TSS FC Rovers explained

Clubname:TSS FC Rovers
Upright:1.1
Short Name:TSS Rovers
Founded:1997
2017 (semi-pro team)
Stadium:Swangard Stadium
Burnaby, British Columbia
Capacity:5,288
Coordinates:49.2308°N -123.0211°W
Chrtitle:General manager
Coach:Brendan Teeling (men)
Kevin Booker (women)
League:League1 British Columbia
Season:2024
Position:L1BC, 1st; Playoffs, Champions (men)
L1BC, 4th; Playoffs, SF (women)
Current:2024 League1 British Columbia season
Website:http://www.tssfc.ca/adult
Pattern B1:_arsenalh0204
Shorts1:000000
Socks1:000000
Pattern La2:_black
Pattern B2:_greystripes3
Pattern Ra2:_black
Body2:000000
Shorts2:000000
Socks2:000000

TSS FC Rovers, commonly referred to as TSS Rovers, are a Canadian soccer team based in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada that play in League1 British Columbia. Established for the 2017 PDL season by general manager Will Cromack and head coach Colin Elmes, the Rovers are the under-23 team of the TSS Academy, one of the largest soccer schools in British Columbia's Lower Mainland.[1]

History

Founding

TSS (Total Soccer Systems) Academy was founded in 1997, based in Richmond, British Columbia.[2]

PDL and WPSL era

In late 2016, TSS purchased the rights to the Premier Development League franchise of the Washington Crossfire, and in the spring of 2017 fielded their first squad.[3] [4] The club has a supporters group called the "Swanguardians," alluding to the Rovers' new home, Swangard Stadium, which was previously the home stadium of the Vancouver Whitecaps before the Caps joined the MLS. The team has a stated policy of fostering Canadian talent, or players eligible for the Canadian men's national teams, stating every player must be "either a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or refugee or immigrant with an intent to one day wear the Maple Leaf."[5] [6]

In 2018 the women's team was founded to play in the WPSL. Notable signings included Canada WNT players Jordyn Huitema and Julia Grosso.[7] In 2018, the men's team signed its first non-Canadian, Dutchman Nick Soolsma, a former Toronto FC midfielder, as player-coach.[8]

The club competed with the Victoria Highlanders for the Juan de Fuca Plate, awarded annually to the best PDL/USL League Two club in British Columbia.[9] The Rovers won it in 2018 and 2019.[10]

In 2020, the club updated their logo to include a sword fern, a plant indigenous to coastal BC.[11]

League1 BC era

On November 1, 2021, it was announced that the club would be playing in the inaugural season of League1 British Columbia.[12] In addition, TSS decided to emulate those German clubs that were partly owned by their fans, giving the fans voting rights and a say in the direction of the team.[13] [14] Fans will own 49% of the team through this initiative.[15] After finishing second in the league standings in their first season, the men's team went on to defeat Varsity FC on penalty kicks in the Championship Final,[16] thereby qualifying for the national 2023 Canadian Championship.[17]

TSS Rovers made their first appearance in the Canadian Championship on April 19, 2023, at Swangard Stadium, where they defeated Valour FC 3–1, becoming the first semi-pro team to knockout a professional team in Canadian Championship history.[18] [19] They were then defeated by another CPL club, Pacific FC, in the quarter-finals.[20] TSS Rovers would finish the 2023 League1 BC season in second place before falling to the eventual playoff winners, Whitecaps FC Academy, in the semi-finals.

On April 19, 2024, it was announced that TSS Rovers would participate in the 2024 Canadian Championship to replace Victoria Highlanders FC, who had withdrawn from the competition.[21] They were drawn against Pacific FC for the preliminary round, where they drew 1-1 in normal time, with Pacific scoring a game-tying goal in the eighth minute of extra time, before being defeated 5-4 in penalty kicks.[22] In 2024, the Rovers won the League1 BC regular season title, which qualified them for the 2025 Canadian Championship.[23] On August 4, 2024, TSS Rovers defeated Altitude FC 3-2 in the League1 BC playoff championship, making them the first team in League1 history to complete the league double.

Club Culture

Supporters

The team is supported by The Swanguardians, a small group of supporters who stand at the south end of the pitch and support the team with banners, smoke displays, and original chants made primarily from Canadian songs.[24] [25] The group was formed in 2017 shortly after the founding of the team, and continues to support its former players in their college, professional, and national team careers on social media through their #AlwaysARover hashtag.

Rivalries

TSS Rovers participates in the Ironworkers Derby which is contested against Altitude FC.[26] The derby is so named due to the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge which connects the North Shore, where Altitude FC's home field is located, to the rest of Greater Vancouver. The two teams met in the 2024 League 1 Playoff Championship, where TSS Rovers came out on top and completed the double.

