fbpx
Wikipedia

Tampa Bay Rowdies

The Tampa Bay Rowdies are an American professional soccer team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The club was founded in 2008 and first took the pitch in 2010. Since 2017, the Rowdies have been members of the USL Championship in the second tier of the American soccer pyramid. They formerly played in USSF Division 2 (in 2010) and the North American Soccer League (NASL) (from 2011 to 2016), which were also second-tier leagues. The Rowdies play their home games at Al Lang Stadium on St. Petersburg's downtown waterfront.

Tampa Bay Rowdies
Full nameTampa Bay Rowdies
Nickname(s)Rowdies
FoundedJune 18, 2008; 14 years ago (2008-06-18)
StadiumAl Lang Stadium
St. Petersburg, Florida
Capacity7,500
OwnersTampa Bay Rays
(Stuart Sternberg)
Head coachNeill Collins
LeagueUSL Championship
20223rd, Eastern Conference
Playoffs: Conference Finals
WebsiteClub website
Current season

The current club is a phoenix club of the original Tampa Bay Rowdies, who were active from 1975 until 1993, most notably in the original North American Soccer League. It shares its name, logo, and some of its club culture with the original club. The owners of the current club announced their intention to use the old Rowdies' trademarks at its introductory press conference in 2008. However, licensing issues forced the club to use the name FC Tampa Bay until December 2011, when it gained full rights to the Rowdies name and other intellectual property.[1] The current Rowdies have always used the same green and yellow color scheme and "hoops" as the original team, even when they could not yet use the Rowdies name.[2]

The Rowdies captured the NASL championship in Soccer Bowl 2012, and their team shield includes two stars: one for their 2012 win and one for the 1975 Soccer Bowl championship won by the original Rowdies. The club has had a long-standing rivalry with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, with whom they have contested the Florida Derby since the original Rowdies and Strikers first met in 1977. The Rowdies were also named co-league champions in 2020 after winning the USL Regular Season title and Eastern Conference Championship, but the title game was canceled due to COVID-19. They were Eastern Conference Champions again in 2021, but lost in the title game.

In October 2018, the Tampa Bay Rays, the area's Major League Baseball franchise, announced plans to purchase the Rowdies and assume control of Al Lang Stadium.[3]

Background

The original Tampa Bay Rowdies were an expansion franchise in the original North American Soccer League and played for 10 seasons in Tampa Stadium starting in 1975. NASL indoor competitions saw the Rowdies claim three titles during the 1976, 1979-1980, and 1983 seasons. The Rowdies played until the NASL folded in 1984, after which the team played in the AISA, ASL and the APSL before folding in 1993. Between the years of the former and current Rowdies franchises, the Tampa Bay Mutiny played in the Major League Soccer during 1996 through 2001, leaving less than ten years between professional soccer teams in Tampa Bay since the former Rowdies' first season in 1975 and FC Tampa Bay's first season in 2010. While the Mutiny have no connection to either Rowdies franchise, the team often paid tribute to the former Rowdies by wearing jerseys of their colors, and even wearing the logo of both the Tampa Bay Mutiny and Rowdies on the same shirt.

Club history

On June 18, 2008, local businessmen David Laxer, Andrew Nestor and Hinds Howard announced plans to start a new soccer club which would revive the Rowdies name as FC Tampa Bay Rowdies and start play in 2010 as an expansion team in the USL First Division, the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.[4] However, in November 2009 FC Tampa Bay announced their intent to instead become the co-founders of a new North American Soccer League, which would begin play in 2010.[5] These plans were subsequently superseded by the USSF Division 2 deal, which created a compromise one-season only league comprising teams from both the USL and the new NASL. In December 2013, local businessmen Bill Edwards bought a controlling interest in the club.[6] In October 2018, the Tampa Bay Rays baseball club announced their purchase the Rowdies for an undisclosed amount, pending St. Petersburg City Council approval. Once the sale was finalized, Rays presidents Matthew Silverman and Brian Auld became vice chairmen of the soccer club.[7][8]

Name changes

 
Tampa Bay taking the field in St. Louis, 2010

In January 2010, the club became known as "FC Tampa Bay" due to a legal dispute with sports apparel company Classic Ink over the merchandising rights to the Tampa Bay Rowdies name and related trademarks.[9] The name was still used informally by the club until October 2010, when the team announced that it would not use the "Rowdies" nickname at all until the ongoing rights issue was resolved.[10][11]

On December 15, 2011, after two seasons of play, the club announced that it had finally reached a licensing agreement to use the "Rowdies" name and classic logos, allowing it to change its name back to "Tampa Bay Rowdies" before the 2012 season.[1][2]

2010 season

The team played its first official game on April 16, 2010, a 1–0 victory over Crystal Palace Baltimore. The first goal in franchise history was scored by striker Aaron King. The first home game was held at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa on May 8, 2010, and ended in a 2–2 draw with Austin Aztex FC. The club started their inaugural season with a 5–1–3 record, but then won only 2 of its last 21 games and failed to make the playoffs with a final record of 7–12–11, leading to dismissal of manager Paul Dalglish.[12] They did, however, capture the 2010 Ponce De Leon Cup.

2011 season

For the 2011 season, FC Tampa Bay transitioned to the new North American Soccer League, a second division league, and also changed their home pitch, as they moved across Tampa Bay to Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg. Former original Rowdie Ricky Hill was named the club's manager in January 2011.

After winning only 2 of their first 10 matches, the club rebounded to finish third in the league table and qualified for the NASL playoffs. A highlight was a 1–0 mid-season friendly win over the Bolton Wanderers of the English Premier League at Al Lang Stadium.

2012 season

The 2012 season marked the return of the Rowdies name, as the club was finally able to secure full rights to use the moniker. It was also the most successful season in modern Rowdies history, as the club finished second in the league table and became NASL champions with a victory in Soccer Bowl 2012.

Tampa Bay amassed 45 points in 28 matches during the regular season under returning manager Ricky Hill, tallying 12 wins, nine draws. and seven losses. The Rowdies earned a bye to the semifinals of the 2012 NASL Playoffs, where they beat the Carolina RailHawks by a 5–4 aggregate in the two-leg series. In the championship round against Minnesota Stars FC, the Rowdies fell behind 0–2 after the first leg but were able to tie the aggregate with a 3–1 win in the second leg back at Al Lang Stadium. Extra time ended scoreless, so the match was decided with a penalty shoot-out, which Tampa Bay won 3–2 to secure the league championship.[13] Hill was named the NASL Coach of the Year.

2013 season

The defending champions got off to a slow start in two pre-league tournaments, as they went winless in their first six contests against MLS and USL Pro clubs. The Rowdies improved enough in league play to finish 4th in the NASL spring table with a record of 5 wins, 3 draws, and 4 losses. The highlight of the early season was a run to the 4th round of the 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, which included a 1–0 win over the Seattle Sounders of MLS.

The Rowdies went 5–4–4 during the fall portion of the schedule, good for 3rd place. The club earned 38 points over the entire campaign, second most in the league. However, because of the NASL's new split-season format, the Rowdies did not qualify for the playoffs.[14] Midfielder / striker Georgi Hristov led the team with 15 goals in all competitions and was named the NASL's Golden Ball Award winner (MVP).

2014 season

The Rowdies struggled in 2014, coming in 7th place in the NASL's spring season and 8th in the fall while allowing the most goals (50) in the league overall. The club rose to 3rd in the table midway through the fall campaign but tailed off, going winless over their last 10 matches. Manager Ricky Hill was dismissed after the season.

2015 season

 
Georgi Hristov playing for the Tampa Bay Rowdies against Jacksonville Armada FC on April 25, 2015.

The Tampa Bay Rowdies' new manager for 2015 was Thomas Rongen, who had coached the MLS's Tampa Bay Mutiny in 1996. The team also brought in another familiar face when Farrukh Quraishi, who had been a player and a youth development director for the original Rowdies, was named general manager.

In March 2015, the Rowdies traveled to Portugal to play several preseason friendlies against clubs in the Portuguese second and third division. It was the first time that the current club had undertaken an international tour.[15]

The Rowdies lost only one match during the NASL spring season, good for second place in the table. After starting the fall season 2–1–6, however, club owner Bill Edwards dismissed both Rongen and Quraishi.[16] Assistant Stuart Campbell was promoted to manager and led the team to a 3–4–4 record. The Rowdies finished the fall season in 8th out of 11 teams in the league table and missed the playoffs.

