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Supporter's Group section has been edited multiple times to favor the Rebellion over The Midnight Riders. Edited back to a neutral point of view.
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==Club culture==
==Club culture==
===Supporters groups===
===Supporters groups===
The team's supporter's clubs are called the [[Midnight Riders (MLS supporters association)|Midnight Riders]] and the Rebellion. The name 'Midnight Riders' is in honor of the famous rides of [[Paul Revere]] and [[William Dawes]], who announced the departure of British troops from Boston to Concord at the beginning of the [[American Revolution]]. The Midnight Riders and the Rebellion occupy the north stand of the stadium, which they have nicknamed "The Fort". The Fort is a general admission section and draws its name from the revolutionary theme which runs through the team and independent supporters' associations.<ref>{{cite news | work=Soccer New England | title=Meet the Coach, Meet the Midnight Riders| author=Joyce Furia | date=2006-02-07}}</ref> The Rebellion are the newest and loudest supporter group for the Revolution. The Riders have recently been moved into the Rebellion tailgate lot.
The team's supporter's clubs are called the [[Midnight Riders (MLS supporters association)|Midnight Riders]] and the Rebellion. The name 'Midnight Riders' is in honor of the famous rides of [[Paul Revere]] and [[William Dawes]], who announced the departure of British troops from Boston to Concord at the beginning of the [[American Revolution]]. The Midnight Riders and the Rebellion occupy the north stand of the stadium, which they have nicknamed "The Fort". The Fort is a general admission section and draws its name from the revolutionary theme which runs through the team and independent supporters' associations.<ref>{{cite news | work=Soccer New England | title=Meet the Coach, Meet the Midnight Riders| author=Joyce Furia | date=2006-02-07}}</ref> The Rebellion are the newest supporter group for the Revolution. Both groups tailgate together in Lot 4C.


===Rivalries===
===Rivalries===

Revision as of 04:14, 24 March 2011

New England Revolution
File:NewEnglandRevolution.png
Full nameNew England Revolution
Nickname(s)Revs
Founded1995
GroundGillette Stadium
Foxborough, Massachusetts
Capacity68,756
OwnerUnited States Robert Kraft
Head CoachScotland Steve Nicol
LeagueMajor League Soccer
2010Eastern Conference: 6th
Overall: 13th
Playoffs: DNQ
Websitehttp://www.revolutionsoccer.net/
Current season

The New England Revolution is an American professional soccer club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer (MLS), the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception.

The club is owned by Robert Kraft, who also owns the New England Patriots of the National Football League. The name "Revolution" refers to the New England region's involvement in the American Revolution.

The Revs currently play their home matches at Gillette Stadium. The club played their home games at the adjacent and now-demolished Foxboro Stadium, from 1996 until 2001. The Revs hold the distinction of being the only original MLS team to have every league game in its history televised.[1]

The Revolution were one of the ten original MLS franchises to compete in the league's inaugural season. However, it took them until 2007—their twelfth year of existence—to win their first trophy, the 2007 US Open Cup. The following year, they won the 2008 North American SuperLiga. The Revolution have never won MLS Cup, despite reaching finals in 2002, 2005, 2006, and 2007.

History

The early years: 1996–2001

The inaugural Revolution team featured several US Men's National Team regulars returning from abroad to be part of the new league. Despite the presence of Alexi Lalas, Mike Burns, and Joe-Max Moore, however, the team was one of only two that failed to make the playoffs of the then-10-team league. The following season, the squad made the playoffs, but failed to advance past the first round. For the next five years, this would be the Revs best playoff result (which they matched in the 2000 season) as a revolving door of players and head coaches failed to make much of an impact on the fledgling league.

Attendance in these early years was high despite the team's poor on-field performances. More than 15,000 people per match regularly came to watch the Revolution play in the old Foxboro Stadium. The Revs did manage to make the final of the 2001 US Open Cup, but they lost to the Los Angeles Galaxy on a golden goal by Danny Califf. It was a harbinger of finals to come for the Revolution.

