User:206.223.169.132/Hooligans of Toronto Football Club

Hooligans of Toronto FC is a Canadian amateur soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in the Toronto Services Soccer League (TSSL), the oldest and largest recreational soccer league in North America.

History
Despite a long scoreless streak to start the team's history, Toronto FC quickly began to establish itself as a solid soccer club and organization with powerful fan support. The club's first win on May 12 at BMO Field saw Danny Dichio score in the 24th minute, which prompted the sellout crowd to toss promotional plastic seat cushions onto the field in celebration. The 3-1 win over the Chicago Fire was preceded by a 1-0 win over the eventual MLS Cup champions Houston Dynamo. Though TFC would slip to the cellar of the MLS standings with an expansion-like record of 6-17-7, the club built a solid foundation as the first Canadian team in MLS and looked toward a bright future.

In their second season in 2008, Toronto looked to moving a step forward as they hosted the 2008 MLS All-Star Game. However, the team finished the season in last place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 9-13-8. The stands at BMO Field, however, were packed on a regular basis as Toronto F.C. continued to enjoy an enthusiastic fan base.

In order to determine the Canadian Soccer Association's representative in the CONCACAF Champions League, Toronto FC played in the inaugural Canadian Championship in 2008, competing for the Voyageurs Cup. TFC were the favourites to win the championship in its first year, but lost it to Montreal Impact.

2009 was another missed opportunity for the Reds. Toronto was on the cusp of making the playoffs, but they ultimately missed out by a single point. Despite bringing in some high profile talent, the Reds just couldn’t seem to field a consistent side. Top Players: For TFC fans to witness success in 2010, Dwayne De Rosario continued to put up gaudy numbers. The homegrown star scored 11 goals in 2009. But, he ended the season with the most offsides penalties (43). Amado Guevara was a strong player. Rookie goalkeeper Stefan Frei. TFC looked good in the first half, but tired and couldn’t finish in the second half. They only scored 2 goals in the final 15 minutes of games all season (last in MLS). During the same 15 minute period, they gave up 16 goals (most in MLS), thus creating a -14 goal differential during the final 15 minutes.

The second year of the Canadian Championship in 2009, TFC on the final game of the championship needed to beat Montreal by 4 goals in order to win because Vancouver had a goal differential of +4 and anything less would result in Vancouver winning the championship. TFC was up to the task and beat an under strength Montreal Impact 6-1 on the back of a hat-trick by Dwayne De Rosario. TFC was down 1-0 in the first half but DeRosario scored three straight times with Amado Guevara scoring 2, in the 69th and 92nd mins and Chad Barrett scoring the goal, in the 82nd min, that gave Toronto the lead over Vancouver.

Toronto FC subsequently participated in the 2009–10 CONCACAF Champions League, but lost 1-0 on aggregate to the Puerto Rico Islanders in the preliminary round of the tournament.

After failing to qualify on the final day of the 2009 campaign, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment said anything short of a playoff spot in 2010 would be unacceptable. With that directive, former director of soccer Mo Johnston hired Preki and made wholesale changes to the roster to reflect the US Hall of Famer's plan to play a tough, defensive style. Despite scoring troubles, TFC played well at the start, going undefeated in seven games at one time. But the World Cup break seemed to break the momentum as the team struggled post-Cup. A heavy schedule – combined with injuries, suspensions, a lack of depth and poor finishing – took their toll sending the club down the MLS standings. Sensing problems in the locker room, and to try to salvage the season, MLSE dismissed both Mo Johnston and Preki on Sept. 14 and named Earl Cochrane interim director of soccer and Nick Dasovic interim coach. The players responded to Dasovic's more open, flexible style, but it wasn't enough as the club was eliminated from playoff contention with three games left in the season. Off-field issues with season-seat holders over the 2011 season ticket package added to the fans' frustrations, forcing MLSE to hold a series of Town Hall meetings in which management promised to turn things around. On Nov. 3, MLSE formally announced the hiring of former Germany star and coach Jürgen Klinsmann, and his California-based company, SoccerSolutions, to fix the club's on-field product. Over the next six months, Klinsmann will assess the club, identify a playing style and recommend a candidate for the director of soccer position.

