Richmond Kickers

The Richmond Kickers were founded in 1993 and played their inaugural season in the United States Interregional Soccer League (USISL), which, at the time, represented the third division of the American soccer pyramid. The team originally played their home matches on the campus of the University of Richmond and targeted players specifically from Virginia.[6] After a poor season in 1994, the club self-relegated to the newly formed fourth-tier USISL Premier League, now known as the USL League Two. During the 1995 season, the Kickers battled to a 15–3 winning season and went on to win the first ever USISL Premier League championship, defeating the now-defunct Cocoa Expos in the championship. That same season, Richmond won their only, Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup championship. The following year, Richmond chose to rejoin the third division, where they reached the USISL Select League championship, only to lose to the California Jaguars in the finals.

For the next nine seasons, Richmond played in the second tier of the American soccer pyramid, earning the Commissioner's Cup twice, in 1998 and 2001, as well as earning two conference championships. However, the club was never able to secure a division two league championship, their closest coming in 2005, when the Kickers fell to the Seattle Sounders in the 2005 USL First Division Championship. After the 2005 season, the Kickers ownership self-relegated the team back into the third division, citing possible financial problems for the club if they remained in the second tier.[7] Since joining the third division, the Kickers have had tremendous success, making it to at least the playoff semifinals each season they have played in the third division. Additionally, the Kickers have won two third division premierships and two third division championships during their spell.

In September 2005, the club retired Rob Ukrop's #6 jersey. Ukrop played for the inaugural 1993 Kickers and the 1995 U.S. Open Cup team, joined the New England Revolution at the launch of Major League Soccer before returning midway through the 1996 season to play out his career in his hometown.

Richmond Kickers have not only experienced league success, but have been perennial contenders in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tournament. In the 2007 U.S. Open Cup, the Kickers defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy of the first division, Major League Soccer, 1–0 in the third round of competition.[8] The Kickers won their First Round match of the 2008 U.S. Open Cup, beating the Fredericksburg Gunners of the PDL with a final scoreline of 3–0.[9] The Kickers won their second-round game over the Western Mass Pioneers 2–1 before being eliminated from the Cup in the third round by MLS side, and defending USOC champion, New England Revolution, 3–0. In the 2011 US Open Cup the Kickers made a Cinderella run, defeating MLS clubs Columbus Crew and Sporting Kansas City to reach the semi-finals, before falling to the Chicago Fire.

The Kickers briefly sponsored two developmental teams of their own: Richmond Kickers Future and Richmond Kickers Destiny. Future played in the men's USL Premier Development League from 2002–2008, while the Destiny played in the women's USL W-League from 2004–2009. The Kickers entered a multi-year deal to become the USL Pro affiliate of D.C. United in 2013, and continued that affiliation through 2018.[10] Loudoun United FC was launched as a fully owned-and-operated affiliate of D.C. United for the 2019 USL Championship season, presumably ending the Kickers' affiliation tenure.[11]

After many years of struggling to keep up with the other teams in the USL Championship, the Kickers announced that they were self-relegating and becoming inaugural members of the new third division league, USL League One.[12][13] In addition to joining a new league, the Kickers announced that 22 Holdings, LLC, an organization consisting of former Davidson College soccer players and led by former Kickers player Rob Ukrop, had acquired a controlling interest in the team.[14] The former majority owners, the Richmond Kickers Youth Soccer Club, would continue holding a minority interest in the team and operating as the team's youth organization.[14]

The Kickers' official supporters group is the River City Red Army who occupy section O of City Stadium.

The James River Cup was an annual competition held between the Richmond Kickers and the Virginia Beach Mariners (formerly Hampton Roads Mariners) which the team with the most points at the conclusion of all scheduled matches between the two teams would win. The Cup was held every year since 1996 with the exception of 1997 and 2001 when Virginia Beach did not field a team. In 2007, the Virginia Beach team was disbanded.

For the 2008 season, the James River Cup was contested between the Kickers' organization and the Hampton Roads Piranhas organization. The cup went to the organization that had the most points in games between their PDL and W-League teams. The series ended up tied 2–2–1, with the Piranhas winning the Cup on goal difference.

• 2008: Hampton Roads Piranhas
• 2007: Not held
• 2006: Virginia Beach Mariners
• 2005: Richmond Kickers
• 2004: Richmond Kickers
• 2003: Richmond Kickers
• 2002: Richmond Kickers
• 2001: Not held
• 2000: Richmond Kickers
• 1999: Richmond Kickers
• 1998: Richmond Kickers
• 1997: Not held
• 1996: Hampton Roads Mariners

As of February 26, 2020[21]

