Tampa Bay Rowdies facts for kids
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| Full name | Tampa Bay Rowdies | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Rowdies | |||
| Founded | June 18, 2008 | |||
| Stadium | Al Lang Stadium St. Petersburg, Florida |
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| Stadium capacity |
7,500 | |||
| Owners | Tampa Bay Rays (Stuart Sternberg) |
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| Head coach | Vacant | |||
| League | USL Championship | |||
| 2024 | 6th, Eastern Conference Playoffs: Conference Semifinals |
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The Tampa Bay Rowdies are a professional soccer team from St. Petersburg, Florida, in the United States. The club started in 2008 and played its first game in 2010. Since 2017, the Rowdies have been part of the USL Championship. This league is the second-highest level of soccer in the United States. Before 2017, they played in other second-tier leagues like the USSF Division 2 (in 2010) and the North American Soccer League (NASL) from 2011 to 2016. The Rowdies play their home games at Al Lang Stadium in downtown St. Petersburg.
This team is like a "phoenix club" because it shares its name, logo, and some traditions with the original Tampa Bay Rowdies. That first team played from 1975 to 1993. When the current club started, they wanted to use the old Rowdies' name. However, they had some legal issues and had to be called FC Tampa Bay until December 2011. Even when they couldn't use the Rowdies name, they always used the same green and yellow colors and striped jerseys as the original team.
The Rowdies won the NASL championship in Soccer Bowl 2012. Their team badge has two stars. One star is for their 2012 win, and the other is for the 1975 Soccer Bowl championship won by the original Rowdies. The club has a long-standing rivalry with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. This rivalry is called the Florida Derby. It started when the original Rowdies and Strikers first played each other in 1977. The Rowdies were also named co-league champions in 2020. They won the USL Regular Season title and Eastern Conference Championship. However, the final game was canceled because of the COVID-19 health crisis. They were Eastern Conference Champions again in 2021 but lost in the final game.
In October 2018, the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team announced they would buy the Rowdies. The Rays are a Major League Baseball team from the same area. They also planned to take control of Al Lang Stadium.
Contents
Team History
The Original Rowdies
The first Tampa Bay Rowdies team started in 1975. They were a new team in the original North American Soccer League. They played for 10 seasons at Tampa Stadium. The original Rowdies also won three indoor soccer titles in 1976, 1979–1980, and 1983. The NASL league stopped in 1984. After that, the Rowdies played in other leagues until 1993.
Between the old and new Rowdies teams, the Tampa Bay Mutiny played in Major League Soccer from 1996 to 2001. The Mutiny team often honored the old Rowdies. They wore jerseys with the Rowdies' colors and even had both the Mutiny and Rowdies logos on the same shirt.
Starting the New Club
On June 18, 2008, some local business people decided to start a new soccer club. They wanted to bring back the Rowdies name as FC Tampa Bay Rowdies. They planned to start playing in 2010 in the USL First Division. However, in 2009, FC Tampa Bay decided to help start a new North American Soccer League. This new league would also begin in 2010.
In December 2013, a local businessman named Bill Edwards bought most of the club. In October 2018, the Tampa Bay Rays baseball club announced they were buying the Rowdies. After the sale was complete, the Rays' presidents became vice chairmen of the soccer club.
Name Changes Over Time
In January 2010, the club had to change its name to "FC Tampa Bay." This was because of a legal problem over the rights to the Tampa Bay Rowdies name. The team still used "Rowdies" informally for a while. But in October 2010, they stopped using the nickname completely until the issue was fixed.
On December 15, 2011, after playing for two seasons, the club finally got the rights to use the "Rowdies" name and old logos. This allowed them to change their name back to "Tampa Bay Rowdies" before the 2012 season.
First Seasons: 2010-2011
The team played its first official game on April 16, 2010. They won 1–0 against Crystal Palace Baltimore. The first goal in the team's history was scored by Aaron King. Their first home game was on May 8, 2010, at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. That game ended in a 2–2 tie. The club started well but then struggled. They did not make the playoffs in their first season.
