The Tampa Bay Rowdies are an American professional
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 ...
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
The USL Championship (USLC) is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011. The USL is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation (U.S. Soccer) as a Division II league since 2017, p ...
in the second 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 ...
. They formerly played in
USSF Division 2
The USSF Division 2 Professional League (D2 Pro League) was a temporary professional soccer league created by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) for the 2010 season. The twelve-team league was formed as a compromise between the feuding Un ...
(in 2010) and the
North American Soccer League The North American Soccer League may refer to:
*North American Soccer League (1968–1984), a former Division I league
*North American Soccer League (2011–2017)
The North American Soccer League (NASL) was a professional men's soccer league ba ...
(NASL) (from 2011 to 2016), which were also second-tier leagues. The Rowdies play their home games at
Al Lang Stadium
Al Lang Stadium is a 7,500-seat sports stadium along the waterfront of downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, United States which was used almost exclusively as a baseball park for over 60 years. Since 2011, it has been the home pitch of the Tampa Ba ...
on St. Petersburg's downtown waterfront.
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.
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.
The Rowdies captured the NASL championship in
Soccer Bowl 2012
Soccer Bowl 2012 was the North American Soccer League's postseason championship final of the 2012 season. Also known as the NASL Championship Series 2012, the event was contested in a two-game aggregate match between the Tampa Bay Rowdies and, ...
, and their team shield includes two stars: one for their 2012 win and one for the
1975 Soccer Bowl
Soccer Bowl '75 was the championship final of the 1975 North American Soccer League season, 1975 NASL season, played between the Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–93), Tampa Bay Rowdies and the Portland Timbers (1975–82), Portland Timbers. The match too ...
championship won by the original Rowdies. The club has had a long-standing rivalry with the
Fort Lauderdale Strikers Fort Lauderdale Strikers may refer to:
*Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1977–1983), member of North American Soccer League from 1977 to 1983
* Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1988–1994), member of American Soccer League from 1988 to 1989 and American Profe ...
, 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
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quick ...
. They were Eastern Conference Champions again in 2021, but lost in the title game.
In October 2018, the
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home v ...
, the area's
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...
franchise, announced plans to purchase the Rowdies and assume control of Al Lang Stadium.
Background
The
original Tampa Bay Rowdies were an expansion franchise in the original
North American Soccer League The North American Soccer League may refer to:
*North American Soccer League (1968–1984), a former Division I league
*North American Soccer League (2011–2017)
The North American Soccer League (NASL) was a professional men's soccer league ba ...
and played for 10 seasons in
Tampa Stadium
Tampa Stadium (nicknamed The Big Sombrero and briefly known as Houlihan's Stadium) was a large open-air stadium (maximum capacity about 74,000) located in Tampa, Florida, which opened in 1967 and was significantly expanded in 1974–75. The faci ...
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
Aisa or AISA may refer to:
* Aisa (fate), the Homeric Moira or Atropos, one of the three Fates
* Aisa (portion), an Homeric word similar with Moira (part or portion)
* Aísa, a town in Spain
* Aesa, a town of ancient Macedonia
* ''Aisa'' (leafhopp ...
,
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
Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Cana ...
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 USL First Division (usually referred to as USL-1) was a professional men's soccer league in the United States and Canada from 2005 to 2010.
During its existence, it formed the second tier of soccer in the United States soccer league system ...
, the second 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 ...
. However, in November 2009 FC Tampa Bay announced their intent to instead become the co-founders of a new
North American Soccer League The North American Soccer League may refer to:
*North American Soccer League (1968–1984), a former Division I league
*North American Soccer League (2011–2017)
The North American Soccer League (NASL) was a professional men's soccer league ba ...
, which would begin play in 2010. These plans were subsequently superseded by the
USSF Division 2
The USSF Division 2 Professional League (D2 Pro League) was a temporary professional soccer league created by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) for the 2010 season. The twelve-team league was formed as a compromise between the feuding Un ...
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.
In October 2018, the
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home v ...