Toronto FC played C.D. Motagua in the preliminary round of the 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League. Toronto won 1-0 in the first leg on a goal by Chad Barrett, and tied 2-2 in the second leg on goals by De Rosario and Barrett, qualifying for the group stage. Toronto won their first ever group stage match 2-1 against Cruz Azul on August 17, 2010. However the team failed to qualify for the championship round after finishing in 3rd place behind group winners Real Salt Lake and 2nd place Cruz Azul.

Colours and badge
The official team colours are red (jerseys, shorts and socks) with white trim, and white jerseys with matching white shorts and socks.

Stadium

 * BMO Field; Toronto, Ontario (2007–present)

Before the 2007 Major League Soccer season, construction was completed on a new stadium at Exhibition Place in Toronto at a cost of $62.5 million. On September 20, 2006, MLS's official website announced that BMO Financial Group had officially purchased the naming rights for the new stadium. It is the largest soccer-specific stadium in Canada. It is owned by the City of Toronto, while MLSE, the team's owner, operates it.

As the National Soccer Stadium, it served as a major venue for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup, including hosting the opening and final matches. In 2008, it played host to the 2008 MLS All-Star Game. BMO Field has also hosted various high profile teams in international friendlies such as Real Madrid in 2009. It was chosen as a neutral venue to host the 2010 MLS Cup in November, 2010.

Expansion to the north end that cost $2 million and added 1,249 seats was completed for the start of the 2010 MLS Season.

Following criticism of BMO Field's use of FieldTurf and its rapid deterioration, MLSE agreed to a deal with the city to replace it with a natural grass surface in time for the 2010 MLS Season. Along with the grass, a heating and drainage system was also installed at a cost of $3.5 million to MLSE.

Although not expected in the near future, Tom Anselmi, executive vice-president and chief operating officer with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment has indicated a second level could be added to the east side stands and extra rows added to the south side stands which would add an additional 8,000 seats for approximately $15 million.

Identity
After Toronto's expansion was announced in 2005, the name of the club was officially announced on May 11, 2006 by the team's owner, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd. (MLSE). The "FC" in the team's name is the conventional initialism for Football Club.

The announcement followed an online consultation in which the public was invited to vote on the name during a limited period. The voting options were "Toronto Northmen," "Inter Toronto FC," "Toronto Reds," and "Toronto FC." MLSE's strategy in choosing "Toronto FC" following this process was based on two reasons. Firstly, over 40 percent of the online vote supported the simplified Toronto FC name during the consultation; secondly, MLSE hoped that the fairly generic name would help the new club earn a more organic nickname from the Toronto fans rather than having one imposed upon the club. The team has been called "TFC" and "the Reds" by the media and the club.

Supporters
thumb|250px|right|Fans celebrate at a Toronto FC match

Before the start of the 2007 season, Richard Peddie, the CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd., stated that he and the ownership would be content with between 13,000–15,000 fans per game at Toronto FC home games. However, this range has been exceeded. The club sold out season tickets its first three years, capping season tickets at 16,000 for the 2009 season. There are currently more than 1,000 people on the waiting list for season tickets. Toronto FC is also known for changing fan bases in the MLS. A year after Toronto joined in the league the Seattle Sounders became the new expansion franchise. To keep up with the expectations they now have increasingly passionate fans and far greater attendance.

The fans have been called enthusiastic and their passion unsurpassed in MLS. After celebrations in which seat cushions were thrown on the field after its first ever goal in a victory at home to the Chicago Fire, the Toronto FC front office sent an email to season ticket holders reminding fans to refrain from throwing objects or running onto the field. The fans are also known for their traveling support, at one time sending large contingents of fans to Columbus in the opening matches of the 2008 and 2009 Trillium Cup.

