History
Early years and state leagues
FC Morristown was founded in 2012 by Scott Kindzierski and Dan Karosen and began play in the Garden State Soccer League (GSSL), an amateur soccer league governed by the New Jersey Soccer Association (NJSA) and the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA). [4] The team's first head coach was former New York Red Bulls Homegrown player Šaćir Hot. The organization fielded a team in the GSSL up until the end of the 2021–22 season, winning the Super Division eight times in that span (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2022). [5] Entering the 2018 season, Motown held a 23-game undefeated streak in the GSSL before falling to Jackson Lions FC in the middle of the season. [6]
Motown regularly entered its GSSL team into the NJSA Men's Open State Cup, which it won on four occasions (2018, 2020, 2021, and 2022). [7] [8] In addition the team was also a Fricker Cup Region 1 finalist in 2016 and regional semifinalist in 2017. [9] The team was also an Amateur Cup Region 1 semifinalist in 2014 and 2015. [10] [11]
In 2018, Motown joined the Northeast Elite Soccer League (NESL) – a league founded by members of USASA Region I that was to be played alongside team's regular seasons. [12] Motown partnered with fellow New Jersey amateur side Jackson Lions FC to form Motown Lions, which won the inaugural NESL Championship over West Chester United SC, 3–1. [13] [14] Motown and Jackson separated for the 2019 NESL season, which saw Motown return to the league final but lose in a rematch against West Chester, 3–2. [15] Due to COVID and other circumstances the league ceased play in 2021.
While fully amateur, the team qualified for the 2017 U.S. Open Cup by beating tournament regular Lansdowne Bhoys FC, 3–2. [16] The team advanced to the second round by beating NPSL side New Jersey Copa FC, 2–1, before falling to Rochester Rhinos of the United Soccer League, 3–0. [17] [18]
In 2017, the team began working with NPSL side Clarkstown SC Eagles and supplied most of Clarkstown's players and staff. [19]
In 2020, Motown formed a U23 team which competes in the EDP. The team went 7–0 in its first season, winning the Men's Central Red Division.
2018
On December 6, 2017, the NPSL announced Clarkstown SC Eagles would officially rebrand as FC Motown for 2018. [20] Like Clarkstown, Motown would also compete in the league's Keystone Conference in the Northeast Region. Hot remained the team's head coach in the NPSL and GSSL.
Motown qualified for the 2018 U.S. Open Cup via the automatic bid Clarkstown had earned with its 2017 results. [21] The team defeated New York Red Bulls U-23 of the Premier Development League at Ranger Stadium in the First Round, 2–1, thanks to a first half brace from former professional Dilly Duka. [22] In the Second Round, Motown hosted Penn FC of the second division United Soccer League at Ranger Stadium. Duka scored to give the team a lead but three goals in the last eleven minutes eliminated Motown, 3–1. [23]
In the regular season, Motown finished first in the Keystone Conference with nine wins and one loss. In the conference playoffs, the team beat fourth seed FC Monmouth in the semifinal before beating West Chester United SC in the final via a penalty kick shootout to capture its first Keystone Conference title. [24] [25] In the Northeast Region Playoffs, second seed beat third seed FC Baltimore and first seed New York Cosmos B to win its first regional championship. [26] In the national semifinal, Motown hosted FC Mulhouse Portland at Ranger Stadium and won in extra time, 2–1. [27]
In the 2018 NPSL National Championship game, top seed Motown hosted second seed Miami FC 2 – which had played professionally in the North American Soccer League the previous season. Motown lost, 3–1, in front of a sold-out crowd of 2,143 at Ranger Stadium. [28]
2019
In the 2019 U.S. Open Cup, Motown once again faced New York Red Bulls U-23 of USL League Two, formerly known as the PDL, in the First Round. Playing as the away team at MSU Soccer Park, Motown lost on penalty kicks, 4–4 (5:3 pks), in front of over 300 people. [29]
Motown finished the regular season third in the Keystone Conference with six wins, one draw, and three loses. In the conference playoffs, third seed Motown beat second seed West Chester United SC, 3–2. The team hosted the conference final versus fourth seed Philadelphia Lone Star FC and won, 2–0, for its second straight Keystone championship. In the Northeast Region Semifinal, third seed Motown lost to second seed FC Baltimore, 1–0.
2020
Motown qualified for the 2020 U.S. Open Cup and was scheduled to host local qualifier New York Pancyprian-Freedoms in the First Round, with the winner hosting USL Championship side Saint Louis FC in the Second Round. However the tournament was suspended in mid-March and eventually cancelled in August due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [30]
In late March, the 2020 NPSL season was also cancelled due to COVID. [31] Motown did continue to play in state leagues however, winning the GSSL Super Division and NJSA Men's Open State Cup later in the year once play resumed.
