Southern Derby

Last updated

Southern Derby
SouthernDerby.jpg
Old Southern Derby Cup
Founded2000
Region Southeast
Number of teams2
Current champions Charleston Battery
Most successful club(s)Charleston Battery (10 titles)

The Southern Derby is a fan-based U.S. professional soccer cup competition between USL Championship (USLC) teams based in the South-Atlantic region of the United States (North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia). It was founded in 2000. The Southern Derby trophy is currently held by the Charleston Battery.

Contents

The Southern Derby was created by the fans of the teams involved to promote a friendly competition and rivalry along the clubs involved and encourage fans to travel to away matches. The Southern Derby is perhaps the first cup competition of its kind in American professional soccer. It is common in nature with other fan cup competitions which originated in the United Soccer Leagues such as the Cascadia Cup, the James River Cup, and the Voyageurs Cup. It is also similar to Major League Soccer trophy competitions such as the Atlantic Cup, the Brimstone Cup, the Lamar Hunt Pioneer Cup, the Rocky Mountain Cup, and the Texas Derby.

Southern Derby Commemorative Cup

The Southern Derby Commemorative Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the winner of the Southern Derby. The trophy consists of a wooden base attached to a silver-plated, two-handled cup. The inscription on the base of the trophy reads The Southern Derby: Founded A-League Season 2000 in Atlanta, Charleston, & Raleigh by those who love the Game.

The cup was purchased through funds raised by the supporters club of the inaugural three clubs involved in the competition. The Fans own Southern Derby Commemorative Cup which is loaned each year to the holders of the Southern Derby.

Current Clubs

History

RailHawks fans celebrate their team's 2007 Southern Derby Championship on August 17, 2007, at SAS Soccer Park, now WakeMed Soccer Park SoutherDerbyCelebration2007.jpg
RailHawks fans celebrate their team's 2007 Southern Derby Championship on August 17, 2007, at SAS Soccer Park, now WakeMed Soccer Park

The first edition of the Southern Derby was contested in 2000 between the A-League (1995-2004) Charleston Battery, the Atlanta Silverbacks, and the Raleigh Capital Express with Raleigh winning the inaugural competition.

The Raleigh Capital Express folded before the 2001 season and the Charlotte Eagles were invited to replace Raleigh in the cup competition. Charlotte won the trophy in their first year in the contest. The Eagles would continue to compete in the contest in 2002 and 2003 with Atlanta and Charleston winning the competition those years, respectively.

At the end of the 2003 season, Charlotte moved to the USL Second Division leaving the Southern Derby to be played between only Charleston and Atlanta. The Silverbacks won the title outright in 2004 and 2006 and split the title with Charleston in 2005.

In 2007, the Carolina RailHawks (based in Cary, North Carolina and now known as North Carolina FC) joined the USL First Division and was invited to take up Raleigh's original spot in the competition. Carolina went undefeated in their 2007 Southern Derby campaign capturing the cup in their inaugural season. The RailHawks successfully defended their title in 2008 and through two seasons had beaten Charleston a remarkable 6 times in 6 games (4 Southern Derby fixtures).

With the Silverbacks taking a hiatus in 2009, the 2009 edition of the Southern Derby Cup was a home-and-away competition between the Charleston Battery and the Carolina RailHawks contested on May 9 and July 11. Both Charleston and Carolina shared honors in the 2009 Southern Derby Cup.

In 2010 with the Carolina RailHawks joining the NASL and Charleston dropping to USL2, the Carolina fans decided to allow the Charleston Battery to continue with the tradition of the Southern Derby Cup with the Charlotte Eagles as opposed to it sitting idle. Charleston won the Southern Derby Cup in 2010.

The 2011 Southern Derby featured both Charlotte and Charleston once again and added the Wilmington Hammerheads to the competition. The winner was decided on the last match of the Southern Derby Dates, which happened to be the Charleston vs. Charlotte match on Fox Soccer Channel. Charleston won the 2011 Southern Derby match.

With their return to the United Soccer League (now known as the USL Championship) in 2018, North Carolina FC (formerly the Carolina RailHawks) rejoined the competition alongside former rivals the Charleston Battery and newly minted cross-state opponents the Charlotte Independence.

2020 saw the Charlotte Independence supporter's group Jack's Militia opt-out of the Southern Derby. Due to Covid, the Charleston Battery and North Carolina FC played a "one and done" version of the contest. The Charleston Battery won the single match, 3–0.

