Fort Towson

Memphis 901 FC is an American professional soccer team based in Memphis, Tennessee. Founded in 2018, the team made its debut in the USL Championship in 2019.[1][2]

Colors and badge

The club's name refers to the local area code for the Memphis area.[3] On September 1, 2018, Memphis 901 FC unveiled their logo, which uses concentric lines styled like neon signs to form a LP record; the lines are a reference to Beale Street, which has several buildings that use neon signage.[4]

Sponsorship

Season Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
2019–2021 Nike Terminix[5]
2022–2023 Puma
2024–present Charly[6] Cancer Kickers[7]

Stadium

The club currently plays at AutoZone Park, a baseball stadium which is also home of the minor league Memphis Redbirds. For its matches, the stadium's dirt infield is replaced with sod and a pitch is laid along the first base line.[8] The club also played at Mike Rose Soccer Complex for a U.S. Open Cup game against Hartford Athletic on May 29, 2019, and for a U.S. Open Cup game against Orlando City SC on June 12, 2019.[9]

On October 18, 2022, the club announced plans for a new soccer-specific stadium with a capacity of 10,000. The stadium is planned to open in time for the 2025 USL Championship season and will be constructed at the current site of the Mid-South Coliseum, which closed in 2006.[10][11]

Ownership

The club is owned by Peter Freund, principal owner of Trinity Sports Holdings, Craig Unger, and former United States men's national soccer team goalkeeper Tim Howard.[12] Trinity Sports Holdings' portfolio includes minor league baseball clubs Memphis Redbirds, the Charleston RiverDogs and the Williamsport Crosscutters. Unger also serves as president, general manager, and part owner of the Redbirds. The consortium also purchased a majority holding in English fifth-tier club, Dagenham & Redbridge F.C.[13]

Club culture

Rivalries

Memphis competes in the Southern Harm derby against rivals Birmingham Legion.[14]

Supporters

Memphis 901 are supported by the Bluff City Mafia. Founded in August 2018, before Memphis' inaugural season, they are known for their march from a local Irish pub to AutoZone Park prior to every home game.[15][16]

Prior to every home game, the Bluff City Mafia invites local celebrities and officials to take part in what has become known as the Guitar Smash, an homage to Memphis' musical roots.[17]

Players and staff

Roster

As of February 9, 2024[18]

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 Tyler Deric
2 DF Togo TOG Tulu
3 DF United States USA Carson Vom Steeg
4 MF United States USA Emerson Hyndman
5 MF Argentina ARG Samuel Careaga (on loan from Lanús)
6 MF Australia AUS Zach Duncan
7 FW Jamaica JAM Neco Brett
8 DF Brazil BRA Lucas Turci
9 MF Brazil BRA Luiz Fernando
10 MF Brazil BRA Bruno Lapa
11 FW Brazil BRA Marlon Santos
No. Pos. Nation Player
14 DF United States USA Akeem O'Connor-Ward
17 FW United States USA Noe Meza
18 MF United States USA Alvaro Quezada
19 DF United States USA Oscar Jimenez
20 FW United States USA Nighte Pickering
23 MF Trinidad and Tobago TRI Leston Paul
26 GK United States USA Aron Seeger
47 GK United States USA Taylor Bailey
77 FW United States USA Dylan Borczak
91 DF France FRA AB Cissoko
  1. ^
    USL Academy Contract

Staff

As of February 27, 2022[19]
Technical staff
Sporting director Tim Howard
Chief operations officer Jay Mims
Assistant sporting director Caleb Patterson-Sewell
Manager Stephen Glass
Assistant manager Mark Spalding
Assistant manager Caleb Patterson-Sewell
Director of performance Leandro Spinola
Athletic trainer Bryce Beamish

Team records

Year-by-year

As of October 21, 2023
Season USL Championship Play-offs U.S. Open Cup Top scorer 1 Head coach
P W L D GF GA Pts Pos Player Goals
2019 34 9 18 7 37 52 34 15th, Eastern
30th, Overall
Did not qualify 4th Round United States Brandon Allen 10 United States Tim Mulqueen
2020 15 4 7 4 24 31 16 11th, Eastern
4th, Group G
Did not qualify Cancelled United States Cal Jennings 9 United States Tim Mulqueen (2–6–4)
United States Ben Pirmann (2–1–0)
2021 32 14 10 8 47 42 50 7th, Eastern
4th, Central
Conference Quarterfinals Cancelled United States Kyle Murphy 20 United States Ben Pirmann
2022 34 21 8 5 67 33 68 2nd, Eastern
3rd, Overall
Conference Semifinals 2nd Round United States Phillip Goodrum 21 United States Ben Pirmann
2023 34 14 10 10 59 53 52 4th, Eastern
5th, Overall
Conference Quarterfinals Round of 32 Brazil Rodrigo da Costa 15 Scotland Stephen Glass

^ 1. Top scorer includes statistics from league matches only.

