Richmond Kickers

Football club infobox
clubname = Richmond Kickers


fullname = Richmond Kickers
nickname = Kickers
founded = 1993
ground = University of Richmond Stadium
capacity = 22,000
chairman = flagicon|USA Tom Depcrynski
manager = flagicon|ENG Leigh Cowlishaw
league = USL Second Division
season = 2008
position = 2nd, Playoff Semifinals

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pattern_ra1=_shoulder_stripes_white_stripes_alt
leftarm1=F52313
body1=F52313
rightarm1=F52313
shorts1=F52313
socks1=F52313

pattern_la2=_whiteshoulders
pattern_b2=_thinwhitesides
pattern_ra2=_whiteshoulders
leftarm2=FFFFFF
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shorts2=000000
socks2=FFFFFF

Richmond Kickers is an American professional soccer team, founded in 1993. The team is a member of the USL Second Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.

They currently play at the University of Richmond Stadium in Richmond, Virginia. The team is currently coached by Leigh Cowlishaw. The team's colors are red and white.

The Kickers currently have two developmental teams - Richmond Kickers Future and Richmond Kickers Destiny. Future play in the men's USL Premier Development League, while the Destiny play in the women's USL W-League.

The Kickers have two fan clubs, known as the "Corner Kicks" and the "Side Kicks".

2008 Roster

"(*) on loan from Red Bull New York"

Year-by-year

Honors

* USL Second Division Regular Season Champions 2007
* USL Second Division Champions 2006
* USL Second Division Regular Season Champions 2006
* USL A-League Regular Season Champions 2001
* USL A-League Regular Season Champions 1998
* USISL Premier League Champions 1995
* US Open Cup Champions 1995

Competition History

The Kickers were founded in 1993, playing their first season in the USISL, playing in the league's amateur division. 1995 may have been the team's most successful year - the team not only won the USISL Premier League after a 15-3 regular season, they became the most recent team to win the U.S. Open Cup. In September 2005, Rob Ukrop's #6 jersey was retired. He was a well-liked soccer player on and off of the field, and particularly notable since he is the son of the influential Ukrop's grocery store CEO Robert "Bobby" Ukrop. In October 2005, the Kickers announced they would move down to the USL Second Division for the 2006 season, proclaiming it a cost-saving measure to save the franchise.cite news
title = Kickers realign into USL2
url = http://www.richmondkickers.com/home/111980.html
publisher = RichmondKickers.com
date = 2005-10-25
accessdate = 2008-06-10] In the 2007 U.S. Open Cup, the Kickers defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy of the MLS 1-0 in the third round of competition.cite news
title = Kickers oust LA Galaxy
url = http://www.richmondkickers.com/home/192553.html
publisher = RichmondKickers.com
date = 2007-07-11
accessdate = 2007-07-11]

The Kickers won their First Round match of the 2008 U.S. Open Cup, beating the Fredericksburg Gunners of the PDL with a final scoreline of 3-0.cite news
title = Kickers disarm Gunners in 3-0 win
url = http://www.richmondkickers.com/home/255652.html
publisher = RichmondKickers.com
date = 2008-06-11
accessdate = 2008-06-11] The Kickers won their second round game over the Western Mass Pioneers 2-1 before being eliminated from the Cup in the third round by MLS side (and defending USOC champion) New England Revolution 3-0.

James River Cup

The James River Cup was an annual competition held between the Richmond Kickers and the Virginia Beach Mariners (formerly Hampton Roads Mariners) in which the team with the most points at the conclusion of all scheduled matches between the two teams. The Cup was held every year since 1996 with the exception of 1997 and 2001 when Virginia Beach did not field a team. In 2007, the Virginia Beach team was disbanded.

For the 2008 season, the James River Cup was contested between the Kickers' organization and the Hampton Roads Piranhas organization. The cup went to the organization that had the most points in games between their PDL and W-League teams. The series ended up tied 2-2-1, with the Piranhas winning the Cup on goal difference.

