June 23, 2018
NPSL Regular Season Match
Keyworth Stadium, Hamtramck, MI
Detroit City FC 1, Kalamazoo FC 1
Attendance: 6,128
Record: 4-2-3 = 14pts.
KFC Jordan Veilette 2′
DCFC Brogan Shrimpton (Jakub Svehlik) 84′
Just seconds after that opening kickoff video, Kalamazoo grabbed a 1-0 lead. City picked it up, and dominated the remainder of the half without finding an equalizer.
After the rain passed through, the sun peeked back out from behind the clouds, decorating the sky with rainbows throughout the evening.
In the 84th minute, Brogan Shrimpton knotted the match with this chip shot over KFC keeper Hasten Biddlecome.
Overall, it was a dominating performance by the Rouge and Gold. The ball just couldn’t find its way into the back of the net often enough. The road to the playoffs narrowed to the single lane of winning the final three matches and a little help from others.
June 17, 2019
NPSL Regular Season Match
Keyworth Stadium, Hamtramck, MI
Detroit City FC 0, Grand Rapids FC 2
Attendance: 5,077
Record: 4-1-3 – 13pts
GRFC Scott Doney 74′
GRFC Morris Kamara 90+’
Stifling. That’s how the heat felt on this Father’s Day afternoon match. So hot, my son and grandson beaded with sweat pre-match.
Tonight’s commemorative jerseys were auctioned off following the match in order to raise money for United Community Housing Coalition. The non-profit UCHC has worked in Detroit to house the homeless and those on the brink of homelessness, including families and children, seniors, and veterans for over forty years. It provides landlord tenant legal counseling, housing placement, tenant organizing, and tax and mortgage foreclosure prevention. Each year, UCHC serves more than 6,000 homeless and at-risk Detroiters. However, it will lose 40 percent of its funding under proposed cuts from the Trump Administration. Last year, the charity commemorative jersey match raised $3,500 for Alternatives For Girls.
It was scoreless at the half, as the triple-digit heat fueled some nastiness on the pitch. Also, City keeper, Fernando Pena, suffered an injury while making a save around the quarter-hour mark. Though it was hot, the Pentax and I didn’t feel it, as the camera never once turned itself off like it did back in Indiana.
Held scoreless at home for the second straight match, playoff hopes began melting in mid-June. Still, we love our boys in rouge.
June 15, 2018
NPSL Regular Season Match
Hart Park, Wauwautosa, WI
Milwaukee Torrent 0, Detroit City FC 1
Attendance: ?
Record: 4-1-2 = 13pts
DCFC Brad Centala 76′
Last year, our match in Milwaukee was on a Sunday afternoon, which enabled Rouge Rovers to charter a bus and arrive by other means on their own, to create an experience the Torrent did not expect. Confirmation came in the form of the 2018 schedule, where the Milwaukee away match was set for a Friday night. A lot more difficult for Detroit supporters to make the trek.
However, my schedule was open, and I decided to take the unconventional route. Instead of driving through Chicago to get there, I left a day early, and went by way of the Upper Peninsula.
A lifetime Michigander, I had only been up to the U.P. once, and that was in 2017, the day after the big win against AFC Ann Arbor, to visit a client in the prison in Newberry. Also, I needed an excuse to go to Marquette to visit Snowbound Books, a Michigan independent book store that was part of a book tote promotion. In the process, a couple of touristy stops were made.
Why not visit Oswald’s Bear Ranch in Newberry en route to Marquette.
After arriving at the hotel in Marquette, time to earn my Snowbound Books check-mark on the book tote.
The next day, word of an indie bookstore (not on the book tote) in Escanaba made of a quick stop before the rain began.
Prior to the trip, I highlighted the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary as a good spot to stretch the legs. It was pouring upon arrival, which dampened the plans for an outdoor stroll. But inside the Observation/Rehabilitation Building, injured animals were being cared for, including…bats!
The stormy ride ended near Milwaukee. Greeted at the hotel under sunny skies, I checked in, then headed to Wauwautosa. I remembered the independent book store just down the street from last year’s trip, so I popped in again.
