Kitchener Spirit
{{short description|Former soccer team in Kitchener, Ontario}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Infobox football club
| clubname = Kitchener Spirit (1990)
Kitchener Kickers (1991)
| image = File:Kitchener Kickers.gif
| upright = 1.2
| fullname = Kitchener Kickers
| nickname = Spirit, Kickers
| shortname =
| founded = 1990 (as Kitchener Spirit)
| dissolved = 1991
| stadium =
| capacity =
| chairman =
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| league = Canadian Soccer League
| season = 1991
| position = 7th
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The Kitchener Spirit were a professional soccer team in Kitchener, Ontario that played in the Canadian Soccer League. The team debuted in the 1990 season as the Kitchener Spirit and were renamed the Kitchener Kickers in 1991. The club folded following the 1991 season.
History
In 1990, the team joined the semi-professional Canadian Soccer League as the Kitchener Spirit.{{cite web|url=https://soccerhistoryusa.org/ASHA/csl.html|title=Canadian Soccer League I|first=Dave|last=Litterer|work=Soccer History USA}}{{Cite news|last=Kloster|first=Darron|date=May 27, 1990|title=A rundown of teams that are off and running|page=10|work=Times Colonist}} During their debut season, they set a league record for goals scored in a game with an 8–1 victory over the London Lasers.{{cite web|url=https://www.csl1987.ca/kitchener-spirit-kickers-1990-91?pgid=k9c8pki4-a607b5ab-7414-458c-99d5-a312a57aa81d|title=Spirit's 8 goals sets league record|first=Tom|last=Conaway|website=CSL Memories|publisher=Waterloo Region Record}} They finished fourth in their division, advancing to the playoffs, where they defeated the Toronto Blizzard in the first round in penalty kicks before falling in the semi-finals against the Hamilton Steelers.{{cite web|url=https://www.csl1987.ca/kitchener-spirit-kickers-1990-91|title=Kitchener Spirit/Kickers (1990-91)|work=CSL Memories}} They were coached by John McGrane in 1990, but he departed after the season.{{cite web|url=https://www.csl1987.ca/kitchener-spirit-kickers-1990-91?pgid=k9c8pki4-e7a6fc82-aa60-4537-b02c-ba1c5ebe393e|title=McGrane Resigns from Spirit|website=CSL Memories|publisher=Waterloo Region Record|first=Steve|last=Cannon}}
After the 1990 season, the team changed owners and became known as the Kitchener Kickers with player Drew Ferguson becoming the team's head coach.{{Cite news|date=May 24, 1991|title=Team-by-team preview of Canadian Soccer League|page=40|work=Vancouver Sun}} The club failed to make the playoffs, winning only four matches amid rumours of financial instability. Just three weeks before the start of the 1992 league season, the club folded.
The Kitchener–Waterloo region was without a professional team since the Kickers departed in 1991,{{cite web|url=https://www.therecord.com/sports/waterloo-region/2011/02/15/kitchener-waterloo-united-fails-to-meet-deadline.html|title=Kitchener-Waterloo United fails to meet deadline|date=February 15, 2011|first=Mark|last=Bryson|work=Waterloo Region Record}} until SC Waterloo Region joined the later Canadian Soccer League in 2011, while K–W United FC played in the pre-professional Premier Development League from 2013 until 2017.{{cite web|url=https://www.therecord.com/sports/waterloo-region/2013/02/07/region-scores-two-new-professional-soccer-teams.html|title=Region scores two new professional soccer teams|date=February 7, 2013|work=Waterloo Region Record}}
Seasons
Coaches
- John McGrane (1990) {{cite web|title=OSATv TouchLine With John McGrane |url=http://www.ontariosoccer.ca/OSABlog/?p=4713 |accessdate=1 February 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110202023651/http://www.ontariosoccer.ca/OSABlog/?p=4713 |archivedate=February 2, 2011 }}
- Drew Ferguson (1991) {{cite news|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/therecord/access/513941511.html?dids=513941511:513941511&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Sep+25%2C+1991&author=Steve+Cannon&pub=Kitchener+-+Waterloo+Record&edition=&startpage=C.1&desc=Kickers%2C+coach+play+waiting+game|title=Kickers, coach play waiting game|last=Cannon|first=Steve|date=1991-09-25|publisher=Waterloo Region Record|pages=C1|accessdate=December 6, 2008|archive-date=October 18, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018034517/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/therecord/access/513941511.html?dids=513941511:513941511&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Sep+25,+1991&author=Steve+Cannon&pub=Kitchener+-+Waterloo+Record&edition=&startpage=C.1&desc=Kickers,+coach+play+waiting+game|url-status=dead}}
Notable players
{{cmn|colwidth=18em|
- {{flagicon|CAN}} Ian Bridge
- {{flagicon|ENG}} Mike Carter
- {{flagicon|ENG}}{{flagicon|WAL}} Bob Colville
- {{flagicon|CAN}} Jason de Vos
- {{flagicon|CAN}} Paul Fenwick
- {{flagicon|CAN}} Drew Ferguson
- {{flagicon|CAN}} Peter Gilfillan
- {{flagicon|CAN}} Dino Lopez
- {{flagicon|SCO}} Peter Mackie
- {{flagicon|CAN}} Craig Martin
- {{flagicon|CAN}} Trevor McCallum
- {{flagicon|IRN}}{{flagicon|CAN}} Peyvand Mossavat
- {{flagicon|CAN}} Scott Munson
- {{flagicon|POL}} Mirosław Piękoś
- {{flagicon|ENG}}{{flagicon|CAN}} Roderick Scott
- {{flagicon|ENG}} Darren Tilley
- {{flagicon|SKN}} Dean Walling
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Canadian Soccer League (1986–1992) teams}}
Category:Canadian Soccer League (1987–1992) teams
Category:Defunct soccer clubs in Canada