Celtix du Haut-Richelieu
Celtix du Haut-Richelieu is a Canadian semi-professional soccer club based in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec that plays in the Première Ligue de soccer du Québec in the third tier of Canadian soccer, since 2020.
| Full name | Club de Soccer Celtix du Haut-Richelieu |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Celtix |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Stadium | Stade Alphonse-Desjardins |
| League | Première Ligue de soccer du Québec |
| 2022 | PLSQ-Male, 10th PLSQ-Female, 10th |
| Website | Club website |
| Current season | |
History
The club was originally formed in 1969, with the name being inspired by Scottish club Glasgow Celtic.[1] Prior to joining the PLSQ, the club played in the Ligue de Soccer Elite Quebec, which is the top amateur division in Quebec.[2] They were accepted into the PLSQ in 2016 for the 2017 season, but did not end up joining the league at that time because of administrative reasons.[3][4]
In 2020, the club joined the Première Ligue de soccer du Québec, a Division III league, fielding a team in the men's division.[3] However, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the start of their debut season to be delayed,[5] although the season did eventually return August 1.[6] The club had planned an exchange program with three amateur clubs in France in the Burgundy and Paris regions, who would each send a player to Celtix on loan for the season, however, this idea was postponed due to the pandemic.[7] They played their first match on August 1 against defending champions A.S. Blainville, losing 2–0.[8] They finished in 3rd place in their debut season, which was ended prior to its conclusion due to new regulations from the Government of Quebec as a result of the second wave of the pandemic.[9]
They will be entering a women's team in the female division of the PLSQ for the 2021 season.[10]
Seasons
Men
| Season | League | Teams | Record | Rank | League Cup | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020[note 1] | Première Ligue de soccer du Québec | 6 | 4–0–4 | 3rd | – | [11] |
| 2021 | 10[note 2] | 8–3–5 | 3rd | – | ||
| 2022 | 12 | 3–7–12 | 10th | did not qualify |
- ^ The 2020 season was cancelled before its conclusion, with the final standings determined on a points earned per game basis
- ^ Ottawa South United withdrew from the 2021 league mid-way through due to government restrictions, with their matches removed from the standings. Thus, Celtix's victory against Ottawa is not included in their record.
Women
| Season | League | Teams | Record | Rank | League Cup | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Première Ligue de soccer du Québec | 10 | 3–2–4 | 5th | did not qualify | [12] |
| 2022 | 12 | 2–2–7 | 10th | did not qualify |
Notable former players
The following players have either played at the professional or international level, either before or after playing for the PLSQ team:
References
- ^ "Historique" [Historical]. Celtix du Haut-Richelieu (in French).
- ^ Hamel, Richard (20 April 2017). "Le Celtix sénior lance sa saison samedi" [The senior Celtix launches its season on Saturday]. Le Canada Français (in French).
- ^ a b "PLSQ 2020: Des Départs, Des Arrivées" [PLSQ 2020: Departures, Arrivals]. PLSQ (in French). 7 November 2020.
- ^ Krieger, Dan (4 April 2016). "Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report". Our Sports Central.
- ^ "COVID-19: Report du Début de la Saison" [COVID-19: Postponement of Early Season]. PLSQ (in French). 25 March 2020.
- ^ Lidbetter, Mark (23 July 2020). "Pandemic infects PLSQ play for 2020". The Suburban.
- ^ Tougas, Marc (29 July 2020). "Le Celtix Prêt à Relever le Défi de son Match Inaugural" [Celtix Ready to Take on the Challenge of their Inaugural Match]. PLSQ (in French).
- ^ "PLSQ-M – Journeée 1: Avant-Matchs" [PLSQ-M - Day 1: Pre-Matches]. PLSQ (in French). 30 July 2020.
- ^ "COVID-19 : Mise à Jour Du 29 Septembre 2020" [COVID-19: Update September 29, 2020]. Quebec Soccer Federation (in French). 29 September 2020.
- ^ "Le Celtic du Haut-Richelieu Également dans la PLSQ Féminine" [Celtix du Haut-Richelieu also in the Women's PLSQ]. PLSQ (in French). 18 December 2020.
- ^ "Première Ligue de Soccer du Québec". Canadian Soccer History Archives.
- ^ "Première Ligue de Soccer du Québec Feminin". Canadian Soccer History Archives.