2016 season

For the second consecutive year, the Rowdies visited Europe during the preseason, traveling to England in March to play several friendlies. The Rowdies held their own against three lower division sides, going 1–2–0 in official matches. The results of the 2016 NASL season were not as good. The club went 4–4–2 in the NASL spring season, good for 5th out of eleven teams in the league table. However, results slipped in the fall portion of the schedule, and the Rowdies finished the season 9–11–12, missing the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.[17] A few days before their final game of the season, the franchise announced they would be leaving the NASL to compete in the United Soccer League beginning with the 2017 season.[18]

2017 season

Having made the jump to the USL, the Rowdies served notice that they were not to be taken lightly. During the regular season they lost only once at home, and en route to finishing in third position on the USL's Eastern Conference table, lost only two of their final 15 matches. They posted a record of 14–11–7 with 53 points to propel them into the playoffs. In the USL Cup playoffs, they lost in extra time at home in the conference semifinals. It was only their second home-loss of the season.

2018 season

After a strong start the team lost three straight without scoring a goal. This prompted the firing of head coach Stuart Campbell on May 17, with defender Neill Collins retiring to accept the coaching vacancy the following day.[19] On July 4 Georgi Hristov scored his 58th career goal for the Rowdies, to pass Derek Smethurst and become the Rowdies’ all-time top scorer.[20] The team finished the season in 12th position on the Eastern Conference table.

2019 season

An extremely strong start saw the club go unbeaten in their first 13 matches and losing only once in their first 20. The final third of the season wasn't as successful, as the team lost half of their last 14 games, including 2 crucial losses to expansion sides in October that saw the club finish 5th in the Eastern Conference. Their return to the postseason was short-lived, as they lost 2–1 on the road in Louisville in the first round of the 2019 USL Championship Playoffs. Elsewhere, the club advanced to the third round of the 2019 U.S. Open Cup, defeating The Villages SC before falling to OKC Energy FC. The club also entered into a partnership with Norwich City FC[21] that saw defender Caleb Richards arrive on a season-long loan. Richards made 34 appearances, playing all but two minutes of the regular season, and scoring one goal.

Club venues

Al Lang Stadium

 
Al Lang Stadium showing soccer arrangement since 2015

The Rowdies' home pitch since 2011 has been Al Lang Stadium, a 7,500 seat former baseball stadium located on the downtown waterfront of St. Petersburg, Florida. When the club first moved to the venue, the pitch ran from the third base grandstand to right field wall, and the seating arrangement utilized the baseball grandstand along with temporary bleachers along one sideline. The arrangement has been tweaked every season since to provide a more traditional soccer experience for the fans.

The facility underwent a significant renovation in 2015 that reconfigured the pitch to run from the grandstand on one end to the left field wall on the other. A portion of the old right field wall was removed, and larger semi-permanent bleachers were installed along the south sideline, adding many more seats closer to the action and making Al Lang Stadium more soccer-friendly.

Stadium management

Although the Rowdies have been the only regular tenant of Al Lang Stadium since 2011, it was still used for exhibition and amateur baseball events during the spring and summer, necessitating the regular restoration and removal of the pitcher's mound and clay infield and causing much wear and tear to the turf.[22][23]

After becoming majority owner of the club in 2013, St. Petersburg businessman Bill Edwards expressed displeasure with the condition of the playing field and the aging facilities at Al Lang Stadium.[22] Months of rebuffed complaints about poor turf, leaky pipes, broken seats, and other issues[24] culminated in a July 2014 lawsuit filed by the Rowdies against the St. Petersburg Baseball Commission claiming that the commission was not properly maintaining the "dilapidated" facility.[25] The dispute was resolved in October 2014 when Edwards and the city of St. Petersburg brokered a deal that gave Edwards' Big 3 Entertainment company sole management control of Al Lang Stadium. As part of the arrangement, the facility would no longer be used for spring baseball, and Edwards agreed to complete $1.5 million in renovations as he sought to make Al Lang more soccer friendly.[26]

Former stadiums

 
George M. Steinbrenner Field

When the club was founded in 2008, its owners announced plans to build a 5000-seat soccer-specific stadium in northwest Tampa along the Veterans Expressway. These plans were shelved in early 2009 when residents living near the chosen site voiced concerns to the Hillsborough County Commission about potential noise and parking issues.[27]

After exploring other possible stadium sites around the Tampa Bay area, FC Tampa Bay decided to play its 2010 inaugural season at George M. Steinbrenner Field, an 11,000-seat baseball stadium near West Tampa. The club shared the facility with the Tampa Yankees, the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the New York Yankees,[28] which presented some difficulties. Scheduling home games was a challenge because the club's seasons overlapped for most of the summer. The pitcher's mound and the infield dirt could not be removed, forcing the soccer field to be set across the outfield from the right field foul line to left centerfield. This created a pitch much smaller than most professional soccer fields, and a large portion of the playing surface of one attacking third was clay.[29] And because of the difficulty of running on wet clay and potential damage to soggy turf, the Rowdies were not allowed to take the field when the ground was wet, which is often the case during Tampa's summer rainy season.[30]

Because of all these problems, the soccer club relocated to Al Lang Field for their second campaign.

Future plans

In 2013, the city of St. Petersburg began the process of creating a master plan for the waterfront area that includes Al Lang Stadium. Some of the proposals suggest replacing the entire stadium and surrounding parking areas with a soccer park complex centered by a new soccer-specific stadium.[31] Former club owner, Bill Edwards, had stated that "in a perfect world", Al Lang Stadium would be replaced by an 18,000-seat soccer-specific stadium, enabling the Rowdies to become a Major League Soccer club.[32]

Club culture

Badge

 
The Rowdies alternate "7510" logo

When the club first took the pitch in 2010, the badge was a green and yellow striped shield bearing the club name (FC Tampa Bay) and topped with a star representing the original Rowdies' victory in Soccer Bowl 1975. The badge was changed before the 2012 season to the original "Rowdies" text logo, and a second star was added after the club won Soccer Bowl 2012.[33]

In 2021, the club introduced an alternate crest, which still contained the text logo and stars, but with the addition of a figure styled after Ralph Rowdie, the mascot of the original club. It also had the numbers "75" and "10" to represent the founding year of the original club in 1975 and the current club in 2010.[34]

Supporters

Ralph's Mob is an independent supporter group for the Rowdies named after "Ralph Rowdie", a fictional mustached footballer featured in the logo of the original Tampa Bay Rowdies.[35][36] The group is known for wearing green and gold striped scarves, socks, and face paint, and for loudly cheering on their team while teasing opponents, much like the "Fannies" of the original Rowdies.[37][38][39] Ralph's Mob has a designated seating area at home matches. Many members also travel to away games, particularly when the Rowdies play at in-state rival Fort Lauderdale.[40][41] A second group, the Skyway Casuals, is composed of supporters from the area south of the Skyway Bridge, mainly Bradenton and Sarasota.[42]

Rivalries

The Rowdies' traditional rivalry has been with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. The rivalry began in 1977 between the original Tampa Bay Rowdies and the original Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the old NASL when the term Florida Derby was first used.[43] It came back into use again in the late 1990s, when both cities had MLS franchises (the Tampa Bay Mutiny & Miami Fusion).[44] Finally in 2010, after a nine-year absence Florida Derby re-entered the lexicon of American soccer, as the modern squads began facing one another.[45] The rivalry currently sits in limbo, after Rowdies' owner, Bill Edwards won a 2017 summary judgement in a lawsuit against the Strikers. Edwards now controls the copyrights, trademarks and any rights to the use of the name "Fort Lauderdale Strikers" or any variation thereof.[46][47][48]

Coastal Cup

The Coastal Cup (est. 2010) originally was contested between the Rowdies and Strikers, but with Jacksonville Armada FC's entry into the league in 2015 and Miami FC in 2016, the competition had grown to become quadrilateral.[49][50]

Rowdies 2

In December 2015 the Rowdies announced that they would begin fielding a developmental team in the National Premier Soccer League for the 2016 season and that the club would be called Rowdies 2.[51] The original Tampa Bay Rowdies had fielded a similarly named reserve/developmental squad from 1982 to 1983, but used Roman numerals to dub them Rowdies II.[52][53][54] Rowdies 2 competed in the Sunshine Conference of the South Region of NPSL, finishing in fourth place with a record of four wins, four losses, and two draws. The team disbanded in 2016.