Rivalries
Being a young club, Toronto FC has few club rivalries against MLS teams. Columbus Crew and Toronto FC compete for the MLS manufactured Trillium Cup. Although Toronto has yet to win a game against Columbus in the past five years, the large number of Toronto fans who typically traveled to Columbus in their early years helped spark a rivalry between the clubs' supporters.

Toronto FC's biggest rival will join MLS in 2012. The Montreal Impact, a successful side currently in the D2 Pro League, emerged as a fierce rival and won the inaugural Canadian Championship and seventh Voyageurs Cup. The proximity of the two cities, the fact that Toronto and Montreal have traditionally been rivals in ice hockey, adds to the rivalry.

TFC Academy
TFC Academy is the youth academy of Toronto FC that was established in 2008. The Academy consists of a Junior and Senior Team who play in the local Canadian Soccer League. They play their home games at Lamport Stadium. In 2012, TFC Academy will move and play their home games at Toronto FC's new training facility at Downsview Park.

Broadcasting
As of the 2011 season, rights to TFC games are divided among three broadcasters:
 * TSN holds a six-year national broadcast contract (2011-2016) with MLS to air games involving the league's Canadian teams. TSN will show 13 TFC games in the 2011 season. These games are normally called by Luke Wileman and Jason de Vos.
 * TFC retains broadcast rights to the club's remaining MLS games, and for the 2011 season all 21 of these games will air on GolTV Canada, which (like TFC) is majority-owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. These games are normally called by Wileman alone.
 * Rogers Sportsnet retains the broadcast rights to all Canadian Championship games, and has also acquired rights to the CONCACAF Champions League beginning with the 2011-12 season (in which TFC is taking part). Sportsnet generally employs Gerry Dobson as play-by-play commentator and Craig Forrest as colour commentator for its nationally-broadcast soccer matches involving Canadian teams.

Previous broadcasters for the 2007 to 2010 seasons included The Score, CBC Television, and CBC Bold.

The Fan 590 broadcasts select games on the radio, Dan Dunleavy calls the games while Bob Iarusci joins him as color commentator for home games. When a Toronto FC game conflicts with another team's game that the Fan is a flagship broadcaster to, the Toronto FC game is webcast on the Fan590 website.

Current roster
As of August 24th, 2011

(captain)

Reserve team players
This list shows players who have played for the team in official 2011 MLS Reserve Division games, but are not part of the senior roster.

Notable former players
''This list of former players includes those who received international caps while playing for the team, made significant contributions to the team in terms of appearances or goals while playing for the team, or who made significant contributions to the sport either before they played for the team, or after they left. It is clearly not yet complete and all inclusive, and additions and refinements will continue to be made over time.''


 * 🇨🇦 Nana Attakora (2007-11)
 * 🇺🇸 Chad Barrett (2008–10)
 * 🇨🇦 Jim Brennan (2007–10)
 * 🇺🇸 Edson Buddle (2007)
 * 🇺🇸 Jeff Cunningham (2007–08)
 * 🇨🇦 Dwayne De Rosario (2009–11)
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Danny Dichio (2007–09)
 * 🇺🇸 Maurice Edu (2007–08)
 * Amado Guevara (2008–09)


 * 🇯🇲 Tyrone Marshall (2007-08)
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Rohan Ricketts (2008–09)
 * 🇫🇷 Laurent Robert (2008)
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Carl Robinson (2007–10)
 * Carlos Ruiz (2008)
 * Collin Samuel (2007–08)
 * 🇨🇦 Greg Sutton (2007–09)
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Andy Welsh (2007)
 * 🇺🇸 Marvell Wynne (2007–10)