Head coaches

  • Includes USLC regular season, USLC playoffs, U.S. Open Cup. Excludes friendlies.
Coach Nationality Start End Games Win Loss Draw Win %
Tim Mulqueen  United States August 15, 2018 September 15, 2020 49 13 25 11 026.53
Ben Pirmann (Interim)[20]  United States September 15, 2020 April 8, 2021 3 2 1 0 066.67
Ben Pirmann[21]  United States April 8, 2021 November 17, 2022 70 36 21 13 051.43
Stephen Glass[22]  Scotland November 22, 2022 Present 38 16 12 10 042.11

Average attendance

Year Reg. season Playoffs
2019 6,623
2020 N/A
2021 4,075
2022 3,634 6,037
2023 3,344 3,587

[23] Attendance records taken from USL Championship match reports and collated by Soccer Stadium Digest, 2022.

References

  1. ^ "Memphis Joins the USL for 2019 Season". United Soccer League (USL). Retrieved January 8, 2018.
  2. ^ "USL awards Memphis expansion team for 2019". Retrieved January 8, 2018.
  3. ^ Burgess, Katherine (September 1, 2018). "Pro soccer team reveals new, Memphis-focused identity". The Commercial Appeal. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  4. ^ Nichols, Meagan (September 1, 2018). "Memphis pro soccer club unveils 901-centric name, sells out AutoZone Park". Memphis Business Journal. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  5. ^ "Terminix Announced As Memphis 901 FC Front-Of-Jersey Sponsor". www.memphis901fc.com. Retrieved February 22, 2019.
  6. ^ "Memphis 901 FC Partners with CHARLY as Club's Exclusive Apparel Provider".
  7. ^ "Memphis 901 FC Unveils 2024 Home Kit with Cancer Kickers Soccer Club as Front Jersey Sponsor".
  8. ^ Giannotto, Mark (August 31, 2018). "Memphis, AutoZone Park get set for first 'test run' with pro soccer". The Commercial Appeal. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  9. ^ "2019 Schedule". memphis901fc.com. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  10. ^ "Memphis 901 FC Announces Plans for a New Soccer Specific Stadium". Memphis 901 FC. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  11. ^ Davis, Corey (February 13, 2023). "City seeks designer for proposed $52M stadium for Memphis 901 FC, with Mid-South Coliseum torn down". Memphis Business Journal. Retrieved June 22, 2023.
  12. ^ "Front Office". Memphis 901 FC. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  13. ^ "Trinity Sports Holdings Adds East London Football Club". MiLB.com. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  14. ^ "A brief introduction to Birmingham vs. Memphis, AKA Southern Harm". uslchampionship.com. June 7, 2022. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  15. ^ "About". Bluff City Mafia. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  16. ^ "Bluff City Mafia readies for return to Memphis 901 FC match traditions". localmemphis.com. June 15, 2021. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  17. ^ Arila, John (July 16, 2019). "901 FC Enlists Local Hoops Legend Hardaway for Guitar Smash". USL Championship. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  18. ^ "2022 Team Roster". Memphis 901 FC. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
  19. ^ "Technical Staff". memphis901fc.com. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
  20. ^ "Memphis 901 FC Dismisses Head Coach Tim Mulqueen". memphis901fc.com. September 15, 2020. Archived from the original on September 18, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  21. ^ "Memphis 901 FC Names Ben Pirmann Head Coach". memphis901fc.com. April 8, 2021. Archived from the original on July 18, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  22. ^ "Memphis 901 FC Tabs Former MLS, Scottish Premiership Manager Stephen Glass as new Head Coach". memphis901fc.com. November 22, 2022.
  23. ^ "2022 USL Championship Attendance". Soccer Stadium Digest. Retrieved February 26, 2023.

External links