 | |||
| Full name | Philadelphia Lone Star Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | The Stars | ||
| Short name | PLSFC | ||
| Founded | 2001; 24 years ago (2001), as Junior Lone Star F.C. | ||
| Stadium | South Philadelphia Athletic Super Site Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | ||
| Capacity | 3,500 | ||
| President | Paul A. Konneh, III | ||
| Manager | Fatoma Turay | ||
| League | USL League Two National Premier Soccer League United Premier Soccer League Eastern Premier Soccer League | ||
| Website | http://www.philadelphialonestarfc.com/ | ||
Philadelphia Lone Star Football Club is an American professional developmentsoccer club based inSouthwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that competes inUSL League Two and theNational Premier Soccer League, both leagues which sit in the fourth tier of theAmerican soccer pyramid. Nicknamed "the Stars", the club was founded as Junior Lone Star Football Club in 2001, but changed its name to Philadelphia Lone Star F.C. in 2018.
Philadelphia Lone Star F.C. was established in 2001 under the name of Junior Lone Star Football Club by a group ofLiberian American immigrant soccer players. The club was namedJunior Lone Star FC, after theLiberian national football team, because most of the team's players were from Liberia at that time.
In 2001, the club had a single team with 11 players but the club has grown over the years with the addition of three teams with over 70 players. In 2012, the First Team will be participating in theNational Premier Soccer League; the Reserve Team (U-23) will be participating in theUS Club Soccer National Adult League; and the Junior Team (U-19/20) will be participating in theUSL Super-20 League.
Junior Lone Star FC won its first major championship in 2008 when the club's U-23 team won the Eastern Pennsylvania State U23 Cup. The club's U23s then represented Eastern Pennsylvania in the 2008 USASA Region I Men's U-23 Cup where they defeated West Chester United SC and FC Delco in the semi-finals and final, respectively.[1] The club's U23s subsequently representedUSASA Region I at the 2008 USASA National Men's U-23 Championship where they lost to eventual champions Ela Elite in the semi-finals.[2]
Junior Lone Star FC is affiliated with theUnited States Youth Soccer Association (USYSA), theUnited States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) and theUS Club Soccer (USCS).
Philadelphia Lone Star's home colors are white along with a red and navy stripes on the side. Traditional away colors have been either navy or red; however, in recent years several different colors have been used. Philadelphia Lone Star colors are similar to that of theLiberia national football team .
The Stars have previously worn two badges on their shirts, prior to their current badge which was implemented on 5 September 2018 after their name change to Philadelphia Lone Star. The Red/White stripes, blue field and white star is a direct reference to theFlag of Liberia while 2001 is in reference to the year the club was founded.
The first, introduced at the club founding in 2001, consisted of a circular badge was based on designs which had been used on official club documentation since the mid-1960s. It consisted of a circular badge which used the same shield as the current badge, inside a circle bearing the name of the club. In late 2011, this was replaced by a circular crest divided into half by the club's name:Junior Lone Star FC. The upper portion of the crest had red and white stripes while the lower portion had a shining white star and the year2001 within a blue field.
On 5 September 2018, the club rebranded to Philadelphia Lone Star and after members consultation, a new design of the badge was voted for. The shape of the crest is a pointed shield, a symbol of strength and togetherness which has been a staple of the Lone Star ethos and message since our formation in 2001. The 13 vertical stripes of red alternating with white symbolize the 13 original players who formed the first squad of the club in 2001.
TheLiberty Bell is synonymous with the City ofPhiladelphia, a city that openly welcomed the club members from West Africa. The name of the Bell also resonates withLiberia National Motto : “The Love of LIBERTY Brought Us Here.” There are also two different shades of blue around and within the crest. The left color is taken from theFlag of Philadelphia and the right color is taken from theFlag of Liberia.
| Period | Kit supplier | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 2001–2011 | various | None |
| 2012 | Sarson | None |
| 2013–2016 | adidas | None |
| 2017 | Errea | Piayon Lasannah |
| 2018–present | Icarus FC | Cypher |
| Year | Regular season | Playoffs | U.S. Open Cup | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 5th, Keystone Conference | did not qualify | Ineligible | |
| 2013 | 4th, Keystone Conference | did not qualify | did not qualify | |
| 2014 | 3rd, Keystone Conference | did not qualify | did not qualify | |
| 2015 | On Hiatus | |||
| 2016 | 3rd, Keystone Conference | Ineligible | did not qualify | |
| 2017 | 6th, Keystone Conference | did not qualify | did not qualify | |
| 2018 | 2nd, Keystone Conference | Conference Semifinal | did not qualify | Lost toWest Chester United SC in Conference Semifinal |
| 2019 | 4th, Keystone Conference | Conference Final | First Round | Lost toFC Motown in Conference Final |
| 2020 | Season cancelled due toCOVID-19 pandemic[3] | |||
| Year | Regular season | Playoffs | U.S. Open Cup | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Season cancelled due toCOVID-19 pandemic[4][5] | |||
| 2021 | 4th, Mid Atlantic | did not qualify | did not qualify | |
| 2022 | 5th, Mid Atlantic | did not qualify | did not qualify | |
| 2023 | 5th, Mid Atlantic | did not qualify | did not qualify | |
| 2024 | 5th, Mid Atlantic | did not qualify | did not qualify | |
As Philadelphia Lone Star II
| Year | Regular season | Playoffs | U.S. Open Cup | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2018 | 2nd, American Division | Division Final | Ineligible | Lost to Rochester Super 9 Pro SC in Division Final |
| Fall 2018 | did not compete | |||
| Spring 2019 | 3rd, Northeast Conference | did not qualify | did not enter | |
| Fall 2019 | 4th, Empire Division | Division Final | did not enter | Lost toMass United FC in Division Final |
| Spring 2020 | Season delayed due toCOVID-19[6] | |||
| Year | Regular season | Playoffs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2nd, Colonial Division[7] | Conference Final | Lost toTorch FC in Conference Final[8] |
| 2020 | Season cancelled due toCOVID-19[9][10] | ||
Source[13]
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