Minnesota United FC is a former American professional football club based in Minneapolis , Minnesota . He played in the North American Football League (NASL), the second most powerful football championship in the USA and Canada. 2011 NASL Champion
 Minnesota United | |||
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| Full title | Minnesota united football club | ||
| Nicknames | Loons (" Loon ") | ||
| Based | 2010 | ||
| Disbanded | 2016 | ||
| Stadium | National Sports Center Blaine , Minnesota , USA | ||
| Capacity | 8 500 | ||
| Owner | Bill mcguire | ||
| Main coach |  Karl Craig | ||
| Competition | North American Football League | ||
| 2016 | Spring: 4th Fall: 8th Playoffs: not out | ||
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Starting from the 2017 season, the club created on its basis will begin performances in MLS , becoming the 22nd league franchise.
Content
History
On January 7, 2010, the National Sports Center (NSC) in Blaine announced the creation of a new team instead of the Minnesota Thunder club, which had ceased to exist [1] . On February 5, the newly formed team received the official name “ NSC Minnesota ” (NSC Minnesota), and the unofficial addition to it, “Stars,” also presented the emblem of the club [2] . February 10, the first head coach of the team was appointed Manny Lagos [3] . On February 12, the club signed the first player, it became the former Minnesota Thunder midfielder Johnny Menjongar [4] . On April 11, the team held their first game in history, in which they lost to Vancouver Whitecaps with a score of 0: 2 [5] [6] . The first goal in club history was scored by Daniel Wasson in the next match against Carolina Railhawks , which took place on April 16 and ended with a victory of the “stars” with a score 1: 0 [7] . In its first season in the transitional time league D2 Pro League, the team, having won 11 wins, including 4 in a row at the finish of the regular season, having reduced 7 games to a draw and having suffered 12 defeats, reached the playoffs, where she was knocked out in the first in the quarterfinal round of “Carolina Railhawks”, losing with a score of 0: 4 in the sum of two meetings [8] .
Before the start of the 2011 season in the North American Football League , the US Football Federation announced the adoption of new requirements for club owners in the second division, according to which the club owner’s equity should be at least $ 20 million, the National Sports Center did not meet this criterion [9] [ 10] , and the club became the property of the North American Football League for no more than three years [11] . In the same season, the club became the first NASL champion to beat the Fort Lauderdale Strikers two-legged final [12] .
On January 10, 2012, the club announced a name change and introduced a new logo. The prefix "SS" disappeared from the name, and the nickname "Stars" became part of the official name - the club became known as "Minnesota Stars" [13] . The club finished the regular season of 2012 in sixth place, and reached the finals in the playoffs, where it lost in the stubborn two-match opposition Tampa Bay Raudis [14] .
In early November 2012, the team was acquired by businessman Bill McGuire , a former CEO of the UnitedHealth Group [15] . On March 5, 2013, the new management of the team announced the renaming of the club to Minnesota United and demonstrated a new logo [16] . The 2013 season was the worst in the history of the club - the team scored the least points for the period of its existence and for the first time could not qualify for the playoffs.
In the 2014 NASL season, the club won the spring part of the championship and won the regular season as a whole, but stumbled immediately in the playoffs - in the semi-finals against Fort Lauderdale Strikers, having lost on a penalty. Team player Christian Ramirez became the top scorer of the season with 20 goals, and was also named the best young player in the league [17] . In October, Miguel Ibarra became the first NASL player to be called up to the US national team [18] , and the MVP League was recognized at the end of the season [19] .
In the playoffs of the 2015 season, the club again dropped out at the semifinal stage, this time losing to the Ottawa Fury with a score of 1: 2 in extra time [20] . In December 2015, Manny Lagos was appointed the club’s sports director, and his former assistant Carl Craig took the place of head coach [21] .
The team’s final season, the 2016 season, was unsuccessful - it was not possible to break into the playoffs [22] . Christian Ramirez again became the league's top scorer, scoring 18 goals. [23]
On March 25, 2015, MLS announced the awarding of the 23rd franchise of the league, which was supposed to start playing in 2018, to an investment group from Minneapolis led by the owner of the Minnesota United club, Bill McGuire [24] . August 19, 2016 it became known that the date of entry of the new club into the league has been shifted to 2017 [25] .
Stadium
Minnesota United hosted their home games at the National Sports Center multisports complex, which seats 8500 spectators. The stadium is located in Blaine , a northern suburb of Minneapolis .
The club spent most of the 2013 spring season at the Metrodome Stadium in Minneapolis.