Year League Regular Season Playoffs U.S. Open Cup
2016 NPSL 4th, Sunshine Conference Did not qualify Ineligible

Rowdies U23

In February 2017, The Rowdies announced that they would field a team in the USL's Premier Development League, with Rowdies U23 set to join the league this for 2017 PDL season.[55] Rowdies U23 will compete in the Southeast Division of the Southern Conference of PDL. The team went 3-8-3 in conference play and finished sixth out of nine teams. The team did not return for the 2018 season.

On January 15, 2020, USL League Two (formerly the PDL) announced that the Rowdies would be launching the U23 for the 2020 USL League Two season.[56] The team will play in the Southeast Division once again, play its games as Al Lang Stadium, and will be coached by former Rowdies player Andres Arango.

Year League Regular Season Playoffs U.S. Open Cup
2017 PDL 6th, Southeast Division Did not qualify Ineligible
2018 No team fielded
2019
2020 USL2 TBD, Southeast Division TBD Ineligible

Tampa Bay United

In 2017, they formed a partnership with youth club Tampa Bay United to serve as their youth affiliate.[57] In 2021, TBU replaced the Rowdies U23 in USL League Two.[58]

Players and staff

Roster

As of January 24, 2023[59]
  1. ^
    USL Academy Contract

Technical staff

 
Stuart Dobson, Stuart Campbell, and Raoul Voss

Medical staff

  •   Andrew Keane – head athletic trainer
  •   Michelle Leget – assistant athletic trainer
  •   Robert Dixon – massage therapist
  •   Dr. Koco Eaton – team physician and orthopedic surgeon
  •   Dr. Mohit Bansal – team physician and orthopedic surgeon
  •   Dr. Christopher Salud – team physician
  •   Dr. Samuel Meyers – team chiropractor

Front office

  •   Brian Auld – vice chairman[60]
  •   Matt Silverman – vice chairman
  •   Lee Cohen – president / chief operating officer
  •   Ryan Helfrick – Vice President
  •   Garrett Mitchell – operations coordinator

Head coaches

Head Coach Years *Matches *Win-Draw-Loss
  Paul Dalglish 2009–2010 30 7–11–12
  Perry Van der Beck 2010 2 1–0–1
  Ricky Hill 2011–2014 120 45–35–40
  Thomas Rongen 2014–2015 19 7–5–7
  Stuart Campbell 2015–2018 92 33–27–32
  Neill Collins 2018–present #117 63–23–31

*Includes U.S. Open Cup and playoff matches. #Totals through 2021 season.

Retired numbers*

No. Player Position Nation Tenure
6 Mike Connell Defender   South Africa 1975–1984
12 Perry Van der Beck Midfielder   United States 1978–1982, 1984, 1991–1993

*Steve Wegerle's No. 7 jersey was retired by the original Tampa Bay Rowdies in 1989. As of yet the current club does not acknowledge this honor.[61]

Team captains

Achievements

League Championship
Winners: 2012
Runners-up: 2021
Finalists: 2020[a]
  1. ^ Championship game canceled due to COVID-19 outbreak in the Rowdies camp.
Fair Play Award
Winners: 2011, 2012, 2014
USL Season Champion
2021
USL Division Champion
2020, 2021
USL Conference Champion
2020, 2021
Ponce De Leon Cup
Winners: 2010, 2012
Coastal Cup
Winners: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2020, 2021

Individual achievements

Golden Ball Award (MVP)
2013: Georgi Hristov
Golden Glove Award
2021: Evan Louro[68]
Coach of the Year
2012: Ricky Hill
2021: Neill Collins[69]
Goalkeeper of the Year
2021: Evan Louro[70]
Defender of the Year
2020: Forrest Lasso[71]
2021: Forrest Lasso[72]
NASL Best XI
2011: Pascal Millien, Mike Ambersley
2012: Jeff Attinella, Takuya Yamada, Luke Mulholland
2013: Luke Mulholland, Georgi Hristov
2016: Joe Cole
USL Championship MVP
2022: Leo Fernandes[73]
USL All-League
2017: (1st team) Marcel Schäfer
2019: (2nd team) Papé Diakité, Sebastián Guenzatti
2020: (1st team) Forrest Lasso
2021: (1st team) Evan Louro, Forrest Lasso, Sebastián Guenzatti[74]
2021: (2nd team) Aarón Guillén[74]
2022: (1st team) Leo Fernandes, Aarón Guillén[75]

Results

This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Rowdies. For the full season-by-season history, see List of Tampa Bay Rowdies seasons.

Season League Position Playoffs USOC Continental Average attendance Top goalscorer(s)
Div League Pld W L D GF GA GD Pts PPG Conf. Overall Name Goals
2018 2 USL 34 11 15 8 44 44 0 41 1.21 12th 22nd DNQ R2 DNQ 5,553   Georgi Hristov 7
2019 USLC 34 16 8 10 61 33 +28 58 1.71 5th 7th R1 R3 5,497   Sebastián Guenzatti 19
2020 USLC 16 10 3 3 25 11 +14 33 2.06 4th 7th F NH N/A   Sebastián Guenzatti 10
2021 USLC 32 23 7 2 55 23 +32 71 2.22 1st 1st F NH 0   Sebastián Guenzatti 21
2022 USLC 34 20 7 7 73 33 +40 67 1.97 3rd 4th SF R3 5,148   Leo Fernandes 19

^ 1. Avg. Attendance include statistics from league matches only.
^ 2. Top Goalscorer(s) includes all goals scored in league play, playoffs, U.S. Open Cup, and other competitive matches.

Notable friendlies

July 14, 2011 FC Tampa Bay 1–0 Bolton Wanderers St. Petersburg, Florida
7:30 pm Clare   65'   85' Report Stadium: Al Lang Stadium
Attendance: 3,914
February 13, 2016 Tampa Bay Rowdies 0–1 D.C. United St. Petersburg, Florida
7:00 pm
Report
Stadium: Al Lang Stadium
February 20, 2016 Tampa Bay Rowdies 0–2 Philadelphia Union St. Petersburg, Florida
7:00 pm Sweat   1' Report
Stadium: Al Lang Stadium
February 27, 2016 Tampa Bay Rowdies 0–0 Montreal Impact St. Petersburg, Florida
7:00 pm Report Stadium: Al Lang Stadium

