FC Buffalo

FC Buffalo joined the NPSL as an expansion franchise in 2009 and took part in its first competitive season in 2010. While not a continuation of either franchise, FC Buffalo follows in the footsteps of two other recent Buffalo-based teams that competed in the NPSL: Queen City FC and Buffalo City FC. The team is owned by a group of five Buffalonians: Joshua Batten, Scott Frauenhofer, Donny Kutzbach, Nick Mendola and Ray Siminski.

The club had a contest for fans to submit a nickname and after much debate and thousands of votes cast, "Blitzers" was chosen. The vote was aided by Buffalo native and CNN broadcaster Wolf Blitzer airing an interview with owners Nick Mendola and Scott Frauenhofer discussing the contest.

ESPN correspondent Vincent Thomas commented: "Although the 'Blitzers' nickname has ended up being a pretty deft marketing move, it's more legit than a ploy. The term blitz comes from the German word for lightning, which is all over the team's logo and the city's municipal flag. And, of course, there's a mutual fondness between Blitzer and his hometown."[2]

The Blitzers finished their opening campaign with six wins, two draws and four losses. They were the only team to defeat the Keystone Conference champion FC Sonic.

On Dec 8, 2010, the Blitzers announced they had parted ways with head coach Jim Hesch. Ten days later, they announced via their web site that they had inked Daniel Krzyzanowicz to coach the club into the future. Krzyzanowicz helmed a Medaille College program that has made the NCAA tournament five times and reached the Sweet Sixteen in 2010.

The 2011 season was up-and-down, with the Blitzers winning five, drawing one and losing six. During the season the Blitzers took on the Bedlington Terriers F.C. in a friendly match at All High Stadium in the inaugural Bedlington Cup. Due to the connection of Robert E. Rich Jr. to Buffalo, NY and Bedlington, England. The friendly was arranged and the Terriers traveled to Buffalo for the match. The Blitzers won 5–1 in front of a sell out crowd.[3] The match was filmed and later made into a BBC documentary called Mr Rich and The Terriers[4]

The team's mascot Wolf Blitzer was unveiled at the Winter Wolves fund raiser. 2012 Season tickets were sold at the event. The unique feature of the 2012 season ticket is that it consists of a special season ticket holder's scarf that will function as admission to the season's home matches.[5][6]

FC Buffalo saw its first player drafted into Major League Soccer on January 17, 2012 when midfielder Krystian Witkowski was claimed in the second round of the supplemental draft by the Philadelphia Union.[7] The team then saw a player drafted into Major League Soccer for the second-consecutive year, as second-leading scorer Mike Reidy was selected 71st overall in the 2013 MLS Supplemental Draft by Sporting KC.

On November 20, 2012, FC Buffalo signed its third head coach, Brendan Murphy. The Buffalo native was a national champion as a player at St. Lawrence University.[8] He led the team to a playoff spot in his first season, where they lost 5-2 to rivals Erie.

MLS called again in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft, when Liam Callahan went 24th overall to the Colorado Rapids and Russell Cicerone was selected by the Portland Timbers with the 76th pick. Weeks later, head coach Brendan Murphy was hired as goalkeeping coach by the Rochester Rhinos, and FC Buffalo hired University at Buffalo alum and Grand Island High School coach Frank Butcher as manager, tabbing former players John Grabowski and Casey Derkacz as assistants.

Butcher was the fastest coach to 10 wins in club history, and led the team to Germany for the 2019 preseason. The club played three matches including one against FC St. Pauli II, and also welcomed the Liga MX reserva side Monarcas Morelia and FC St. Pauli's first team for international friendlies.

• 2010–2011: Nike
• 2012–2014: Admiral
• 2015–2016: Nike
• 2016–: Adidas

• 2010: Papa Jake's Saloon
• 2011–2016: Rich Products
• 2017: Lif Dental
• 2018: Soho Buffalo / Frankie Primo's +39
• 2019–: Hofbrauhaus Buffalo

As of 27 June 2019

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 1 GK Bryce Tramuta 2 DF Colin O'Keefe 3 DF Austin Stout 4 DF Lewis Dye 5 DF Robert Williamson 6 MF Cameron Emerson 7 MF Filip Johansson 8 MF Carl Kennedy 9 FW Nevado Elliott 10 FW Kieran Toland 11 MF Sammy Wasson 12 GK Jeremy Figler 13 MF Will Warren 14 DF Luca Ziegler 15 MF Taner Bay 17 DF Niklas Breunung

No. Position Player 20 MF Martin Minuzzi 22 MF Jack Atkinson 23 FW Kendell McFayden 24 MF Hunter Walsh 27 MF Ali Shawish 28 DF Chris Walter 33 DF Josh Read 39 GK Noah Smith - MF Gary Boughton - MF Ali Mohamed - DF Zach Drayer - DF Todd Smith - FW Theo Pencic - MF Manuele Cavazzoli - MF Jordan Acevedo - MF Matt Lopoyda - FW Cesar Carlin

• Lord Bedlington Cup
  • Winners (1): 2011

In inaugural competition, defeated Bedlington Terriers F.C. of England's Northern League, 5 – 1 [9]