Stumptown AC

{{short description|American professional soccer team that plays in the National Independent Soccer Association}}

{{Infobox football club

| clubname = Stumptown AC

| nickname =

| stadium = Sportsplex at Matthews

| capacity = 5,000

| image = Stumptown AC logo blue.svg

| fullname =

| founded = 2018

| dissolved = 2022

| chrtitle =

| chairman =

| mgrtitle =

| manager =

| league = National Independent Soccer Association

| season = Fall 2021

| position = 8th Place

| website = https://www.stumptownac.com/

| American = true

| current =

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Stumptown AC, formerly Stumptown Athletic, was an American professional soccer team that played in the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA). The club was based in Matthews, North Carolina, a suburb of Charlotte.

History

=Founding=

Following an initial bid in late 2017, the team was first announced by the National Independent Soccer Association on October 23, 2018 with plans to begin play in the inaugural 2019–20 season.{{cite web |last1=Showell |first1=Alex |title=Eight cities bid to join 3rd division National Independent Soccer Association |url=https://www.starsandstripesfc.com/2017/8/31/16229468/nisa-national-independent-soccer-association-usa-third-division-promotion-relegation |website=Stars and Stripes FC |access-date=5 March 2021 |language=en |date=31 August 2017}}{{cite web |title=New Professional Soccer Club to Call Charlotte Home |url=https://www.nisaofficial.com/news/2018/10/23/new-professional-soccer-club-to-call-charlotte-home |website=www.nisaofficial.com |access-date=5 March 2021}} Originally referred to in league press releases simply as "Charlotte", the name Stumptown Athletic was officially unveiled in June 2019.{{cite web |last1=Boraks |first1=David |title=New Pro Soccer Team Stumptown Athletic Debuts This Fall |url=https://www.wfae.org/sports/2019-06-30/new-pro-soccer-team-stumptown-athletic-debuts-this-fall |website=WFAE 90.7 - Charlotte's NPR News Source |access-date=5 March 2021 |language=en |date=30 June 2019}} The name came from an early nickname for Matthews derived from the fact that farmers cut down so many trees to clear land that the town was left full of tree stumps.{{Cite web|url=https://www.matthewsnc.gov/pview.aspx?id=20691&catid=563|title=Our History – Matthews NC|website=www.matthewsnc.gov}}

The team was originally owned by Christopher Clarke of Atlanta, a lawyer specializing in wealth management, and Casey Carr, a former college soccer player with the DePaul Blue Demons and an entrepreneur based out of Mecklenburg County.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wfae.org/post/new-pro-soccer-team-stumptown-athletic-debuts-fall|title=New Pro Soccer Team Stumptown Athletic Debuts This Fall|first=David|last=Boraks|website=www.wfae.org|date=June 30, 2019 }} Carr also served as the club's president and GM in its first season.

On July 21, 2019 the club appointed Mark Steffens as head coach. Steffens previously coached the Charlotte Eagles and served as an assistant for the Charlotte Lady Eagles.{{Cite web|url=https://thecharlotteweekly.com/sports/2019/07/steffens-to-lead-stumptown-athletic/|title=Steffens to lead Stumptown Athletic|date=July 26, 2019|website=South Charlotte Weekly}} In August, Stumptown announced former Jamaica national football team player Michael Binns and Jared Odenbeck as their first signings.{{cite web |last1=Mahoney |first1=Ashley |title=Stumptown Athletic announces first players and philanthropic goals |url=http://www.thecharlottepost.com/news/2019/08/29/qcfc/stumptown-athletic-announces-first-players-and-philanthropic-goals/ |website=www.thecharlottepost.com |access-date=5 March 2021}}