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
Matthew Silverman (born May 20, 1976) is an American professional baseball executive. He is currently the co-president, along with Brian Auld, of the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Biography
Silverman is Jewish and was raised in ...
and
Brian Auld
Brian Auld is an American professional baseball executive. He is currently the co-president, along with Matthew Silverman, of the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Career
Auld received his bachelor's degree in economics and master's ...
became vice chairmen of the soccer club.
Name changes
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. 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.
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.
2010 season
The team played its first official game on April 16, 2010, a 1–0 victory over
Crystal Palace Baltimore
Crystal Palace Baltimore was an American professional soccer team based in Baltimore, Maryland, US. Founded in 2006, the club was originally named Crystal Palace USA and was affiliated with English side Crystal Palace.
The club was a member of t ...
. The first goal in franchise history was scored by striker
Aaron King
Aaron King (born July 26, 1984, in Denver, Colorado) is an American soccer player.
Career
Youth and Amateur
King attended South High School and Smoky Hill High School where he won the 2000 Colorado State Soccer Championship. He then attended t ...
. 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
Austin Aztex FC was an American professional soccer team based in Austin, Texas, United States. Founded in 2008, the team played in the USL First Division, and in the USL Division of the USSF D2 Pro League, the second tier of the American Soccer ...
. 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. 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 The North American Soccer League may refer to:
*North American Soccer League (1968–1984), a former Division I league
*North American Soccer League (2011–2017)
The North American Soccer League (NASL) was a professional men's soccer league ba ...
, a second division league, and also changed their home pitch, as they moved across
Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and shallow estuary connected to the Gulf of Mexico on the west-central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, McKay Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay. The largest freshwater ...
to
Al Lang Stadium
Al Lang Stadium is a 7,500-seat sports stadium along the waterfront of downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, United States which was used almost exclusively as a baseball park for over 60 years. Since 2011, it has been the home pitch of the Tampa Ba ...
in
St. Petersburg. Former original Rowdie
Ricky Hill
Ricky Hill (born 5 March 1959) is an English former footballer, spending most of his playing career at Luton Town FC for 14 years, while representing England at Senior, U21 and U18 International levels. Hill was the fourth Black player to play ...
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
Bolton Wanderers Football Club () is a professional football club based in Horwich, Bolton, Greater Manchester, England, which competes in . The club played at Burnden Park for 102 years from 1895 after moving from their original home at Pik ...
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
Soccer Bowl 2012 was the North American Soccer League's postseason championship final of the 2012 season. Also known as the NASL Championship Series 2012, the event was contested in a two-game aggregate match between the Tampa Bay Rowdies and, ...
.
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
The 2012 NASL Playoffs was the postseason tournament culminating the 2012 North American Soccer League season to determine the champion of the 2012 North American Soccer League. The top six regular season finishers qualified for the playoffs an ...
, where they beat the
Carolina RailHawks
North Carolina FC is an American professional soccer team in Cary, North Carolina, a suburb of Raleigh. Founded in 2006, the team plays in USL League One, the third tier of the American league system.
The team has played its home games ...
by a 5–4 aggregate in the two-leg series. In the championship round against
Minnesota Stars FC
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to i ...
, 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
The penalty shootout is a method of determining a winner in sports matches that would have otherwise been drawn or tied. The rules for penalty shootouts vary between sports and even different competitions; however, the usual form is similar to pe ...
, which Tampa Bay won 3–2 to secure the league championship. 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
The USL Championship (USLC) is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011. The USL is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation (U.S. Soccer) as a Division II league since 2017, pl ...
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
The 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was the 100th edition of the oldest ongoing competition in American soccer. Qualification began in November 2012 in the fifth tier, although the United States Soccer Federation did not announce the format until M ...
, which included a 1–0 win over the
Seattle Sounders
Seattle Sounders Football Club is an American professional men's soccer club based in Seattle. The Sounders compete as a member of the Western Conference of Major League Soccer (MLS). The club was established on November 13, 2007, and began ...
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.