For the 2011 season, FC Tampa Bay moved to the new North American Soccer League. They also moved their home field across Tampa Bay to Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg. Ricky Hill, who played for the original Rowdies, became the team's manager in January 2011. The team started slowly but finished third in the league. They made it to the NASL playoffs. A big moment was a 1–0 friendly win against the Bolton Wanderers from the English Premier League.
Championship Year: 2012
The 2012 season was special because the "Rowdies" name finally returned. It was also the most successful season for the modern Rowdies. The club finished second in the league and became NASL champions. They won the Soccer Bowl 2012!
The Rowdies earned a spot in the semifinals of the 2012 NASL Playoffs. They beat the Carolina RailHawks. In the championship against Minnesota Stars FC, the Rowdies were down 0–2 after the first game. But they came back with a 3–1 win in the second game at Al Lang Stadium. The game went to a penalty shoot-out, which Tampa Bay won 3–2. This secured their league championship. Ricky Hill was named the NASL Coach of the Year.
Recent Seasons: 2013-2024
In 2013, the Rowdies had a good run in the 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. They even beat Seattle Sounders FC from MLS. Midfielder Georgi Hristov was the team's top scorer and won the NASL's MVP award.
The team had some tough seasons in 2014 and 2015. In 2015, Thomas Rongen became the new manager. The team also brought in Farrukh Quraishi, who had played for the original Rowdies. The Rowdies traveled to Portugal for preseason games, which was their first international tour. After a good start, the team struggled, and both Rongen and Quraishi were let go. Stuart Campbell took over as manager.
In 2016, the Rowdies visited England for preseason games. Later that year, they announced they would leave the NASL. They joined the United Soccer League for the 2017 season.
The Rowdies had a strong 2017 season in the USL. They lost only once at home and finished third in the Eastern Conference. They made it to the playoffs but lost in extra time in the conference semifinals. In 2018, Stuart Campbell was replaced by Neill Collins as head coach. Georgi Hristov became the Rowdies' all-time top scorer that year.
The 2019 season started very well, with the team unbeaten in their first 13 matches. They made it back to the postseason but lost in the first round. The club also partnered with Norwich City FC.
In 2020, the Rowdies won the USL Regular Season title and Eastern Conference Championship. However, the final championship game was canceled due to COVID-19. They were Eastern Conference Champions again in 2021 but lost in the final. The team continued to perform well in 2022, 2023, and 2024, consistently making the playoffs.
Home Stadiums
Al Lang Stadium
The Rowdies have played their home games at Al Lang Stadium since 2011. This stadium in St. Petersburg, Florida can hold 7,500 fans. It used to be a baseball stadium. When the Rowdies first moved in, the soccer field was set up across the baseball diamond. Over time, the stadium has been changed to be more soccer-friendly.
In 2015, the stadium had a big renovation. The field was reconfigured to make it better for soccer. More seats were added closer to the action. This made Al Lang Stadium a much better place to watch soccer. In late 2024, the team played its last two regular season matches at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. This was because Hurricane Helene and Milton caused a lot of damage to Al Lang Stadium.
Managing the Stadium
For a while, Al Lang Stadium was still used for baseball games in the spring and summer. This meant the pitcher's mound and dirt infield had to be removed and put back often. This caused a lot of wear and tear on the grass.
After Bill Edwards bought the Rowdies in 2013, he was not happy with the stadium's condition. He complained about the poor field, leaky pipes, and broken seats. In 2014, the Rowdies even sued the St. Petersburg Baseball Commission. They said the commission was not taking care of the "dilapidated" stadium. The problem was solved in October 2014. Edwards' company took over managing Al Lang Stadium. As part of the deal, the stadium would no longer be used for spring baseball. Edwards also agreed to spend $1.5 million on renovations to make it more soccer-friendly.
Past Stadiums
When the club started in 2008, the owners wanted to build a new 5,000-seat stadium just for soccer. It was planned for northwest Tampa. But these plans were stopped in 2009. People living nearby were worried about noise and parking.