During the Fall 2019 showcase, Stumptown competed within the East Coast Conference and finished second in their group. In the championship game the team fell to Miami FC, 3–0.{{cite web |last1=Carmenate |first1=Achillies |title=Miami FC Wins NISA Eastern Conference Championship, 9th Trophy in Four Years |url=https://www.lemoncitylive.com/recap/miami-fc-wins-nisa-eastern-conference-championship-9th-trophy-in-four-years/ |website=Lemon City Live |access-date=5 March 2021 |date=10 November 2019}} After two matches in the Spring 2020 season, NISA announced a suspension of play due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web |title=Nisa Announces Suspension of Season For 30 Days |url=https://www.nisaofficial.com/news/2020/03/12/nisa-announces-suspension-of-season-for-30-days |website=www.nisaofficial.com |access-date=5 March 2021}} Eventually, the entire Spring Season was cancelled outright.{{cite web |title=NISA announces Spring season cancelled; aims for Summer tournament, Fall campaign |url=https://newschannel9.com/sports/sports-headlines/nisa-announces-spring-season-cancelled-aims-for-summer-tournament-fall-campaign |website=WTVC |access-date=5 March 2021 |date=27 April 2020}}

=NISA takeover and folding=

Following a hiatus during the Fall 2020 season, Clarke tried to sell the club. Unable to find a new buyer, the league itself took over ownership and operations of the team under a new logo and the revised name Stumptown AC on March 3, 2021.{{cite web |title=Pro Soccer Returns to Stumptown for NISA Spring Season |url=https://www.nisaofficial.com/news/2021/03/03/pro-soccer-returns-to-stumptown-for-nisa-spring-season |website=www.nisaofficial.com |access-date=3 March 2021}}{{cite web |title=Stumptown Returns Under NISA Management |url=https://www.protagonistsoccer.com/coverage/stumptownacannouncement |website=Protagonist Soccer |access-date=21 February 2024 |date=3 March 2021}} Soccer executive Fred Matthes and former Portland Timbers assistant coach Rod Underwood were announced as the new team president and head coach, respectively.

The Spring 2021 season was a difficult one for Stumptown. With league ownership requiring a shoestring budget, bills went unpaid during the season. The broadcast company went unpaid and nearly refused to air the team's final game. Player paychecks were frequently late, and on at least one occasion players were paid by the opposing team before a game.{{cite web |title=Trouble in Stumptown |url=https://www.protagonistsoccer.com/coverage-blog/troubleinstumptown |website=Protagonist Soccer |access-date=21 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220814212740/https://www.protagonistsoccer.com/coverage-blog/troubleinstumptown |archive-date=14 August 2022 |date=17 December 2021}}

The league searched for a new owner throughout the 2021 season, and put the team on hiatus after the season ended.{{Cite tweet |user=KnightsWhoNISA |number=1484280876657790981 |title=We can confirm, from multiple sources, that @StumptownAC will not playing in @NISALeague in 2022. The plans are to return in 2023, we've been told.}} Underwood left the club and on December 3, 2021 was named head coach of regional rival Chattanooga FC.{{cite web |title=Rod Underwood Named Sporting Director & Men's Head Coach for Chattanooga Football Club |url=https://www.chattanoogafc.com/news/rod-underwood-announcement/ |website=ChattanoogaFC.com |access-date=3 December 2021}} Following the league's failure to secure new ownership, the hiatus became permanent and Stumptown AC folded.

Supporters

The club's supporters' group was the QC Royals.{{Cite web|title=Charlotte Soccer|url=https://www.qcroyals.com/|access-date=2021-09-28|website=QC Royals|language=en}} Founded in 2015 to support other minor league soccer clubs, the Royals moved on to support Charlotte FC after Stumptown folded.{{cite web |last1=Burns-Heffner |first1=Kaila |title=Charlotte is ready for MLS: How the Panthers' 'Other Football Project' became a real club |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37625947/how-panthers-other-football-project-became-real-club |website=ESPN.com |access-date=21 February 2024 |date=3 March 2022}}

Stadium

The team used both CSA OrthoCarolina Sportsplex in Pineville and the Sportsplex at Matthews as home venues in 2019-20, and played all of its home games in the Sportsplex at Matthews during the Spring 2021 season.

