K–W United FC
Full nameKitchener–Waterloo United Football Club
Nickname(s)Rage, Black and Blue Army
Founded2011 (2011) (as Hamilton FC Rage)
Dissolved2017 (2017)
StadiumUniversity Stadium
Waterloo, Ontario
Capacity6,000
PresidentBarry MacLean
Head coachMartin Painter
LeaguePremier Development League
20172nd, Great Lakes Division
Playoffs: Conference semifinals
WebsiteClub website

K–W United FC was a Canadian soccer team based in the Kitchener–Waterloo region in Ontario that played in the Premier Development League, the fourth tier of the American soccer league system. The club was originally formed in Hamilton, Ontario as Hamilton Rage FC, until moving to Kitchener-Waterloo in 2012. The men's team also had a sister women's team of the same name, who played in the USL W-League. The club ceased operations in February 2018.

History

Hamilton Rage

Hamilton FC Rage logo

On February 17, 2011, the Hamilton FC Rage were announced an expansion franchise in the Premier Development League expansion franchise on February 17, 2011, when the owner's of the women's team, Hamilton Avalanche (which would also be renamed as the Hamilton FC Rage in 2011) who played in the USL W-League, decided to add a men's team to the club.[1][2][3] The club's official name was the Hamilton Football Club (Hamilton FC).[4] They played their first competitive game on May 25, 2011, a 2–0 loss to the Toronto Lynx. They won their first game in their second game on May 29, defeating the Ottawa Fury 5-0. The club ultimately did not make the playoffs in their first season, but the team was lauded for its professional environment by players.[5]

K-W United

Following the 2012 PDL season, the club was sold, renamed K–W United FC, and both the men's and women's teams were relocated to Kitchener-Waterloo due to low attendance numbers in Hamilton throughout the club's two seasons.[6][7] The club formed a partnership with local youth club Kitchener SC.[6][8] (The club had no affiliation with SC Waterloo Region, who also played in the Canadian Soccer League and were formerly known as K-W United FC.[6]

In 2015, after finishing 2nd in the competitive Great Lakes Division, they won the PDL Championship, defeating New York Red Bulls U-23 on August 2 in the playoff final by a score of 4–3,[9][10][11] becoming the third Canadian club to win a PDL title after the Thunder Bay Chill in 2008 and FC London in 2012.[12][13]

In 2017, they formed a partnership with Major League Soccer club Toronto FC to serve as the team's PDL affiliate for two seasons, after Toronto FC withdrew their Academy team from the PDL after the 2016 season.[14] However, a year later, in February 2018, the club ceased operations after not being granted sanctioning to play in the US-based PDL, due to the Canadian Soccer Association wanting them to join the comparable level League1 Ontario.[15] Over the five seasons, after missing the playoffs in their inaugural season, they qualified for the playoffs each of the other four seasons.[16][17] The club had a supporters group known as the Grand River Union.[18]

Notable former players

This list of notable former players comprises players who went on to play professional soccer after playing for the team in the Premier Development League, or those who previously played professionally before joining the team.

Year-by-year

as Hamilton FC Rage

Year League Record Regular season Playoffs Reference
2011 Premier Development League 5–3–8 6th, Great Lakes (9) Did not qualify [19]
2012 4–3–9 7th, Great Lakes (8) Did not qualify

as K-W United

Year League Record Regular season Playoffs Reference
2013 Premier Development League 5–3–6 4th, Great Lakes (7) Did not qualify [20]
2014 8–3–3 2nd, Great Lakes (6) Conference Semifinals
2015 11–1–2 2nd, Great Lakes (7) Champions
2016 11–1–2 2nd, Great Lakes (7) Conference Semifinals
2017 9–1–4 2nd, Great Lakes (6) Conference Semifinals

Honours

Head coaches

Stadiums

References

  1. ↑ "Hamilton FC Rage Joins PDL". United Soccer League. February 17, 2011. Archived from the original on October 10, 2012. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  2. ↑ Moko, Larry (June 18, 2011). "Soccer is all the FC Rage in Hamilton". The Hamilton Spectator.
  3. ↑ "USL welcomes Hamilton FC to Men's U23 PDL". Hamilton Scores. February 17, 2011. Archived from the original on January 30, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Top level amateur soccer comes to Hamilton". Stoney Creek News. March 2, 2011.
  5. ↑ Moko, Larry (July 8, 2011). "Hamilton FC Rage winds down debut season". The Hamilton Spectator.
  6. 1 2 3 Bryson, Mark (February 7, 2013). "Region scores two new professional soccer teams". Waterloo Region Record.
  7. ↑ "K-W lands Hamilton soccer franchise". The Hamilton Spectator. February 7, 2013.
  8. ↑ Blackly, Shelby (February 7, 2013). "K-W United FC formally introduced". The Cord.
  9. ↑ Kennedy, Paul (August 3, 2015). "Ontario's K-W United FC takes PDL crown". Soccer America.
  10. ↑ Brown, Josh (May 17, 2016). "K-W United FC begins quest to defend PDL crown". Waterloo Region Record.
  11. ↑ Yates, Drew (September 6, 2016). "K-W United wins Premier Development League championship". The Cord.
  12. ↑ McColl, Michael (August 3, 2015). "Canadian side K-W United win 2015 PDL Championship after seven-goal thriller". Away from the Numbers.
  13. ↑ Rowaan, Dave (August 3, 2015). "KW United win club's first ever PDL Championship". Waking The Red.
  14. ↑ "Toronto FC and Kitchener Waterloo United Announce Partnership". Toronto FC. March 17, 2017.
  15. ↑ Martin, Nathanael (June 20, 2018). "What Happened to KW United FC?". Northern Starting XI.
  16. ↑ Brown, Josh (May 9, 2017). "K-W United FC forced to find instant chemistry". Waterloo Region Record.
  17. ↑ Brown, Josh (February 22, 2018). "K-W United FC on the sidelines". Waterloo Region Record.
  18. ↑ Brown, Josh (May 30, 2017). "Meet K-W United FC's blue and white army". Waterloo Region Record.
  19. ↑ "Hamilton Rage Statistics". Canadian Soccer History Archives.
  20. ↑ "K-W United Statistics". Canadian Soccer History Archives.
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