The Steve Nicol era: 2002–present

Liverpool great Steve Nicol was appointed on a full-time basis for the 2002 season (he had previously held the position of interim head coach during 1999). Since he took over, Nicol has never failed to guide the Revolution to a playoff berth, a league-record eight straight seasons. The first six of those berths (from 2002–2007) resulted in an appearance in the conference final or better, including three consecutive MLS Cup finals from 2005-2007. Since the 2008 season, the Revs have failed to make it out of first round of the playoffs, and are currently in danger of missing the postseason entirely. Still, Nicol is respected as one of the best coaches in the league and near-universally revered by Revolution fans.[2][3]

Playoff success: 2002–2007

Steve Ralston was an integral part of the Revs' success, helping them to four MLS Cup finals

In his first season in charge, Nicol guided the Revs to a first-place finish in the Eastern Conference. The team advanced through the playoffs to the MLS Cup final, where they lost to the Galaxy again, this time 1-0 on a golden goal by Carlos Ruiz.

After losing in the conference finals in 2003 and 2004, the Revs repeated their 2002 feat finishing tops in the east and losing to LA 1-0 in extra time again in 2005. New England had a real chance to win their first MLS championship, in MLS Cup 2006, against the Houston Dynamo. After Taylor Twellman scored in the 113th minute, the Revs allowed a equalising header from the Dynamo's Brian Ching less than a minute later that sent the game to penalty kicks, where the Revs lost 4–3. The 2007 MLS Cup was a rematch from the previous year, though the result was the same as Houston defeated New England 2–1.[4] It was New England's fourth loss in the MLS Cup in a six year span, a disappointing feat that led to comparisons to the NFL's Buffalo Bills.[5]

Their 2002 MLS Cup appearance granted them a spot in the 2003 CONCACAF Champions Cup, but lost their first matchup 5:3 on aggregate after playing two games on the road to LD Alajuelense. The Revolution again faced LD Alajuelense of Costa Rica in the home and away 2006 CONCACAF Champions' Cup. The "home" game was played February 22, 2006, in Bermuda despite some fans feeling that playing at Gillette Stadium in the adverse conditions of winter in New England could have been advantageous. The Revs failed to advance, as they drew 0–0 in Bermuda and lost 0–1 in Costa Rica.

Minor trophies, minor rebuilding: 2007–present

In the 2007 season, the Revs made it to two cup finals. Though they again lost the main prize, MLS Cup, they defeated FC Dallas to win their first-ever trophy: the 2007 US Open Cup. The victory qualified the club for the preliminary round of the newly expanded CONCACAF Champions League. Additionally, their top-four finish qualified them for SuperLiga 2008. This meant the Revolution would be competing in four different competitions (MLS, Open Cup, Champions League, and SuperLiga) during the 2008 season.

The 2008 season started wonderfully for the Revs. By mid-July, they were leading the overall MLS table and had finished as the number one overall seed in SuperLiga. The team won the tournament, defeating the Houston Dynamo on penalties to earn a small amount of revenge on for their successive MLS Cup defeats. Unfortunately, the team's second trophy in as many seasons would be the high point for the 2008 Revs. Fixture congestion led to a rash of injuries and general fatigue, and the team crashed out the Champions League with an embarrassing 4-0 home defeat to regional minnows Joe Public FC of Trinidad and Tobago (the tie ended 6-1 Joe Public on aggregate). The team also struggled in domestic play, limping to a third-place finish in the East and losing to the Chicago Fire in the first round of the playoffs. The Revs did manage a semifinal appearance in the 2008 Open Cup, but lost to DC United and failed to defend their 2007 title.

In 2009, the Revs continued the mediocrity that had plagued the second half of their 2008 season, losing to Chicago again in the first round of the playoffs. The team also lost to Chicago in the semifinals of the 2009 SuperLiga. 2010 started even more dismally than 2009, with the team failing to put together an unbeaten streak longer than three games until July. Luckily, this unbeaten streak coincided with the Revs' third consecutive SuperLiga appearance, and for the second time in three years, the team made the competition's final, but lost 2-1 to Monarcas Morelia of Mexico.

Colors and badge

The club badge is stylised, based on the flag of the United States with some of the stars made into a football (similar to Adidas' ball for the UEFA Champions League).

The home kit is navy, and the away white, both with red detail. Therefore the colours are the same as the national team of the United States.

Stadium

Gillette Stadium has been New England Revolution's home stadium since 2002

The Revolution has played its home games in Foxborough, Massachusetts since its inception - initially at the Foxboro Stadium and subsequently at its replacement, Gillette Stadium. It shares the stadium with the New England Patriots of the National Football League.

