Austin Aztex
Encyclopedia
- For the current USL Premier Development LeagueUSL Premier Development LeagueThe USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
club, see Austin AztexAustin AztexAustin Aztex FC was an American professional soccer team based in Austin, Texas, United States. Founded in 2008, the team played in the USL First Division, and in the USL Division of the USSF D2 Pro League, the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
.
Austin Aztex FC was an American professional soccer team based in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Founded in 2008, the team played in the USL First Division
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
, and in the USL Division of the USSF D2 Pro League, the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid
American Soccer Pyramid
The United States soccer pyramid is a term used in soccer to describe the structure of the league system in the United States. The country's governing body for the sport, the United States Soccer Federation , oversees the system but does not operate any of its component leagues—with one temporary...
. In October 2010, the Aztex were relocated to Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
and became Orlando City after Orlando USL's rights were purchased by Phil Rawlins. The team was resurrected in 2011 by minority owner David Markley as the Austin Aztex
Austin Aztex
Austin Aztex FC was an American professional soccer team based in Austin, Texas, United States. Founded in 2008, the team played in the USL First Division, and in the USL Division of the USSF D2 Pro League, the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
, which will begin play in the USL Premier Development League
USL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
in 2012.
The team played its home games at Nelson Field
Nelson Field
Nelson Field is a multi-use stadium in Austin, Texas. It serves as home stadium for LBJ High School, Anderson High School, and John H. Reagan High School. The stadium's capacity is 8,800 spectators....
, and House Park
House Park
House Park is a 6,000-6,500 seat American football stadium in Austin, Texas that is owned and operated by the Austin Independent School District....
in Austin. The team's colors were red and white. Their head coach was Englishman and former English football league
English Football League
English football league is not specific; it may refer to:* The Football League - the highest four divisions of English football until 1992 and the three divisions below the Premier League since 1992;...
player Adrian Heath
Adrian Heath
Adrian Paul Heath is an English football manager and former player. He manages American USL Pro Orlando franchise. As a player he is remembered as part of the Everton side of the 1980s, where he won several trophies...
.
History
The club was owned by English-born Austin businessman Phil Rawlins. Originally from the UK, Rawlins serves on the board of English Premier League clubClub
A club is an association of two or more people united by a common interest or goal. A service club, for example, exists for voluntary or charitable activities; there are clubs devoted to hobbies and sports, social activities clubs, political and religious clubs, and so forth.- History...
Stoke City. Austin and Stoke had a formal partnership which included sharing training information and players, with Austin acting as a potential player resource for Stoke.
Immediately after announcing their intention to join USL1, the Aztex purchased the 2008 USL PDL expansion side Austin Stampede and rebranded it as Austin Aztex U23
Austin Aztex U23
Austin Aztex U23 was an American soccer team based in Round Rock, Texas, United States. Founded in 2007, the team played in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2009, after which the franchise folded and the team left the league.The team played...
. Wolfgang Suhnholz
Wolfgang Suhnholz
Wolfgang Sühnholz is an American soccer coach and former player from Germany. He is currently coach of the Austin Aztex U23 and a coach at Austin's Lonestar Soccer Club.-Playing career:...
was named coach of the U23 team, which commenced play in 2008.
On August 8, 2008, the Aztex announced 2008 PDL Goalkeeper of the Year and former Austin Aztex U23
Austin Aztex U23
Austin Aztex U23 was an American soccer team based in Round Rock, Texas, United States. Founded in 2007, the team played in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2009, after which the franchise folded and the team left the league.The team played...
player, Miguel Gallardo
Miguel Gallardo
Miguel Gallardo is a Mexican footballer who currently plays for Orlando City in the USL Professional Division.-Youth and Amateur:Gallardo grew up in Round Rock, Texas, and attended Westwood High School...
, as their first professional signing for the 2009 season. Gallardo is signed with the team through 2011.
The Aztex began their inaugural season as a professional team by playing 4 MLS teams in preseason exhibition matches. The first three games were held in Austin at Nelson Field while the fourth MLS match was in Rio Tinto Stadium on the MLS opening weekend. A fifth exhibition match was scheduled against the CONCACAF semi-finalist Puerto Rico Islanders
Puerto Rico Islanders
Puerto Rico Islanders is a Puerto Rican professional football team based in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. Founded in 2003, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
in between their home and away series against Cruz Azul.