Winners

*2008: Hampton Roads Piranhas
*2007: Not Held
*2006: Virginia Beach Mariners
*2005: Richmond Kickers
*2004: Richmond Kickers
*2003: Richmond Kickers
*2002: Richmond Kickers
*2001: Not Held
*2000: Richmond Kickers
*1999: Richmond Kickers
*1998: Richmond Kickers
*1997: Not Held
*1996: Hampton Roads Mariners

History vs. Major League Soccer

*1997
**3/15/97 – Exhibition – Richmond Kickers 3 vs. Columbus Crew 1 (UR Stadium)
**6/17/97 – Exhibition – D.C. United 4 vs. Richmond Kickers 2 (UR Stadium)
**7/23/97 – U.S. Open Cup (3rd Rd) – MetroStars 3 vs. Richmond Kickers 0 (UR Stadium)
*2000
**6/14/00 – U.S. Open Cup (2nd Rd) – Richmond Kickers 3 vs. Colorado Rapids 0 (UR Stadium)
**7/25/00 – U.S. Open Cup (3rd Rd) – San Jose Earthquakes 2 vs. Richmond Kickers 0 (Spartan Stadium)
**
*2001
**4/1/01 – Exhibition – Richmond Kickers 0 vs. Dallas Burn 0 (UR Stadium)
**7/24/01 – U.S. Open Cup (4th Rd) – D.C. United 2 vs. Richmond Kickers 1 (RFK Stadium)
*2002
**4/13/02 – Exhibition – Richmond Kickers 0 vs. D.C. United 1 (UR Stadium)
**7/17/02 – U.S. Open Cup (3rd Rd) – Columbus Crew 3 vs. Richmond Kickers 0 (Crew Stadium)
*2003
**4/5/03 – Exhibition – Richmond Kickers 1 vs. D.C. United 1 (UR Stadium)
*2004
**7/21/04 – U.S. Open Cup (4th Rd) – Richmond Kickers 2 vs. D.C. United 1 (UR Stadium)
**8/4/04 – U.S. Open Cup (Quarterfinals) – Chicago Fire 1 vs. Richmond Kickers 0 (UR Stadium)
*2005
**8/3/05 – U.S. Open Cup (4th Rd) – Richmond Kickers 1 vs. D.C. United 3 (UR Stadium)
*2007
**7/10/07 - U.S. Open Cup (3rd Rd) - Richmond Kickers 1 vs Los Angeles Galaxy 0 (UR Stadium)
*2008
**3/22/08 - Exhibition - Richmond Kickers 3 vs. D.C. United 0 (UR Stadium)

International Competition

*2004
**7/16/04 – Exhibition – Richmond Kickers 1 vs. Nottingham Forest 1 (UR Stadium)

Notable former players

* Tim Brown
* Brian Carroll
* Jeff Causey
* Ben Crawley
* Dwayne De Rosario
* Marco Ferruzzi
* Brian Kamler
* Onandi Lowe
* Bryan Namoff
* Stanley Nyazamba
* Jason Russell
* Clyde Simms
* David Testo
* Rob Ukrop
* Paul Williams
* Richie Williams
* Joey Worthen

Coaches

*flagicon|USA Bobby Lennon 1993
*flagicon|CAN John Kerr, Sr. 1994
*flagicon|ENG Dennis Viollet 1995-96
*flagicon|USA Frank Kohlenstein 1997
*flagicon|NIR Colin Clarke 1998-99
*flagicon|ENG Leigh Cowlishaw 2000-date

tadia

* University of Richmond Stadium, Richmond, Virginia 2003-date

Average Attendance

*2008:
*2007:
*2006:
*2005: 2,754
*2004: 2,333
*2003: 2,273
*2002: 2,431
*2001: 2,436
*2000: 2,192
*1999: 2,488
*1998: 2,527
*1997: 1,925
*1996: 1,255
*1995: 1,109
*1994: 985
*1993: 2,433

References

External links

* [http://www.richmondkickers.com Richmond Kickers Official Website]
* [http://www.richmondtimesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FPage%2FRTD_SectionFront&c=Page&cid=1058750352513 Richmond Times Dispatch: Richmond Kickers]
* [http://mid-atlantic.matchnight.com Mid-Atlantic Soccer Report]