On June 14, 2006, MLS announced that the Revolution were hoping to build a new soccer-specific stadium. Bids have gone out to local towns around New England to see where the Revs could have a stadium built.[6]

On August 2, 2007, the Boston Herald published an article stating that the city of Somerville and Revolution officials have held "preliminary discussions" about building a 20,000 to 25,000 seat stadium on a 100-acre (0.40 km2) site off of Innerbelt Road near Interstate 93, and could cost anywhere between $50 and $200 million based on other similar soccer specific stadiums built by Major League Soccer teams.[7] After a two-year hiatus, the Revolution renewed their plans to build a stadium in Somerville since the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority finalized its Green Line maintenance facility plans.[8] In an July 2010 interview with team owner Kraft has said that over $1MM has been invested in finding a suitable site, preferably in the urban core.[9] However, the club also has three other sites in consideration in the event of the proposal's termination.

Club culture

Supporters groups

The team's supporter's clubs are called the Midnight Riders and the Rebellion. The name 'Midnight Riders' is in honor of the famous rides of Paul Revere and William Dawes, who announced the departure of British troops from Boston to Concord at the beginning of the American Revolution. The Midnight Riders and the Rebellion occupy the north stand of the stadium, which they have nicknamed "The Fort". The Fort is a general admission section and draws its name from the revolutionary theme which runs through the team and independent supporters' associations.[10] The Rebellion are the newest supporter group for the Revolution. Both groups tailgate together in Lot 4C.

Rivalries

The club's main rival is widely considered to be Red Bull New York, although in recent years the Revolution have built rivalries with fellow Eastern Conference teams DC United and Chicago Fire, and their 2-time MLS Cup opponents, the Houston Dynamo. These rivalries are borne out of both geographic proximity and the fact that the cities that these clubs represent are rivals in other sports. All three teams began as original MLS franchises, and have faced each other on numerous occasions in the playoffs. New England's most bitter of rivals are the Chicago Fire as the clubs have clashed many times in the MLS playoffs and regular season, usually producing unsporting conduct from both sets of players and many post match bust ups.

The "Airplane Incident"

On July 18, 2008, Revolution players and staff were on American Airlines Flight 725, a Boeing 757 with 151 passengers and seven crew on board, flying from Boston to Los Angeles. The team was en route to play Chivas USA as part of the 2008 SuperLiga tournament. During the flight, team staff helped to subdue an unruly passenger who had undressed and was attempting to open the plane's emergency exit during the flight. The plane was diverted to Oklahoma City, where the passenger was removed by FBI personnel.[11][12]

Broadcasting

Main article: List of New England Revolution broadcasters

All Revolution matches are televised locally in high definition on Comcast SportsNet New England; nationally televised matches air on ESPN, ESPN2, and FOX Soccer Channel. All matches are broadcast on radio by WBZ-FM, but this is a simulcast of the TV feed. Brad Feldman handles play-by-play on both TV and radio with Jay Heaps doing color commentary.[13] Matches had previously been aired on WSBK-TV in standard definition.

Players and staff

Current roster

As of March 20, 2011.[14]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK United States USA Matt Reis
2 DF Argentina ARG Franco Coria
3 DF France FRA Didier Domi
5 DF United States USA A. J. Soares
6 MF France FRA Ousmane Dabo
7 MF The Gambia GAM Kenny Mansally
8 MF United States USA Chris Tierney
9 FW Serbia SRB Ilija Stolica
11 FW Zimbabwe ZIM Kheli Dube
12 FW United States USA Alan Koger
14 MF Uruguay URU Diego Fagundez
15 FW United States USA Zack Schilawski
16 MF Nigeria NGA Michael Augustine
17 MF The Gambia GAM Sainey Nyassi
No. Pos. Nation Player
21 MF Grenada GRN Shalrie Joseph (captain)
23 MF United States USA Andrew Sousa
25 DF United States USA Darrius Barnes
26 MF United States USA Stephen McCarthy
27 DF United States USA Seth Sinovic
28 MF United States USA Pat Phelan
29 MF Serbia SRB Marko Perović
30 DF United States USA Kevin Alston
33 FW United States USA Zak Boggs
34 GK United States USA Bobby Shuttleworth
35 FW United States USA Ryan Kinne
40 GK United States USA Tim Murray
45 DF United States USA Ryan Cochrane

Notable former players

This list of former players includes those who received international caps while playing for the team, made significant contributions to the team in terms of appearances or goals while playing for the team, or who made significant contributions to the sport either before they played for the team, or after they left. It is clearly not yet complete and all inclusive, and additions and refinements will continue to be made over time.

