Crystal Palace Baltimore
Crystal Palace Baltimore is an American soccer club based in Baltimore, Maryland. The club was founded in 2006 and played on the 2007 season to the 2009 season in the USL Second Division, the third highest league in North American football. In the 2010 season the team in the NASL Conference of the USSF Division 2 Professional League played. This league was established in 2010 by the United States Soccer Federation as a compromise between NASL and USL. It was only played for one season.
Crystal Palace Baltimore was part of the player development program of the English football club Crystal Palace. During the 2010 season came the break with the English mother, because of financial difficulties in the English. As a result, the team will be reorganized during the 2011 season and only resumes in 2012 the actual game operating in the North American Soccer League on.
History
The Crystal Palace F. C. USA was founded on 5 May 2006 by Simon Jordan, President of Crystal Palace. Another founding member, was been next to the Official Crystal Palace, Jim Cherneski, the sports director, player-manager and manager of the new association. The establishment of the association was an idea ahead of Cherneski to install a football club in his hometown.
The new franchise from Baltimore was originally intended to compete in the USL Premier Development League. It was decided around and the team played from the 2007 season in the USL Second Division.
The first game was played against Crystal Palace on 15 July 2006. The English club won it 3-1. In the line-up for the American team for the most part were players from the surrounding universities, including later the national team of the United States Maurice Edu.
The first season for the Crystal Palace F. C. United States began with a series of four defeats. The first game was lost 4-1 against the Charlotte Eagles. The next seven games did not lose the team, but could carry only three wins. The first season was finished in 5th place. So that the franchise could not qualify for the subsequent play-offs. Best player was the Jamaicans Gary Brooks who scored seven goals. He and Matthew Mbuta were part of the USL -2 All- League First Team for the 2007 season.
The premiere in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup ended with a defeat. On 12 June 2007, the team lost in the first round of the Cup against the PDL franchise Ocean City Barons 1-0.
The 2008 season began with five wins. In the sixth game of the season, the Charlotte Eagles stopped the winning streak of the team. At the end of the regular season, Crystal Palace finished 4th and qualified for play-offs. In the quarter- finals of the play-offs of Crystal Palace FC met USA on the Harrisburg City Islanders. After the regular season, it was 2:2. The subsequent penalty shoot-out was the team from Baltimore to decide for themselves. In the semifinals, the team lost against the Charlotte Eagles 2-1.
In U.S. Open Cup, the team from Baltimore could survive the first round with a 2-1 against Los Angeles Legends. In the 2nd round they faced the Harrisburg City Islanders and won on penalties 5-3. In Round 3 Crystal Palace made F. C. USA for surprise. The opponents were the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer, and they were defeated 2-0. In the quarterfinals, then they lost but against New England Revolution on penalties.
The 2009 season started without the top scorer of the club Gary Brooks. His contract was not renewed, even though he scored the most goals for the USL -2 franchise in the past two seasons. The season ended for Crystal Palace on the 6th rank. In order for the play-offs could not be reached.
In the U.S. Cup, the Eagles met in 2009, as in 2007, at the Ocean City Barons. Also, this meeting was unsuccessful in for Crystal Palace. The team 3-0.
Actually wanted to Crystal Palace Baltimore, the name change took place in January 2010, change in the USL First Division. On 20 November 2009 the club announced on interest to participate in the North American Soccer League edition. After a dispute between representatives of the NASL and USL, the U.S. Soccer Federation USSF installed a limited season on a interim solution. The USSF Division 2 Professional League was born in Baltimore and plays in the 2010 season in the NASL Conference.
In the U.S. Open Cup 2010 Baltimore lost in the first round against the Richmond Kickers 0-1.
Former notable players
- Japan Shintaro Harada
- Mali edge Ibrahim
- United States Mike Looking Country
- United States Sean Rush
- England Charlie Sheringham
- England Lewwis Spence
- United States Nick Zimmerman
Coach
Since 2007, Jim Cherneski trainer and together with his former college teammate Pete Medd also manager of the team. During his time as a footballer, he played for various U.S. amateur clubs. In 2002, he took from the family distance from active football. After he received a message from one of his former college coach. Thus he came up with the idea in his hometown of Baltimore to start their own team. While a college tour of England, he met with representatives of Crystal Palace, who were interested in building a second team anywhere in the world. Later, this resulted in the creation of Crystal Palace Baltimore. " Cherneski was first player-coach, rather he focused the end of 2009 only on his job as a coach.
He also works as a scout for Crystal Palace to watch the North American market players.
Other members of the coaching staff:
- Cameroon Karim Moumban, Goalkeeper Coach
- United States Matt Smith, youth leaders
- United States Todd J. Tredinnick, team doctor
Stadium
Since 2008, Crystal Palace Baltimore plays at UMBC Stadium in Catonsville, which belongs to the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. The stadium has 4,500 seats and still is home to the lacrosse team at the UMBC Retrievers.
- Glenn Warner Soccer Facility; Annapolis (Maryland ) (2006 )
- Navy - Marine Corps Memorial Stadium; Annapolis, Maryland ( 2007)
- UMBC Stadium; Catonsville (Maryland ) ( 2008 -)