![]() | |
Full name | Aurora Football Club |
---|---|
Nickname(s) | Aurora Stingers |
Founded | 1964 (as Aurora Youth Soccer Club) |
Dissolved | 2020 (semi-pro team only) |
Stadium | Stewart Burnett Park |
League | League1 Ontario |
2019 | League1 Ontario, 10th Playoffs: DNQ |
Website | Club website |
Aurora FC was a Canadian semi-professional soccer club based in Aurora, Ontario. The club continues to operate as a youth soccer club. The club was founded in 1964 as a youth soccer club and added its semi-professional club in League1 Ontario in 2016. The team was initially known as Aurora United FC during their debut season, before changing their name to Aurora FC beginning in 2017. [1] The team plays home games at Stewart Burnett Park, [2] which was opened in 2018. [3] They departed League1 Ontario following 2020, becoming an affiliate club of Simcoe County Rovers and transferring their League1 Ontario license to them.
The club's foundation dates back to 1964, when they were founded as a youth club under the name Aurora Youth Soccer Club. [4]
In 2015, while playing in the amateur Ontario Soccer League, the team was invited by the Peru Olympic football team to play an exhibition match, after Peru had finished playing in the 2015 Pan American Games. [5] [6] The Peruvians defeated Aurora 5–0. [7] [8]
The team added its semi-professional teams in League1 Ontario in the men's and women's division in 2016 under the name Aurora United FC. [9] The men's team announced former Canadian national team and Toronto FC player Jim Brennan as the club's first head coach. [10] They played their inaugural match on April 29, 2016 on the road against Durham United FC, which ended in a 2–1 defeat. [11] [12] The women's team debuted on May 7 against Vaughan Azzurri with a 1–1 draw. [13]
In 2017, the semi-professional club and youth club decided to formally adopt the same Aurora FC name and logo to better unite the two and to remove the Youth term association with the semi-professional club, while maintaining their connection to the team nickname Aurora Stingers in the new club crest. [14] At the end of the season, head coach Jim Brennan left the team to join the new top tier Canadian Premier League, [15] becoming the coach of York9 FC. [16] [17] The club did not return to League1 Ontario for the 2021 season, [18] and instead became an affiliate club of new team Simcoe County Rovers, [19] transferring their League1 Ontario license to them. [20]
Season | League | Teams | Record | Rank | Playoffs | League Cup | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | League1 Ontario | 16 | 4–3–15 | 8th, Eastern (13th) | Did not qualify | Quarter-finals | [21] |
2017 | 16 | 2–2–17 | 8th, Eastern (15th) | Did not qualify | Round of 16 | [21] | |
2018 | 17 | 3–3–10 | 15th | Did not qualify | Round of 16 | [21] | |
2019 | 16 | 6–3–6 | 10th | Did not qualify | – | [21] | |
2020 | Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic [22] | ||||||
Season | League | Teams | Record | Rank | Playoffs | League Cup | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | League1 Ontario | 9 | 5–3–8 | 6th | – | Quarter-finals | [23] |
2017 | 11 | 9–2–9 | 6th | – | Round of 16 | [23] | |
2018 | 13 | 2–2–8 | 11th | Did not qualify | Quarter-finals | [23] | |
2019 | 14 | 1–2–10 | 13th | Did not qualify | – | [23] | |
2020 | Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic [22] | ||||||
The following players have either played at the professional or international level, either before or after playing for the League1 Ontario team:
James Gerald "Jim" Brennan is a UEFA Pro License-holder Canadian soccer manager, analyst and former player. During his playing career he played as a defender in Canada and England, most notably with Bristol City, Nottingham Forest, Southampton F.C. Norwich City and Toronto FC.
Sarah Anne Stratigakis is a Canadian soccer player who plays as a midfielder for the Vittsjö GIK in the Damallsvenskan and the Canada national team.
