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Columbus Crew

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Columbus Crew
File:ColumbusCrew.png
Full nameColumbus Crew
Nickname(s)The Crew, America's Hardest Working Team, Massive
Founded1994
GroundColumbus Crew Stadium
Columbus, OH
Capacity20,555
OwnerUnited States Clark Hunt
Head CoachPoland Robert Warzycha
LeagueMajor League Soccer
2008Eastern Conference: 1st
Overall: 1st
Playoffs: MLS Cup winner

The Columbus Crew is an American, professional soccer team based in Columbus, Ohio that participates in Major League Soccer. The club was owned by Lamar Hunt, who also owned the Kansas City Chiefs and FC Dallas until his 2006 death. Upon his death, his son Clark Hunt took over his sports properties. The Crew currently plays their home games at Columbus Crew Stadium, the first soccer-specific stadium ever built by an MLS franchise. From 1996 to 1999, the Crew played their home games at Ohio Stadium on the campus of Ohio State University. The nickname "the Crew" is the result of a local fan contest. The team colors are black and gold. The team mascot is Crew Cat.

The Crew has won three major trophies, the 2002 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, defeating the Los Angeles Galaxy who would go on to win MLS Cup MLS Cup 2002 and the 2002 MLS Supporters' Shield by a score of 1 to 0. The Crew also won the 2008 Supporters' Shield en route to defeating the New York Red Bulls in MLS Cup 2008 by a score of 3 to 1. The club has only reached one other final, the 1998 U.S. Open Cup Final, which was postponed due to a hurricane and controversially relocated from Virginia Beach to Soldier Field, then the home of Chicago Fire, who won the match 2 to 1 after extra time.

The team has 3 major support groups: "The Crew Supporters Union", "The Hudson Street Hooligans", and "La Turbina Amarilla". These three supporters groups sit together in the northeast corner of Columbus Crew Stadium, known as the "Nordecke" (pronounced Nord-eck-uh), which is German for North Corner, and is a tribute to the German heritage of Columbus.

History

The Columbus Crew were a founding member of Major League Soccer. The team played its home matches in Ohio Stadium from its inaugural year in 1996 through 1998. Beginning in 1999, the Crew played all of their home MLS matches in the newly built Columbus Crew Stadium, the first soccer specific stadium for a top flight team in the United States.

File:Mls cup 2008 crew 657a.jpg
MLS Champions in 2008

The Crew won its first trophy in 2002, capturing the 2002 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup by beating the Los Angeles Galaxy 1-0 in the Final. The win earned the Crew a berth into CONCACAF Champions' Cup 2003, where they beat Árabe Unido of Panama 4-2 on aggregate before being eliminated by Monarcas Morelia as they lost the tie by an aggregate score of 6 to 2. In 2004 the Crew won the 2004 MLS Supporters' Shield.

Columbus Crew game in 2008

Guillermo Barros Schelotto signed for the Crew in 2007, and in 2008 had an MLS MVP winning season leading the Crew to once again win the Supporter's Shield in 2008 before winning MLS Cup 2008, beating the New York Red Bulls 3-1 and assisting on all three goals. In 2009 he was rewarded with the honor of becoming the franchise's first Designated Player.[1]








Television and radio

In 2008, Crew matches were telecast locally on the Ohio News Network. Dwight Burgess serves as play-by-play commentator, Bill McDermott and Dante Washington serve as color commentator for home and away games, respectively. Katie Witham is the sideline reporter for all games telecast on ONN.

English radio broadcasts can be heard on 610 AM WTVN with Neil Sika as play-by-play commentator and John Bluem as color commentator. Spanish radio broadcasts can be heard on 1550 AM WDLR with Marcelo Carrera as commentator.

Crew Soccer Updates air weekdays on 105.7 FM WBWR and 106.7 FM WRXS.

Sponsors

Since 2006 adidas has served as kit manufacturer for all MLS teams. Since 2008 Glidden has served as the Crew's shirt sponsor.

Rivals

Since 2008 (and retroactively since 2007) the Crew have contested with Toronto FC for the Trillium Cup. Columbus has won both tournaments, and currently leads the all-time series with three wins, zero losses, and three ties.

Other rivals of the Crew include Chicago Fire and D.C. United.