On May 19, 2010, Austin played the Tampa Bay Rowdies
Tampa Bay Rowdies
The Tampa Bay Rowdies was a professional soccer team from Tampa, Florida, USA. The team played in the North American Soccer League until the league's dissolution and went on to play in several other leagues before folding in 1993. The Rowdies played their outdoor home games at Tampa Stadium and...
in front of 6,051 fans, their largest home crowd in franchise history.
On October 22, 2010, an article was published that indicated that the team was likely to move to Orlando, Florida, for the 2011 season.. This was confirmed on October 25, as the team became Orlando City S.C.
Final roster
Staff
Adrian HeathAdrian Heath
Adrian Paul Heath is an English football manager and former player. He manages American USL Pro Orlando franchise. As a player he is remembered as part of the Everton side of the 1980s, where he won several trophies...
- Head Coach Bobby Murphy - Assistant Coach David Winner
David Winner
David Winner is an English author and journalist. He lives in Kilburn, London.His best-known books are Those Feet: An Intimate History of English Football , and Brilliant Orange: The Neurotic Genius of Dutch Football ....
- Goalkeeping Coach Shermin Patel - Athletic Trainer
Former notable players
Jean AlexandreJean Alexandre
Jean-Marc Alexandre is a Haitian international footballer who plays professionally for San Jose Earthquakes in Major League Soccer and the Haiti national football team, as both a midfielder and forward.-Youth and College:...
Eddie Johnson
Eddie Johnson (English footballer)
Edward William "Eddie" Johnson is an English footballer who currently plays for Portland Timbers in Major League Soccer. He is a midfielder but has also played as a striker and has represented his country at under-20 level....
Gifton Noel-Williams
Gifton Noel-Williams
Gifton Noel-Williams is an English footballer.-England:Noel-Williams started his professional career at Watford where he spent a seven year spell playing 127 games and scoring 43 goals. Aged 19, he was Watford's top goalscorer in the 1998–99 season, at the end of which they were promoted to the...
- See also: All-time Austin Aztex rosterAll-time Austin Aztex rosterAustin Aztex FC is an American soccer club based in Austin, Texas that was founded in 2008 by Phil Rawlins, a British entrepreneur. The Aztex began playing competitive soccer in the United Soccer Leagues First Division in the 2009 season and share an affiliation agreement with Rawlins' hometown...
Year-by-Year
| Year | Division | League | Regular Season | Playoffs | Open Cup | Avg. Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 Austin Aztex 2009 season -Schedule & Results:Exhibition MatchesThe Austin Aztex began their inaugural season as a professional team by playing 4 MLS teams in preseason exhibition matches. The first three games were held in Austin at Nelson Field while the fourth MLS match was in Rio Tinto Stadium on the MLS opening weekend... |
2 | USL First Division | 10th | Did not qualify | 3rd Round | 2,974 |
| 2010 | 2 | USSF D-2 Pro League | 2nd, USL (3rd) | Quarterfinals | 3rd Round | 3,733 |
See also
- Austin Aztex 2009 seasonAustin Aztex 2009 season-Schedule & Results:Exhibition MatchesThe Austin Aztex began their inaugural season as a professional team by playing 4 MLS teams in preseason exhibition matches. The first three games were held in Austin at Nelson Field while the fourth MLS match was in Rio Tinto Stadium on the MLS opening weekend...
- Austin Aztex U23Austin Aztex U23Austin Aztex U23 was an American soccer team based in Round Rock, Texas, United States. Founded in 2007, the team played in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2009, after which the franchise folded and the team left the league.The team played...
- Austin LightningAustin LightningAustin Lightning was an American soccer team, founded in 2002, originally with the name Lafayette Lightning. The team was a member of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, until 2007, when the team left the league and the franchise...
- Austin AztexAustin AztexAustin Aztex FC was an American professional soccer team based in Austin, Texas, United States. Founded in 2008, the team played in the USL First Division, and in the USL Division of the USSF D2 Pro League, the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
(2012-)