No.	Position	Player	Nation
1	Goalkeeper	Akira Fitzgerald	Japan
2	Defender	Ian Antley	United States
3	Defender	Scott Thomsen	United States
4	Defender	Ivan Magalhães	Brazil
5	Defender	Conor Shanosky	United States
7	Midfielder	Matt Bolduc	United States
8	Midfielder	Amass Amankona	Ghana
9	Forward	Stanley Alves	Brazil
10	Midfielder	Mutaya Mwape	Zambia
11	Midfielder	David Diosa	Colombia
12	Defender	Kyle Venter	United States
14	Midfielder	Luke Pavone	United States
17	Midfielder	Jonathan Bolanos	United States
18	Defender	Wahab Ackwei	Ghana
20	Goalkeeper	Lee Johnston	United States
21	Midfielder	Greg Boehme	United States
23	Midfielder	Victor Falck	Sweden
32	Forward	Emiliano Terzaghi	Argentina
67	Defender	Devante Dubose	United States
77	Forward	Charles Boateng (on loan from WAFA SC)	Ghana
93	Midfielder	Gianluca Cuomo	United States
94	Goalkeeper	Matt Broomall	United States
98	Midfielder	Ryley Kraft	United States
—	Midfielder	Mumbi Kwesele	United States
—	Midfielder	Zev Taublieb	United States

• A-League (Second Tier)
  • Regular Season (1): 2001
• USL Second Division/USL Pro/USL (Third Tier)
  • Regular Season (3): 2006, 2007, 2013
  • Playoffs (2): 2006, 2009
• USISL Premier League (Fourth Tier)
  • Playoffs (1): 1995

• Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
  • Winners (1): 1995

• Participations in CONCACAF Cup Winners Cup: 1996

• 3/15/97 – Exhibition – Richmond Kickers 3 vs. Columbus Crew 1 (UR Stadium)
• 6/17/97 – Exhibition – D.C. United 4 vs. Richmond Kickers 2 (UR Stadium)
• 7/23/97 – U.S. Open Cup (3rd Rd) – MetroStars 3 vs. Richmond Kickers 0 (UR Stadium)
• 6/14/00 – U.S. Open Cup (2nd Rd) – Richmond Kickers 3 vs. Colorado Rapids 0 (UR Stadium)
• 7/25/00 – U.S. Open Cup (3rd Rd) – San Jose Earthquakes 2 vs. Richmond Kickers 0 (Spartan Stadium)
• 4/1/01 – Exhibition – Richmond Kickers 0 vs. Dallas Burn 0 (UR Stadium)
• 7/24/01 – U.S. Open Cup (4th Rd) – D.C. United 2 vs. Richmond Kickers 1 (RFK Stadium)
• 4/13/02 – Exhibition – Richmond Kickers 0 vs. D.C. United 1 (UR Stadium)
• 7/17/02 – U.S. Open Cup (3rd Rd) – Columbus Crew 3 vs. Richmond Kickers 0 (Crew Stadium)
• 4/5/03 – Exhibition – Richmond Kickers 1 vs. D.C. United 1 (UR Stadium)
• 7/21/04 – U.S. Open Cup (4th Rd) – Richmond Kickers 2 vs. D.C. United 1 (UR Stadium)
• 8/4/04 – U.S. Open Cup (Quarterfinals) – Chicago Fire 1 vs. Richmond Kickers 0 (UR Stadium)
• 8/3/05 – U.S. Open Cup (4th Rd) – Richmond Kickers 1 vs. D.C. United 3 (UR Stadium)
• 7/10/07 – U.S. Open Cup (3rd Rd) – Richmond Kickers 1 vs Los Angeles Galaxy 0 (UR Stadium)
• 3/22/08 – Exhibition – Richmond Kickers 3 vs. D.C. United 0 (UR Stadium)
• 6/30/10 – U.S. Open Cup (4th Rd) – D.C. United 2 vs. Richmond Kickers 0 (George Mason Stadium)
• 6/28/11 – U.S. Open Cup (3rd Rd) – Richmond Kickers 2 vs. Columbus Crew 1 (Crew Stadium)
• 7/12/11 – U.S. Open Cup (Quarterfinals) – Richmond Kickers 2 vs. Sporting Kansas City 0 (Livestrong Sporting Park)
• 8/30/11 – U.S. Open Cup (Semifinals) – Chicago Fire 2 vs. Richmond Kickers 1 (Toyota Park)
• 5/29/12 – U.S. Open Cup (3rd Rd) – Richmond Kickers 1 vs. D.C. United 2 (City Stadium)
• 7/17/15 – U.S. Open Cup (4th Rd) – Richmond Kickers 1 vs. Columbus Crew SC 3 (City Stadium)[22]

• 7/16/04 – Exhibition – Richmond Kickers 1 vs. Nottingham Forest 1 (UR Stadium)
• 7/25/09 – Exhibition – Richmond Kickers 1 vs. C.S.D. Comunicaciones 0 (UR Stadium)
• 7/1/14 – Exhibition – Richmond Kickers 1 vs. Mexico U21 1 (City Stadium)
• 7/31/14 – Exhibition – Richmond Kickers 0 vs. Crystal Palace 3 (City Stadium)
• 7/19/15 – Exhibition – Richmond Kickers 1 vs. West Bromwich Albion 2 (City Stadium)
• 7/16/16 – Exhibition – Richmond Kickers 2 vs. Swansea City A.F.C. 0 (City Stadium)[23]