 * See Also All-time List of Toronto FC players

Current staff

 * Aron Winter Head Coach/Technical Director
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Paul Mariner Director of Player Development
 * Bob de Klerk First Assistant Coach
 * 🇨🇦 Jason Bent Assistant Coach
 * 🇨🇦 Mike Toshack Goalkeeping Coach
 * 🇨🇦 Earl Cochrane Director of Team and Player Operations
 * 🇨🇦 Stuart Neely TFC Academy Director
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Danny Dichio Senior Academy Head Coach
 * 🇨🇦 Jim Brennan Junior Academy Head Coach
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Malcolm Phillips Equipment Manager
 * 🇨🇦 Carmelo Lobue Athletic Therapist
 * 🇨🇦 Marcelo Casal Massage Therapist
 * 🇨🇦 Dr. Ira Smith Team Physician
 * 🇨🇦 Dr. Robert Heford Team Physician

Head coaches

 * Mo Johnston (August 25, 2006 to February 1, 2008)
 * Toronto FC confirmed that former Red Bull New York coach Mo Johnston would serve as the first head coach in team history at a press conference in Toronto in August 2006. During the press conference, Tom Anselmi said Johnston "represents the next generation of MLS coaches who have extensive playing experience in Europe and North America". Johnston's playing career included stints at Celtic, Rangers, and Everton before ending his career with the Kansas City Wizards of Major League Soccer and winning the 2000 MLS Cup. At the time of his hiring, Johnston claimed that a "wonderful" assistant coach had already been hired while declining to divulge the person's identity.  This person was later revealed to be former U.S. National Team and Kansas City Wizards coach, Bob Gansler. On February 1, 2008, it was announced that Mo Johnston was moving to become Director of Soccer. On September 14, 2010, Mo Johnston was fired as Director of Soccer.


 * John Carver (February 1, 2008 to April 25, 2009)
 * Carver worked on the coaching staff at Newcastle United under Sir Bobby Robson before getting managerial experience as caretaker manager at Leeds United and later as assistant at Luton Town. He was announced as Toronto FC's new head coach in February 2008 with his predecessor Mo Johnston "moving upstairs" into a sporting director role. Carver resigned as head coach on April 25, 2009 for personal reasons.


 * Chris Cummins (April 29, 2009 to October 27, 2009)
 * On May 9, 2008, the club announced the signing of former Luton Town Director of Youth Development Chris Cummins as assistant coach. Cummins was officially named Interim Head Coach on April 29, 2009 following John Carver's resignation. It was announced on October 27, 2009 that Cummins' contract would not be renewed past the 2009 season.


 * Preki (November 19, 2009 to September 14, 2010)
 * Three weeks after Chris Cummins vacated the role, Predrag "Preki" Radosavljević was officially announced as Toronto FC's head coach. Preki's three-year tenure as head coach of Chivas USA ended only a week before he joined TFC. Preki was fired, along with Mo Johnston on September 14, 2010.


 * Nick Dasovic (September 14, 2010 to January 6, 2011)
 * Nick Dasovic stepped into the role of Interim Head Coach immediately upon Preki's release. Dasovic coached eight total matches (6 MLS regular season and 2 CONCACAF Champions League) as caretaker.


 * Aron Winter (January 6, 2011 to present)
 * On January 6, 2011, Aron Winter was announced to be the successor of Dasovic to bring in the Ajax system of Total Football to Canada. It is reported to be a three-year deal.

Ownership
Toronto FC are owned and managed by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd., who also own and operate the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Toronto Raptors and the Toronto Marlies. Along with sports ventures like Leafs TV, Raptors NBA TV and GolTV Canada, the company is also involved in real estate and property management, owning such sports venues such as the Air Canada Centre, Ricoh Coliseum and being a partner in the development of Maple Leaf Square. Tom Anselmi, executive vice-president and COO of MLSE, has overall responsibility for the team and is an Alternate Governor of MLS. Paul Beirne currently serves as Director of Business Operations.

Achievements

 * Canadian Championship
 * Winners (3): 2009, 2010, 2011
 * Runners up (1): 2008

Most goals
League, CONCACAF Champions League & Voyageurs Cup Last Update: August 21, 2011.

Most appearances
League, CONCACAF Champions League & Voyageurs Cup Last Update: August 21, 2011.

Average attendance
The largest attendance for a Toronto FC game was on April 13, 2011 when they hosted LA Galaxy in front of 22,453.