See also

References

  1. ^ a b . Tampa Bay Times. December 15, 2011. Archived from the original on March 25, 2012. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
  2. ^ a b . Rowdiessoccer.com. Archived from the original on January 9, 2012. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
  3. ^ Page, Rodney (October 1, 2018). "Tampa Bay Rays to purchase Rowdies soccer club". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
  4. ^ Encina, Eduardo A. (June 19, 2008). . St. Petersburg Times. Archived from the original on June 28, 2008. Retrieved June 20, 2008.
  5. ^ "USL outcasts set to launch new league in 2010". Soccerbyives.net. November 10, 2009. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
  6. ^ Cashill, Margaret (December 12, 2013). "Bill Edwards buys controlling interest in Tampa Bay Rowdies". Tampa Bay Business Journal. Retrieved October 19, 2015.
  7. ^ "The Rays are buying the Rowdies. What does it mean for Tampa Bay?". Tampa Bay Times. October 1, 2018. Retrieved March 24, 2019.
  8. ^ "Rays purchase USL's Tampa Bay Rowdies". ESPN. October 2, 2018. Retrieved March 24, 2019.
  9. ^ Quarstad, Brian. "Tampa Bay Rowdies Change Name to FC Tampa Bay | IMSoccer News". Insidemnsoccer.com. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
  10. ^ . Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on October 13, 2012. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
  11. ^ Jarrett Guthrie (November 23, 2010). . .tbo.com. Archived from the original on January 27, 2011. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
  12. ^ "Rowdies close with 6–3 win". .tbo.com. October 1, 2010. Archived from the original on February 3, 2013. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
  13. ^ NASL. "Tampa Bay Wins NASL Championship Series After Penalty Shootout – Rowdies Lift Soccer Bowl Trophy in Dramatic Fashion". North American Soccer League.
  14. ^ "NASL standings". NASL. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  15. ^ . thebradentontimes.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015.
  16. ^ Fennelly, Martin (May 17, 2016). "Longtime Rowdies, a self-made owner and bruised feelings". The Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved May 24, 2016.
  17. ^ "Rowdies End Season With Loss". Tampa Bay Times. October 30, 2016. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  18. ^ "USL Expands with Additions of Tampa Bay Rowdies, Ottawa Fury FC". United Soccer League (USL). October 25, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
  19. ^ Kennedy, Will (May 18, 2018). "Rowdies transition defender Neill Collins to head coach". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved May 18, 2018.
  20. ^ "Hristov Writes More Rowdies History in 3-1 Win Over Toronto". July 5, 2018. Retrieved March 24, 2019.
  21. ^ "Rowdies And Norwich City FC Launch Historic Partnership". rowdiessoccer.com.
  22. ^ a b "Edwards to city: Fix Al Lang field or the Rowdies may have to move". Tampa Bay Times.
  23. ^ . Tampa Bay Times. January 19, 2011. Archived from the original on October 16, 2012. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
  24. ^ . Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  25. ^ "Bill Edwards sues baseball commission over Al Lang Stadium". Tampa Bay Times.
  26. ^ "St. Petersburg City Council gives developer Bill Edwards control of Al Lang Stadium". Tampa Bay Times.
  27. ^ Danielson, Richard (January 13, 2009). . Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on October 30, 2013. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
  28. ^ . Tampa Bay Times. January 27, 2010. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
  29. ^ http://fctampabay.com.ismmedia.com/ISM3/std-content/repos/Top/News/steinbrenner.jpg[dead link]
  30. ^ . Tampa Bay Times. January 7, 2011. Archived from the original on October 16, 2012. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
  31. ^ Woodrow Cox, John. "St. Petersburg creates master plan for downtown waterfront". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved September 2, 2013.
  32. ^ O'Donnell, Christopher (June 9, 2014). . Tampa Tribune / tbo.com. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved June 20, 2014.
  33. ^ "Rowdies unveil new logo – Tampa Bay Business Journal". The Business Journals. December 28, 2012. Retrieved January 15, 2013.
  34. ^ Cook, Glenn. "USL's Tampa Bay Rowdies Unveil New Crest, Kits". SportsLogos.Net News. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  35. ^ Martin Fennelly (May 9, 2010). "A match for a new Rowdies generation". .tbo.com. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
  36. ^ . Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on October 14, 2012. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
  37. ^ . Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on October 14, 2012. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
  38. ^ . nasl.com. Archived from the original on February 6, 2011.
  39. ^ ""Rowdies fans are loyal all the way" – The Lakeland Ledger, June 29, 1979". June 29, 1979. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
  40. ^ Jeff Rusnak (April 30, 2010). "Miami FC vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies – Sun Sentinel". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
  41. ^ . Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on October 14, 2012. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
  42. ^ "Rowdies' atmosphere of cheers, chants amps up sense of community". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  43. ^ "St. Petersburg Times – Google News Archive Search". Retrieved November 24, 2014.
  44. ^ "Fusion Eager To Face Rivals From Tampa – Sun Sentinel". Sun-Sentinel. May 18, 2001. Retrieved June 20, 2014.
  45. ^ Diaz, Armando (August 27, 2011). "Florida Derby". Insidemnsoccer.com. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
  46. ^ Nutting, Jake (June 16, 2017). "Foreclosed Strikers Set for Public Auction". empireofsoccer.com. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  47. ^ Krishnaiyer, Kartik (June 20, 2017). "FORT LAUDERDALE STRIKERS BEGIN NEW CHAPTER WITH BILL EDWARDS ACQUISITION". thefloridasqueeze.com. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  48. ^ "The Strikers name/remaining assets just sold to the plaintiff, i.e. Bill Edwards, for $5,100". reddit.com. June 20, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  49. ^ . rowdiessoccer.com. Archived from the original on February 5, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  50. ^ "MIAMI FC BECOMES 12TH NASL CLUB". NASL.com. May 20, 2015. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  51. ^ . Archived from the original on April 30, 2016. Retrieved April 26, 2016.
  52. ^ "Lakeland Ledger – Google News Archive Search". Retrieved April 26, 2016.
  53. ^ "St. Petersburg Times – Google News Archive Search". Retrieved April 26, 2016.
  54. ^ "The Evening Independent – Google News Archive Search". Retrieved April 26, 2016.
  55. ^ "Rowdies U23 to compete in USL'S Premier Development League". Retrieved February 15, 2017.
  56. ^ Staff, USLLeagueTwo com (January 15, 2020). "Tampa Bay Rowdies Add U23 Team in USL League Two". USL League Two. Retrieved January 16, 2020.
  57. ^ "Tampa Bay Rowdies Announce Youth Development Affiliation with Tampa Bay United". Tampa Bay Rowdies. March 20, 2017.
  58. ^ "Tampa Bay United to Join USL League Two for 2021 Season". USL League Two. April 8, 2021.
  59. ^ "2021 Roster". Tampa Bay Rowdies. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  60. ^ "Front Office". rowdiessoccer.com. Retrieved March 24, 2019.
  61. ^ Landman, Brian (July 22, 1989). "Great playmaker bows out tonight". St. Petersburg Times. p. 4T. Retrieved January 20, 2018.
  62. ^ Murray, Nicholas J.E. (April 10, 2010). "Preseason Soccer". Tampa Tribune. p. 2C. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
  63. ^ Manganello, Mike J.E. (April 18, 2011). "Effort there but result isn't". Tampa Tribune. p. 9C. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
  64. ^ Camunas, Mike (April 4, 2015). "Roster filled with new faces". Tampa Tribune. p. 6C. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
  65. ^ Sharp, Darek J.E. (April 2, 2016). "Spring sprint starts season again". Tampa Bay Times. p. 1C. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
  66. ^ Sharp, Darek J.E. (April 2, 2017). "Rowdies blast Toronto to move to 2–0". Tampa Bay Times. p. 2C. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
  67. ^ "Guenzatti Fires Rowdies to Opening Day Win Over Memphis". Tampa Bay Rowdies. April 9, 2019. Retrieved March 17, 2019.
  68. ^ "Colorado Springs' Hadji Barry Awarded 2021 USL Championship Golden Boot". USLChampionship.com. USL Championship. November 1, 2021. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
  69. ^ "Tampa Bay's Neill Collins Voted Championship's Coach of the Year". USLChampionship.com. USL Championship. November 27, 2021. Retrieved November 27, 2021.
  70. ^ "Tampa Bay's Evan Louro Named Championship's Goalkeeper of the Year". USLChampionship.com. USL Championship. November 26, 2021. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  71. ^ "Tampa Bay's Forrest Lasso Named Championship's Defender of the Year". USLChampionship.com Staff. November 4, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
  72. ^ "Tampa Bay's Forrest Lasso Voted Championship's Defender of the Year". USLChampionship.com. USL Championship. November 26, 2021. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  73. ^ "Tampa Bay's Leo Fernandes Voted 2022 USL Championship Most Valuable Player". USLChampionship.com. USL Championship. November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  74. ^ a b "USL Championship Announces 2021 All-League Teams". USLChampionship.com. USL League One. November 23, 2021. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  75. ^ "USL Championship Announces 2022 All-League Teams". USLChampionship.com. USL Championship. November 1, 2022. Retrieved November 1, 2022.