2021
NPSL
The team returned to NPSL play in the Keystone Conference following the COVID stoppage. The regular season saw Motown finish third in the conference with seven wins, two draws, and one loss. In the conference playoffs, third seed Motown beat second seed Atlantic City FC on the road, 3–2, behind three first half goals from Marcus Hackett, Roy Boateng, and Ryan Peterson. In the conference final, Motown hosted fourth seed FC Monmouth at MSU Soccer Park and won, 2–0, off a brace from Peterson. The team entered the Northeast Region Playoffs, hosted by FC Baltimore Christos, as the third seed. In the semifinals, Motown beat second seed Georgia Revolution FC, 2–1, off a late goal from Boateng. In the region final, Motown lost to first seed Baltimore Christos, 3–3 (4:3 on penalty kicks).
USL
On January 13, 2021, USL League Two announced FC Motown as its latest expansion side and would compete in the Metropolitan Division beginning in the 2021 season alongside teams like the Long Island Rough Riders, Morris Elite SC, and New York Red Bulls U-23. [32] [33] Northern Ireland native and NPSL assistant coach Alan McClintock was named inaugural head coach of the USL side on March 15, 2021. [34]
In the regular season, Motown finished fifth in the Metropolitan Division and missed the playoffs.
2022
NPSL
Following two cancelled editions of the tournament Motown returned to the U.S. Open Cup in 2022. The team achieved its best performance in the tournament to date, reaching the Third Round and earning $25,000 as the farthest reaching Open Division that year. [35] Motown beat West Chester in the First Round at Montclair State following a protest and replay in only the second successful protest in the tournament since 1995. [36] Motown hosted National Independent Soccer Association side AC Syracuse Pulse in the Second Round and earned its first win over a professional side, 1–0 AET, but lost on the road to Rochester New York FC (formerly the Rochester Rhinos) in penalty kicks in the next round. [37]
Hot and the team parted ways following the USOC. Gideon Baah, a former New York Red Bulls player who'd been playing with the side in the competition, was named the NPSL team's new head coach ahead of the regular season.
Motown finished the regular season first in the Keystone Conference, beating out Electric City Shock SC on tiebreakers for the first seed. In the conference playoffs, Motown beat Pennsylvania side Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals and West Chester United to capture the conference championship. In the Northeast Region Playoffs, top seed Motown beat the New York Shockers and Appalachian FC at home to claim the organization's second-ever regional championship. [38] The team's only road game in the playoffs came in the national final four, where third seed Motown beat second seed Tulsa Athletic, 2–1. [39]
In the 2022 NPSL National Championship game, Motown beat fourth seed Crossfire Redmond, 4–3, in front of 2,065 fans at MSU Soccer Park. [40] [41] Coby Handy Jean Rodriguez was named Man of the Match for scoring a late brace to equalize and eventually win the team's first-ever national title.
USL
On January 17, it was announced that Motown's USL League Two team would be partnered with youth club STA Soccer. [42] The team was renamed to FC Motown STA. Former Rutgers Scarlet Knights men's soccer assistant coach and STA Technical Director Tom Shields was named the team's head coach. [43]
In the regular season, STA finished seventh in the Metropolitan Division and missed the playoffs. Peter Stroud was named to the USL League Two All-Conference team (Eastern) and the All-League team. [44] [45]
2023
NPSL
In the 2023 U.S. Open Cup, Motown lost in the First Round to USL League Two side Manhattan SC in extra time, 2–1.
This season, the NPSL split the Keystone Conference in two to form the Keystone West Conference and the Keystone East Conference. Motown, playing in the latter, finished the regular season in first place and undefeated. The team beat second seed Atlantic City FC to win the Keystone East Conference championship. In the East Region Playoffs, Motown beat Hartford City FC in the semifinals but lost to rivals West Chester United in the regional final, 4–1.
Following the playoff exit, Baah announced he was leaving the head coaching role. [46]
USL
In the regular season, STA finished sixth in the Metropolitan Division and missed the playoffs.
2024
NPSL
On January 5, 2024, former Motown captain and Major League Soccer midfielder Dilly Duka was named the third-ever coach of Motown's first team. [47]
Motown qualified for its seven straight U.S. Open Cup tournament in 2024, falling to Division III professional side New York City FC II of MLS Next Pro, 3–0, in the First Round. [48]
In the regular season, the team went undefeated in the Keystone East Conference. Haitian midfielder Maudwindo Germain was named the conference's Most Valuable Player. [49] Motown entered the conference playoffs as the top seed, beating Jackson Lions FC in the final for its sixth straight conference championship. In the East Region playoffs, #1 seed Motown beat Virginia Dream FC off a second half goal past former D.C. United and United States men's national soccer team keeper Bill Hamid. The team won its third regional championship in team history by beating New York Shockers, 5–0, in the final.
Motown reached the 2024 NPSL National Championship Game by beating Columbus United FC, 2–0, at Drew University in the National Semifinals. Hosting its third-ever NPSL Final, Motown lost, 2–1, to El Farolito in front of 1,300 fans at Rangers Stadium. [50]
USL
Motown STA competed in the USL's Metropolitan Division, finishing the regular season in second place with a record of eight wins, three draws, and one loss. The team qualified for the USL League Two postseason for the first time as a wildcard. In the Eastern Conference Qualifying Round STA went on the road and led Western Mass Pioneers late but fell in extra time, 3–1. [51]
