Darby FC
Full nameDarby FC
Founded2015
StadiumWhitby Soccer Centre
Head CoachHermann Kingue (men)
Stuart Robertson (women)
LeagueLeague1 Ontario
2023League1 Ontario, 14th (men)
League1 Ontario, 16th (women)
WebsiteClub website
Current season

Darby FC is a Canadian semi-professional soccer club based in Whitby, Ontario and Clarington, Ontario. The club was founded in 2015 to compete in League1 Ontario. The club was formed as a partnership between two local area youth clubs - Whitby SC and Darlington SC. It fields teams in both the men's and women's divisions of League1 Ontario.

Founders

The club was founded in 2015 as a joint partnership between Durham Region clubs Darlington Soccer Club and Whitby Soccer Club with the name Darby coming from name blending the two names.[1][2]

Darlington SC

Founding clubs of Darby FC

Darlington Soccer Club is a youth soccer club from the municipality of Clarington. Its roots date back to the foundation of the Darlington Soccer League founded in 1880; which is argued to be the oldest in Canada.[3][4]

Whitby FC

Whitby FC is a youth soccer club in Whitby, Ontario. It was founded in 1966 as the Whitby Iroquois SC. In 2016, the club rebranded as Whitby FC with a new logo.[5]

History

The club's first team entered the women's division of League1 Ontario in 2016.[6] Their inaugural game resulted in a 1–1 draw with North Mississauga SC.[7] They finished their debut season in eighth place, out of nine clubs.[8]

In 2018, Darby added their men's team to the men's league,[9] which is one division below the top-tier Canadian Premier League.[10] Many of the players on their inaugural roster came from the prior year's Durham United FA roster, as Durham did not enter a team for the 2018 season.[11] Their debut match on April 28, 2018 was against the Woodbridge Strikers and resulted in a 1–1 draw.[12][13]

Squad

As of 16 April 2023[14]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK Canada CAN Yoel Kebreab
— GK Canada CAN Matt Zaikos
— DF Canada CAN Michael DiRienzo
— DF Canada CAN Julian Gonzalez
— DF Canada CAN Erion Metaj
— CB Canada CAN Colin Reilly
— DF Canada CAN Tyler Sukovski
— DF Canada CAN Jadon Vilfort
— MF Canada CAN Lucas Carvalho
— MF Canada CAN Guedei Djimi
— MF Canada CAN Mudaser Muhtaj
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF Canada CAN Marcellus Paul
— MF Canada CAN Caleb Pierce
— MF Canada CAN Andrew Saniga
— MF Cameroon CMR Frantz Pangop
— FW Canada CAN Christopher Badibengi
— FW Canada CAN Dylan Campbell
— FW Guyana GUY Kashiff Collins
— FW Canada CAN Jayden Doyle
— FW Canada CAN Michael Maiorano
— FW Canada CAN Jalen Sandoval
— FW Canada CAN Noah Stapleton
— Canada CAN Carlos Roberto Edic

Seasons

Men

Season League Teams Record Rank Playoffs League Cup Ref
2018 League1 Ontario 17 6–3–7 9th Group stage Round of 16 [15]
2019 16 7–2–6 9th Did not qualify – [15]
2020 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic[16]
2021 15 3–3–6 6th, East (12th overall) Did not qualify – [15]
2022 22 7–4–10 13th Did not qualify –
2023 21 6–5–9 14th Did not qualify –

Women

Season League Teams Record Rank Playoffs League Cup Ref
2016 League1 Ontario 9 2–3–11 8th – Preliminary Round [17]
2017 11 2–2–16 11th – Round of 16 [17]
2018 13 1–1–10 12th Did not qualify Round of 16 [17]
2019 14 6–1–6 8th Quarter-finals – [17]
2020 Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic[16]
2021 League1 Ontario Summer Championship 7 1–1–4 7th – – [17]
2022 League1 Ontario 20 9–0–9 10th Did not qualify –
2023 19 4–4–10 16th Did not qualify –

Notable former players

The following players have either played at the professional or international level, either before or after playing for the League1 Ontario team:

Men

Women

References

  1. ^ "Darlington, Whitby soccer clubs join forces to form Darby FC". Clarington This Week. December 30, 2015.
  2. ^ McNair, Brian (July 16, 2019). "Women's soccer in Durham Region hits interesting new heights". Durham Region News.
  3. ^ Buczkowski, Al (July 11, 2016). "Stewards of a soccer tradition". Sports Engine.
  4. ^ "About Darlington Soccer Club". Darlington Soccer Club.
  5. ^ "Home of Whitby FC". Archived from the original on April 25, 2017.
  6. ^ "Darby FC Bolsters Eastern Ontario League1 Presence". League1 Ontario. March 19, 2016.
  7. ^ "Durham United FA soccer clubs off to nice start in League1 Ontario". Oshawa This Week. June 13, 2016.
  8. ^ Bates, Matt (June 23, 2022). "A Bluffer's Guide to Darby". League1 Ontario.
  9. ^ Glover, Robin (March 16, 2018). "League1 Ontario releases their 2018 schedule". Waking The Red.
  10. ^ Davidson, John (January 24, 2020). "Former NPL defender Alfred Hess is out to make a name for himself as both a player and coach in Canada". The World Game.
  11. ^ Glover, Robin (June 20, 2018). "L1O Game of the Week: Late equalizer seals Alliance United draw". Waking The Red.
  12. ^ "Match Preview: Darby FC v Woodbridge Strikers". League1 Ontario. April 27, 2018.
  13. ^ Halis, Irene (April 30, 2018). "Late Paredes Strike Snatches Draw For Woodbridge Away To Darby". League1 Ontario.
  14. ^ "Darby FC". League 1 Ontario.
  15. ^ a b c "League1 Ontario Historical Standings Men's Division". Canadian Soccer History Archives.
  16. ^ a b "League1 Ontario cancels Fall season plans for 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions". Canadian Premier League. September 4, 2020.
  17. ^ a b c d e "League1 Ontario Historical Standings Women's Division". Canadian Soccer History Archives.
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