External links

  • Official website

tampa, rowdies, this, article, about, current, original, team, 1975, american, professional, soccer, team, based, petersburg, florida, club, founded, 2008, first, took, pitch, 2010, since, 2017, rowdies, have, been, members, championship, second, tier, america. This article is about the current Tampa Bay Rowdies For the original team see Tampa Bay Rowdies 1975 93 The Tampa Bay Rowdies are an American professional soccer team based in St Petersburg Florida The club was founded in 2008 and first took the pitch in 2010 Since 2017 the Rowdies have been members of the USL Championship in the second tier of the American soccer pyramid They formerly played in USSF Division 2 in 2010 and the North American Soccer League NASL from 2011 to 2016 which were also second tier leagues The Rowdies play their home games at Al Lang Stadium on St Petersburg s downtown waterfront Tampa Bay RowdiesFull nameTampa Bay RowdiesNickname s RowdiesFoundedJune 18 2008 14 years ago 2008 06 18 StadiumAl Lang StadiumSt Petersburg FloridaCapacity7 500OwnersTampa Bay Rays Stuart Sternberg Head coachNeill CollinsLeagueUSL Championship20223rd Eastern ConferencePlayoffs Conference FinalsWebsiteClub websiteHome colorsAway colorsThird colorsCurrent seasonThe current club is a phoenix club of the original Tampa Bay Rowdies who were active from 1975 until 1993 most notably in the original North American Soccer League It shares its name logo and some of its club culture with the original club The owners of the current club announced their intention to use the old Rowdies trademarks at its introductory press conference in 2008 However licensing issues forced the club to use the name FC Tampa Bay until December 2011 when it gained full rights to the Rowdies name and other intellectual property 1 The current Rowdies have always used the same green and yellow color scheme and hoops as the original team even when they could not yet use the Rowdies name 2 The Rowdies captured the NASL championship in Soccer Bowl 2012 and their team shield includes two stars one for their 2012 win and one for the 1975 Soccer Bowl championship won by the original Rowdies The club has had a long standing rivalry with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers with whom they have contested the Florida Derby since the original Rowdies and Strikers first met in 1977 The Rowdies were also named co league champions in 2020 after winning the USL Regular Season title and Eastern Conference Championship but the title game was canceled due to COVID 19 They were Eastern Conference Champions again in 2021 but lost in the title game In October 2018 the Tampa Bay Rays the area s Major League Baseball franchise announced plans to purchase the Rowdies and assume control of Al Lang Stadium 3 Contents 1 Background 2 Club history 2 1 Name changes 2 2 2010 season 2 3 2011 season 2 4 2012 season 2 5 2013 season 2 6 2014 season 2 7 2015 season 2 8 2016 season 2 9 2017 season 2 10 2018 season 2 11 2019 season 3 Club venues 3 1 Al Lang Stadium 3 1 1 Stadium management 3 2 Former stadiums 3 3 Future plans 4 Club culture 4 1 Badge 4 2 Supporters 4 3 Rivalries 4 4 Coastal Cup 4 5 Rowdies 2 4 6 Rowdies U23 4 7 Tampa Bay United 5 Players and staff 5 1 Roster 5 2 Technical staff 5 3 Medical staff 5 4 Front office 5 5 Head coaches 5 6 Retired numbers 5 7 Team captains 6 Achievements 6 1 Individual achievements 7 Results 7 1 Notable friendlies 8 See also 9 References 10 External linksBackground EditMain article Tampa Bay Rowdies 1975 1993 The original Tampa Bay Rowdies were an expansion franchise in the original North American Soccer League and played for 10 seasons in Tampa Stadium starting in 1975 NASL indoor competitions saw the Rowdies claim three titles during the 1976 1979 1980 and 1983 seasons The Rowdies played until the NASL folded in 1984 after which the team played in the AISA ASL and the APSL before folding in 1993 Between the years of the former and current Rowdies franchises the Tampa Bay Mutiny played in the Major League Soccer during 1996 through 2001 leaving less than ten years between professional soccer teams in Tampa Bay since the former Rowdies first season in 1975 and FC Tampa Bay s first season in 2010 While the Mutiny have no connection to either Rowdies franchise the team often paid tribute to the former Rowdies by wearing jerseys of their colors and even wearing the logo of both the Tampa Bay Mutiny and Rowdies on the same shirt Club history EditThis article needs to be updated Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information July 2018 On June 18 2008 local businessmen David Laxer Andrew Nestor and Hinds Howard announced plans to start a new soccer club which would revive the Rowdies name as FC Tampa Bay Rowdies and start play in 2010 as an expansion team in the USL First Division the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid 4 However in November 2009 FC Tampa Bay announced their intent to instead become the co founders of a new North American Soccer League which would begin play in 2010 5 These plans were subsequently superseded by the USSF Division 2 deal which created a compromise one season only league comprising teams from both the USL and the new NASL In December 2013 local businessmen Bill Edwards bought a controlling interest in the club 6 In October 2018 the Tampa Bay Rays baseball club announced their purchase the Rowdies for an undisclosed amount pending St Petersburg City Council approval Once the sale was finalized Rays presidents Matthew Silverman and Brian Auld became vice chairmen of the soccer club 7 8 Name changes Edit Tampa Bay taking the field in St Louis 2010 In January 2010 the club became known as FC Tampa Bay due to a legal dispute with sports apparel company Classic Ink over the merchandising rights to the Tampa Bay Rowdies name and related trademarks 9 The name was still used informally by the club until October 2010 when the team announced that it would not use the Rowdies nickname at all until the ongoing rights issue was resolved 10 11 On December 15 2011 after two seasons of play the club announced that it had finally reached a licensing agreement to use the Rowdies name and classic logos allowing it to change its name back to Tampa Bay Rowdies before the 2012 season 1 2 2010 season Edit Main article 2010 FC Tampa Bay season The team played its first official game on April 16 2010 a 1 0 victory over Crystal Palace Baltimore The first goal in franchise history was scored by striker Aaron King The first home game was held at George M Steinbrenner Field in Tampa on May 8 2010 and ended in a 2 2 draw with Austin Aztex FC The club started their inaugural season with a 5 1 3 record but then won only 2 of its last 21 games and failed to make the playoffs with a final record of 7 12 11 leading to dismissal of manager Paul Dalglish 12 They did however capture the 2010 Ponce De Leon Cup 2011 season Edit Main article 2011 FC Tampa Bay season For the 2011 season FC Tampa Bay transitioned to the new North American Soccer League a second division league and also changed their home pitch as they moved across Tampa Bay to Al Lang Stadium in St Petersburg Former original Rowdie Ricky Hill was named the club s manager in January 2011 After winning only 2 of their first 10 matches the club rebounded to finish third in the league table and qualified for the NASL playoffs A highlight was a 1 0 mid season friendly win over the Bolton Wanderers of the English Premier League at Al Lang Stadium 2012 season Edit Main article 2012 Tampa Bay Rowdies season Dan Antoniuk and Tsuyoshi Yoshitake 2012 The 2012 season marked the return of the Rowdies name as the club was finally able to secure full rights to use the moniker It was also the most successful season in modern Rowdies history as the club finished second in the league table and became NASL champions with a victory in Soccer Bowl 2012 Tampa Bay amassed 45 points in 28 matches during the regular season under returning manager Ricky Hill tallying 12 wins nine draws and seven losses The Rowdies earned a bye to the semifinals of the 2012 NASL Playoffs where they beat the Carolina RailHawks by a 5 4 aggregate in the two leg series In the championship round against Minnesota Stars FC the Rowdies fell behind 0 2 after the first leg but were able to tie the aggregate with a 3 1 win in the second leg back at Al Lang Stadium Extra time ended scoreless so the match was decided with a penalty shoot out which Tampa Bay won 3 2 to secure the league championship 13 Hill was named the NASL Coach of the Year 2013 season Edit Main article 2013 Tampa Bay Rowdies season The defending champions got off to a slow start in two pre league tournaments as they went winless in their first six contests against MLS and USL Pro clubs The Rowdies improved enough in league play to finish 4th in the NASL spring table with a record of 5 wins 3 draws and 4 losses The highlight of the early season was a run to the 4th round of the 2013 Lamar Hunt U S Open Cup which included a 1 0 win