The Friday night schedule did prevent the kind of numbers Rouge Rovers could have brought to the game. But looking at the other side of the pitch, it deterred their fans from showing as well.
A feisty, hard-battled first half ended scoreless.
It was almost a disaster when, in the second half, a Milwaukee forward stormed in on goal, Fernando Pina the last man back. The Torrent player chipped the ball beyond Pina, but it struck one post, crossed the face of the net and struck the other, without crossing the line.
In the 76th minute, City scored the only goal of the match.
The next day, the drive home went through Chicago (blowing through the Express Pass lane on one of the toll roads by mistake), to St. Joseph for lunch and a leg stretch, then home.
Google maps had the trip measured at 1,193 miles and 19 hours, 6 minutes. The three hours lost must have been by driving through the storm from Escanaba to Milwaukee, and, of course, Chicago.
June 10, 2018
NPSL Regular Season Match
Keyworth Stadium, Hamtramck, MI
Detroit City FC 0, AFC Ann Arbor 1
Attendance: 5,870
Record: 3-1-2 = 10pts
AFCAA Chris Odhiambo (AZ Lindi) 54′
Of the nineteen teams that Detroit City FC has faced in the NPSL since 2012, there is only one team we have a losing regular season record with – AFC Ann Arbor. And the trend continued in this tightly battled match.
Enjoy the photos/videos. There’s not much to say about this one. Smothering defense by AFC Ann Arbor kept City at bay. It’s been feast or famine when it’s come to goal scoring this season.
With the first half of the season complete, we’re done with FC Columbus, AFC Ann Arbor, and FC Indiana. The 3 wins, 1 draw, 2 loss record has to improve against Grand Rapids FC, Kalamazoo FC, and Milwaukee Torrent if City’s going to make the playoffs.
Less than a week after thumping FC Indiana 11-0 on their pitch, Detroit City FC was blessed by the schedule-makers who arranged for the next match to be at Keyworth. I don’t believe there was any doubt that City would win this match. The only question was how many goals would scored at Keyworth?
The hint of another blowout began early, when FC Indiana keeper Sebatian Uranga took out a City player outside the box, creating a spot kick. Up stepped Stephen Carroll….
The game settled, and FC Indiana stood firm. In the 39th minute, Uranga, the Indy keeper, strayed from the box and handled the ball, earning him his second yellow card of the match. With Indy down a man, City scored two goals before the first-half whistle. Shawn Lawson netted the first one…
…then Rafa Mentzinger scored, and City led 3-0 at the half.
It was Polish-American Heritage Night at Keyworth.
It took nine minutes for City to score their fourth when Seb Harris took this penalty kick.
At the 63rd minute, Trevor Amann found the back of the net. 5-0.
Brogan Shrimpton, who scored a hat trick in Lafayette, added a goal at the 72nd minute. 6-0.
Dave Edwardson blasted home the extra point a minute later. 7-0.
In the 82nd minute, Trevor Amann wrapped up the scoring with this goal.
Four matches in the books, and City had won three of them. The 20-1 goal differential was impressive, but not every team in the division would be this easy to score on.
The large notepad with -39 written on it was FC Indiana’s goal differential at the end of the game, as a page was removed and the number updated after each goal scored against them.
May 27, 2018
NPSL Regular Season Match
Legacy Sports Club, Lafayette, IN
FC Indiana 0, Detroit City FC 11
Attendance: ? (I probably could have counted everyone present).
Record: 2-0-1 = 6 pts
DCFC Stephen Carroll (Danny Deakin) 14′
DCFC Danny Deakin 21′
DCFC Roddy Green (Adan Garcia) 30′
DCFC Shawn Lawson 31′
DCFC Danny Deakin 43′
DCFC Trevor Amann 58′
DCFC Rafael Mentzingen (Trevor Amann) 71′
DCFC Brogan Shrimpton (Adan Garcia) 74′
DCFC Brogan Shrimpton (Rafael Mentzingen) 76′
DCFC Rafael Mentzingen 79′
DCFC Brogan Shrimpton 80′
FC Indiana. Last year’s experience was so much fun. But instead of making a long day of it driving there and back, I went a day early and spent the night. It gave me a chance to do a little sight-seeing in Lafayette.
