Antigua Barracuda FC
Encyclopedia
Antigua Barracuda is an Antiguan professional soccer team based in St. John's
, Antigua and Barbuda
. Founded in 2010, the team plays in the American Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid
.
The team plays its home games at Stanford Cricket Ground
(colloquially known as "Sticky Wicket Stadium") in Osbourn, Saint George Parish
. The team's colors are sky blue, white and black. Their current head coach is Tom Curtis.
in 2011, but was later announced as being a founding member of USL Pro
and its International Division after the USL First
and Second Divisions
dissolved in 2010 to make way for the new league.
The club's first official game took place in April 2010, a friendly against the Puerto Rico Islanders
. Approximately 1,000 people attended the event.
The club arranged two further friendlies with Montreal Impact
, the first of which took place on 17 April 2010 at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium with the second scheduled to be held on 4 September at Saputo Stadium
in Montreal
. They also arranged exhibition matches against Jamaica’s Tivoli Gardens
and Harbour View
for May. On August 20 2010 Barracuda FC announced the cancellation of the friendly matches because of funding difficulties. Impact President Joey Saputo subsequently made an accusation of a serious lack of professionalism on the part of the Antiguan club.
On 23 September 2010, United Soccer Leagues
formally announced that Antigua Barracuda FC would join the newly formed USL Pro
in 2011 alongside Sevilla FC Puerto Rico and Club Atletico River Plate Puerto Rico
as founding members of the league's tentatively named Caribbean Division, which was later officially unveiled as the International Division.
The team played its first competitive game on April 17, 2011, a 2-1 home loss to the Los Angeles Blues
. The first competitive goal in franchise history was scored by Tamorley Thomas
Barracuda play their home games at the Stanford Cricket Ground
in the village of Osbourn in Saint George Parish
in Antigua
. The stadium was originally built to host the Stanford 20/20
cricket tournament in 2006, and has been temporarily converted for soccer usage for Barracudas games. The stadium's nickname, "Sticky Wicket Stadium", comes from the adjoining restaurant complex.
St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda
St John's is the capital and largest city of Antigua and Barbuda, a country located in the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea. St John's is located at...
, Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua and Barbuda is a twin-island nation lying between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It consists of two major inhabited islands, Antigua and Barbuda, and a number of smaller islands...
. Founded in 2010, the team plays in the American Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third 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...
.
The team plays its home games at Stanford Cricket Ground
Stanford Cricket Ground
The Stanford Cricket Ground, colloquially known as "Sticky Wicket Stadium", is a cricket ground in Osbourn, Saint George Parish, Antigua. It was previously known as the Airport Cricket Ground, before it was taken over by Allen Stanford and rebuilt in 2004...
(colloquially known as "Sticky Wicket Stadium") in Osbourn, Saint George Parish
Saint George Parish, Antigua and Barbuda
Saint George is a parish of Antigua and Barbuda on the island of Antigua. It includes Long Island and the localities of Barnes Hill, Marble Hill, Crosbies, Hodges Bay, Paradise View, Coolidge, Carlisle, Fitches Creek, Osbourn, Pigotts, New Winthorpes, Picadilly, Gunthorpes, Sea View Farm and...
. The team's colors are sky blue, white and black. Their current head coach is Tom Curtis.
History
The team was originally set to join the USL First DivisionUSL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
in 2011, but was later announced as being a founding member of USL Pro
USL Pro
The USL Professional Division, commonly known as USL Pro , is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011....
and its International Division after the USL First
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 Second Divisions
USL Second Division
The United Soccer Leagues Second Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, part of the United Soccer Leagues league pyramid...
dissolved in 2010 to make way for the new league.
The club's first official game took place in April 2010, a friendly against the 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....
. Approximately 1,000 people attended the event.
The club arranged two further friendlies with Montreal Impact
Montreal Impact
Montreal Impact was a Canadian professional soccer club based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1992, the team played in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid until the 2011 season. The owner Joey Saputo now operates the MLS team Montreal ImpactThe...
, the first of which took place on 17 April 2010 at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium with the second scheduled to be held on 4 September at Saputo Stadium
Saputo Stadium
Saputo Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium in Montreal, Quebec, Canada which opened on May 21, 2008, and is the current home of the Montreal Impact. The stadium is built on the former practice track and field site on the grounds of the 1976 Summer Olympics, while the stadium's west side has a...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. They also arranged exhibition matches against Jamaica’s Tivoli Gardens
Tivoli Gardens F.C.
