Niagara United

Niagara United FC is a Canadian soccer team founded in 1973. The club is a former member of the Canadian Soccer League (CSL), where it fielded a professional team from 2011-2015, and now operates youth teams in the Niagara Soccer League. The team plays its home games in Kalar Sports Park in Niagara Falls, Ontario. In 2011, the club joined the CSL and played in the CSL Second Division. After a successful debut season Niagara was promoted to the First Division, and qualified for the playoffs in their first season in the top flight. The following season the club went through a rebuilding stage focusing on developing and recruiting local players. In 2016, Niagara announced its departure from the league.

Niagara United FC
Full nameNiagara United Football Club
Founded1973
StadiumKalar Sports Park
Niagara Falls, Ontario
Capacity1,000
WebsiteClub website

History

Niagara United Football Club were formed in 1973 as a non-profit organization. In 2011, Niagara United were elevated to the professional ranks by joining the Canadian Soccer League, and competed in the CSL Second Division.[1][2] Former St. Catharines Wolves head coach James McGillivray was appointed for the role of head coach.[3] Niagara debuted in the Canadian Soccer League on May 14, 2011, drawing their first away game against the York Region Shooters B team 2-2. The team played their first home game against Toronto FC Academy on May 21, 2011.[4] In their debut season the club clinched the Western Division title, and reached the semi-finals of the postseason.[5] At the conclusion of the season McGillivary won the Coach of the Year award, and the Fair Play and Respect award.[6][7] Niagara United hosted a friendly match against Bedlington Terriers FC, then playing in the English Northern Football League, on June 28, 2011, losing 4-1.[8][9][10]

Former CSL Coach of the Year James McGillivray was instrumental in bringing professional soccer to Niagara.

On April 3, 2012 the CSL announced the promotion of Niagara to the CSL First Division.[11][12][13] Kalar Sports Park the team's home ground received several grants in order to accommodate the facility for CSL standards. McGillivray maintained the majority of his veterans from the previous season with the addition of American imports with PDL experience.[14][15][16] Niagara made their professional debut on May 26, 2012 in a sellout crowd against Brantford Galaxy in a 2-1 defeat with Derek Paterson scoring the lone goal.[17][18] In their debut season in the First Division the team clinched the final playoff berth.[19] Their opponents in the quarterfinals were Toronto Croatia, but suffered a 2-0 defeat.[20][21] For the second year in a row McGillivary received the D2 Coach of the Year award while Malcolm Mings won the Defender of the Year award.[22]

For the 2013 season McGillivary re-signed the majority of his players with notable additions as Liberian international Preston Corporal, Keith Makubuya, and Gary Boughton.[23][24] The season marked the first time the organization tasted failure as it finished at the bottom of the overall standings. In 2014, MacGillivary relinquished his head coach responsibilities to Bruno Reis.[25] The season was marked with injuries, shortage of talent, and a lack of player commitment which resulted once more in a last place finish in the overall standings.[26]

In 2015, Niagara hired the services of David Currie to coach the squad.[27] For the 2015 season the organization applied a new philosophy where they would focus on recruiting local players from the Niagara region.[28] The season marked a rebuilding stage within the franchise as Niagara finished for the third straight year at the bottom of the rankings. On October 4, 2015, Niagara was involved in a controversial match against SC Waterloo, where there was suspicion of match fixing on Waterloo's part which resulted in the match to be abandoned at the 65th minute.[29][30] It was announced on April 3, 2016 that Niagara United will not return for the 2016 season.[31]

Final Coaching staff[32]
PositionName
Head Coach - Team Chef:David Currie
Assistant Coach - Head Trainer:Carlo Arghittu
Trainer:Ernie Scervino
Trainer - Defense Coordinator:Tony Carbonara
Goalie Coach:Mike Folino
Head Coach - Reserve Team:James McGillivray
Assistant Coach - Reserve Team:Mike Lopoyda
Physiotherapist:Stephanie Gurczenski

Head coaches
Years Name Nation
2011-2013James McGillivray Canada
2014Bruno Reis Canada
2015David Currie Scotland

Year-by-year
Year Division League Regular Season Playoffs
2011[33] 2 - West CSL First Semi-finalist
2012[34] 1 CSL Eighth Quarter-finalist
2013[35] 1 CSL Twelfth Did not qualify
2014[36] 1 CSL Tenth Did not qualify
2015[37] 1 CSL Twelfth Did not qualify

