Grand Rapids FC
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Full name | Grand Rapids Football Club | ||
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Nickname(s) | The Blues, GRFC | ||
Founded | 2014 | ||
Dissolved | 2021 | ||
Website | Club website | ||
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Grand Rapids FC was an American soccer club based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, whose senior men's team played in USL League Two. The team was founded in 2014 and ceased operations in 2021.[1] Its first season was in 2015. It was initially funded by a group of supporters who purchased memberships to cover the operating expenses, as well as by local sponsors.[2]
History[]
Grand Rapids FC (GRFC) was started by a group of Grand Rapids residents as a community-funded project along the lines of Nashville FC.[3] Fundraising began on February 14, 2014, by word of mouth and was opened to the public a month later. The team applied to the National Premier Soccer League for the 2015 season but their application was denied.[4] Instead, GRFC and AFC Ann Arbor (also denied an NPSL bid in 2015) founded the Great Lakes Premier League.[5] The new league held its inaugural meeting on January 17, 2015, with six teams.
Following a 2015 season in which GRFC finished in second place, averaging 4,509 fans per game, the team announced on September 25, 2015, that they would leave the Great Lakes Premier League to join the National Premier Soccer League.[6]
The 2016 season resulted in a first-place position in the NPSL Great Lakes West conference and qualification for the playoffs by beating AFC Ann Arbor in a 3–1 victory in front of a club record 6,854 spectators. The club reached the final of the NPSL Midwest Regional playoffs and beat Indy Eleven NPSL in front of a record attendance of 6,912, qualifying the team for the 2017 US Open Cup. The following day GRFC lost against 2016 NPSL champions AFC Cleveland on penalties.
On November 1, 2016, the club announced they would add a women's team under the same GRFC banner, which would begin play in 2017 in a new Midwest division of the United Women's Soccer league.[7] The women's team plays at Grandville High School in Grandville, Michigan. The Grand Rapids FC (women) won the 2017 United Women's Soccer Championship in their inaugural season.[8]
On December 5, 2019 it was announced that the club would be moving from the NPSL to USL League Two. Also during this time, the ownership of the women's side was transferred to Midwest United FC and their name was changed to reflect this change.[9]
Grand Rapids FC ceased operations on October 27, 2021. The club cited that the lack of an adequate home venue and the financial challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of the club.[1][10]
Stadium[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/Houseman_Field_Visitors_Side.jpg/220px-Houseman_Field_Visitors_Side.jpg)
In 2020 and 2021, Grand Rapids FC had used the Midwest United FC Soccer Complex as their home field.[11] Prior to 2020, Houseman Field in the Midtown neighborhood of Grand Rapids had been the home field since the club's inception.[12][13]
Record attendance[]
- 6,912 – July 22, 2016, vs Indy Eleven NPSL at Houseman Field (second game of a doubleheader, attendance counted both games)
- 6,854 – July 8, 2016, vs AFC Ann Arbor at Houseman Field (single game record)
Head coaches[]
George Moni (2015–2017)
Lewis Robinson (2018–2019)
James Gilpin (2020)
Stuart Collins (2021)[14]
Honors[]
National Premier Soccer League
- Conference championships (1)
- Midwest Region – Great Lakes West Conference: 2016
Minor competitions
- West Michigan Community Cup: 2020
Statistics[]
Year-by-year[]
Year | Tier | League | Regular Season | Playoffs | U.S. Open Cup | Average Attendance | Average League Attendance | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2015 | 5 | GLPL | 2nd of 5 (3–3–2) | ―[A] | Ineligible[B] | 4,509 | 3,945 | |
2016 | 4 | NPSL | 1st of 7, Midwest – Great Lakes West (7–1–4) | Regional final | Ineligible[B] | 4,315 | 4,784 | |
2017 | 4 | NPSL | 3rd of 8, Midwest – Great Lakes (6–6–2) | DNQ | First round | 2,691 | 2,588 | |
2018 | 4 | NPSL | 2nd of 7, Midwest – Great Lakes (7–3–2) | Regional first round | DNQ | ―[C] | ―[C] | |
2019 | 4 | NPSL | 3rd of 8, Midwest – Great Lakes (9–3–2) | DNQ | DNQ | ―[C] | ―[C] | |
2020 | 4 | USL2 | Canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic[15] | |||||
2021 | 4 | USL2 | 4th of 9, Central – Great Lakes (7–2–5) | DNQ | DNQ | ―[C] | ―[C] |
- ^ A No playoffs were held in the inaugural season of the Great Lakes Premier League.
- ^ B To enter the U.S. Open Cup, in the previous season a team must have belonged to an affiliated league with at least 4 teams that played a schedule of at least 10 games.[16]
- ^ C Attendance figures beyond the 2017 season have not been made public by the organization.