Head coaches

General Managers

  • Brian O'Donovan (1995-00)
  • Todd Smith (2001–02)
  • Craig Tornberg (2003–08)
  • Michael Burns (VP Player Personnel; 2008–present)[15]

Achievements

Record

Year-by-year

Year Reg. Season Playoffs Open Cup CONCACAF
Champions' League 		SuperLiga
1996 5th, East Did not qualify Did not enter Did not qualify Started in 2007
1997 4th, East Quarter-Finals Round of 16 Did not qualify
1998 6th, East Did not qualify Did not enter Did not qualify
1999 5th, East Did not qualify Did not enter Did not qualify
2000 2nd, East Quarter-Finals Round of 32 Did not qualify
2001 3rd, East Did not qualify Final Not held
2002 1st, East Final Did not enter Did not qualify
2003 2nd, East Conf. Final Quarter-Finals First Round
2004 4th, East Conf. Final Round of 16 Did not qualify
2005 1st, East Final Round of 16 Did not qualify
2006 2nd, East Final Quarter-Finals First Round
2007 2nd, East Final Champions Did not qualify Did not participate
2008 3rd, East Conf. SF Semi-Finals Did not qualify Champions
2009 3rd, East Conf. SF Round of 16 Preliminary Round Semi-Finals
2010 6th, East Did not qualify Did not qualify Did not qualify Final

Team records

As of March 20, 2011.[16]

* Active

  • All-Time regular season record: 180-198-82

Average attendance

regular season/playoffs

  • 1996: 19,025
  • 1997: 21,423 / 16,233
  • 1998: 19,188
  • 1999: 16,735
  • 2000: 15,463 / 10,723
  • 2001: 15,645
  • 2002: 16,927 / 19,018
  • 2003: 14,641 / 14,823
  • 2004: 12,226 / 5,679
  • 2005: 12,525 / 13,849
  • 2006: 11,786 / 9,372
  • 2007: 16,787 / 10,217
  • 2008: 17,580 / 5,221
  • 2009: 13,732 / 7,416
  • 2010: 12,987
All-Time: 15,800 / 11,255

References

  1. ^ "Revolution announces TV and radio schedule for 2006". 2006-03-14.
  2. ^ Biglin, Mike (November 16, 2007). "MLS Cup 2007: Formula for success". Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  3. ^ Madaio, Bob (February 3, 2010). "The New England Revolution's Steve and Shalrie Show". Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  4. ^ "Dynamo beat Revolution 2-1 to repeat as MLS champions" (Document). Fox Sports. 2007-11-18. {{cite document}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |accessdate= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |url= ignored (help)
  5. ^ "Silly in Philly ... Rebel Weekend Recap" (Document). The Rebellion. August 4, 2010. {{cite document}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |accessdate= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |url= ignored (help)
  6. ^ Major League Soccer Communications (2006-06-14). "Major League Soccer to seek proposals in New England for soccer-specific stadium sites". MLSnet.com.
  7. ^ Scott Van Voorhis (2007-08-02). "Revolution's the goal: Somerville talks stadium with Krafts". Boston Herald.
  8. ^ Andrew Slevison (2010-06-29). "Revs relaunched Somerville stadium plans". Tribal Football.
  9. ^ Eric Moskowitz (2010-06-18). "Kick-start for team, city". Boston Globe.
  10. ^ Joyce Furia (2006-02-07). "Meet the Coach, Meet the Midnight Riders". Soccer New England.
  11. ^ Sources: Revolution heroes nab unruly plane passenger - BostonHerald.com
  12. ^ The Associated Press: FBI: Soccer team members help subdue man on flight
  13. ^ "Revs new TV home is Comcast SportsNet". 2010-03-15.
  14. ^ http://www.revolutionsoccer.net/players
  15. ^ http://revolutionsoccer.net/content/mike-burns-vice-president-player-personnel
  16. ^ http://sdm3.com/index.cfm?n35192s517c3625092t499l32o2101
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