over the Seattle Sounders of MLS The Rowdies went 5 4 4 during the fall portion of the schedule good for 3rd place The club earned 38 points over the entire campaign second most in the league However because of the NASL s new split season format the Rowdies did not qualify for the playoffs 14 Midfielder striker Georgi Hristov led the team with 15 goals in all competitions and was named the NASL s Golden Ball Award winner MVP 2014 season Edit Main article 2014 Tampa Bay Rowdies season The Rowdies struggled in 2014 coming in 7th place in the NASL s spring season and 8th in the fall while allowing the most goals 50 in the league overall The club rose to 3rd in the table midway through the fall campaign but tailed off going winless over their last 10 matches Manager Ricky Hill was dismissed after the season 2015 season Edit Main article 2015 Tampa Bay Rowdies season Georgi Hristov playing for the Tampa Bay Rowdies against Jacksonville Armada FC on April 25 2015 The Tampa Bay Rowdies new manager for 2015 was Thomas Rongen who had coached the MLS s Tampa Bay Mutiny in 1996 The team also brought in another familiar face when Farrukh Quraishi who had been a player and a youth development director for the original Rowdies was named general manager In March 2015 the Rowdies traveled to Portugal to play several preseason friendlies against clubs in the Portuguese second and third division It was the first time that the current club had undertaken an international tour 15 The Rowdies lost only one match during the NASL spring season good for second place in the table After starting the fall season 2 1 6 however club owner Bill Edwards dismissed both Rongen and Quraishi 16 Assistant Stuart Campbell was promoted to manager and led the team to a 3 4 4 record The Rowdies finished the fall season in 8th out of 11 teams in the league table and missed the playoffs 2016 season Edit Main article 2016 Tampa Bay Rowdies season For the second consecutive year the Rowdies visited Europe during the preseason traveling to England in March to play several friendlies The Rowdies held their own against three lower division sides going 1 2 0 in official matches The results of the 2016 NASL season were not as good The club went 4 4 2 in the NASL spring season good for 5th out of eleven teams in the league table However results slipped in the fall portion of the schedule and the Rowdies finished the season 9 11 12 missing the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year 17 A few days before their final game of the season the franchise announced they would be leaving the NASL to compete in the United Soccer League beginning with the 2017 season 18 2017 season Edit Main article 2017 Tampa Bay Rowdies season Having made the jump to the USL the Rowdies served notice that they were not to be taken lightly During the regular season they lost only once at home and en route to finishing in third position on the USL s Eastern Conference table lost only two of their final 15 matches They posted a record of 14 11 7 with 53 points to propel them into the playoffs In the USL Cup playoffs they lost in extra time at home in the conference semifinals It was only their second home loss of the season 2018 season Edit Main article 2018 Tampa Bay Rowdies season After a strong start the team lost three straight without scoring a goal This prompted the firing of head coach Stuart Campbell on May 17 with defender Neill Collins retiring to accept the coaching vacancy the following day 19 On July 4 Georgi Hristov scored his 58th career goal for the Rowdies to pass Derek Smethurst and become the Rowdies all time top scorer 20 The team finished the season in 12th position on the Eastern Conference table 2019 season Edit Main article 2019 Tampa Bay Rowdies season An extremely strong start saw the club go unbeaten in their first 13 matches and losing only once in their first 20 The final third of the season wasn t as successful as the team lost half of their last 14 games including 2 crucial losses to expansion sides in October that saw the club finish 5th in the Eastern Conference Their return to the postseason was short lived as they lost 2 1 on the road in Louisville in the first round of the 2019 USL Championship Playoffs Elsewhere the club advanced to the third round of the 2019 U S Open Cup defeating The Villages SC before falling to OKC Energy FC The club also entered into a partnership with Norwich City FC 21 that saw defender Caleb Richards arrive on a season long loan Richards made 34 appearances playing all but two minutes of the regular season and scoring one goal Club venues EditAl Lang Stadium Edit Al Lang Stadium showing soccer arrangement since 2015 The Rowdies home pitch since 2011 has been Al Lang Stadium a 7 500 seat former baseball stadium located on the downtown waterfront of St Petersburg Florida When the club first moved to the venue the pitch ran from the third base grandstand to right field wall and the seating arrangement utilized the baseball grandstand along with temporary bleachers along one sideline The arrangement has been tweaked every season since to provide a more traditional soccer experience for the fans The facility underwent a significant renovation in 2015 that reconfigured the pitch to run from the grandstand on one end to the left field wall on the other A portion of the old right field wall was removed and larger semi permanent bleachers were installed along the south sideline adding many more seats closer to the action and making Al Lang Stadium more soccer friendly Stadium management Edit Although the Rowdies have been the only regular tenant of Al Lang Stadium since 2011 it was still used for exhibition and amateur baseball events during the spring and summer necessitating the regular restoration and removal of the pitcher s mound and clay infield and causing much wear and tear to the turf 22 23 After becoming majority owner of the club in 2013 St Petersburg businessman Bill Edwards expressed displeasure with the condition of the playing field and the aging facilities at Al Lang Stadium 22 Months of rebuffed complaints about poor turf leaky pipes broken seats and other issues 24 culminated in a July 2014 lawsuit filed by the Rowdies against the St Petersburg Baseball Commission claiming that the commission was not properly maintaining the dilapidated facility 25 The dispute was resolved in October 2014 when Edwards and the city of St Petersburg brokered a deal that gave Edwards Big 3 Entertainment company sole management control of Al Lang Stadium As part of the arrangement the facility would no longer be used for spring baseball and Edwards agreed to complete 1 5 million in renovations as he sought to make Al Lang more soccer friendly 26 Former stadiums Edit George M Steinbrenner Field When the club was founded in 2008 its owners announced plans to build a 5000 seat soccer specific stadium in northwest Tampa along the Veterans Expressway These plans were shelved in early 2009 when residents living near the chosen site voiced concerns to the Hillsborough County Commission about potential noise and parking issues 27 After exploring other possible stadium sites around the Tampa Bay area FC Tampa Bay decided to play its 2010 inaugural season at George M Steinbrenner Field an 11 000 seat baseball stadium near West Tampa The club shared the facility with the Tampa Yankees the Class A Advanced affiliate of the New York Yankees 28 which presented some difficulties Scheduling home games was a challenge because the club s seasons overlapped for most of the summer The pitcher s mound and the infield dirt could not be removed forcing the soccer field to be set across the outfield from the right field foul line to left centerfield This created a pitch much smaller than most professional soccer fields and a large portion of the playing surface of one attacking third was clay 29 And because of the difficulty of running on wet clay and potential damage to soggy turf the Rowdies were not allowed to take the field when the ground was wet which is often the case during Tampa s summer rainy season 30 Because of all these problems the soccer club relocated to Al Lang Field for their second campaign Future plans Edit In 2013 the city of St Petersburg began the process of creating a master plan for the waterfront area that includes Al Lang Stadium Some of the proposals suggest replacing the entire stadium and surrounding parking areas with a soccer park complex centered by a new soccer specific stadium 31 Former club owner Bill Edwards had stated that in a perfect world Al Lang Stadium would be replaced by an 18 000 seat soccer specific stadium enabling the Rowdies to become a Major League Soccer club 32 Club culture EditBadge Edit The Rowdies alternate 7510 logo When the club first took the pitch in 2010 the badge was a green and yellow striped shield bearing the club name FC Tampa Bay and topped with a star representing the original Rowdies victory in Soccer Bowl 1975 The badge was changed before the 2012 season to the original Rowdies text