Historic record vs opponents[]
Legend | |
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0–0–0 | Win-Loss-Draw |
0–0 | Win-Loss |
* | No games played |
Opponent | League | Playoffs | U.S. Open | Amateur Cup | MI Cup | Played | Total | GF | GA | GD | Win % |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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* | * | * | * | 1–0 | 1 | 1–0–0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 1.000 |
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4–5–1 | * | * | * | * | 10 | 4–5–1 | 15 | 13 | +2 | .450 |
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* | 0–0–1 (0–1 PKs) | * | * | * | 1 | 0–0–1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 |
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* | * | * | 1–0 | * | 1 | 1–0–0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 1.000 |
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* | * | 0–1 | * | * | 1 | 0–1–0 | 0 | 1 | −1 | .000 |
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1–0–1 | * | * | * | * | 2 | 1–0–1 | 3 | 1 | +2 | .750 |
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1–0–0 | * | * | * | * | 1 | 1–0–0 | 6 | 1 | +5 | 1.000 |
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2–0–0 | * | * | * | * | 2 | 2–0–0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 1.000 |
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2–2–4 | * | * | * | * | 8 | 2–2–4 | 13 | 12 | +1 | .500 |
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* | 0–0–1 (0–1 PKs) | * | * | * | 1 | 0–0–1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 |
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1–3–0 | * | * | * | * | 4 | 1–3–0 | 3 | 8 | −5 | .250 |
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6–0–0 | * | * | * | * | 6 | 6–0–0 | 26 | 2 | +24 | 1.000 |
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1–0–1 | * | * | * | 0–1 | 3 | 1–1–1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | .500 |
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0–0–2 | * | * | * | * | 2 | 0–0–2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 |
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* | 1–0 | * | * | * | 1 | 1–0–0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 1.000 |
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6–2–2 | * | * | * | * | 10 | 6–2–2 | 20 | 10 | +10 | .700 |
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0–1–0 | * | * | * | * | 1 | 0–1–0 | 2 | 3 | –1 | .000 |
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2–1–1 | * | * | * | 0–0–1 (0–1 PKs) | 5 | 2–1–2 | 9 | 7 | +2 | .600 |
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* | * | * | 0–1 [D] | * | 1 | 0–1–0 | 0 | 1 | –1 | .000 |
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3–1–2 | * | * | * | * | 6 | 3–1–2 | 7 | 5 | +2 | .667 |
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2–0–2 | * | * | * | * | 4 | 2–0–2 | 7 | 5 | +2 | .750 |
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* | * | * | * | 2–0 | 2 | 2–0–0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 1.000 |
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3–1–0 | * | * | * | * | 4 | 3–1–0 | 10 | 4 | +6 | .750 |
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0–2–0 | * | * | * | * | 2 | 0–2–0 | 2 | 6 | −4 | .000 |
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1–0–1 | * | * | * | * | 2 | 1–0–1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | .750 |
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4–0–0 | * | * | * | * | 4 | 4–0–0 | 17 | 3 | +14 | 1.000 |
Total | 39–18–17 | 1–0–2 (0–2 PKs) | 0–1 | 1–1 | 3–1–1 (0–1 PKs) | 85 | 44–21–20 | 166 | 96 | +70 | .635 |
- Note: Table includes all competitive matches and does not include friendlies.
- Updated to end of 2021 season.
Player records[]
Goals[]
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Appearances[]
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- Note: Table includes all competitive matches and does not include friendlies.
- Updated to end of 2021 season.
Reference:[18]
Club culture[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/55/Grand_Rapids_FC_spectators_at_Houseman_Field_on_June_5_2015.jpg/220px-Grand_Rapids_FC_spectators_at_Houseman_Field_on_June_5_2015.jpg)
Supporters[]
The Grand Army was the supporters group for Grand Rapids FC.[19] Starting in 2015, all pre-game festivities were held at Bob's Bar and a march led through the Midtown neighborhood.[20] In June 2015 a fanzine entitled What if it Rains started publication.[21] The name of the magazine referred to one of the reasons the NPSL originally declined the club's application and celebrated the club's massive support.
References[]
- ^ a b "Grand Rapids FC disbands after seven years". MLive.com. October 27, 2021. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
- ^ "A Soccer Club in Grand Rapids?". Retrieved August 10, 2014.
- ^ "Many pitch in for hometown soccer franchise". GRBJ.com. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
- ^ "sports.yahoo.com". yahoo.com. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
- ^ "NPSL denies Ann Arbor semi-pro soccer club's application; owners plan to establish new league". MLive.com. December 2014. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
- ^ "Grand Rapids Football Club Joins the NPSL – Grand Rapids FC". GrandRapidsFC.com. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
- ^ "Grand Rapids FC launches women's team for 2017 season". mlive. November 1, 2016. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
- ^ "Grand Rapids FC beats Santa Clarita, captures United Women's Soccer championship". MLive.com. July 2017.
- ^ "GRFC Announces Collaboration With Midwest United". December 24, 2019. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
- ^ "AFTER SEVEN SEASONS, GRAND RAPIDS FC CEASES OPERATIONS". GrandRapidsFC.com. October 27, 2021. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
- ^ GRFC (April 13, 2021). "GRAND RAPIDS FC TO RELEASE FULL 2021 SEASON SCHEDULE; FIRST GAME AT THIS YEAR'S HOME FIELD SET FOR MAY 16". grandrapidsfc.com. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
- ^ "Houseman Field to become home of Grand Rapids Football Club". mlive. July 10, 2014. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
- ^ Peter J. Wallner (February 8, 2020). "Grand Rapids FC to remain at Houseman Field for upcoming season". MLive.com. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
- ^ "Stuart Collins Accepts Head Coaching Job For Grand Rapids FC". Retrieved February 25, 2021.
- ^ "United Soccer League Provides Update on 2020 League Two Season". Retrieved June 11, 2020.
- ^ "How do you enter the 2016 US Open Cup? USSF takes over amateur qualifying". Retrieved May 30, 2020.
- ^ "Grand Rapids FC disqualified from U.S. Amateur Cup". mLive. May 9, 2019. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
- ^ "What if it Rains". WhatIfItRains.net. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
- ^ "MOTU VIGET". Retrieved July 1, 2018.
- ^ "Game Day FAQ". Retrieved July 1, 2018.
- ^ "About". Retrieved July 1, 2018.
External links[]
- Association football clubs established in 2014
- Soccer clubs in Michigan
- Sports in Grand Rapids, Michigan
- National Premier Soccer League teams
- 2014 establishments in Michigan