Pickering FC

Last updated

Pickering FC
Pickering FC logo.jpg
Full namePickering Football Club
Founded1984 / 2014
StadiumKinsmen Park
Head CoachEric Polo Soldevila (men)
Peter Hogg (women)
League League1 Ontario
2024 L1O-C, 10th - relegated (men)
L1O-C, 5th (women)
Website https://www.pickeringfc.ca/league1ontario
Soccerball current event.svg Current season

Pickering Football Club, commonly known as Pickering FC, is a Canadian semi-professional soccer club based in Pickering, Ontario that plays in League1 Ontario. The club was founded in 1984 as a youth soccer club and added its semi-professional club in League1 Ontario in 2014. [1] The team plays home games at Kinsmen Park. [2]

Contents

The club was one of the ten original founding men's teams in League1 Ontario, which was established in 2014, as well as one of eight original founding women's teams of the League1 Ontario women's division which was established in 2015. The semi-professional team was originally known as Durham United FC from 2014 until 2015, and then Durham United FA from 2016 until 2019, when they re-branded as Pickering FC. Also until 2019, their youth OPDL teams were known simply as United FA. [3]

History

Club logo from 2014 to 2015 - Durham United FC Durham United FC logo.png
Club logo from 2014 to 2015 - Durham United FC
Club logo from 2016 until 2019 - Durham United FA Durham United FA logo.png
Club logo from 2016 until 2019 - Durham United FA

In 2014, the semi-professional club was established by Pickering Soccer Club to play in the newly formed League1 Ontario as one of the founding members, with a placeholder name of Durham Power FC, [4] [5] referencing their youth competitive teams which went by the name Pickering Power, [6] whose nickname references the Pickering Power Plant in the city. However, in an effort to be inclusive of the larger region beyond Pickering, the club was ultimately named Durham United FC. This inclusivity allowed the club to form working relationships with other local clubs - Oshawa Kicks SC and West Rouge SC - to participate in the club, [7] [8] although Oshawa Kicks later formed their own club in 2019. [9] To recognize this partnership, in 2016, the club changed the FC to FA to be known as Durham United Football Alliance. [10] Durham United played their first home match against Internacional de Toronto at Kinsmen Park in Pickering, Ontario on June 8, 2014, defeating the visitors 2–0. [11]

In 2015, they added a women's club to participate in the inaugural season of the League1 Ontario women's division. [12] The women's team won the inaugural 2015 league championship. [13] After playing in the league's first four seasons, the men's team went on hiatus for the 2018 season (while the women's club remained active in their division), [14] before returning to the league in 2019. [15] In 2018, the women's team once again won the league championship, after winning the league playoffs. [16]

For the 2020 season, the club re-branded as Pickering Football Club, matching the name of the youth club, who changed their name from Pickering Soccer Club. [17]

After opting out of the 2021 seasons, following the COVID-19 pandemic, it was announced that the club would return to both the male and female divisions, under a new ownership group, Evolution Sports & Entertainment, led by led by principal investors Ritchie Jeune and Chris Rivett, who co-own USL League Two side South Bend Lions FC (Jeune also owns English sixth tier side Kettering Town F.C. and Chinese club Shantou Lions). [18] In 2023, the club withdrew from the Premier Division in both the men's and women's divisions in League1 Ontario, after being unable to find a club partner to operate the team, although they continued to field teams in the reserve division for each gender, with the hope of returning to the top division in 2024. [19] Nevertheless, in July 2023, the league chose to terminate their licence held by Evolution Sports & Entertainment, for the top two tiers for 2024 for both the male and female divisions. [20]

However, in January 2024, the youth club (separate from the Evolution Sports & Entertainment group) purchased the licences of Electric City FC, to re-join the league, entering in the new second tier Championship division (after the top tier division split) for the 2024 season. [21] [22]