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See also

References
  1. "March 28, 2011 CSL--Niagara Falls In CSL Second Division (from CSL news release)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  2. Peters, Brad. "Developing future soccer stars". Welland Tribune. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  3. Glover, Robin. "May 5, 2011 CSL--CSL Pre-season Press Conference (by Rocket Robin)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  4. Brad Peters (May 20, 2011). "Niagara United kicks off Saturday". Niagara Falls Review. Archived from the original on July 24, 2011. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  5. Peters, Brad. "Niagara United done for season". Niagara Falls Review. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
  6. Glover, Robin. "November 14, 2011 CSL--CSL Awards 2011 (by Rocket Robin)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  7. "November 15, 2011--Toronto Croatia's Tihomir Maletic MVP For Second Year...Annual Award Winners Announced Sunday (from CSL website)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  8. "News: Bedlington Terriers Vs Niagara United". NiagaraUnitedSoccer.ca. June 29, 2011. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  9. Anthony Hetherington (June 28, 2011). "Bedlington Terriers vs Niagara United". BedlingtonTerriersFC.com. Archived from the original on July 2, 2011. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  10. Brad Peters (June 30, 2011). "Terriers' bark unsettles Niagara United". Niagara Falls Review. Archived from the original on July 1, 2011. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  11. "April 3, 2012--Record 16 Teams CSL's Six-Month Long First Division Campaign (from CSL website)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  12. "April 10, 2012--It's First Division Pro Soccer For Niagara United (from CSL website)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  13. Spiteri, Ray. "Professional soccer coming to Niagara Falls". Niagara Falls Review. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  14. Glover, Robin. "May 1, 2012 CSL--CSL Pre-season Press Conference (by Rocket Robin)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  15. Smith, Cory. "Playing the waiting game". Niagara Falls Review. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  16. Smith, Cory. "United they stand". Niagara Falls Review. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  17. Smith, Cory. "United draws a crowd". Niagara Falls Review. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  18. "May 26, 2012 CSL--details of Saturday games (from CSL website)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  19. Dakin, Dan. "Niagara United clinches playoff spot". Niagara Falls Review. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  20. Smith, Cory. "Niagara United faces Toronto Croatia". Niagara Falls Review. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  21. Glover, Robin. "October 14, 2012 CSL Quarterfinal--Toronto Croatia vs Niagara United (by Rocket Robin)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  22. "November 25, 2012--2012 CSL Awards Dinner (from CSL website)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  23. Smith, Cory. "Niagara United ready for soccer season". Niagara Falls Review. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  24. Smith, Cory. "Niagara United roster taking shape". Niagara Falls Review. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  25. Puchalski, Bernie. "Niagara United FC Canadian Soccer League preview". Niagara Falls Review. Archived from the original on December 24, 2017. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  26. Puchalski, Bernie. "Niagara United falls out of last playoff spot". Niagara Falls Review. Retrieved July 31, 2016.
  27. Puchalski, Bernie. "Niagara United looks to homegrown talent". Niagara Falls Review. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
  28. Puchalski, Bernie. "Niagara United banks on homegrown talent". Niagara Falls Review. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
  29. Bauman, Martin (January 7, 2016). "SC Waterloo implicated in soccer match-fixing allegations". 570 NEWS. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
  30. Rycroft, Ben. "Soccer Match Fixing Has Infiltrated Canada | VICE Sports". Retrieved August 1, 2016.
  31. Adamson, Stan. "CSL SET FOR MAY KICKOFF | Canadian Soccer League". canadiansoccerleague.ca. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
  32. "Niagara United FC | Canadian Soccer League". May 25, 2016. Archived from the original on May 25, 2016. Retrieved August 1, 2016.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
  33. "Canadian Soccer League". September 25, 2013. Archived from the original on September 25, 2013. Retrieved August 1, 2016.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
  34. "October 11, 2012 CSL--Week 23 Standings [end of Regular season] (from CSL web site)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
  35. "October 7, 2013 CSL--CSL Week 23 Standings Final Standings Regular Season (from CSL web site)". www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
  36. "First Division 2014 Standings | Canadian Soccer League". canadiansoccerleague.ca. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
  37. "First Division Standings 2015 | Canadian Soccer League". canadiansoccerleague.ca. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
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