After looking at other places, FC Tampa Bay decided to play its first season in 2010 at George M. Steinbrenner Field. This was an 11,000-seat baseball stadium. The club shared the stadium with a baseball team, which caused some problems. It was hard to schedule games because both teams played at the same time for most of the summer. The pitcher's mound and dirt infield could not be removed. This meant the soccer field was smaller than most professional fields. Also, a large part of the field was dirt. Because of these issues, the Rowdies moved to Al Lang Field for their second season.
Future Stadium Plans
In 2013, the city of St. Petersburg started planning for the waterfront area around Al Lang Stadium. Some ideas included replacing the entire stadium with a new soccer park. This park would have a new stadium built just for soccer. The former club owner, Bill Edwards, hoped that Al Lang Stadium would be replaced by an 18,000-seat soccer-specific stadium. This would help the Rowdies become a Major League Soccer club.
Team Culture
Team Badge
When the club first started playing in 2010, their badge was a green and yellow striped shield. It had the club name (FC Tampa Bay) and a star. The star represented the original Rowdies' win in Soccer Bowl 1975. The badge changed before the 2012 season to the original "Rowdies" text logo. A second star was added after the club won Soccer Bowl 2012.
In 2021, the club introduced another badge. It still had the text logo and stars. But it also added a figure like Ralph Rowdie, the mascot of the original club. It also had the numbers "75" and "10." These numbers represent the founding year of the original club (1975) and the current club (2010).
Supporters
Ralph's Mob is a group of fans who support the Rowdies. They are named after "Ralph Rowdie," a fictional soccer player with a mustache from the original team's logo. The group is known for wearing green and gold striped scarves, socks, and face paint. They cheer loudly for their team and tease opponents. This is similar to the "Fannies" who supported the original Rowdies. Ralph's Mob has a special seating area at home games. Many members also travel to away games, especially when the Rowdies play their rival in Fort Lauderdale. Another fan group, the Skyway Casuals, is made up of supporters from areas south of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.
Rivalries
The Rowdies' main rivalry has always been with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. This rivalry started in 1977 between the original Tampa Bay Rowdies and the original Fort Lauderdale Strikers. It was called the Florida Derby. The name came back in the late 1990s when both cities had MLS teams. In 2010, the Florida Derby returned when the modern teams started playing each other. The rivalry is currently on hold. This is because the Rowdies' owner, Bill Edwards, won a lawsuit in 2017. He now controls the rights to the name "Fort Lauderdale Strikers."
Coastal Cup
The Coastal Cup started in 2010. It was first played between the Rowdies and Strikers. But with Jacksonville Armada FC joining in 2015 and Miami FC in 2016, more teams joined the competition. The Rowdies have won the Coastal Cup several times, including in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2020, and 2021.
Youth Teams
The Rowdies have had developmental teams in the past. From 2015 to 2016, they had a team called Rowdies 2 in the National Premier Soccer League. In 2017, they had Rowdies U23 in the Premier Development League. This team played in the Southeast Division. The Rowdies U23 team returned in 2020 for the USL League Two season.
In 2017, the Rowdies also partnered with a youth club called Tampa Bay United. This club serves as their youth affiliate. In 2021, Tampa Bay United replaced the Rowdies U23 team in USL League Two.
Players and Coaches
Current Roster
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Players on Loan
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Coaching Staff
Vacant – Head Coach
Nicky Law – Assistant Coach- Stuart Dobson – Assistant Coach
Eric Wilde – Assistant Coach
Russell Stirling – Assistant Coach- Pete Calabrese – Performance Coach
Head Coaches Through the Years
| Head Coach | Years | Matches | Win-Draw-Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Dalglish |
2009–2010 | 30 | 7–11–12 |
| Perry Van der Beck |
2010 | 2 | 1–0–1 |
| Ricky Hill |
2011–2014 | 120 | 45–35–40 |
 Thomas Rongen |
2014–2015 | 19 | 7–5–7 |
| Stuart Campbell |
2015–2018 | 92 | 33–27–32 |
| Neill Collins |
2018–2023 | 176 | 97-34-45 |
| Stuart Dobson |
2023 | 5 | 0-2-3 |
| Nicky Law |
2023 | 15 | 9-1-5 |
| Robbie Neilson |
2024–2025 | 36 | 17-11-8 |
Retired Jersey Numbers
Some jersey numbers are retired to honor special players.
