Aurora FC (Canada)

{{Infobox football club

| clubname = Aurora FC

| image = Aurora FC logo.png

| upright = 0.7

| fullname = Aurora Football Club

| nickname = Aurora Stingers

| founded = 1964 (as Aurora Youth Soccer Club)

| dissolved = 2020 (semi-pro team only)

| stadium = Stewart Burnett Park

| capacity =

| chrtitle =

| chairman =

| mgrtitle = Head Coach

| manager =

| league = League1 Ontario

| season = 2019

| position = League1 Ontario, 10th
Playoffs: DNQ

| current = 2020 League1 Ontario season

| website = {{URL|http://www.aysc.ca/}}

}}

Aurora FC was a Canadian semi-professional soccer club based in Aurora, Ontario. The club continues to operate as a youth soccer club. The club was founded in 1964 as a youth soccer club and added its semi-professional club in League1 Ontario in 2016. The team was initially known as Aurora United FC during their debut season, before changing their name to Aurora FC beginning in 2017.{{cite web|url=https://www.yorkregion.com/community-story/7138264-new-look-name-awaits-aurora-stingers-for-2017-soccer-season/|title=New look, name awaits Aurora Stingers for 2017 soccer season|date=February 14, 2017|first=John|last=Cudmore|work=Aurora Banner}} The team plays home games at Stewart Burnett Park,{{Cite web|url=https://www.yorkregion.com/community-story/7184010-new-aurora-pitch-brings-respect-to-soccer-ex-tfc-player-jimmy-brennan/|title=New Aurora pitch brings respect to soccer: ex-TFC player Jimmy Brennan|date=March 14, 2017|first=Amanda|last=Persico|work=Aurora Banner}} which was opened in 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.yorkregion.com/community-story/8689429-stewart-burnett-turf-field-newest-member-of-aurora-s-facilities-lineup/|title=Stewart Burnett turf field newest member of Aurora's facilities lineup|date=June 26, 2018|first=John|last=Cudmore|work=Aurora Banner}} They departed League1 Ontario following 2020, becoming an affiliate club of Simcoe County Rovers and transferring their League1 Ontario license to them.

History

File:Aurora United logo.png

The club's foundation dates back to 1964, when they were founded as a youth club under the name Aurora Youth Soccer Club.{{cite web|url=http://www.aysc.ca/about-us-section/about-us/index.html|title=About Us|work=Aurora Youth Soccer Club}}

In 2015, while playing in the amateur Ontario Soccer League, the team was invited by the Peru Olympic football team to play an exhibition match, after Peru had finished playing in the 2015 Pan American Games.{{cite web|url=https://www.yorkregion.com/community-story/5751427-aurora-united-football-club-hosts-peruvian-men-s-soccer-team-for-friendly-match/|title=Aurora United Football Club hosts Peruvian men's soccer team for friendly match|date=July 25, 2015|first=Michael|last=Hayakawa|work=Newmarket Era}}{{cite web|url=https://www.yorkregion.com/community-story/5746543-aurora-united-to-tackle-peru-s-pan-am-games-soccer-squad/|title=Aurora United to tackle Peru’s Pan Am Games soccer squad|first=John|last=Cudmore|work=Aurora Banner|date=July 22, 2015}} The Peruvians defeated Aurora 5–0.{{Cite web|url=http://www.newspapers-online.com/auroran/?p=11471|title=Aurora United Football Club hosts friendly with Peruvian Pan Am team|date=July 28, 2015|work=The Auroran|first=Jake|last=Courtepatte}}{{cite web|url=https://aurora.snapd.com/events/view/863253|title=AUFC Hosts Peru U22 Pan Am Team in International Friendly|work=Snapd Aurora|date=July 25, 2015}}

The team added its semi-professional teams in League1 Ontario in the men's and women's division in 2016 under the name Aurora United FC.{{cite web|url=https://www.yorkregion.com/community-story/6199585-soccer-s-league-1-ontario-adds-aurora-sides-to-2016-roster/|title=Soccer's League 1 Ontario adds Aurora sides to 2016 roster|date=December 18, 2015|first=John|last=Cudmore|work=Aurora Banner}} The men's team announced former Canadian national team and Toronto FC player Jim Brennan as the club's first head coach.{{Cite web|url=https://www.yorkregion.com/opinion-story/6554324-cuddy-shark-league1-brings-new-level-of-play-to-aurora-soccer-pitch/|title=League1 brings new level of play to Aurora soccer pitch|date=May 13, 2016|first=John|last=Cudmore|work=Aurora Banner}} They played their inaugural match on April 29, 2016 on the road against Durham United FC, which ended in a 2–1 defeat.{{cite web|url=https://www.yorkregion.com/community-story/6408968-aurora-teams-open-inaugural-seasons-in-league1-on-road/|title=Aurora teams open inaugural seasons in League1 on road|date=March 28, 2016|first=John|last=Cudmore|work=Aurora Banner}}{{cite web|url=https://www.league1ontario.com/news_article/show/643209|title=Durham United FA Lay Down Marker In 2016 Opener|date=April 30, 2016|work=League1 Ontario}} The women's team debuted on May 7 against Vaughan Azzurri with a 1–1 draw.{{cite web|url=https://www.yorkregion.com/community-story/6544685-aurora-united-women-draw-in-league1-soccer-debut/|title=Aurora United women draw in League1 soccer debut|date=May 8, 2016|first=John|last=Cudmore|work=Aurora Banner}}

