Atlanta SC

Atlanta Soccer Club is an American soccer team based in Atlanta, Georgia that played in the National Independent Soccer Association, a Division III professional league. Founded in 2007 as Atlanta FC, it became the reserve team of the Atlanta Silverbacks in 2011, and took over the name of the first team when it folded in 2016. On January 4, 2019, the club announced that it had parted ways with the group running Atlanta Silverbacks Park, its stadium, and had to change its name as a result. The new logo and colors refer to the peach, a state symbol of Georgia.[1]

Atlanta SC
Full nameAtlanta Soccer Club
Founded2007 (2007) (as Atlanta FC)
GroundSt. Francis High School
President/GMPhoday Dolleh
Head CoachRoberto Neves
WebsiteClub website

The team played its home games at Silverbacks Park from 2011 through 2018.[2] Atlanta SC will now play home matches at St. Francis High School in Alpharetta, Georgia.

History

The original Atlanta FC ownership group included a wide cross section of the local Georgia soccer community. The board of directors included prominent members of large amateur leagues, elite youth clubs, and grassroots organizations, bringing together representatives from the groups that drive soccer in the United States.

The club was born out of a U23 team, Lawrenceville FC, that came together to make a successful run to the National Cup finals in 2007. This team united players of many different nationalities in – from the US, Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Honduras lined up next to players from Peru, Colombia, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Puerto Rico, and Romania. Once the tournament was complete, talks were held on how to continue this project to benefit both the players involved and the community at large. The NPSL began seeking interested ownership groups for its new Southeast Conference at around the same time, and Atlanta FC joined for the division's inaugural season. That team went on to win the NPSL Southeast Conference in its first season, losing out in the playoffs to Midwest Champions St. Paul Twin Stars.

Ramiro Canovas was one of the league's leading scorers in 2008, with five goals in NPSL play and nine overall (including US Open Cup qualifying). Luis Sandoval and Robert Munilla were also named to the 2008 NPSL All-Star team.

In 2009, the club reached the 1st round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup by finishing as the runner-up at USASA Region III Open Cup qualifying. The team lost 2–0 to the Charleston Battery.

On February 3, 2011, the ownership groups of Atlanta FC and the Atlanta Silverbacks NASL team announced that they would partner and the team would be rebranded as the Atlanta Silverbacks Reserves.[3] In a press release, the Silverbacks ownership group explained that "the Reserves will have a direct link to allow players the opportunity to advance to the professional level. The Silverbacks coaching staff, meanwhile, will enjoy the opportunity to scout developing talent and to call players up to the professional team as needed."

During the first season playing as the Reserves, goalkeeper Eric Ati was signed to the first team after the Reserves season in the NPSL concluded. Kingsley Morgan was named to the NPSL All-Star team. The team finished fourth in a highly competitive NPSL South Region.

On 22 February 2013, they announced that they would be taking a hiatus for the 2013 NPSL season.[4] The team returned to the field for the 2014 season and finished the regular season in second place in the Southeast Conference of the NPSL South Region. The team became known simply as Atlanta Silverbacks since the end of 2015 season when their parent club was disbanded due to the lack of suitable local ownership, and then Atlanta SC because they lost the naming trademark.

Eventually, they joined the National Independent Soccer Association and played in the fall, not advancing to the playoffs, but withdrew for the 2020 spring season. They plan to return to play the following season.

Year-by-year

Year Division League Regular Season Playoffs Open Cup
Atlanta FC
2008 4 NPSL 1st, Southeast Divisional Round Did not qualify
2009 2nd, Southeast Did not qualify First Round
2010 5th, Southeast Did not qualify Did not qualify
Atlanta Silverbacks Reserves
2011 4 NPSL 4th, Southeast Did not qualify Did not qualify
2012 2nd, South-Southeast-East Did not qualify Did not qualify
2013 On Hiatus[4]
2014 4 NPSL 2nd, Southeast Divisional Round Did not qualify
2015 2nd, Southeast NPSL South Atlantic Conference Champions Did not qualify
Atlanta Silverbacks FC
2016 4 NPSL 2nd, Southeast NPSL Southeast Conference Semifinal First Round
2017 2nd, Southeast Divisional Round Second Round
2018 2nd, Southeast NPSL Southeast Conference Champions Did not qualify
Atlanta SC
2019 4 NPSL 6th, Southeast Did not qualify Did not qualify
2019 3 NISA 3rd, East Coast Did not qualify

Honors

Domestic

Minor trophies

  • Region III U-23 National Cup
    • Winners: 2007
    • Runners-up: 2011
  • Region III National Open Cup
    • Runners-up: 2009

Players and staff

2019 roster

As of September 16, 2019[5]
No. Position Player Nation
1 Goalkeeper Jordan Bell  Scotland
2 Defender Aday Gonzalez  Venezuela
3 Defender Manu Moreno  Spain
4 Defender Ramzi Toure  Togo
5 Defender Sheriff Suma  Sierra Leone
6 Defender Ricardo George  Liberia
7 Forward Nazeem Bartman  South Africa
8 Midfielder Alexandre Frank  France
9 Forward William Eyang  Cameroon
10 Forward Prince Saydee  Liberia
11 Forward Molley Karpeh, Jr.  Liberia
12 Forward Derrick Boateng  Ghana
13 Defender Onezimo Francisco  Angola
14 Midfielder Jeffrey Otoo  Ghana
15 Defender Austin Rainey  United States
18 Goalkeeper Bryce Billington  United States
20 Forward Garmina Paygar  Liberia
21 Defender Lamin Gerewou  Gambia
22 Defender Adil Gowani  United States
23 Forward Francis Eto  United States
26 Defender Fuad Adeniyi  England
42 Defender David Koloko  Cameroon
55 Midfielder Rilwan Salawu  Nigeria
73 Goalkeeper Walid Birrou  Spain
88 Midfielder Carlyle Junior  Brazil

Assistant coaches: João Garcia, Christiane Lessa, Abdul Bangura.

Head coaches

  • Ricardo Montoya (2008–2012)
  • Alejandro Pombo (2014–2015)
  • Jacenir Silva (2016)
  • Phoday Dolleh (2017)
  • Roberto Neves (2018–present)

Stadiums

References

  1. "ATLANTA SILVERBACKS REBRANDS AS ATLANTA SC". NPSL.com. National Premier Soccer League. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  2. "NEW BRAND, CONFERENCE, AND LOGO FOR SILVERBACKS IN 2016". NPSL. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  3. Silverbacks Reserves to play in NPSL
  4. "Reserves To Take Hiatus in 2013". AtlantaSilverbacks.com. 22 February 2013. Archived from the original on 7 April 2013. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
  5. "Atlanta SC 2019 Roster". atlsoccerclub.com. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
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