Seattle Storm (soccer)

Football club infobox
clubname = Seattle Storm


fullname = Football Club Seattle Storm
nickname = The Storm
founded = 1984
ground = Memorial Stadium
capacity = 12,000
chairman = Bud Greer
manager =
league = Western Soccer League
season =
position =
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leftarm1=CCCCCC|body1=CCCCCC|rightarm1=CCCCCC|shorts1=CCCCCC|socks1=CCCCCC
pattern_la2=_shouldersonblack|pattern_b2=_shouldersonblack|pattern_ra2=_shouldersonblack
leftarm2=CCCCCC|body2=CCCCCC|rightarm2=CCCCCC|shorts2=000000|socks2=000000

Football Club Seattle, also known as the F.C. Seattle Storm, was an American soccer team based in Seattle, Washington. F.C. Seattle was a "super club" created to provide Seattle players an opportunity to play at a higher level than the local recreational and semi-pro leagues. In addition to playing exhibition matches against top international teams, F.C. Seattle was a member of the short lived Western Soccer Alliance.

History

1984: F.C. Seattle Challenge

In 1984, F.C. Seattle hosted the F.C. Seattle Challenge '84. This series pitted F.C. Seattle against three NASL teams, the Vancouver Whitecaps (2-2 tie), Minnesota Strikers (0-3 loss), New York Cosmos (1-2 loss), as well as the 1984 U.S. Olympic Team. For this challenge cup, the team filled its roster from local colleges, high schools and semi-pro teams. However, five F.C. Seattle players had previous professional experience: Jack Brand, Jerry Cameron, Eddie Krueger, Joe James and Robbie Zipp. The team was coached by former Sounders player Tom Jenkins and played its games in Seattle's Memorial Stadium. ^{[http://www.soundercentral.com/museum/FCupdates/1984/gabriel_1984_seattle_fc.htm]} The series averaged just over six thousand fans per game. At the end of it, NASL officials approached F.C. Seattle about entering the NASL for the 1985 season. F.C. Seattle declined, noting that most NASL teams hemorrhaged money. ^{[http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1984.html]} The club's backers preferred to keep it on a semi-professional basis, build a fan base, then work towards taking the team fully professional an indeterminate time in the future.

1985: Western Alliance Challenge Series

In 1985, F.C. Seattle joined with three other independent "super clubs", F.C. Portland, San Jose Earthquakes and Victoria Riptides, to create the Western Alliance Challenge Series. This series came in response to the cancellation of games F.C. Seattle had scheduled against English teams West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa. In June, FIFA had banned English clubs from travelling for international games after Liverpool fans sparked massive deaths in fan violence in Belgium.

F.C. Portland hosted F.C. Seattle for the first game of the series, a game F.C. Seattle won on the strength of a Bruce Raney hat trick. Other significant F.C. Seattle players included Jeff Durgan, the Schmetzer brothers - Andy, Brian and Walter, and Peter Hattrup. However, Bruce Rioch, who had replaced Jack Brand as head coach in February, released Durgan from the team after he was ejected for making several flagrant fouls in the game against the Canadian national team in July.

1986-1989: Western Soccer Alliance/League

In 1986, three of the four teams from 1985, decided to form the Western Soccer Alliance. Only Victoria declined to join the new alliance, but they were replaced by the Edmonton Brickmen.

In 1987, the WSA instituted a two game post-season playoff series. F.C. Seattle, which finished second in alliance standings, lost 3-0 to the San Jose Earthquakes in the wild card game.

Up to now F.C. Seattle had also been known as the F.C. Seattle Storm. In 1988, the team officially dropped the F.C. and became the Seattle Storm. However, they were still referred to as the F.C. Seattle Storm throughout the season and the new name was not widely used until the 1989 season. The 1988 season was one of the most successful for the Storm when it cruised to the top of the regular season standings, then crushed the Earthquakes 5-0 in the championship game.

In 1989, the Storm failed to build on its previous year's success and finished out of playoff contention. As a side note, the WSA changed its name to the Western Soccer League.

1990: American Professional Soccer League

In 1990, the Storm, along with the rest of the WSL merged with the American Soccer League to form the American Professional Soccer League. Despite Chance Fry leading the league with 17 goals and 5 assists, the Storm finished last in the North Division of the West Conference.

At the end of the season, the Storm folded. However, F.C. Seattle has continued as a local soccer club which enters boys and girls teams in all age competitions.