In 2017, the semi-professional club and youth club decided to formally adopt the same Aurora FC name and logo to better unite the two and to remove the Youth term association with the semi-professional club, while maintaining their connection to the team nickname Aurora Stingers in the new club crest.{{Cite web|url=https://www.yorkregion.com/community-story/7138264-new-look-name-awaits-aurora-stingers-for-2017-soccer-season/|title=New look, name awaits Aurora Stingers for 2017 soccer season|date=February 14, 2017|first=John|last=Cudmore|work=Aurora Banner}} At the end of the season, head coach Jim Brennan left the team to join the new top tier Canadian Premier League,{{Cite web|url=https://www.yorkregion.com/community-story/8030067-former-tfc-captain-jimmy-brennan-steps-down-as-aurora-fc-executive-director/|title=Former TFC captain Jimmy Brennan steps down as Aurora FC executive director

|date=December 30, 2017|first=John|last=Cudmore|work=Aurora Banner}} becoming the coach of York9 FC.{{cite web|url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/jim-brennan-named-head-coach-cpls-york-9-fc/|title=Jim Brennan named head coach of CPL’s York 9 FC|date=July 27, 2018|first=Peter|last=Galindo|work=Sportsnet}}{{cite web|url=https://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/8763898-york9-hands-jimmy-brennan-head-coaching-duties-for-cpl-debut-season/|title=York9 hands Jimmy Brennan head coaching duties for CPL debut season

|date=July 27, 2018|first=John|last=Cudmore|work=Newmarket Era}} The club did not return to League1 Ontario for the 2021 season,{{cite web|url=https://www.league1ontario.com/news_article/show/1143059|title=League1 Ontario adds four men's teams for 2021|date=January 28, 2021|work=League1 Ontario}} and instead became an affiliate club of new team Simcoe County Rovers,{{cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/simcoe-county-rovers-football-club/|title=BREAKING: Simcoe County Rovers Aim For League1 Ontario In 2022|date=July 6, 2021|work=Northern Tribune|first=John|last=Jacques}} transferring their League1 Ontario license to them.{{cite web|url=https://www.league1ontario.com/news_article/show/1189846|title=Simcoe County Rovers FC to join L1O for 2022 season|date=October 21, 2021|work=League1 Ontario}}

Seasons

=Men=

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

!Season

!League

!Teams

!{{tooltip|Record|Wins, draws, losses}}

!Rank

!Playoffs

!League Cup

!Ref

2016

|rowspan="4"|League1 Ontario

|16

|4–3–15

|8th, Eastern (13th)

|Did not qualify

|Quarter-finals

|{{cite web|url=http://cansha.coffeecup.com/l1omen.html|title=League1 Ontario Historical Standings Men's Division|work=Canadian Soccer History Archives}}

2017

|16

|2–2–17

|8th, Eastern (15th)

|Did not qualify

|Round of 16

2018

|17

|3–3–10

|15th

|Did not qualify

|Round of 16

2019

|16

|6–3–6

|10th

|Did not qualify

|–

2020

|colspan="7"|Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic{{cite web |title=League1 Ontario cancels Fall season plans for 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions |url=https://canpl.ca/article/league1-ontario-cancels-fall-season-plans-for-2020-due-to-covid-19-restrictions |website=Canadian Premier League |date=September 4, 2020}}

=Women=

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

!Season

!League

!Teams

!{{tooltip|Record|Wins, draws, losses}}

!Rank

!Playoffs

!League Cup

!Ref

2016

|rowspan="4"|League1 Ontario

|5–3–8

|6th

|–

|Quarter-finals

|{{cite web|url=http://cansha.coffeecup.com/l1owomen.html|title=League1 Ontario Historical Standings Women's Division|work=Canadian Soccer History Archives}}

2017

|11

|9–2–9

|6th

|–

|Round of 16

2018

|13

|2–2–8

|11th

|Did not qualify

|Quarter-finals