Crest history

Stumptown Athletic logo.png|Stumptown Athletic
(2019–2020)

Stumptown AC logo blue.svg|Stumptown AC
(2021–2022)

Year-by-year

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
rowspan="2" \|Season ! rowspan="2" \|League ! rowspan="2" \|Div. ! rowspan="2" \|Pos. ! rowspan="2" \|Pl. ! rowspan="2" \|W ! rowspan="2" \|D ! rowspan="2" \|L ! rowspan="2" \|GS ! rowspan="2" \|GA ! rowspan="2" \|Pts. ! rowspan="2" \|Playoffs ! rowspan="2" \|U.S. Open Cup ! colspan="2" \|Top goalscorer ! rowspan="2" \|Manager
Name ! League
rowspan="2"\|2019–20 \| rowspan="4"\|NISA \| Fall – East Coast{{efn\|The Fall 2019 NISA season had eight teams split into two separate conferences, East Coast and West Coast}} \| 2nd \| 6 \| 4 \| 0 \| 2 \| 13 \| 7 \| 12 \| Runner-up \| rowspan="2"\|Cancelled \| rowspan="2" align=left\| {{flagicon\|JAM}} Michael Binns {{flagicon\|CAR}} Donald Benamna {{flagicon\|USA}} Jalen Brown \| rowspan="2"\|2 \| rowspan="2"\|{{flagicon\|USA}} Mark Steffens
Spring{{efn\|Spring season cancelled before completion{{cite web \|last1=Kennedy \|first1=Paul \|title=NISA cancels spring season, sets sights on August start to fall championship \|url=https://www.socceramerica.com/publications/article/85522/nisa-cancels-spring-season-sets-sights-on-august.html \|website=www.socceramerica.com \|date=April 28, 2020 \|accessdate=April 28, 2020 \|language=en}}}} \| 1st \| 2 \| 0 \| 2 \| 0 \| 3 \| 3 \| 2 \|Cancelled
rowspan="2"\|2020–21 \| Fall \| colspan="9" style="text-align:center;"\|On hiatus \| rowspan="2"\|Cancelled \| rowspan="2" align=left\| {{flagicon\|USA}} Alex McGrath \| rowspan="2"\|3 \| rowspan="2"\|{{flagicon\|NGA}} Rod Underwood
Spring \| 3rd \| 8 \| 4 \| 3 \| 1 \| 8 \| 4 \| 15 \|Did not qualify

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

rowspan="2" |Season

! rowspan="2" |League

! rowspan="2" |Div.

! rowspan="2" |Pos.

! rowspan="2" |Pl.

! rowspan="2" |W

! rowspan="2" |D

! rowspan="2" |L

! rowspan="2" |GS

! rowspan="2" |GA

! rowspan="2" |Pts.

! rowspan="2" |Playoffs

! rowspan="2" |U.S. Open Cup

! colspan="2" |Top goalscorer

! rowspan="2" |Manager

Name

! League

rowspan="2"|2019–20

| rowspan="4"|NISA

| Fall – East Coast{{efn|The Fall 2019 NISA season had eight teams split into two separate conferences, East Coast and West Coast}}

| 2nd

| 6

| 4

| 0

| 2

| 13

| 7

| 12

| Runner-up

| rowspan="2"|Cancelled

| rowspan="2" align=left| {{flagicon|JAM}} Michael Binns
{{flagicon|CAR}} Donald Benamna
{{flagicon|USA}} Jalen Brown

| rowspan="2"|2

| rowspan="2"|{{flagicon|USA}} Mark Steffens

Spring{{efn|Spring season cancelled before completion{{cite web |last1=Kennedy |first1=Paul |title=NISA cancels spring season, sets sights on August start to fall championship |url=https://www.socceramerica.com/publications/article/85522/nisa-cancels-spring-season-sets-sights-on-august.html |website=www.socceramerica.com |date=April 28, 2020 |accessdate=April 28, 2020 |language=en}}}}

| 1st

| 2

| 0

| 2

| 0

| 3

| 2

|Cancelled

rowspan="2"|2020–21

| Fall

| colspan="9" style="text-align:center;"|On hiatus

| rowspan="2"|Cancelled