In 2021, North Carolina FC self-relegated to USL League 1 leaving Charleston and Charlotte to contest for the Cup once again. With the emergence of the new Charlotte Independence supporters group, the Mecklenburg Reserves, the rivalry was once again back on. The winner of the 2021 Southern Derby Cup will be played over two legs, the first at Charleston Battery's home pitch, Patriots Point on July 23 and the second leg in Charlotte's home stadium, Memorial Stadium on October 16. The Charlotte Independence won their first Southern Derby in 2021, splitting the games with Charleston, but outscoring Charleston 5–3 on aggregate goals.

2022 saw Charlotte move to USL League One, leaving no teams in the immediate region for the Southern Derby. The Southern Derby Cup was dormant for the 2022 and 2023 season but with the announcement of North Carolina FC rejoining the USL Championship for the 2024 season, the Cup competition was revived.

The Rules

Rules for the 2020 Southern Derby Cup were changed due to COVID-19. The single match between the Charleston Battery and North Carolina FC will be a one-and-done competition. In the case of a draw, the teams shall be declared co-champions and the Charleston Battery will retain physical control of the Cup as the 2019 champions.

Southern Derby Winners

Current Results

Standings

TeamPtsPldWLTGFGAGD
Charleston Battery4210152+3
North Carolina FC1201125-3

Matches

Past Results

2024 -TeamPtsPldWLTGFGAGD
Charleston Battery11001000
North Carolina FC11001000
2021 -TeamPtsPldWLTGFGAGD
Charleston Battery311003-5-2
Charlotte Independence311005-32
2020 -TeamPtsPldWLTGFGAGD
Charleston Battery31100300
North Carolina FC010100-3-3
2019-TeamPtsPldWLTGFGAGD
Charleston Battery8420252+3
North Carolina FC5411264+2
Charlotte Independence2402216-5
2018-TeamPtsPldWLTGFGAGD
North Carolina FC7421195+4
Charleston Battery6410342+2
Charlotte Independence24022511-6
2017-TeamPtsPldWLTGFGAGD
Charleston Battery6220040+4
Charlotte Independence0202004-4
2016-TeamPtsPldWLTGFGAGD
Charleston Battery7421165+1
Charlotte Independence7421154+1
Wilmington Hammerheads2402245-1
2015-TeamPtsPldWLTGFGAGD
Charleston Battery7421164+2
Charlotte Independence5412267-1
Wilmington Hammerheads3401345-1
2014-TeamPtsPldWLTGFGAGD
Wilmington Hammerheads10431041+3
Charlotte Eagles9421145-1
Charleston Battery1403115-4
2013-TeamPtsPldWLTGFGAGD
Charlotte Eagles8420264+2
Charleston Battery4311165+1
Wilmington Hammerheads1302147-3
2012-TeamPtsPldWLTGFGAGD
Charlotte Eagles106321660
Wilmington Hammerheads8622289-1
Charleston Battery76231880
2011-TeamPtsPldWLTGFGAGD
Charleston Battery94310880
Wilmington Hammerheads6422075+2
Charlotte Eagles3413079-2
2010-TeamPtsPldWLTGFGAGD
Charleston Battery104301105+5
Charlotte Eagles14031510-5
2009-TeamPtsPldWLTGFGAGD
Carolina RailHawks32110220
Charleston Battery32110220
2008-TeamPtsPldWLTGFGAGD
Carolina RailHawks74211752
Atlanta Silverbacks5411234-1
Charleston Battery4412145-1
2007-TeamPtsPldWLTGFGAGD
Carolina Railhawks104301716
Atlanta Silverbacks4412145-1
Charleston Battery3413038-5
2006-TeamPtsPldWLTGFGAGD
Atlanta Silverbacks10430152+3
Charleston Battery1403125-3
2005-TeamPtsPldWLTGFGAGD
Atlanta Silverbacks32110330
Charleston Battery32110330
2004-TeamPtsPldWLTGFGAGD
Atlanta Silverbacks6220062+4
Charleston Battery0202026-4
2003-TeamPtsPldWLTGFGAGD
Charleston Battery7421184+4
Atlanta Silverbacks7421186+2
Charlotte Eagles3413039-6
2002-TeamPtsPldWLTGFGAGD
Atlanta Silverbacks7421154+1
Charleston Battery6410353+2
Charlotte Eagles2402258-3
2001-TeamPtsPldWLTGFGAGD
Charlotte Eagles94310117+4
Charleston Battery9431095+4
Atlanta Silverbacks04040412-8
2000-TeamPtsPldWLTGFGAGD
Raleigh Capital Express9431076+1
Charleston Battery64220770
Atlanta Silverbacks3413078-1

See also

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