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
The Tampa Bay Rowdies' new manager for 2015 was
Thomas Rongen
Thomas Eddy Rongen (born 31 October 1956) is a Dutch American football coach who has spent the majority of his playing and coaching career in the United States. In December 2016, he was named Chief Scout of the United States Men's National Team. ...
, who had coached the MLS's
Tampa Bay Mutiny in 1996. The team also brought in another familiar face when
Farrukh Quraishi
Farrukh Quraishi ( fa, فرخ قریشی, born November 13, 1951, in Masjid-I-Sulaiman, Iran) is a retired Iranian-born English footballer. He spent six seasons in the North American Soccer League playing for the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Calgary B ...
, 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
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of th ...
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.
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.
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
The 2016 North American Soccer League season is the 49th season of Division II soccer in the United States and Canada, and the 6th season of the modern North American Soccer League.
Three expansion clubs joined the league, with Miami FC and Ra ...
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.
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
United Soccer League (USL), formerly known as United Soccer Leagues, is a soccer league in the United States and Canada. It organizes several men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Men's leagues currently organized are the ...
beginning with the 2017 season.
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
Neill William Collins (born 2 September 1983) is a Scottish football manager and former player who is the head coach of USL Championship side Tampa Bay Rowdies.
He is a former Scotland U21 and Scotland B international who played as a centre-b ...
retiring to accept the coaching vacancy the following day. On July 4
Georgi Hristov scored his 58th career goal for the Rowdies, to pass
Derek Smethurst
Derek Smethurst (born 24 October 1947, in Durban) is a retired South African soccer forward who played professionally in South Africa, England and the United States.
Biography
Born into a sporting family, both his father Norman and brother P ...
and become the Rowdies’ all-time top scorer.
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
The Villages Soccer Club is an American soccer club from The Villages, Florida that plays in USL League Two.
In January 2016, it was announced that the club had been granted a franchise license for the Premier Development League
USL Leagu ...
before falling to
OKC Energy FC
Oklahoma City Energy Football Club is an American professional soccer club based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The club is a member of the USL Championship, the second division of the American soccer league system.
History
Oklahoma City businessma ...
. The club also entered into a partnership with
Norwich City FC that saw defender
Caleb Richards
Caleb Joel Richards (born 8 September 1998) is an English association football, footballer who plays as a Defender (association football), defender for Kidderminster Harriers F.C., Kidderminster Harriers.
Club career
Blackpool
After being clu ...
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
The Rowdies' home pitch since 2011 has been
Al Lang Stadium
Al Lang Stadium is a 7,500-seat sports stadium along the waterfront of downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, United States which was used almost exclusively as a baseball park for over 60 years. Since 2011, it has been the home pitch of the Tampa Ba ...
, a 7,500 seat former
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...
stadium
A stadium ( : stadiums or stadia) is a place or venue for (mostly) outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a tiered structure designed to allow spectators to stand o ...
located on the
downtown
''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business district ...
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.
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.
Months of rebuffed complaints about poor turf, leaky pipes, broken seats, and other issues 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. 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.
Former stadiums
When the club was founded in 2008, its owners announced plans to build a 5000-seat
soccer-specific stadium
Soccer-specific stadium is a term used mainly in the United States and Canada to refer to a sports stadium either purpose-built or fundamentally redesigned for soccer and whose primary function is to host soccer matches, as opposed to a multi- ...
in northwest
Tampa
Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough C ...
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.
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
West Tampa is one of the oldest neighborhoods within the city limits of Tampa, Florida, United States. It was an independently incorporated city from 1895 until 1925, when it was annexed by Tampa.
West Tampa is located west of the Hillsborough ...
. The club shared the facility with the
Tampa Yankees
Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough ...
, the
Class A-Advanced
High-A (officially Class High-A, formerly known as Class A-Advanced, and sometimes abbreviated "A+" in writing) is the third-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States and Canada, below Triple-A and Double-A, and abov ...
affiliate of the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one ...