Seasons

Men

SeasonLeagueTeamsRecordRankPlayoffsLeague CupRef
2014 League1 Ontario 92–4–108th–Semi-finals [23]
2015 1211–3–87th–Semi-finals [23]
2016 1611–3–84th, Eastern (8th overall)did not qualifyQuarter-finals [23]
2017 1611–3–83rd, Eastern (7th overall)did not qualifySemi-finals [23]
2018 on hiatus
2019 League1 Ontario162–2–1114thdid not qualify– [23]
2020 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic [24]
2021 on hiatus
2022 League1 Ontario 227–2–1214thDid not qualify–
2023 on hiatus
2024 League1 Ontario Championship 104–3–1110th ↓–Round of 32

Women

SeasonLeagueTeamsRecordRankPlayoffsLeague CupRef
2015 League1 Ontario 714–2–2Champions–Semi-finals [25]
2016 99–3–43rd–Quarter-finals [25]
2017 119–4–75th–Quarter-finals [25]
2018 137–2–34thChampionsRound of 16 [25]
2019 144–5–410thDid not qualify– [25]
2020 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic [24]
2021 Did not enter due to COVID-19 pandemic (entered Reserve division)
2022 League1 Ontario 203–3–1317thDid not qualify–
2023 on hiatus
2024 League1 Ontario Championship 106–6–65th–Round of 16

Notable former players

The following players have either played at the professional or international level, either before or after playing for the League1 Ontario team:

Men

Women

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FC London</span> Canadian soccer team

FC London is a Canadian semi-professional soccer club based in London, Ontario that plays in the men's and women's divisions of League1 Ontario in the Canadian third tier. The men's plays in League1 Ontario's second tier Championship division and the women's team play's in League1 Ontario's first tier Premier Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">League1 Ontario</span> Semi-pro soccer league in Ontario, Canada

League1 Ontario (L1ON) is a semi-professional men's soccer league in Ontario, Canada. The league is sanctioned by the Canadian Soccer Association and the Ontario Soccer Association.

Kayla De Souza is a footballer who plays for North Mississauga SC in League1 Ontario. Born in Canada, she represented Guyana at international level.

The 2017 Men's League1 Ontario season was the fourth season of play for League1 Ontario, a Division 3 semi-professional soccer league in the Canadian soccer pyramid and the highest level of soccer based in the Canadian province of Ontario.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jordan Dover</span> Guyanese footballer (born 1994)

William Emmanuel Jordan Dover is a footballer who plays as a defender. Born in Canada, he represents Guyana internationally.

The 2019 Men's League1 Ontario season was the sixth 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 2020 Men's League1 Ontario season would have been the seventh season of play for League1 Ontario (L1O), 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.

Brianne Desa is a footballer who plays as a midfielder for League1 Ontario club Vaughan Azzurri. Born in Canada, she represents Guyana at the international level.

The 2019 League1 Ontario season was the fifth season of play for the Women's Division of League1 Ontario, a Division 3 semi-professional soccer league in the Canadian soccer pyramid and the highest level of soccer based in the Canadian province of Ontario. FC London won the league championship after beating the Oakville Blue Devils in the finals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darby FC</span> Canadian soccer team

Darby FC is a Canadian semi-professional soccer club based in Whitby, Ontario and Clarington, Ontario. The club was founded in 2015 to compete in League1 Ontario. The club was formed as a partnership between two local area youth clubs - Whitby SC and Darlington SC. It fields teams in both the men's and women's divisions of League1 Ontario.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alliance United FC</span> Canadian soccer team

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aurora FC (Canada)</span> Canadian soccer team

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. The team plays home games at Stewart Burnett Park, which was opened in 2018. They departed League1 Ontario following 2020, becoming an affiliate club of Simcoe County Rovers and transferring their League1 Ontario license to them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FC Oshawa</span> Canadian soccer team

FC Oshawa was a Canadian women's semi-professional soccer club based in Oshawa, Ontario. The club was founded in 2019 to compete in the League1 Ontario women's division, as a partnership between two local area youth clubs - Oshawa Kicks SC and FC Durham Academy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DeRo United Futbol Academy</span> Canadian soccer team

DeRo TFC is Canadian soccer academy founded in 2012 by former Canadian professional soccer player Dwayne De Rosario based in the Scarborough district of Toronto, Ontario. They previously fielded a Canadian women's semi-professional soccer club that played in the League1 Ontario women's division.