logo and a second star was added after the club won Soccer Bowl 2012 33 In 2021 the club introduced an alternate crest which still contained the text logo and stars but with the addition of a figure styled after Ralph Rowdie the mascot of the original club It also had the numbers 75 and 10 to represent the founding year of the original club in 1975 and the current club in 2010 34 Supporters Edit Ralph s Mob is an independent supporter group for the Rowdies named after Ralph Rowdie a fictional mustached footballer featured in the logo of the original Tampa Bay Rowdies 35 36 The group is known for wearing green and gold striped scarves socks and face paint and for loudly cheering on their team while teasing opponents much like the Fannies of the original Rowdies 37 38 39 Ralph s Mob has a designated seating area at home matches Many members also travel to away games particularly when the Rowdies play at in state rival Fort Lauderdale 40 41 A second group the Skyway Casuals is composed of supporters from the area south of the Skyway Bridge mainly Bradenton and Sarasota 42 Rivalries Edit Main article Fort Lauderdale Tampa Bay soccer rivalry The Rowdies traditional rivalry has been with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers The rivalry began in 1977 between the original Tampa Bay Rowdies and the original Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the old NASL when the term Florida Derby was first used 43 It came back into use again in the late 1990s when both cities had MLS franchises the Tampa Bay Mutiny amp Miami Fusion 44 Finally in 2010 after a nine year absence Florida Derby re entered the lexicon of American soccer as the modern squads began facing one another 45 The rivalry currently sits in limbo after Rowdies owner Bill Edwards won a 2017 summary judgement in a lawsuit against the Strikers Edwards now controls the copyrights trademarks and any rights to the use of the name Fort Lauderdale Strikers or any variation thereof 46 47 48 Coastal Cup Edit The Coastal Cup est 2010 originally was contested between the Rowdies and Strikers but with Jacksonville Armada FC s entry into the league in 2015 and Miami FC in 2016 the competition had grown to become quadrilateral 49 50 Rowdies 2 Edit In December 2015 the Rowdies announced that they would begin fielding a developmental team in the National Premier Soccer League for the 2016 season and that the club would be called Rowdies 2 51 The original Tampa Bay Rowdies had fielded a similarly named reserve developmental squad from 1982 to 1983 but used Roman numerals to dub them Rowdies II 52 53 54 Rowdies 2 competed in the Sunshine Conference of the South Region of NPSL finishing in fourth place with a record of four wins four losses and two draws The team disbanded in 2016 Year League Regular Season Playoffs U S Open Cup2016 NPSL 4th Sunshine Conference Did not qualify IneligibleRowdies U23 Edit Main article Tampa Bay Rowdies U 23 In February 2017 The Rowdies announced that they would field a team in the USL s Premier Development League with Rowdies U23 set to join the league this for 2017 PDL season 55 Rowdies U23 will compete in the Southeast Division of the Southern Conference of PDL The team went 3 8 3 in conference play and finished sixth out of nine teams The team did not return for the 2018 season On January 15 2020 USL League Two formerly the PDL announced that the Rowdies would be launching the U23 for the 2020 USL League Two season 56 The team will play in the Southeast Division once again play its games as Al Lang Stadium and will be coached by former Rowdies player Andres Arango Year League Regular Season Playoffs U S Open Cup2017 PDL 6th Southeast Division Did not qualify Ineligible2018 No team fielded20192020 USL2 TBD Southeast Division TBD IneligibleTampa Bay United Edit In 2017 they formed a partnership with youth club Tampa Bay United to serve as their youth affiliate 57 In 2021 TBU replaced the Rowdies U23 in USL League Two 58 Players and staff EditRoster Edit As of January 24 2023 59 No Pos Player Nation2 DF Conner Antley United States4 MF Lewis Hilton England7 MF Yann Ekra France8 MF Jake Areman United States11 MF Leo Fernandes Brazil21 MF Dayonn Harris Canada23 MF Sebastian Dalgaard Denmark33 DF Aaron Guillen Mexico56 GK Raiko Arozarena Cuba77 FW Lucky Mkosana Zimbabwe MF Charlie Dennis England DF Jordan Doherty Republic of Ireland MF Zachary Herivaux Haiti DF Freddy Kleemann United States DF Forrest Lasso United States FW Ariel Martinez Cuba FW Felix Schroter Germany GK Connor Sparrow United States FW JJ Williams United States USL Academy Contract Technical staff Edit Stuart Dobson Stuart Campbell and Raoul Voss Neill Collins head coach technical director Stuart Dobson assistant coach Jon Stead assistant coach Eric Wilde assistant coach Pete Calabrese performance coach Eric Rudland chief scoutMedical staff Edit Andrew Keane head athletic trainer Michelle Leget assistant athletic trainer Robert Dixon massage therapist Dr Koco Eaton team physician and orthopedic surgeon Dr Mohit Bansal team physician and orthopedic surgeon Dr Christopher Salud team physician Dr Samuel Meyers team chiropractorFront office Edit Brian Auld vice chairman 60 Matt Silverman vice chairman Lee Cohen president chief operating officer Ryan Helfrick Vice President Garrett Mitchell operations coordinatorHead coaches Edit Head Coach Years Matches Win Draw Loss Paul Dalglish 2009 2010 30 7 11 12 Perry Van der Beck 2010 2 1 0 1 Ricky Hill 2011 2014 120 45 35 40 Thomas Rongen 2014 2015 19 7 5 7 Stuart Campbell 2015 2018 92 33 27 32 Neill Collins 2018 present 117 63 23 31 Includes U S Open Cup and playoff matches Totals through 2021 season Retired numbers Edit Main article List of retired numbers in association football No Player Position Nation Tenure6 Mike Connell Defender South Africa 1975 198412 Perry Van der Beck Midfielder United States 1978 1982 1984 1991 1993 Steve Wegerle s No 7 jersey was retired by the original Tampa Bay Rowdies in 1989 As of yet the current club does not acknowledge this honor 61 Team captains Edit Player Seasons ref Julian Valentin 2010 62 Frank Sanfilippo 2011 2014 63 Marcelo Saragosa 2015 64 Tamika Mkandawire 2016 65 Joe Cole 2017 2018 66 Sebastian Guenzatti 2019 2022 67 Achievements EditLeague Championship Winners 2012 Runners up 2021 Finalists 2020 a Championship game canceled due to COVID 19 outbreak in the Rowdies camp Fair Play Award Winners 2011 2012 2014 USL Season Champion 2021 USL Division Champion 2020 2021 USL Conference Champion 2020 2021 Ponce De Leon Cup Winners 2010 2012 Coastal Cup Winners 2010 2011 2012 2013 2016 2020 2021Individual achievements Edit Golden Ball Award MVP 2013 Georgi HristovGolden Glove Award 2021 Evan Louro 68 Coach of the Year 2012 Ricky Hill 2021 Neill Collins 69 Goalkeeper of the Year 2021 Evan Louro 70 Defender of the Year 2020 Forrest Lasso 71 2021 Forrest Lasso 72 NASL Best XI 2011 Pascal Millien Mike Ambersley 2012 Jeff Attinella Takuya Yamada Luke Mulholland 2013 Luke Mulholland Georgi Hristov 2016 Joe ColeUSL Championship MVP 2022 Leo Fernandes 73 USL All League 2017 1st team Marcel Schafer 2019 2nd team Pape Diakite Sebastian Guenzatti 2020 1st team Forrest Lasso 2021 1st team Evan Louro Forrest Lasso Sebastian Guenzatti 74 2021 2nd team Aaron Guillen 74 2022 1st team Leo Fernandes Aaron Guillen 75 Results EditMain article List of Tampa Bay Rowdies seasons This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Rowdies For the full season by season history see List of Tampa Bay Rowdies seasons Season League Position Playoffs USOC Continental Average attendance Top goalscorer s Div League Pld W L D GF GA GD Pts PPG Conf Overall Name Goals2018 2 USL 34 11 15 8 44 44 0 41 1 21 12th 22nd DNQ R2 DNQ 5 553 Georgi Hristov 72019 USLC 34 16 8 10 61 33 28 58 1 71 5th 7th R1 R3 5 497 Sebastian Guenzatti 192020 USLC 16 10 3 3 25 11 14 33 2 06 4th 7th F NH N A Sebastian Guenzatti 102021 USLC 32 23 7 2 55 23 32 71 2 22 1st 1st F NH 0 Sebastian Guenzatti 212022 USLC 34 20 7 7 73 33 40 67 1 97 3rd 4th SF R3 5 148 Leo Fernandes 19 1 Avg Attendance include statistics from league matches only 2 Top Goalscorer s includes all goals scored in league play playoffs U S Open Cup and other competitive matches Notable friendlies Edit FC Tampa Bay v Bolton Wanderers July 14 2011FC Tampa Bay1 0Bolton WanderersSt Petersburg Florida7 30 pm Clare 65 85 Report Stadium Al Lang Stadium Attendance 3 914 Tampa Bay Rowdies v D C United February 13 2016Tampa Bay Rowdies0 1D C UnitedSt Petersburg Florida7 00 pm King 32 Burgos 41 Report Espindola 27 Clowes 30 Birnbaum 43 Stadium Al Lang Stadium Tampa Bay Rowdies v Philadelphia Union February 20 2016Tampa Bay Rowdies0 2Philadelphia UnionSt Petersburg Florida7 00 pm Sweat 1 Report Tribbett 17 Fernandes 29 Anderson 58 Restrepo 79 Stadium Al Lang Stadium Tampa Bay Rowdies v Montreal Impact February 27 2016Tampa Bay Rowdies0 0Montreal ImpactSt Petersburg Florida7 00 pm Report Stadium Al Lang StadiumSee also EditTampa Bay Mutiny Tampa Bay Rowdies 1975 1993 Tampa Bay Rowdies