 2014 | |||
| 2015 | Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers Local Marketing Association[15] | Henry Ford Health System and M1 Imaging Center | |
References
- ^ a b Foster, Terry (September 10, 2015). "Detroit City FC wants to move to Hamtramck stadium". Detroit News. Retrieved September 17, 2015.
- ^ http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2012/01/26/pitch-invasion-podcast-extra-interview-with-sean-mann-of-detroit-city-fc/
- ^ http://detcityfc.com/
- ^ http://detroitcityfutbol.com/
- ^ http://www.detcityfc.com/news/detroit-city-fc-introduces-first-adult-recreational-soccer-league-soktoberfest/
- ^ http://www.detcityfc.com/news/detroit-city-fc-to-dedicate-a-match-to-supporting-the-cause-of-lgbtq-inclusion-in-sports/
- ^ http://www.detcityfc.com/news/tag/united-way/
- ^ http://www.detcityfc.com/news/soccer-shines-in-dps-showcase/
- ^ http://www.soccernewsday.com/usa/a/134/the-rust-belt-derby
- ^ "Detroit City FC brings soccer culture and excitement back to downtown". MLive.com. MLive Media Group. Retrieved March 17, 2013.
- ^ "The Rust Belt Derby". Soccer News Day. Soccer News Day. Retrieved June 26, 2012.
- ^ Gerald Barnhart. "NPSL announces four of 6.5 US Open Cup berths for 2012 tournament". TheCup.us. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Boys in Rouge: Number Crunchin'".
- ^ http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20150415/NEWS/150419907/detroit-city-football-club-signs-three-jersey-sponsors
External links
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