The 2020 League1 Ontario season was supposed to be the sixth season of play for Women's Division of League1 Ontario, a Division 3 women's soccer league in the Canadian soccer pyramid and the highest level of soccer based in the Canadian province of Ontario.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electric City FC</span> Canadian soccer team

Electric City Football Club was a Canadian semi-professional soccer team based in Peterborough, Ontario, that competed in League1 Ontario's men's and women's division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">League1 Ontario (women)</span> Semi-pro soccer league in Ontario, Canada

League1 Ontario 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. League1 Ontario is a part of League1 Canada, the national third tier with regional divisions, with L1O equivalents in Alberta, British Columbia, and Quebec.

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 2023 Men's League1 Ontario season was the ninth of 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. Following the 2023 season, the league will split into three divisions with promotion and relegation between them.

The 2023 League1 Ontario season is the eighth 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.

References

  1. ↑ "The Club". Pickering FC.
  2. ↑ "Durham United FC home opener is June 8". Pickering News Advertiser. May 27, 2014.
  3. ↑ "The OPDL Spotlight Series - United FA". Ontario Soccer Association . June 27, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Ontario launches provincial semi-professional men's league". Canadian Soccer Association . April 8, 2014. Archived from the original on July 4, 2020.
  5. ↑ "OSA announces League1 Ontario teams". Ontario Soccer Association . April 8, 2014. Archived from the original on May 18, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Pickering Soccer Club going strong". Oshawa This Week. August 12, 2009.
  7. ↑ "Oshawa Kicks Soccer Club joins forces with Pickering to support Durham United FC". Oshawa This Week. February 20, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Pickering Soccer Club joins forces with Oshawa Kicks, West Rouge". Pickering News Advertiser. March 24, 2016.
  9. ↑ "FC Oshawa set to make soccer debut in League1 Ontario loop". Oshawa This Week. February 1, 2019.
  10. ↑ "Pickering Soccer Club Announces Elite Player Pathway Rebrand". League1 Ontario . February 12, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Soccer Fans Cheer for Durham United FC at Home Opener". Snapd Pickering. June 8, 2014. Archived from the original on July 16, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Durham United F.C. Women - 2015 Season Preview". League1 Ontario . May 22, 2015.
  13. ↑ Cudmore, John (May 17, 2016). "Durham spoils League1 Ontario soccer home opener for Aurora United women". Aurora Banner.
  14. ↑ "2018 League1 Ontario Season To Feature New Format, Divisional Configuration And Several Exciting New Additions". League1 Ontario . March 14, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Durham United FA Return to League1 Ontario Men's Division for 2019". League1 Ontario . December 20, 2018.
  16. ↑ McNair, Brian (July 16, 2019). "Women's soccer in Durham Region hits interesting new heights". Durham Region News.
  17. ↑ Greenwood, Matt [@MattGreenwood74] (September 24, 2019). "The next step in our club evolution" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  18. ↑ "Pickering FC to rejoin L1O Premier in 2022 with new ownership". League1 Ontario . October 19, 2021.
  19. ↑ Jacques, John (March 7, 2023). "Pickering FC Can't Field League1 Ontario Premier Division Teams This Year". Northern Tribune.
  20. ↑ "Applications invited to play in the men's and women's League1 Ontario Championship Division in 2024". League1 Ontario . July 4, 2023.
  21. ↑ "Pickering return to League1 Ontario men's and women's divisions". League1 Ontario . January 9, 2024.
  22. ↑ Parkes, David (January 10, 2024). "Pickering FC Takes Electric City's License, Returns To L1O". Northern Tribune.
  23. 1 2 3 4 5 "League1 Ontario Historical Standings Men's Division". Canadian Soccer History Archives.
  24. 1 2 "League1 Ontario cancels Fall season plans for 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions". Canadian Premier League . September 4, 2020.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 "League1 Ontario Historical Standings Women's Division". Canadian Soccer History Archives.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.