After I checked in, I made my way downtown. Of course, if there’s a book store, that’s a must-see. And Von’s was not disappointing at all. A huge inventory worth perusing. But I was also hungry from the long drive, and spotted an Indian restaurant that had a lovely buffet.
My mouth’s watering just recalling how good everything on that plate was.
The next day, after hanging out with the Rouge Rovers at Digby’s, it was on to the cornfield for the match.
As it grew closer to game time, the hotter it got. FC Indiana’s organization was better prepared for us than last year.
And as the afternoon’s heat began to sizzle and burn, so, too, did my camera and Detroit City FC. The new Pentax K-70 turned itself off a few times to prevent itself from overheating. Fortunately, I brought the reliable Sony as well. But City? Oh did they burn up the field. If this were a hockey game, the FC Indiana keeper would have had a burn on the back of his neck, not because of the sun, but because of the red light behind the goal’s continued flashing.
Stephen Carroll opened the scoring in the 14th minute…
After Danny Deakin doubled the score in the 21st minute, Roddy Green made it three-nil in the 30th minute.
Shawn Lawson and Danny Deakin closed out the half with goals in the 31st and 43rd minutes, respectively, giving City a 5-0 halftime lead.
Nothing was putting this fire out. Trevor Amann added a sixth at the 58th minute.
Rafa Mentzingen made the extra-point in the 71st minute. Detroit City 7, FC Indiana 0.
Three minutes later, Adan Garcia drives down the right side, pulling the keeper towards him, then sends a pass to the wide open Brogan Shrimpton. 8-0.
Shrimpton added another just two minutes later. 9-0.
In the 79th minute, Rafa Mentzingen scored, and the Rouge Rovers had something new to chant.
In the 80th minute, Brogan Shrimpton completed his hat-trick. In the span of ten minutes, City scored five goals, three of them by Shrimpton.
The day that Detroit City FC goes pro will be a great one. The only downside will be these weekends where we play at Keyworth before over 5,000 fans, then come here in less than 48 hours where Rouge Rovers outnumber the local fans, in a cozy field.
May 25, 2018
NPSL Regular Season Match
Detroit City FC 1, FC Columbus 0
Attendance: 5,644
Record: 1-0-1 = 3 pts
DCFC Shawn Lawson (Seb Harris) 85′
With four amazing home matches already under our belt, the NPSL Regular Season Home Opener had the usual buzz and electricity about it. And it was our introduction to the new team in the league, FC Columbus.
It is encouraging to see this team enter the league. TVSA Santos FC is the parent organization of FC Columbus, which has been developing youth players in central Ohio since 1990. This team could be the next step in the growth and evolution of their program.
Another truly awesome tifo created by the Northern Guard Supporters.
The first half consisted of sluggish play, resulting in a scoreless forty-five minutes with FC Columbus the dominating team. Perhaps it was a half-time talk by Coach Pirmann that lit the fire, because in the second half, Detroit City picked up the pace.
Late in the match, City could count on Cyrus Saydee, Roddy Green, Seb Harris, and Shawn Lawson to combine on the winning goal.
June 8, 2018
NPSL Regular Season Match
Grandview High School, Columbus, OH
FC Columbus 1, Detroit City FC 1
Attendance: ?
Record: 3-1-1 = 10pts.
FCC Ezra Armstrong 15′
DCFC Stephen Carroll (Danny Deakin) 86′
A crappy, rainy Friday in Ohio dampened the energy and mood of the evening. It started weird, as the teams came out with no Rouge Rovers in the stands. A tweet by the FC Columbus team stated that a lightning strike would delay the match fifteen minutes, which gave the Rovers time for one more pop at the local pub. However, the officials led the teams onto the pitch promptly at 7:00 PM, and the match started a bit quieter than usual.
An early goal by Ezra Armstrong in the 15th minute gave the home team the lead.
I wish all the folks in the next photo had gathered closer together, so that we could compare the Rouge Rover crowd above, who drove four hours to Ohio’s capital city, to the home team fans. They probably had a handful more than the FC Indiana crowd, thanks to the group in the lower left corner – the supporter group.