Tivoli Gardens FC is a Jamaican football club based in Kingston, currently in the Jamaican National Premier League. Their home stadium is the Railway Oval.-Recent history:...
and Harbour View
Harbour View F.C.
Harbour View Football Club is a Jamaican football club that currently plays in the Digicel Premier League. Harbour View is nicknamed the "Stars of the East" or "Easters" and plays home games at Harbour View Stadium.-History:...
for May. On August 20 2010 Barracuda FC announced the cancellation of the friendly matches because of funding difficulties. Impact President Joey Saputo subsequently made an accusation of a serious lack of professionalism on the part of the Antiguan club.
On 23 September 2010, United Soccer Leagues
United Soccer Leagues
The United Soccer Leagues is the organizer of several soccer leagues with teams in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. It includes men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Leagues currently organized are the USL Pro, the USL Premier Development League, the W-League, and...
formally announced that Antigua Barracuda FC would join the newly formed USL Pro
USL Pro
The USL Professional Division, commonly known as USL Pro , is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011....
in 2011 alongside Sevilla FC Puerto Rico and Club Atletico River Plate Puerto Rico
Club Atletico River Plate Puerto Rico
Club Atlético River Plate Puerto Rico is a Puerto Rican professional association football team based in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. Founded in 2007, the team plays in the Puerto Rico Soccer League, and is the reigning Supercopa DirecTV champion....
as founding members of the league's tentatively named Caribbean Division, which was later officially unveiled as the International Division.
The team played its first competitive game on April 17, 2011, a 2-1 home loss to the Los Angeles Blues
Los Angeles Blues
Los Angeles Blues is an American soccer team based in the Los Angeles suburb of Fullerton, California, United States. Founded in 2010, the team plays in the National Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
. The first competitive goal in franchise history was scored by Tamorley Thomas
Tamorley Thomas
Tamorley "Ziggy" Thomas is an Antiguan footballer who currently plays for Antigua Barracuda FC in the USL Professional Division.-Club career:...
Stadium
- Stanford Cricket GroundStanford Cricket GroundThe Stanford Cricket Ground, colloquially known as "Sticky Wicket Stadium", is a cricket ground in Osbourn, Saint George Parish, Antigua. It was previously known as the Airport Cricket Ground, before it was taken over by Allen Stanford and rebuilt in 2004...
; Saint George ParishSaint George Parish, Antigua and BarbudaSaint George is a parish of Antigua and Barbuda on the island of Antigua. It includes Long Island and the localities of Barnes Hill, Marble Hill, Crosbies, Hodges Bay, Paradise View, Coolidge, Carlisle, Fitches Creek, Osbourn, Pigotts, New Winthorpes, Picadilly, Gunthorpes, Sea View Farm and...
, Antigua and BarbudaAntigua and BarbudaAntigua and Barbuda is a twin-island nation lying between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It consists of two major inhabited islands, Antigua and Barbuda, and a number of smaller islands...
(2011-present)
Barracuda play their home games at the Stanford Cricket Ground
Stanford Cricket Ground
The Stanford Cricket Ground, colloquially known as "Sticky Wicket Stadium", is a cricket ground in Osbourn, Saint George Parish, Antigua. It was previously known as the Airport Cricket Ground, before it was taken over by Allen Stanford and rebuilt in 2004...
in the village of Osbourn in Saint George Parish
Saint George Parish, Antigua and Barbuda
Saint George is a parish of Antigua and Barbuda on the island of Antigua. It includes Long Island and the localities of Barnes Hill, Marble Hill, Crosbies, Hodges Bay, Paradise View, Coolidge, Carlisle, Fitches Creek, Osbourn, Pigotts, New Winthorpes, Picadilly, Gunthorpes, Sea View Farm and...
in Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
. The stadium was originally built to host the Stanford 20/20
Stanford 20/20
The Stanford 20/20 Tournament was a cricket tournament in the Caribbean island of Antigua. It was held first in July and August 2006 in the West Indies at the Stanford Cricket Ground, St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda and the same place the year after...
cricket tournament in 2006, and has been temporarily converted for soccer usage for Barracudas games. The stadium's nickname, "Sticky Wicket Stadium", comes from the adjoining restaurant complex.
Current roster
as of June 10, 2011.Year-by-year
| Year | Division | League | Regular Season | Playoffs | U.S. Open Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 3 | USL Pro | in progress |