| No. | Player | Position | Nation | Years Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Mike Connell | Defender |  South Africa |
1975–1984 |
| 12 | Perry Van der Beck | Midfielder | United States |
1978–1982, 1984, 1991–1993 |
Team Captains
| Player | Seasons |
|---|---|
| Julian Valentin |
2010 |
| Frank Sanfilippo |
2011–2014 |
 Marcelo Saragosa |
2015 |
| Tamika Mkandawire |
2016 |
| Joe Cole |
2017–2018 |
 Sebastián Guenzatti |
2019–2022 |
 Aarón Guillén |
2023–present |
Team Records
This table shows the Rowdies' performance in their last five seasons.
| Season | League | Position | Playoffs | USOC | Continental | Average attendance | Top goalscorer(s) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Div | League | Pld | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD | Pts | PPG | Conf. | Overall | Name | Goals | ||||||
| 2020 | 2 | USLC | 16 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 25 | 11 | +14 | 33 | 2.06 | 4th | 7th | F | NH | DNQ | N/A | Sebastián Guenzatti |
10 | |
| 2021 | USLC | 32 | 23 | 7 | 2 | 55 | 23 | +32 | 71 | 2.22 | 1st | 1st | F | NH | 0 | Sebastián Guenzatti |
21 | |||
| 2022 | USLC | 34 | 20 | 7 | 7 | 73 | 33 | +40 | 67 | 1.97 | 3rd | 4th | SF | R3 | 5,148 | Leo Fernandes |
19 | |||
| 2023 | USLC | 34 | 19 | 9 | 6 | 60 | 39 | +21 | 63 | 1.85 | 2nd | 3rd | R1 | R3 | 5,984 | Cal Jennings |
19 | |||
| 2024 | USLC | 34 | 14 | 12 | 8 | 55 | 46 | +9 | 50 | 1.47 | 6th | 9th | R2 | Ro16 | 4.907 |  Manuel Arteaga
Cal Jennings |
20 | |||
1. Avg. attendance includes statistics from league matches only.
2. Top goalscorer(s) includes all goals scored in league play, playoffs, U.S. Open Cup, and other competitive matches.
Team Achievements
Here are some of the awards and championships the Tampa Bay Rowdies have won:
- League Championship
- Winners: 2012
- Runners-up: 2021
- Finalists: 2020
- Fair Play Award
- Winners: 2011, 2012, 2014
- USL Season Champion
- 2021
- USL Division Champion
- 2020, 2021
- USL Conference Champion
- 2020, 2021
- Ponce De Leon Cup
- Winners: 2010, 2012
- Coastal Cup
- Winners: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2020, 2021
Individual Player and Coach Awards
- Golden Ball Award (MVP)
- 2013: Georgi Hristov
- Golden Glove Award (Best Goalkeeper)
- 2021: Evan Louro
- Coach of the Year
- 2012: Ricky Hill
- 2021: Neill Collins
- Goalkeeper of the Year
- 2021: Evan Louro
- Defender of the Year
- 2020: Forrest Lasso
- 2021: Forrest Lasso
- USL Championship MVP
- 2022: Leo Fernandes
- USL All-League Team (Best Players)
- 2017: (1st team) Marcel Schäfer
- 2019: (2nd team) Papé Diakité, Sebastián Guenzatti
- 2020: (1st team) Forrest Lasso
- 2021: (1st team) Evan Louro, Forrest Lasso, Sebastián Guenzatti
- 2021: (2nd team) Aarón Guillén
- 2022: (1st team) Leo Fernandes, Aarón Guillén
- 2023: (1st team) Cal Jennings, Charlie Dennis
More About Tampa Bay Sports
- Tampa Bay Mutiny
- Tampa Bay Rowdies (1975–1993)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFL team)
- Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL team)
- Tampa Bay Rays (MLB team)
See also
In Spanish: Tampa Bay Rowdies (2008) para niños
