Erie Commodores FC

Erie Commodores FC is an American soccer team based in Erie, Pennsylvania which competes in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), a nationwide amateur league at the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The team plays its home matches at Saxon Stadium on the campus of Mercyhurst University. In 2021, the Commodores added a pro-am women's team to play in United Women's Soccer.[1] They also added men's and women's teams to the Ohio Valley Premier League for the 2022 season.[2]

Erie Commodores FC
Full nameErie Commodores Football Club
Nickname(s)Erie Commodores, Commodores, ECFC
Founded2009 (2009)
StadiumSaxon Stadium
Erie, Pennsylvania
OwnerJohn Melody
Head CoachAshley Phillips
LeagueNational Premier Soccer League

United Women's Soccer

Ohio Valley Premier League
WebsiteClub website

The "Commodores" name alludes to Oliver Hazard Perry, a United States Navy commodore who based his operations at Erie's Presque Isle Bay during the Battle of Lake Erie, a flashpoint in the War of 1812. The "Don't Give up the Ship" motto on the crest also derives from Commodore Perry.

History

Pedro Argaez, a local soccer coach, formed Erie Admirals SC in 2009, developing the club from an established youth soccer program by the same name. John Melody, an alumnus of Mercyhurst University in Erie, served Argaez as head coach, later acquiring full ownership while continuing to lead the team. On April 24, 2015, Melody officially re-branded his club as Erie Commodores FC.[3] He also hired fellow Mercyhurst graduate, Micky Blythe, as head coach for one season. Subsequently, Neil Brown, who received an internationally prestigious “A” license from UEFA, helped lead Commodores FC in their 2015 NPSL campaign.[4]

Several players who once played for Commodores FC moved on to the professional soccer ranks: Adam Clement with Vancouver Whitecaps FC of Major League Soccer (MLS); Jeremy Deighton, Greg Blum, and Neil Shaffer with Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC of the United Soccer League; Dan Howell in Iceland; Billy Colton in New Zealand, Sam Dorf in Ireland and Israel, and, most recently, Danny Deakin, who was drafted by Orlando City SC of MLS.[5]

Erie Commodores FC has a rivalry with fellow Rust Belt conference NPSL club Cleveland SC (Cleveland, Ohio). They had a rivalry with Detroit City FC (Detroit, Michigan) until Detroit left the NPSL for the National Independent Soccer Association. The club participated in the Erie County Derby against FC Buffalo, a regional NPSL rivalry pitting Erie County, Pennsylvania and Erie County, New York until Buffalo joined USL League Two in 2023.

In 2020, the Commodores competed in the NPSL Members Cup along with Cleveland SC, FC Buffalo, and the Pittsburgh Hotspurs.

Current roster
As of May 17, 2022

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 Chris Ralph
2 DF United States USA Antonio De La Torre
3 DF England ENG Faheem Khan
4 DF United States USA Chad Eldridge
5 DF Argentina ARG Bautista Corti
6 DF Wales WAL Sam Richards
7 MF England ENG Danny Stevens
8 MF England ENG Tom Barry
9 FW United States USA Max Wilkins
10 MF England ENG Dylan Sumner
11 MF Brazil BRA Renan Diniz
12 MF Brazil BRA Gabriel Peres
14 FW England ENG Tinashe Katsande
15 MF England ENG Ryan Beckinsale
16 FW United States USA Thomas Binkowski
No. Pos. Nation Player
17 MF Canada CAN Owen Jowett
19 MF United States USA Steve Yeonas
20 DF United States USA Ryan Lieser
21 FW Australia AUS Joe Knox
22 DF England ENG Andy Bennett
23 DF England ENG Gavin Morgan
24 MF England ENG Toby Gower
25 FW United States USA Jack Foht
26 FW United States USA Shawn Rapal
27 DF United States USA Peter Wagner
28 GK United States USA Jonathan Gomes
29 GK United States USA Mitchell Wolff
30 MF Morocco MAR Anass Hadran
31 GK Germany GER Friedrich Petrelli

Year-by-year
Year Tier League Regular Season Record Playoffs
2009 4 NPSL 1st of 6, Eastern Keystone 9 wins, 0 losses, 1 tie National Final
2010 4 NPSL 2nd of 7, Northeast-Keystone 10 wins, 2 losses, 0 ties did not qualify
2011 4 NPSL 1st of 8, Northeast-Keystone 10 wins, 1 loss, 1 tie National Semifinals
2012 4 NPSL 1st of 5, Midwest-Great Lakes 6 wins, 1 loss, 5 ties Division Final
2013 4 NPSL 3rd of 6, Midwest-Great Lakes 6 wins, 3 losses, 3 ties National Semifinals
2014 4 NPSL 2nd of 4, Midwest-Great Lakes East 6 wins, 6 losses, 2 ties did not qualify
2015 4 NPSL 7th of 13, Midwest 5 wins, 7 losses, 0 ties did not qualify
2016 4 NPSL 5th of 6, Midwest-Great Lakes East 2 wins, 4 losses, 4 ties did not qualify
2017 4 NPSL 1st of 7, Midwest-East 6 wins, 3 losses, 3 ties Regional first round
2018 4 NPSL 1st of 7, Midwest-East 8 wins, 1 loss, 3 ties Regional first round
2019 4 NPSL 3rd of 6, Midwest-East 4 wins, 2 losses, 4 ties did not qualify
2020 4 NPSL Cancelled due to COVID-19 Pandemic N/A Not played
2021 4 NPSL 4th of 6, Midwest-Rust Belt 1 win, 5 losses, 4 ties did not qualify
2022 4 NPSL 4th of 5, Midwest-Rust Belt 3 wins, 7 losses, 2 ties did not qualify
2023 4 NPSL 5th of 7, Midwest-Great Lakes 5 wins, 6 losses, 1 tie did not qualify

Honors

National:

  • NPSL National runners-up: 2009
  • NPSL National semifinalist, 3rd Place winner: 2011

Region/Historic Equivalent:

  • NPSL Midwest Region Champions: 2013
  • NPSL Northeast Division Champions: 2011
  • NPSL Eastern Division champions: 2009

Conference/Historic Equivalent:

  • NPSL Midwest Region-East Conference champions: 2017, 2018
  • NPSL Midwest-Great Lakes Conference champions: 2012
  • NPSL Northeast Division-Keystone Conference champions: 2011
  • NPSL Eastern Keystone Division champions: 2009

Rivalry:

  • Erie County Derby Champions (vs FC Buffalo): 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2022

Staff

Owner
  • Republic of Ireland John Melody (2010–present)
  • Mexico Pedro Argaez (2009–2010)

Head coach
  • United States Dan Howell (2015)
  • England Micky Blythe (2014)
  • Republic of Ireland John Melody (2009–2013, 2016–present)[6]

Assistant coach
  • Wales Neil Brown (2011–2014)
  • England Micky Blythe (2009–2013)

Stadia

References
  1. UWS League Two launches Lake Erie Conference
  2. Erie Commodores FC join OVPL2022!
  3. "Erie's NPSL Team Rebrands as Erie Commodores FC". International Soccer Network. Archived from the original on 2017-06-21. Retrieved 2015-09-08.
  4. About the Erie Commodores Football Club
  5. "Orlando City Selects Midfielder Danny Deakin in Third Round of 2017 MLS SuperDraft | Orlando City".
  6. "Melody steps down as Admirals coach". Erie Times-News.
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