In general, the match was frustrating, as City did not have a great performance. Credit FC Columbus defense for some of that. Rouge Rovers’ frustration showed with a chant of “Take a Freakin’ Shot” at one point.
In the 86th minute, Stephen Carroll watched Danny Deakin’s cross from the corner find his forehead to steal a point in Ohio.
A little Michigan-Ohio friction surfaced as the match drew near its conclusion.
May 19, 2018
International Friendly
Keyworth Stadium, Hamtramck, MI
Detroit City FC 2, FC St. Pauli 6
Attendance: 7,264
DCFC Trevor Amann 8′
FCSP Sami Allagui 21′
FCSP Seungwon Lee 28′
FCSP Sami Allagui 32′
FCSP Waldemar Sobota 53′
FCSP Dimitrious Diamantakos 66′
DCFC Rafael Mentzingen 85′
FCSP Seungwon Lee 88′
As a contrast to my rant on the previous match’s page about football supporters in America, our next match was a friendly against FC St. Pauli.
FC St. Pauli. There is so much one could write about this team. On the surface, it looks like a typical European football club, situated in the St. Pauli quarter of Hamburg, with a history of floating in the mid-tables of second-division German soccer and the rare promotion to the Bundesliga, only to be relegated back the next season. Its home grounds – the Millerntor – is most always filled to its 32,000 seat capacity.
However, in the 1980’s the squatting movement was strong, especially in Hamburg. After an important battle by the squatters was won in Hafenstraße – an area around Hamburg’s port – people involved in the protests held together in solidarity within the community and continued to meet through the decade. They began going to FC St. Pauli matches, outnumbering the thousand or so that usually attended, and began to influence the culture. A team supported by fans with mohawk hairstyles, studded leather jackets, and Che Guevara flags drew the attention of like-minded fans and activists. The skull and crossbones became the supporters’ logo, they drew the attention of punk rock bands and its culture which increased the team’s popularity worldwide. FC St. Pauli groups exist all around the globe (including Detroit).
The supporters and team take a strong political stance; anti-racism, anti-fascism, anti-homophobic, anti-sexist, and pro-refugee. Sometimes, this has created conflict with neo-Nazis and hooligans at road games. The team’s strong statement is memorialized in its Guiding Principles.
This lengthy history is better suited to books and such, and I’d recommend Nick Davidson’s Pirates, Punks, & Politcs about FC St. Pauli, and a couple of good pieces in Gabriel Kuhn’s Soccer vs. The State (which also has a good section about a previous international visitor – FC United of Manchester.)
It is a massive honor and thrill to have FC St. Pauli here in Detroit.
The festivities began the day before, with a FC St. Pauli supporters meet-up at 2:30 PM at Third Man Records in Hamtramck. Then, an opening night reception was held at Detroit City Distillery in Detroit’s Eastern Market, with supporters and players from both teams in attendance.
The denim jackets they were selling looked cool, so I bought one for my son, who lived for a few weeks at Occupy Detroit in 2011. Though not a sports fan, he was thrilled with the jacket.
The evening concluded with a concert at St. Andrews Hall featuring the punk band, Rise Against, sponsored by FC St. Pauli.
On Match Day, a panel on The Future of Supporter- Based Football was held at 11AM at Amnesia, within the MotorCity Casino. I missed this event, and am sorry I did.
Then came the match, which was televised on FoxSports Detroit. When I arrived at the Fowling Warehouse, it began to rain. Then it stopped and the sun blazed high and hot. At Keyworth, it rained again with the sun in the sky.
See. I told you he liked the jacket. I gave my rainbow FC St. Pauli-Detroit City FC scarf to my grandson, Dean, after the match, which he loves.
The match was pretty one-sided, as expected, but only for those ninety-minutes did Detroit City FC and the Northern Guard Supporters oppose FC St. Pauli. And vice versa.
The day wrapped up with a post-match party at the Magic Stick in Detroit. This was just another fantastic international friendly on so many levels. So much so, I entered the eBay auction for FC St. Pauli jerseys and won defender Christopher Avevor’s.
DoHaeng Michael Kitchen 