Composition at the time of disbandment
As of October 29, 2016 [26]
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Head Coaches
- Manny Lagos (2010—2015)
- Karl Craig (2016)
Achievements
- Champion of the North American Football League ( 1 ): 2011
- Finalist: 2012
- North American Football League Regular Season Winner ( 1 ): 2014
Notes
- ↑ Brian Quarstad. National Sports Center Announces New Professional Soccer Team . IMS Soccer News (January 7, 2010). Date of treatment December 19, 2016.
- ↑ Brian Quarstad. NSC Minnesota is Name of New Pro Soccer Team - Logo Unveiled (inaccessible link) . IMS Soccer News (February 5, 2010). Date of treatment December 19, 2016. Archived June 25, 2016.
- ↑ Brian Quarstad. Manny Lagos Named Head Coach of NSC Minnesota Stars Soccer Team . IMS Soccer News (February 10, 2010). Date of treatment December 19, 2016.
- ↑ Brian Quarstad. Johnny Menyongar is NSC Minnesota Stars First Signing . IMS Soccer News (February 12, 2010). Date of treatment December 19, 2016.
- ↑ USSF Division-2 Pro League . Ussf.demosphere.com (April 11, 2010). Date of treatment October 30, 2011.
- ↑ David La Vaque . Stars launch franchise with a win - The team, the successor to the Thunder, scored its first goal on a penalty kick and made it hold up (English) , Star Tribune (April 25, 2010).
- ↑ USSF Division-2 Pro League . Ussf.demosphere.com (April 16, 2010). Date of treatment October 30, 2011.
- ↑ USSF Division-2 Pro League . Ussf.demosphere.com (October 9, 2010). Date of treatment October 30, 2011.
- ↑ David La Vaque . NSC Minnesota Stars to kick off with new owner: Their league (English) , Star Tribune (January 6, 2011).
- ↑ Tim Leighton . Soccer trying again - New league and ownership group for local pro team, Saint Paul Pioneer Press (January 6, 2011).
- ↑ David La Vaque . Stars' stability to benefit team on, off the pitch - A three-year ownership commitment from the NASL will allow the club to focus on winning and marketing (English) , Star Tribune (April 29, 2011).
- ↑ Brian Quarstad. NSC Minnesota Stars Win the 2011 NASL Championship . IMS Soccer News (October 30, 2011). Date of treatment December 19, 2016.
- ↑ Brian Quarstad. Minnesota Stars Get New Name and Logo: Minnesota Stars FC (English) . IMS Soccer News (January 10, 2012). Date of treatment December 19, 2016.
- ↑ Brian Quarstad. Tampa Bay Rowdies Claim 2012 NASL Championship over Minnesota Stars in Penalty Kick Shoot Out . IMS Soccer News (October 28, 2012). Date of treatment December 19, 2016.
- ↑ Brian Quarstad. A Day for Minnesota Soccer Fans to Celebrate . IMS Soccer News (November 9, 2012). Date of treatment December 19, 2016.
- ↑ Jon Marthaler. New name, logo for pro soccer: "Minnesota United FC" . Star Tribune (March 5, 2013). Date of treatment December 19, 2016.
- ↑ Andy Greder. United forward Christian Ramirez is NASL young player of year . Twin Cities Pioneer Press (November 11, 2014). Date of treatment December 19, 2016.
- ↑ Klinsmann Names 21-Player Roster for #USAvECU . Ussoccer.com (Oct 6, 2014). Date of treatment December 19, 2016.
- ↑ USMNT midfielder Miguel Ibarra wins NASL Golden Ball Award . SI.com (November 14th, 2014). Date of treatment December 19, 2016.
- ↑ Chris Hofley. Ottawa Fury FC punches ticket to NASL final with 2-1 win over Minnesota . Ottawa Sun (November 8, 2015). Date of treatment December 19, 2016.
- ↑ Andy Greder. Minnesota United FC makes Carl Craig head coach, Manny Lagos GM . Twin Cities Pioneer Press (December 1, 2015). Date of treatment December 19, 2016.
- ↑ David La Vaque. Loss ends playoff hopes for Minnesota United . Star Tribune (October 29, 2016). Date of treatment December 19, 2016.
- ↑ Minnesota United Forward Christian Ramirez Wins NASL Golden Boot . NASL (Nov 7, 2016). Date of treatment December 19, 2016.
- ↑ Major League Soccer awards expansion team to Minnesota that will begin play in 2018 . MLSsoccer.com (March 25, 2015). Date of treatment December 19, 2016.
- ↑ Sam Stejskal. Minnesota United FC to join MLS in 2017, debuting at TCF Bank Stadium . MLSsoccer.com (August 19, 2016). Date of treatment December 19, 2016.
- ↑ Minnesota United FC (NASL) - Club's profile . Transfermarkt . Date of treatment November 14, 2016. Archived November 14, 2016.