Charlotte Independence

The Charlotte Independence is an American soccer team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They play in the USL Championship, the second tier of the American soccer pyramid. They play their home games at the Sportsplex at Matthews in Matthews, North Carolina.

Charlotte Independence
Nickname(s)The Jacks
Founded2014 (2014)
StadiumSportsplex at Matthews
Matthews, North Carolina
Capacity5,000
OwnerQueen City Soccer Club, LLC
PresidentJim McPhilliamy
Head CoachMike Jeffries
LeagueUSL Championship
201913th, Eastern Conference
Playoffs: DNQ
WebsiteClub website

History

The Charlotte Independence were founded in 2014. They acquired the USL Pro franchise rights for Charlotte from the Charlotte Eagles, who moved into the amateur Premier Development League (PDL).[1][2][3]

The Independence take their name from Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. Their crest features the year 1775 (the year in which it was purported to have been signed) and a horse-mounted Captain James Jack, who is said to have carried the Declaration to Philadelphia.[4] Supporters were asked to choose one of twelve designs; all 12 featured the year and Jack.

Former Dallas Burn head coach Mike Jeffries was hired as the Independence head coach on December 5, 2014.[5] The team is nicknamed "The Jacks," in Jack's honor.

The Independence lost their first game to the Charleston Battery 3–2 on March 28, 2015 at Transamerica Field. Jack Thompson scored the team's first ever goal in the 13th minute.[6]

Stadium

On February 25, 2015, the team announced they would play most of their 2015 season in a temporary soccer stadium being assembled at Ramblewood Soccer Complex, near the I-77/I-485 interchange in the southwest corner of the city. [7] [8] After splitting its first five home games between the University of North Carolina at Charlotte's Transamerica Field and Winthrop University's Eagle Field, the Independence won their Ramblewood debut on June 20, 2015. [9] [10]

On February 1, 2017, the team announced they would play in a permanent 2,300 seat soccer stadium at the Sportsplex at Matthews in Matthews, North Carolina. [11]

Sponsorship
Seasons Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
2015–2016 Adidas OrthoCarolina
2017–present Novant Health

Year-by-year
Year Division League Win Loss Tie Regular Season Playoffs U.S. Open Cup Avg. Attendance
2015 3 USL 10 8 10 7th, Eastern Did not qualify 5th Round 1,800
2016 3 USL 14 8 8 5th, Eastern Conference Quarterfinals 3rd Round 1,375
2017 2 USL 13 10 9 5th, Eastern Conference Quarterfinals 3rd Round 1,615
2018 2 USL 10 12 12 11th, Eastern Did not qualify 2nd Round 1,659
2019 2 USLC 9 14 11 13th, Eastern Did not qualify 2nd Round 1,750

Players and staff

Current roster

As of July 15, 2020[12][13]

No. Position Player Nation
1 Goalkeeper Austin Pack  United States
2 Defender Shalom Jackie  Togo
3 Defender Hugh Roberts  United States
4 Midfielder Jake Areman  United States
5 Defender Casey Penland  United States
6 Defender Jack Maher (on loan from Nashville SC)  United States
7 Midfielder Rey Ortiz (on loan from FC Cincinnati)  United States
9 Forward Dane Kelly  Jamaica
11 Midfielder Valentin Sabella  Argentina
13 Midfielder Kevan George  Trinidad and Tobago
14 Defender Duke Lacroix  United States
15 Midfielder Luke Haakenson (on loan from Nashville SC)  United States
17 Defender Clay Dimick  United States
18 Defender Aaron Maund  United States
19 Forward Enzo Martínez  Uruguay
20 Midfielder Oscar Ramsay  New Zealand
21 Midfielder Brunallergene Etou  Congo
22 Defender Joel Johnson  Liberia
23 Forward Guido Vadalá  Argentina
27 Midfielder Derek Gebhard  United States
32 Forward Tresor Mbuyu  DR Congo
33 Goalkeeper Brandon Miller  United States
34 Defender Owen Barber ([A])  United States
35 Defender Joey Skinner ([A])  United States
36 Defender Dylan Mitchiner ([A])  United States
  1. ^
    USL Academy Contract
    2.

Front office
  • Jim McPhilliamy – President & Managing Partner
  • Bruce Cairnduff – Chief Financial Officer
  • Wade Leaphart – Executive Vice President
  • Mike Jeffries – General Manager

Coaching staff

Head coaches
  • Includes USL Regular Season, USL Playoffs, U.S. Open Cup. Excludes friendlies.
CoachNationalityStartEndGamesWinLossDrawWin %
Mike Jeffries  United States December 5, 2014 December 6, 2018 135 52 44 39 038.52
Jim McGuinness  Ireland December 7, 2018 June 12, 2019 15 1 8 6 006.67
Mike Jeffries[14]  United States June 12, 2019 present 19 8 6 5 042.11

Affiliations

In April 2019, Carolina Rapids Soccer Club, Discoveries Soccer Club, and Lake Norman Soccer Club merged to create the Charlotte Independence Soccer Club, making it one of the largest youth soccer clubs in the country. The club provides programs for Youth and Adult Recreation, TopSoccer, Boys and Girls Competitive, Boys and Girls ECNL, Boys U.S Development Academy, USL2 and WPSL, for its 12,000 members. The youth affiliation with the pro club designates itself as one of the few youth soccer clubs in the area, region and nation to offer a direct pro pathway for its players. CISC operates as 4 Regional locations throughout the Carolinas, North, South, East and West. Serving North Carolina communities such as Belmont, Cabarrus, Cornelius, Davidson, Denver, Gastonia, Huntersville, Matthews, Mooresville, North Meck, South Charlotte, Statesville, Steele Creek, as well as Fort Mill, Rock Hill and York County in South Carolina.[15]

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References
  1. "Queen City Soccer Club to replace Charlotte Eagles in USL PRO in 2015". Ben Bromley. Black and Red United. January 24, 2014. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
  2. David Scott (September 16, 2014). "Charlotte's USL franchise to change hands Wednesday". Charlotte Observer. Archived from the original on September 17, 2014. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
  3. "USL PRO Welcomes Independence". United Soccer Leagues (USL). September 17, 2014. Archived from the original on September 17, 2014. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
  4. "Charlotte now has soccer Independence". David Scott. Charlotte Observer. September 17, 2014. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
  5. "Independence Name Jeffries As Coach". United Soccer Leagues (USL). December 5, 2014. Archived from the original on December 10, 2014. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
  6. "Charlotte Left To Rue First Half Errors". Charlotte Independence. March 27, 2015. Archived from the original on March 30, 2015. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
  7. "2015 Season-Ticket Pricing & Benefits Announced". February 23, 2015. Archived from the original on February 26, 2015. Retrieved February 26, 2015.
  8. "Renderings depict temporary Charlotte Independence soccer stadium". Charlotte Observer. February 17, 2015. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
  9. "Temporary soccer stadium not yet ready for Charlotte Independence". Charlotte Observer. June 8, 2015. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  10. "Charlotte Independence rides momentum past Charleston Battery in 2–1 win". Charlotte Observer. June 20, 2015. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  11. "INDEPENDENCE MOVING TO MATTHEWS". February 1, 2017.
  12. "Independence Announce First Signings". United Soccer Leagues (USL). January 8, 2015. Archived from the original on January 15, 2015. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  13. "Team". September 9, 2014. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  14. "Charlotte Independence Part Ways With Head Coach". Charlotte Independence. Retrieved June 12, 2019.
  15. "Charlotte youth soccer clubs merge under single roof". www.thecharlottepost.com. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
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