Supporters: The Nordecke Transformation

Before the 2008 season the Columbus Crew front office demolished the north stands where the most ardent of Crew supporters stood to build a stage that could provide additional revenue by facilitating concerts and other events. Prior to this, the team's three supporters groups (The Crew Supporters Union, The Hudson Street Hooligans, and La Turbina Amarilla) sat apart because of differences between the groups ranging from age to ethnicity. The demolition of the stage forced the groups to come together into the north corner of the stadium, forming one large block of vocal support. Putting their differences aside the three groups formed the Nordecke. The Nordecke (pronounced Nord-eck-ah) is German for "North Corner". The name "Nordecke" celebrates the city's German heritage, one of the major areas of the city of Columbus is named the German Village.

Players

Current Roster

As of January 15, 2009. [2] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK United States USA Will Hesmer
2 DF United States USA Frankie Hejduk (captain)
4 DF Argentina ARG Gino Padula
5 MF United States USA Danny O'Rourke
6 DF England ENG Andy Iro
7 FW Argentina ARG Guillermo Barros Schelotto
8 MF New Zealand NZL Duncan Oughton
9 FW United States USA Jason Garey
10 FW Venezuela VEN Alejandro Moreno
11 FW United States USA Pat Noonan
12 MF United States USA Eddie Gaven
14 DF United States USA Chad Marshall
No. Pos. Nation Player
16 MF United States USA Brian Carroll
17 MF Nigeria NGA Emmanuel Ekpo
18 GK United States USA Kenny Schoeni
19 MF United States USA Robbie Rogers
22 MF Scotland SCO Adam Moffat
24 DF United States USA Jed Zayner
26 MF United States USA Cory Elenio
30 GK United States USA Andy Gruenebaum
31 MF Zimbabwe ZIM Stanley Nyazamba
32 FW United States USA Steven Lenhart
— MF United States USA Alex Grendi

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

Nat Name Years
 Finland Timo Liekoski 1996
 United States Tom Fitzgerald 1996–2001
 United States Greg Andrulis 2001–2005
 Poland Robert Warzycha 2005 (interim)
 Germany Sigi Schmid 2006–2008
 Poland Robert Warzycha 2009–

Team records

MLS regular season only, through 2006 season

  • All-Time regular season record: 166-165-67 (Through Oct. 26, 2008)

Stadiums

Results

Year-by-Year

Season Regular Season Playoffs U.S. Open Cup CONCACAF SuperLiga
1996 4th, East Quarterfinals Did not enter Did not qualify
1997 3rd, East Semifinals Did not enter Did not qualify
1998 2nd, East Semifinals Final Did not qualify
1999 2nd, East Semifinals Semifinals Did not qualify
2000 4th, Central Did not qualify Quarterfinals Did not qualify
2001 2nd, Central Quarterfinals Quarterfinals Not held †
2002 2nd, East Semifinals Champions Did not qualify
2003 5th, East Did not qualify Round of 16 Quarterfinals
2004 1st, East* Quarterfinals Round of 16 Did not qualify
2005 6th, East Did not qualify Round of 16 Did not qualify
2006 6th, East Did not qualify Round of 16 Did not qualify
2007 6th, East Did not qualify Did not qualify Did not qualify Did not participate
2008 1st, East* Champions Did not qualify Did not qualify Did not qualify

* Won MLS Supporters Shield

† Made the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Giants Cup which was held instead of the CONCACAF Champions' Cup in 2001

International competition

Columbus Holds a 8-1-2 all-time Record in International friendlies

Honors

Domestic

League

Cups

Minor Trophies

Average attendance

regular season/playoffs

  • 1996: 18,950
  • 1997: 15,043
  • 1998: 12,275
  • 1999: 17,696
  • 2000: 15,451
  • 2001: 17,551
  • 2002: 17,429
  • 2003: 16,250/Missed Playoffs
  • 2004: 16,872/15,224
  • 2005: 12,916/Missed Playoffs
  • 2006: 13,294/Missed Playoffs
  • 2007: 15,230/Missed Playoffs
  • 2008: 14,622/12,911
  • All-Time: 16,344
  • All-Time Best Attendance For A Game: 53,844 on 07/04/2000 at Mile High Stadium.

[1]

References

  1. ^ http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2008/12/schelotto-returning-to-crew-in-2009.html
  2. ^ http://columbus.crew.mlsnet.com/players/roster.jsp?club=t102&sort=un&order=asc

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