Coaches

"Record includes both league and exhibition matches."

Notable past players

* Scott Benedetti
* Rick Davis
* Jeff Durgan
* Chance Fry
* Brent Goulet
* Peter Hattrup
* Chris Henderson
* Eddie Henderson
* Rick Blubaugh

Yearly Record

Exhibition Games

As an independent soccer team, F.C. Seattle original purpose was to play exhibition games. Even after the establishment of the Western Soccer Alliance, exhibition games remained one of the most significant elements of the team's seasons.

1984

Vancouver Whitecaps 2-2
Minnesota Strikers 0-3
New York Cosmos 1-2
1984 U.S. Olympic Team

1985 Results

June 2: Dundee F.C. 0-1 June 9: Santos 2-1 June 16: Guadalajara 2-3 June 23: US National Team 2-3

1986

May 27: Manchester City June 6: Dundee F.C. July 19: SC Cleveland

1987

May 31: Hearts June 5: Norwich City June 20: Neza, Mexico City July 10: Herfølge Stormin the Isles Tour of Britain: :July 27: Middlesbrough :July 29: A.F.C. Bournemouth :July 31: Queens Park Rangers F.C. :August 4: Dundee :August 6: Portsmouth

1988

June 11: Middlesbrough June 26: Atlante

1989

May 7: Vancouver 86ers August 3: Victorian Vistas

1990

May 20: A.F.C. Bournemouth May 29: Dnepr August 1: at Vancouver Vistas August 5: at Vancouver 86ers August 8: Vancouver 86ers

All time roster

Defenders

:* Jeff Durgan: 1985:* Steve Englebrick: 1985:* Don Farler: 1985-1990:* Peter Fewing: 1985-1990:* Dan Pingrey: 1985:* Robbie Zipp: 1985:* Tom Blauhous: 1986-1987:* Rick Blubaugh: 1986-1989:* Daryl Green: 1986-1989:* James Hodgson: 1986:* Kevin Iverson: 1986:* Dave Wittrell: 1986:* Randy Hanson: 1987:* Kevin O’Keefe: 1987:* Jeff Stock: 1987-1989:* Billy Crook: 1988:* Grant Gibbs: 1988-1990:* Rob Goff: 1988, 1989:* Bernie James: 1988-1989:* Rolf Norton: 1988-1989:* Ray Evans: 1989:* Joey James: 1989:* Steve McCrath: 1989-1990:* Bob McLaughlin: 1989:* Ian MacLean: 1989:* Craig Ottosen: 1989:* Wade Webber: 1990:* Garrett Smith: 1990

Midfielders

:* Ken Fuegman: 1985-1988:* Dennis Gunnell: 1985-1988:* Andy Schmetzer: 1985:* Brian Schmetzer: 1985:* Peter Hattrup: 1986, 1988-1989:* Geoff Wall: 1986, 1987, 1988:* Tad Willoughby: 1986-1989:* Ken Coplin: 1987, 1989:* John Hamel: 1987-1990:* Fran O’Brien: 1988-1990:* Ralph Black: 1989:* Rick Davis: 1989:* Chris Henderson: 1989:* Jimmy McAlister: 1989:* Jim Weber: 1990:* Robb Sakamoto: 1990:* James Forgette: 1990

Forwards

:* Tom Blahous: 1985:* Sean Connors: 1985:* Mike Hiatt: 1985:* Gerald McGlynn: 1985:* Bruce Raney: 1985-1986:* Walt Schmetzer: 1985:* Eric Guise: 1986:* Gary Hunter: 1986:* Sean McGlynn: 1986, 1987:* Sean Connors: 1987:* Mike Enneking: 1987:* Chance Fry: 1987-1990:* Eric Guise: 1987:* Mark Peterson: 1987:* Eddie Henderson: 1988-1990:* Clint Carnell: 1989:* Brent Goulet: 1989:* Gary Heale: 1989:* John Klein: 1989:* Scott Benedetti: 1990:* Jason Russ: 1990:* Chris Saari: 1990

Goalkeepers

:* Mark Schuur: 1985-1986, 1988:* Bill Glandon: 1986:* Jeff Koch: 1986-1989:* Jeff Storrs: 1987-1990:* Jim Neighbors: 1988:* Matthew Olson: 1989:* Chris Bell: 1990:* Jim Brazeau: 1990

External links

* [http://GOALSeattle.com/museum/FCSeattleStorm.htm GOALSeattle.com FC Seattle Museum Pages]

References