U23References Edit a b Tampa Bay s pro soccer team reclaims Rowdies name St Pete Times Dec 15 2011 Tampa Bay Times December 15 2011 Archived from the original on March 25 2012 Retrieved September 13 2012 a b The Rowdies Return Rowdiessoccer com Archived from the original on January 9 2012 Retrieved September 13 2012 Page Rodney October 1 2018 Tampa Bay Rays to purchase Rowdies soccer club Tampa Bay Times Retrieved October 1 2018 Encina Eduardo A June 19 2008 Tampa Bay Rowdies to get new life in USL St Petersburg Times Archived from the original on June 28 2008 Retrieved June 20 2008 USL outcasts set to launch new league in 2010 Soccerbyives net November 10 2009 Retrieved September 13 2012 Cashill Margaret December 12 2013 Bill Edwards buys controlling interest in Tampa Bay Rowdies Tampa Bay Business Journal Retrieved October 19 2015 The Rays are buying the Rowdies What does it mean for Tampa Bay Tampa Bay Times October 1 2018 Retrieved March 24 2019 Rays purchase USL s Tampa Bay Rowdies ESPN October 2 2018 Retrieved March 24 2019 Quarstad Brian Tampa Bay Rowdies Change Name to FC Tampa Bay IMSoccer News Insidemnsoccer com Retrieved September 13 2012 Tampa Bay s soccer team no longer going by Rowdies St Petersburg Times Tampa Bay Times Archived from the original on October 13 2012 Retrieved September 13 2012 Jarrett Guthrie November 23 2010 FC Tampa Bay to be included in NASL s Division II tbo com Archived from the original on January 27 2011 Retrieved January 15 2013 Rowdies close with 6 3 win tbo com October 1 2010 Archived from the original on February 3 2013 Retrieved January 15 2013 NASL Tampa Bay Wins NASL Championship Series After Penalty Shootout Rowdies Lift Soccer Bowl Trophy in Dramatic Fashion North American Soccer League NASL standings NASL Retrieved November 3 2013 Tampa Bay Rowdies Head to Portugal for Preseason Tour thebradentontimes com Archived from the original on April 2 2015 Fennelly Martin May 17 2016 Longtime Rowdies a self made owner and bruised feelings The Tampa Bay Times Retrieved May 24 2016 Rowdies End Season With Loss Tampa Bay Times October 30 2016 Retrieved October 31 2016 USL Expands with Additions of Tampa Bay Rowdies Ottawa Fury FC United Soccer League USL October 25 2016 Retrieved October 25 2016 Kennedy Will May 18 2018 Rowdies transition defender Neill Collins to head coach Tampa Bay Times Retrieved May 18 2018 Hristov Writes More Rowdies History in 3 1 Win Over Toronto July 5 2018 Retrieved March 24 2019 Rowdies And Norwich City FC Launch Historic Partnership rowdiessoccer com a b Edwards to city Fix Al Lang field or the Rowdies may have to move Tampa Bay Times FC Tampa Bay to call Al Lang home for two seasons St Petersburg Times Tampa Bay Times January 19 2011 Archived from the original on October 16 2012 Retrieved September 13 2012 Tampa Bay Rowdies fans complain about Al Lang Stadium Tampa Bay Times Archived from the original on March 4 2016 Retrieved March 1 2015 Bill Edwards sues baseball commission over Al Lang Stadium Tampa Bay Times St Petersburg City Council gives developer Bill Edwards control of Al Lang Stadium Tampa Bay Times Danielson Richard January 13 2009 Rowdies withdrawal request to build soccer stadium Tampa Bay Times Archived from the original on October 30 2013 Retrieved October 26 2013 Tampa Bay Rowdies will play at New York Yankees Steinbrenner Field St Petersburg Times Tampa Bay Times January 27 2010 Archived from the original on June 6 2011 Retrieved September 13 2012 http fctampabay com ismmedia com ISM3 std content repos Top News steinbrenner jpg dead link FC Tampa Bay considers playing soccer at St Petersburg s Al Lang Field St Petersburg Times Tampa Bay Times January 7 2011 Archived from the original on October 16 2012 Retrieved September 13 2012 Woodrow Cox John St Petersburg creates master plan for downtown waterfront Tampa Bay Times Retrieved September 2 2013 O Donnell Christopher June 9 2014 Rowdies getting closer to stadium goal in St Pete Tampa Tribune tbo com Archived from the original on March 7 2016 Retrieved June 20 2014 Rowdies unveil new logo Tampa Bay Business Journal The Business Journals December 28 2012 Retrieved January 15 2013 Cook Glenn USL s Tampa Bay Rowdies Unveil New Crest Kits SportsLogos Net News Retrieved February 1 2022 Martin Fennelly May 9 2010 A match for a new Rowdies generation tbo com Retrieved September 13 2012 Tampa Bay Rowdies fans still rabid after all these years St Petersburg Times Tampa Bay Times Archived from the original on October 14 2012 Retrieved September 13 2012 When it comes to the Rowdies you d be surprised at what you missed St Petersburg Times Tampa Bay Times Archived from the original on October 14 2012 Retrieved September 13 2012 OOPS SORRY SOMETHING WENT WRONG NASL nasl com Archived from the original on February 6 2011 Rowdies fans are loyal all the way The Lakeland Ledger June 29 1979 June 29 1979 Retrieved September 13 2012 Jeff Rusnak April 30 2010 Miami FC vs Tampa Bay Rowdies Sun Sentinel Sun Sentinel Retrieved September 13 2012 Tampa Bay Rowdies have high expectations as first season opens St Petersburg Times Tampa Bay Times Archived from the original on October 14 2012 Retrieved September 13 2012 Rowdies atmosphere of cheers chants amps up sense of community Tampa Bay Times Retrieved July 9 2020 St Petersburg Times Google News Archive Search Retrieved November 24 2014 Fusion Eager To Face Rivals From Tampa Sun Sentinel Sun Sentinel May 18 2001 Retrieved June 20 2014 Diaz Armando August 27 2011 Florida Derby Insidemnsoccer com Retrieved January 21 2012 Nutting Jake June 16 2017 Foreclosed Strikers Set for Public Auction empireofsoccer com Retrieved June 21 2017 Krishnaiyer Kartik June 20 2017 FORT LAUDERDALE STRIKERS BEGIN NEW CHAPTER WITH BILL EDWARDS ACQUISITION thefloridasqueeze com Retrieved June 21 2017 The Strikers name remaining assets just sold to the plaintiff i e Bill Edwards for 5 100 reddit com June 20 2017 Retrieved June 21 2017 Rowdies NASL NASL Releases 2015 Fall Season Schedule rowdiessoccer com Archived from the original on February 5 2015 Retrieved March 1 2015 MIAMI FC BECOMES 12TH NASL CLUB NASL com May 20 2015 Retrieved May 20 2015 Tampa Bay Rowdies Archived from the original on April 30 2016 Retrieved April 26 2016 Lakeland Ledger Google News Archive Search Retrieved April 26 2016 St Petersburg Times Google News Archive Search Retrieved April 26 2016 The Evening Independent Google News Archive Search Retrieved April 26 2016 Rowdies U23 to compete in USL S Premier Development League Retrieved February 15 2017 Staff USLLeagueTwo com January 15 2020 Tampa Bay Rowdies Add U23 Team in USL League Two USL League Two Retrieved January 16 2020 Tampa Bay Rowdies Announce Youth Development Affiliation with Tampa Bay United Tampa Bay Rowdies March 20 2017 Tampa Bay United to Join USL League Two for 2021 Season USL League Two April 8 2021 2021 Roster Tampa Bay Rowdies Retrieved July 28 2021 Front Office rowdiessoccer com Retrieved March 24 2019 Landman Brian July 22 1989 Great playmaker bows out tonight St Petersburg Times p 4T Retrieved January 20 2018 Murray Nicholas J E April 10 2010 Preseason Soccer Tampa Tribune p 2C Retrieved April 7 2018 Manganello Mike J E April 18 2011 Effort there but result isn t Tampa Tribune p 9C Retrieved April 7 2018 Camunas Mike April 4 2015 Roster filled with new faces Tampa Tribune p 6C Retrieved April 7 2018 Sharp Darek J E April 2 2016 Spring sprint starts season again Tampa Bay Times p 1C Retrieved April 7 2018 Sharp Darek J E April 2 2017 Rowdies blast Toronto to move to 2 0 Tampa Bay Times p 2C Retrieved April 7 2018 Guenzatti Fires Rowdies to Opening Day Win Over Memphis Tampa Bay Rowdies April 9 2019 Retrieved March 17 2019 Colorado Springs Hadji Barry Awarded 2021 USL Championship Golden Boot USLChampionship com USL Championship November 1 2021 Retrieved November 1 2021 Tampa Bay s Neill Collins Voted Championship s Coach of the Year USLChampionship com USL Championship November 27 2021 Retrieved November 27 2021 Tampa Bay s Evan Louro Named Championship s Goalkeeper of the Year USLChampionship com USL Championship November 26 2021 Retrieved November 26 2021 Tampa Bay s Forrest Lasso Named Championship s Defender of the Year USLChampionship com Staff November 4 2020 Retrieved November 4 2020 Tampa Bay s Forrest Lasso Voted Championship s Defender of the Year USLChampionship com USL Championship November 26 2021 Retrieved November 26 2021 Tampa Bay s Leo Fernandes Voted 2022 USL Championship Most Valuable Player USLChampionship com USL Championship November 10 2022 Retrieved November 10 2022 a b USL Championship Announces 2021 All League Teams USLChampionship com USL League One November 23 2021 Retrieved November 23 2021 USL Championship Announces 2022 All League Teams USLChampionship com USL Championship November 1 2022 Retrieved November 1 2022 External links EditOfficial website USL News Release Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tampa Bay Rowdies amp oldid 1135435301, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.