Ethan Beckford (born 21 June 1999) is an English footballer who plays as a forward for Simcoe County Rovers FC in League1 Ontario.
Reshon Shemar Phillip is a Canadian soccer player who currently plays for Simcoe County Rovers of League1 Ontario.
North Toronto Nitros is a Canadian semi-professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario. The club was founded in 1980 as a youth soccer club and added its men's semi-professional club in League1 Ontario in 2016 and it's women's team in the League1 Ontario women's division in 2021.
William Emmanuel Jordan Dover is a footballer who plays as a defender for League1 Ontario club Simcoe County Rovers. Born in Canada, he represents Guyana internationally.
Woodbridge Strikers Soccer Club is a Canadian semi-professional soccer club based in Woodbridge, Ontario. The club was founded in 1976 as a youth soccer club and added its semi-professional club in League1 Ontario in 2014. The team plays home games at Vaughan Grove Park.
The 2018 Men's League1 Ontario season was the fifth season of play for League1 Ontario, a Division 3 men's soccer league in the Canadian soccer pyramid and the highest level of soccer based in the Canadian province of Ontario.
Cloey Uddenberg is a footballer who plays as a midfielder for Simcoe County Rovers FC. Born in Canada, she represents the Saint Kitts and Nevis women's national team.
Alistair William Johnston is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a right-back for Major League Soccer club CF Montréal and the Canada national team.
Pickering Football Club, commonly known as Pickering FC, is a Canadian semi-professional soccer club based in Pickering, Ontario. The club was founded in 1984 as a youth soccer club and added its semi-professional club in League1 Ontario in 2014. The team plays home games at Kinsmen Park.
Ottawa South United is a Canadian semi-professional soccer team based in Manotick, Ontario, a community in the rural south part of Ottawa that plays in the Première Ligue de soccer du Québec. The club previously competed in League1 Ontario. In 2020, the club formed a partnership with Canadian Premier League club Atlético Ottawa and as part of the partnership, their PLSQ teams will be known as OSU Atlético. The team is part of the larger Ottawa South United youth soccer club organization.
Alliance United Futbol Club is a Canadian semi-professional soccer club based in Markham and Scarborough, Ontario. The club was founded in 2017 to compete in League1 Ontario. The club was formed as a partnership between two youth clubs - Markham FC and Wexford SC. It fields teams in both the men's and women's divisions of League1 Ontario.
Unionville Milliken Soccer Club is a Canadian semi-professional soccer club based in Unionville, Ontario. The club was founded in 1976 as a youth soccer club and added its men's semi-professional club in League1 Ontario in 2018.
ANB Futbol was a Canadian semi-professional soccer club based in King, Ontario. The club was founded in 2007, as a soccer academy, and added its semi-professional club in League1 Ontario in 2014.
West Ottawa Soccer Club was a Canadian women's semi-professional soccer club based in Kanata, Ontario, just west of Ottawa that competed in the women's division League1 Ontario. The club continues to operate as a youth club.
Simcoe County Rovers Football Club is a Canadian semi-professional soccer club based in Barrie, Ontario, that plays in the League1 Ontario men's and women's divisions.
League1 Ontario (L1O) is a semi-professional women's soccer league in Ontario, Canada. The league is sanctioned by the Canadian Soccer Association and the Ontario Soccer Association as a pro-am league in the Canadian soccer league system. The L1O women's division part of League1 Canada, the national third tier with regional divisions, with L1O equivalent to the Première ligue de soccer du Québec and League1 British Columbia.
The 2022 Men's League1 Ontario season was the eighth season of play for League1 Ontario, a Division 3 men's soccer league in the Canadian soccer pyramid and the highest level of soccer based in the Canadian province of Ontario.
The 2022 League1 Ontario season is the seventh season of play for Women's Division of League1 Ontario, a Division 3 women's soccer league in the Canadian soccer league system and the highest level of soccer based in the Canadian province of Ontario.