Minneapolis City SC (known informally as Mpls City SC or The Crows) is an American
soccer
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
club based in
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
, United States. Founded in 2016, the team plays in the
USL League Two
USL League Two (USL2), formerly the Premier Development League (PDL), is a semi-professional developmental soccer league sponsored by United Soccer Leagues in the United States and Canada, forming part of the United States soccer league syste ...
, the top national league at the fourth tier of the
American Soccer Pyramid
The United States soccer league system is a series of professional and amateur soccer leagues based, in whole or in part, in the United States. Sometimes called the American soccer pyramid, teams and leagues are not linked by the system of prom ...
. The club won three straight NPSL North Conference championships (2018, 2019 and 2021) before joining League Two. Their nickname is The Crows, coined by the club's supporters, which comes from the "Mega Murder" of crows that roost in Minneapolis.
History
Founded in 2016 as an offshoot of Stegman's Soccer Club, team managing director Dan Hoedeman stated that his goal with the team is to re-create the local feeling of the
Minnesota Thunder
Minnesota Thunder was an American professional soccer team based in Minnesota, United States. Founded in 1990, the team played in the USL First Division (USL-1), the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2009. The team played its hom ...
's early days. As such, every player is a Minnesota resident and the team is owned by "members" who make important decisions for the team, such as the league, colors, logo and budget.
In their inaugural 2016 season in the
Premier League of America
The Premier League of America (PLA) was an American soccer league consisting of teams in cities in the Great Lakes region of the United States. The league was a part of the United States Adult Soccer Association. It began its first season of play ...
, the team finished at three wins, four draws and three losses, good for third place in the league's West Division. Their first competitive game was a scoreless draw against Bavarian SC in Milwaukee. The club's first goal was scored by Matthew Gweh in their first home match, a 2–1 win over Croatian Eagles at Les Barnard Field.
That October, they would win their first
qualifying match for the 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, defeating league-mates
Oakland County FC
Oakland County Football Club is an American association football, soccer club based in Royal Oak, Michigan, Royal Oak, Michigan, located in the Metro Detroit, Detroit metropolitan area. Beginning with the 2020 season, they compete in USL League T ...
by a score of 2–1 in extra time.
In 2017 Minneapolis City SC announced it was joining the
National Premier Soccer League
The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) is an American men's association football, soccer league. The NPSL is a semi-professional league, comprising some teams that have paid players and some that are entirely amateur. The league is officially ...
. The team is a member of the North Conference in the Midwest Region
With the win over Oakland County FC, Minneapolis City became the first amateur team from Minnesota to qualify for the U.S. Open Cup proper, but were disqualified from the tournament for switching leagues.
In 2018, Minneapolis City SC clinched the NPSL North Conference title while going undefeated in conference play, one of only five teams in the NPSL to remain unbeaten in the regular season. Additionally, the Crows were the top offensive team in the entire league with 46 goals scored.
They followed that up with the 2019 NPSL North Conference title. Interestingly, after beating Duluth FC 4–2 in the second-to-last match of the season to clinch the 2018 title, the Crows went to Duluth and beat them 4–2 in the second-to-last match of the season to clinch the 2019 title as well.
The 2020 season was cancelled because of COVID so it took until 2021 for the Crows to win their third-straight NPSL North Conference title, which they did in style by beating rival Duluth FC 6-1 in Duluth to secure the title with two games still to play. It was the third season in a row that the Crows beat Duluth to win the conference. In the playoffs, the Crows went on to the Midwest Region Final where they fell to Cleveland SC 2-0.
In September 2021, the team announced that it would join
USL League Two
USL League Two (USL2), formerly the Premier Development League (PDL), is a semi-professional developmental soccer league sponsored by United Soccer Leagues in the United States and Canada, forming part of the United States soccer league syste ...
for the 2022 season.
Club culture
Called a "ramshackle, DIY soccer club" by The Growler, and not unfairly as the club has embraced that ethos both as a way to harken back to the original days of pro soccer in Minnesota and as a way to create a "people-driven alternative to corporate pro sports".
Minneapolis City launched a "throwback" style logo and kit before ever playing a game. The kit and logo were designed by designer Matthew Wolff, from Minneapolis, whose credits include the branding for
Los Angeles FC
Los Angeles Football Club, commonly referred to as LAFC, is an American professional Association football team based in Los Angeles. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The club ...