, 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
A baseball field, also called a ball field or baseball diamond, is the field upon which the game of baseball is played. The term can also be used as a metonym for a baseball park. The term sandlot is sometimes used, although this usually refe ...
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. 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.
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
Soccer-specific stadium is a term used mainly in the United States and Canada to refer to a sports stadium either purpose-built or fundamentally redesigned for soccer and whose primary function is to host soccer matches, as opposed to a multi- ...
. 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
Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Cana ...
club.
Club culture
Badge
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
Soccer Bowl '75 was the championship final of the 1975 NASL season, played between the Tampa Bay Rowdies and the Portland Timbers. The match took place on August 24, 1975 at Spartan Stadium, in San Jose, California. It was the first North Ameri ...
. 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
Soccer Bowl 2012 was the North American Soccer League's postseason championship final of the 2012 season. Also known as the NASL Championship Series 2012, the event was contested in a two-game aggregate match between the Tampa Bay Rowdies and, ...
.
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.
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. 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.
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
A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facer ...
. A second group, the Skyway Casuals, is composed of supporters from the area south of the
Skyway Bridge, mainly
Bradenton
Bradenton ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Manatee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city's population is 55,698.
History
Late 18th and early 19th centuries
A settlement established by Maroons or escaped sl ...
and
Sarasota
Sarasota () is a city in Sarasota County on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The area is renowned for its cultural and environmental amenities, beaches, resorts, and the Sarasota School of Architecture. The city is located in the sou ...
.
Rivalries
The Rowdies' traditional rivalry has been with the
Fort Lauderdale Strikers Fort Lauderdale Strikers may refer to:
*Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1977–1983), member of North American Soccer League from 1977 to 1983
* Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1988–1994), member of American Soccer League from 1988 to 1989 and American Profe ...
. The rivalry began in 1977 between the original Tampa Bay Rowdies and the original
Fort Lauderdale Strikers Fort Lauderdale Strikers may refer to:
*Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1977–1983), member of North American Soccer League from 1977 to 1983
* Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1988–1994), member of American Soccer League from 1988 to 1989 and American Profe ...
of the old NASL when the term
''Florida Derby'' was first used. It came back into use again in the late 1990s, when both cities had
MLS franchises ''(the
Tampa Bay Mutiny &
Miami Fusion)''. 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. 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.
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
The Miami FC is an American professional soccer team based in Miami, Florida that competes in the USL Championship, the second tier of the American soccer pyramid.
The club began play in the North American Soccer League (NASL) in the 2016 se ...
in 2016, the competition had grown to become quadrilateral.
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. 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''. 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.
Rowdies U23
In February 2017, The Rowdies announced that they would field a team in the USL's
Premier Development League
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 syst ...
, with Rowdies U23 set to join the league this for
2017 PDL season
The 2017 USL Premier Development League season is the 23rd season of the PDL. The Michigan Bucks entered the season as the defending champions, but their title defense campaign ended with a loss in the Central Conference semi-finals. On August 5, ...
. 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
The 2020 USL League Two season was to have been the 26th season of the USL League Two, the top pre-professional soccer league in the United States, since its establishment in 1995. Flint City Bucks were the defending champions after defeating Read ...
. 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
Andres Arango (born April 23, 1983) is a Colombian-born Canadian former soccer player who played in the Canadian Professional Soccer League, USL A-League, and the North American Soccer League. Arango is currently a coach with Florida Premier FC ...
.
Tampa Bay United
In 2017, they formed a partnership with youth club
Tampa Bay United
Tampa Bay United Soccer Club is a soccer club from Tampa, Florida that plays in the Southeast Division in USL League Two.
History
The club was founded as a youth soccer club in Tampa, Florida, where they are the largest youth team in the city. ...
to serve as their youth affiliate.
In 2021, TBU replaced the Rowdies U23 in
USL League Two.
Players and staff
Roster
Technical staff
*
Neill Collins
Neill William Collins (born 2 September 1983) is a Scottish football manager and former player who is the head coach of USL Championship side Tampa Bay Rowdies.
He is a former Scotland U21 and Scotland B international who played as a centre-b ...
