Austin Aztex FC

Austin Aztex
Full name Austin Aztex FC
Nickname(s) Aztex, The RAW
Founded 2008
Dissolved 2010 (move to Orlando)
Stadium House Park
Austin, Texas
Ground Capacity 6,500
Owner Phil Rawlins
Head Coach Adrian Heath
League USSF Division 2 Professional League
2010 Regular Season: 2nd, USL
Overall: 2nd
Playoffs: Quarterfinals
For the current United Soccer League club, see Austin Aztex.

Austin Aztex FC was an American professional soccer team based in Austin, Texas, United States. Founded in 2008, the team played in the USL First Division, and in the USL Division of the USSF D2 Pro League, the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. In October 2010, the Aztex were relocated to Orlando, Florida and became Orlando City after Orlando USL's rights were purchased by Phil Rawlins. The team was resurrected in 2011 by minority owner David Markley as the Austin Aztex, which began play in the USL Premier Development League in 2012 and moved to United Soccer League in 2014.

The team played its home games at Nelson Field, and House Park in Austin. The team's colors were red and white. Their head coach was Englishman and former Everton midfielder Adrian Heath.[1]

History

The club was owned by English-born Austin businessman Phil Rawlins. Originally from the UK, Rawlins serves on the board of English Premier League club Stoke City. Austin and Stoke had a formal partnership which included sharing training information and players, with Austin acting as a potential player resource for Stoke.[2]

Immediately after announcing their intention to join USL1, the Aztex purchased the 2008 USL PDL expansion side Austin Stampede and rebranded it as Austin Aztex U23. Wolfgang Suhnholz was named coach of the U23 team, which commenced play in 2008.

On August 8, 2008, the Aztex announced 2008 PDL Goalkeeper of the Year and former Austin Aztex U23 player, Miguel Gallardo, as their first professional signing for the 2009 season. Gallardo is signed with the team through 2011.[3]

The Aztex began their inaugural season as a professional team by playing 4 MLS teams in preseason exhibition matches. The first three games were held in Austin at Nelson Field while the fourth MLS match was in Rio Tinto Stadium on the MLS opening weekend. A fifth exhibition match was scheduled against the CONCACAF semi-finalist Puerto Rico Islanders in between their home and away series against Cruz Azul.

On May 19, 2010, Austin played the Tampa Bay Rowdies in front of 6,051 fans, their largest home crowd in franchise history.[4]

On October 22, 2010, an article was published that indicated that the team was likely to move to Orlando, Florida, for the 2011 season.[5] This was confirmed on October 25, as the team became Orlando City SC

Players

Final roster

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 Mexico GK Miguel Gallardo
2 Haiti DF Mechack Jérôme
3 United States DF Wes Allen
4 United States MF Ian Fuller
5 Jamaica DF Kieron Bernard
6 United States DF Lance Watson
10 Cuba MF Yordany Álvarez
11 United States FW Maxwell Griffin
12 United States DF Leonard Griffin
13 Kenya MF Lawrence Olum
15 United States DF Kevin Sakuda
No. Position Player
16 United States MF Michael Callahan
18 United States DF Joey Worthen
20 Trinidad and Tobago FW Randi Patterson
21 United States GK Sean Kelley
23 United States FW Kendal McFayden
24 Canada MF Tyler Hemming
25 United States DF Sam Brill
33 United States DF Jay Needham
61 Trinidad and Tobago MF Stephan Campbell
77 United States FW Jamie Watson

Staff

Year-by-Year

Year Division League Regular Season Playoffs Open Cup Avg. Attendance
2009 2 USL First Division 10th Did not qualify 3rd Round 2,974
2010 2 USSF D-2 Pro League 2nd, USL (3rd) Quarterfinals 3rd Round 3,733

Head coaches

Stadiums

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Aztex Announce Head Coach". SunHerald. February 21, 2008. Archived from the original on February 28, 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-21. |first1= missing |last1= in Authors list (help)
  2. ↑ "Stoke do deal with US franchise". bbc.co.uk. 2008-01-22. Archived from the original on January 28, 2008. Retrieved 2008-01-24.
  3. ↑ "First Pro Signing for 2009 Roster". AustinAztex.com. 2008-08-07. Archived from the original on January 12, 2009. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  4. ↑ White, Colby M. "Aztex, Tampa Bay play to 3–3 tie". Austin American-Statesman. Archived from the original on May 26, 2010. Retrieved May 24, 2010.Aztex, Tampa Bay play to 3–3 tie
  5. ↑ Quarstad, Brian. "Austin Aztex Likely to Announce Move to Orlando, Florida". Inside Minnesota Soccer. Retrieved October 22, 2010.Austin Aztex Likely to Announce Move to Orlando, Florida
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