Pickering FC

Pickering Football Club, commonly known as Pickering FC, is a Canadian semi-professional soccer club based in Pickering, 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]

Pickering FC
Full namePickering Football Club
Founded1984 / 2014
StadiumKinsmen Park
LeagueLeague1 Ontario
2019League1 Ontario, 14th
Playoffs: DNQ
WebsiteClub website

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, 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.

History
Club logo from 2014 to 2015 - Durham United FC
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,[3][4] referencing their youth competitive teams which went by the name Pickering Power,[5] whose nickname reference 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,[6][7] although Oshawa Kicks later formed their own club in 2019.[8] To recognize this partnership, in 2016, the club changed the FC to FA to be known as Durham United Football Alliance.[9]

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.[10]

After playing in the league's first four seasons, the team went on hiatus for the 2018 season,[11] before returning to the league in 2019.[12]

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.[13]

They added a women's club to participate in the inaugural 2015 women's season.[14] The women's team won the inaugural 2015 league championship[15] They repeated as champions for the 2018 season.[16]

Seasons

Men
Season League Teams Record Rank Playoffs League Cup Ref
2014 League1 Ontario 9 2–4–10 8th – Semi-finals [17]
2015 12 11–3–8 7th – Semi-finals [17]
2016 16 11–3–8 4th, Eastern (8th) did not qualify Quarter-finals [17]
2017 16 11–3–8 3rd, Eastern (7th) did not qualify Semi-finals [17]
2018 on hiatus
2019 League1 Ontario 16 2–2–11 14th did not qualify – [17]
2020 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic[18]

Women
Season League Teams Record Rank Playoffs League Cup Ref
2015 League1 Ontario 7 14–2–2 Champions – Semi-finals [19]
2016 9 9–3–4 3rd – Quarter-finals [19]
2017 11 9–4–7 5th – Quarter-finals [19]
2018 13 7–2–3 4th Champions Round of 16 [19]
2019 14 4–5–4 10th Did not qualify – [19]
2020 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic[18]

Notable former players

References
  1. "The Club". Pickering FC.
  2. "Durham United FC home opener is June 8". Pickering News Advertiser. May 27, 2014.
  3. "Ontario launches provincial semi-professional men's league". Canadian Soccer Association. April 8, 2014.
  4. "OSA announces League1 Ontario teams". Ontario Soccer Association. April 8, 2014. Archived from the original on May 18, 2014.
  5. "Pickering Soccer Club going strong". Oshawa This Week. August 12, 2009.
  6. "Oshawa Kicks Soccer Club joins forces with Pickering to support Durham United FC". Oshawa This Week. February 20, 2015.
  7. "Pickering Soccer Club joins forces with Oshawa Kicks, West Rouge". Pickering News Advertiser. March 24, 2016.
  8. "FC Oshawa set to make soccer debut in League1 Ontario loop". Oshawa This Week. February 1, 2019.
  9. "Pickering Soccer Club Announces Elite Player Pathway Rebrand". League1 Ontario. February 12, 2016.
  10. "Soccer Fans Cheer for Durham United FC at Home Opener". Snapd Pickering. June 8, 2014.
  11. "2018 League1 Ontario Season To Feature New Format, Divisional Configuration And Several Exciting New Additions". League1 Ontario. March 14, 2018.
  12. "Durham United FA Return to League1 Ontario Men's Division for 2019". League1 Ontario. December 20, 2018.
  13. Greenwood, Matt [@MattGreenwood74] (September 24, 2019). "The next step in our club evolution" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  14. "Durham United F.C. Women - 2015 Season Preview". League1 Ontario. May 22, 2015.
  15. Cudmore, John (May 17, 2016). "Durham spoils League1 Ontario soccer home opener for Aurora United women". Aurora Banner.
  16. McNair, Brian (July 16, 2019). "Women's soccer in Durham Region hits interesting new heights". Durham Region News.
  17. "League1 Ontario Historical Standings Men's Division". Canadian Soccer History Archives.
  18. "League1 Ontario cancels Fall season plans for 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions". Canadian Premier League. September 4, 2020.
  19. "League1 Ontario Historical Standings Women's Division". Canadian Soccer History Archives.
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