– head coach / technical director
*
Stuart Dobson
Stuart Dobson (born 10 February 1970) is an English retired footballer who played in various indoor soccer leagues in the United States. He currently serves as Goalkeepers Coach for the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the USL Championship.
Playing caree ...
– assistant coach
*
Jon Stead
Jonathan Graeme Stead (born 7 April 1983) is an English retired professional footballer who played as a striker. He currently is an assistant coach for the Tampa Bay Rowdies in USL Championship, the American second division.
Stead played for H ...
– assistant coach
* Eric Wilde – assistant coach
* Pete Calabrese – performance coach
* Eric Rudland – chief scout
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
* Matt Silverman – vice chairman
* Lee Cohen – president / chief operating officer
* Ryan Helfrick – Vice President
* Garrett Mitchell – operations coordinator
Head coaches
''*Includes U.S. Open Cup and playoff matches. #Totals through 2021 season.''
Retired numbers*
''
* Steve Wegerle's No. 7 jersey was retired by the original Tampa Bay Rowdies in 1989
File:1989 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Cypress Street Viaduct, Cypress structure collapses as a result of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, killing motorists below; The proposal document for the World Wide Web is submitted; The Exxo ...
. As of yet the current club does not acknowledge this honor.''
Team captains
Achievements
; League Championship
: Winners:
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...
: Runners-up:
2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October 2021 coup in Sudan; Crowd shortly after t ...
: Finalists:
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in t ...
;
Fair Play Award
: Winners: 2011, 2012, 2014
; USL Season Champion
:
2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October 2021 coup in Sudan; Crowd shortly after t ...
; USL Division Champion
:
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in t ...
,
2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October 2021 coup in Sudan; Crowd shortly after t ...
; USL Conference Champion
:
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in t ...
,
2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October 2021 coup in Sudan; Crowd shortly after t ...
; Ponce De Leon Cup
: Winners: 2010, 2012
;
Coastal Cup
: Winners: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2020, 2021
Individual achievements
; Golden Ball Award (MVP)
:
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...
:
Georgi Hristov
; Golden Glove Award
:
2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October 2021 coup in Sudan; Crowd shortly after t ...
:
Evan Louro
Evan Louro (born January 19, 1996) is an American association football, soccer player who plays as a Goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper for FC Cincinnati in Major League Soccer.
Career Youth
Louro attended St. John Vianney High School ...
; Coach of the Year
:
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...
:
Ricky Hill
Ricky Hill (born 5 March 1959) is an English former footballer, spending most of his playing career at Luton Town FC for 14 years, while representing England at Senior, U21 and U18 International levels. Hill was the fourth Black player to play ...
:
2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October 2021 coup in Sudan; Crowd shortly after t ...
:
Neill Collins
Neill William Collins (born 2 September 1983) is a Scottish football manager and former player who is the head coach of USL Championship side Tampa Bay Rowdies.
He is a former Scotland U21 and Scotland B international who played as a centre-b ...
; Goalkeeper of the Year
:
2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October 2021 coup in Sudan; Crowd shortly after t ...
:
Evan Louro
Evan Louro (born January 19, 1996) is an American association football, soccer player who plays as a Goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper for FC Cincinnati in Major League Soccer.
Career Youth
Louro attended St. John Vianney High School ...
; Defender of the Year
:
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global social and economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, worldwide lockdowns and the largest economic recession since the Great Depression in t ...
:
Forrest Lasso
:
2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October 2021 coup in Sudan; Crowd shortly after t ...
:
Forrest Lasso
;
NASL Best XI
: 2011:
Pascal Millien
Pascal Millien (born 3 May 1986) is a Haitian professional footballer who plays for Winter Haven United in the United Premier Soccer League.
Career
Youth and college
Millien was born in Léogâne, Haiti, but moved to Lakeland, Florida as a te ...
,
Mike Ambersley
Mike Ambersley (born February 14, 1983) is a retired American soccer player who recently played for Saint Louis FC in the United Soccer League.