,
New York City FC
New York City Football Club is an American professional soccer club based in New York City that competes in Major League Soccer (MLS), the highest level of American soccer, as a member of the league's Eastern Conference. The club is co-owned ...
, and others.
Supporters
Minneapolis City is a well-supported club at its level, and the Citizens supporter's group is a large reason why.
Known, especially in the North Conference, for being loud, for their tifo, and for humorous in-game heckling, The Citizens are a staple at Crows games.
Affiliates
Stegman's Soccer Club is an amateur soccer club based in
Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
. The club fields five competitive amateur men's teams across the two major summer leagues in Minneapolis-St Paul: Stegman's 1977, Stegman's Old Boys, and Stegman's Athletic in the
Minnesota Amateur Soccer League
The Minnesota Amateur Soccer League is an adult amateur soccer league featuring teams from the Twin Cities and the surrounding areas. The league is sanctioned by the United States Adult Soccer Association, an affiliate of the United States Soccer ...
(MASL), Stegman's United and Stegman's Blues in the Minnesota Recreational Soccer League (MRSL), and various small-sided teams in various other leagues throughout the year.
In 2021, Minneapolis City created the Minneapolis City Futures Program, a supplementary training program for local players under the age of 20, to bridge the gap between youth and adult soccer in the area.
Rivalries
Though not technically a derby, matches between Minneapolis City SC and Duluth FC are important to supporters and, while City was in the NPSL, were important to the conference title race. The famous 'donkey tifo' of 2017 helped give Duluth FC the nickname "The Donkeys."
The City-Suburbs Derby was contested over the years with Minnesota TwinStars, who typically play in the northern suburbs of Minneapolis. As with any local derby, the games were hotly contested and rife with chicanery and "technical difficulties".
Starting in 2022, Stillwater-based St. Croix SC joined USL League Two and the Twin Cities Derby commenced. Tightly contested on the field, the derby hasn't yet acquired broader significance or traction with supporters.
Players
Roster
Notable players
Minneapolis City players who have been drafted in the MLS SuperDraft include
Brandon Bye (New England Revolution),
Luke Haakenson (Nashville SC), Xavier Zengue (Columbus Crew), Herbert Endeley (FC Dallas), and Rory O'Driscoll (Nashville SC).
Minneapolis City players who went on to play at professional level include
Brandon Bye (New England Revolution),
Luke Haakenson (Nashville SC), Loic Mesanvi (Minnesota United 2), Scotty Heinen (Germania Eicherscheid), Matt Gibbons (Germania Eicherscheid), Ian Smith (Oppsal IF), Jakop Popkin (AC Syracuse Pulse), Mitch Wolff (Stumptown FC), Juan Louis (AC Syracuse Pulse), Abbai Habte (Nordvärmlands FF), Miles Stockman-Willis (Vrigstad IF) and
Andy Lorei (San Diego Sockers).
Additionally, former Minnesota United player
Brian Kallman
Brian Kallman (born April 23, 1984) is an American retired soccer player who played for Minnesota United FC in the North American Soccer League. He announced his retirement from professional soccer in January 2016.
Career
Youth and collegiate
...
turned out for the Crows in the 2017 season.
Technical staff
* Carl Craig – Head Coach
* Peter Rivard – Assistant Coach
* Tom Kleczewski – Assistant Coach
* John Pucci – Goalkeeper Coach
* Matt vanBenschoten - General Manager
* Adam Pribyl – Sporting Strategy
Statistics
Season-by-season
Historic record vs opponents
*Team folded
Honors
* NPSL North Conference Champions (3): 2018, 2019, 2021
References
External links
*
{{Minnesota Sports
Association football clubs established in 2016
Soccer clubs in Minnesota
National Premier Soccer League teams
Premier League of America teams
Sports in Minneapolis
Sports in Minneapolis–Saint Paul
Minneapolis–Saint Paul
Minneapolis–Saint Paul is a metropolitan area in the Upper Midwestern United States centered around the confluence of the Mississippi, Minnesota and St. Croix rivers in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is commonly known as the Twin Cities ...
2016 establishments in Minnesota