Career
College and amateur
Ambersley attended De Smet Jesuit High School where he was a NSCAA and ...
: 2012:
Jeff Attinella
Jeff Attinella (born September 29, 1988) is an American former professional soccer player who previously played as a goalkeeper for Major League Soccer club Portland Timbers.
Career College and amateur
Attinella is a product of the University of ...
,
Takuya Yamada
is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Club career
Yamada attended Toin Gakuen High School, where he led the school to the final four in the National Championship. Played at Komazawa University before turning ...
,
Luke Mulholland
Luke Mulholland (born 7 August 1988) is a former English footballer and current scout for Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer.
Career
College and amateur
Mulholland began his career with English non-league side Lancaster City. He was thrown ...
: 2013:
Luke Mulholland
Luke Mulholland (born 7 August 1988) is a former English footballer and current scout for Real Salt Lake in Major League Soccer.
Career
College and amateur
Mulholland began his career with English non-league side Lancaster City. He was thrown ...
,
Georgi Hristov
: 2016:
Joe Cole
Joseph John Cole (born 8 November 1981) is an English football coach and former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder or winger in the Premier League, Ligue 1, League One and United Soccer League. He is regarded as on ...
; USL Championship MVP
: 2022:
Leo Fernandes
Leonardo Fernandes (born 23 December 1991) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the USL Championship.
Early life
Fernandes was born in São Paulo but raised in North Babylon, New York ...
; USL All-League
: 2017: ''(1st team)''
Marcel Schäfer
: 2019: ''(2nd team)''
Papé Diakité
Papé Abdoulaye Diakité (born 22 December 1992) is a Senegalese professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Malaysia Super League club Kelantan.
Club career Trenčín
Diakité made his debut for AS Trenčín against Žilina on 24 No ...
,
Sebastián Guenzatti
Sebastián Ignacio Guenzatti Varela (born July 8, 1991) is a Uruguayan footballer who plays for Indy Eleven in the USL Championship.
Youth career
Guenzatti was born in Uruguay before moving to the United States at 12, where he grew up in the Col ...
: 2020: ''(1st team)''
Forrest Lasso
: 2021: ''(1st team)''
Evan Louro
Evan Louro (born January 19, 1996) is an American association football, soccer player who plays as a Goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper for FC Cincinnati in Major League Soccer.
Career Youth
Louro attended St. John Vianney High School ...
,
Forrest Lasso,
Sebastián Guenzatti
Sebastián Ignacio Guenzatti Varela (born July 8, 1991) is a Uruguayan footballer who plays for Indy Eleven in the USL Championship.
Youth career
Guenzatti was born in Uruguay before moving to the United States at 12, where he grew up in the Col ...
: 2021: ''(2nd team)''
Aarón Guillén
: 2022: ''(1st team)''
Leo Fernandes
Leonardo Fernandes (born 23 December 1991) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the USL Championship.
Early life
Fernandes was born in São Paulo but raised in North Babylon, New York ...
,
Aarón Guillén
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
The second incarnation of the club, the American soccer club Tampa Bay Rowdies, previously known as FC Tampa Bay, has competed in the second division of American soccer since 2010. The team currently competes in the USL Championship after sti ...
.
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
See also
*
Tampa Bay Mutiny
*
Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–1993)
The Tampa Bay Rowdies were an American professional soccer team based in Tampa, Florida, that competed in the original North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1975 to 1984. They enjoyed broad popular support in the Tampa Bay area until the NASL ...
*
Tampa Bay Rowdies U23
The Tampa Bay Rowdies U23 were an American semi-professional soccer team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. They were the reserve club of USL Championship club Tampa Bay Rowdies.
The club is part of the Rowdies Youth Network, which consists of t ...
References
External links
*
USL News Release
{{Florida Sports
Soccer clubs in Tampa, Florida
Sports in St. Petersburg, Florida
Soccer clubs in Florida
Association football clubs established in 2008
USL Championship teams
2008 establishments in Florida
North American Soccer League teams