Current roster

Men

Women

Year-by-year

Men

YearLeagueRegular seasonPlayoffsJuan de Fuca PlateCanadian ChampionshipTop scorerRef
20174USL League Two3–3–86th, NorthwestDid not qualifyRunner-upNot eligibleDaniel Davidson (5)[27]
20185–2–74th, NorthwestDid not qualifyWinnerZach Verhoven (5)
20193–2–96th, NorthwestDid not qualifyWinnerMatteo Polisi (6)[28]
2020Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021Did not enter due to COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions
3League1 British Columbia6–4–22ndChampions2ndNot eligibleErik Edwardson (10)[29]
9–2–32ndSemi-finals2ndQuarter-finalsMassud Habibullah (8)
7–3–21stChampions2ndPreliminary roundMassud Habibullah (7)

Women

YearLeagueRegular seasonPlayoffsJuan de Fuca PlateInterprovincial ChampionshipTop scorerRef
2018Women's Premier Soccer League3–2–24th, NorthwestN/AJenna Baxter (5)[30]
20194–0–45th, Northwest
2020Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021Did not enter due to COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions
2022League 1 British Columbia6–3–34thDid not qualify2ndDid not qualifyClaire Ye (5)[31]
20236–3–54thSemi-finals2ndDid not qualifyDelana Friesen (7)
20245–2–54thSemi-finals2ndDid not qualifyJenna Baxter (5)

Notable former players

The following players have played at the professional or senior international level either before or after playing for the PDL/WPSL/L1BC team.

Men

Women

Honours

Men

Major

Champions (1): 2022, 2024

Champions (1): 2024Minor

Winners (2): 2018, 2019

Runners-up (1): 2017

Combined

Runners-up (1): 2022, 2023, 2024

Notes and References

  1. Web site: TSS Academy Roots . TSS Rovers.
  2. Web site: February 6, 2020 . Richmond-based TSS part of BC Premier League expansion . Richmond News.
  3. Web site: McColl . Michael . January 10, 2017 . Everything you need to know about TSS FC Rovers – BC's newest PDL team . Away from the Numbers.
  4. Web site: September 30, 2019 . Vancouver TSS Rovers . Protagonist Soccer.
  5. Web site: Wells . Nick . May 31, 2017 . How Two Friends Launched Their Own Football Club . In Bed with Maradona.
  6. Web site: Prest . Andy . June 4, 2019 . Vancouver TSS Rovers bring soccer passion to Canada . North Shore News.
  7. Web site: McColl . Michael . April 4, 2018 . Canadian National Team players Jordyn Huitema and Julia Grosso headline first TSS Rovers WPSL roster . Away from the Numbers.
  8. Web site: McColl . Michael . April 13, 2018 . TSS Rovers new addition Nick Soolsma looking to "help the team with my experience" . Away from the Numbers.
  9. Web site: McColl . Michael . May 27, 2018 . The 2018 Juan De Fuca Plate kicks off in Victoria with TSS Rovers out for revenge . Away from the Numbers.
  10. Web site: July 6, 2019 . Highlanders Come Up Short Against TSS FC Rovers . Victoria Highlanders.
  11. Web site: Jacques . John . February 14, 2021 . Elmes: There Will Be No Canadian Teams In USL This Year . Northern Tribune.
  12. Web site: November 1, 2021 . League1BC welcomes TSS Rovers as a founding License Holder . BC Soccer Association.
  13. Web site: McColl . Michael . January 17, 2022 . TSS Rovers looking to build "real partnership" with local community as share issue affords opportunity to own part of new League1 BC sides . Away from the Numbers.
  14. Web site: Adams . J.J. . January 14, 2022 . Dreamed of owning part of a pro soccer team? Vancouver’s TSS Rovers gives you the chance . The Province.
  15. Web site: You can own part of this Metro Vancouver soccer team for less than $300. January 19, 2022. Aaron. Vickers. Daily Hive.
  16. Web site: League1 BC season concludes with two dramatic finals. August 2, 2022. BC Soccer.
  17. Web site: League1 BC Announced As New Entrant In Canadian Championship. November 3, 2022. John. Jacques. Northern Tribune.
  18. Web site: THE MIRACLE OF BURNABY: TSS Rovers stun Valour FC in magical CanChamp night (RECAP + HL) . April 20, 2023. Armen. Bedakian . OneSoccer.
  19. Web site: "The party is still going": Inside TSS Rovers’ rise from youth academy to CanChamp quarter-finalists. May 8, 2023. Benedict. Rhodes. Canadian Premier League.
  20. Web site: Like Lightning In A Bottle: The Story of the Rovers. May 12, 2023. Felipe. Vallejo. Away from the Numbers.
  21. Web site: Update to Participation of League1 British Columbia in the 2024 TELUS Canadian Championship. April 19, 2024. Canadian Soccer Association.
  22. Web site: Pacific FC gets past TSS Rovers on penalties in dramatic cup win. May 1, 2024. Cleve. Dheensaw. Times Colonist.
  23. Web site: League1 Canada Men’s Review: Week 12. July 17, 2024. Northern Tribune. David. Parkes.
  24. Web site: Corrigan . Chris . May 31, 2018 . A Supporting Life: What it means to support TSS Rovers . Away from the Numbers.
  25. Web site: Adams . J.J. . June 9, 2019 . TSS Rovers supporters putting their dollars where their hearts are . The Province.
  26. Web site: Ironworkers Derby 2023 - Altitude FC vs TSS Rovers. June 17, 2023.
  27. Web site: TSS Rovers Stats . Canadian Soccer History Archives.
  28. Web site: Vancouver TSS Rovers Stats . Canadian Soccer History Archives.
  29. Web site: League1 British Columbia Standings. Canadian Soccer History Archive.
  30. Web site: WPSL Standings. Women's Premier Soccer League.
  31. Web site: League1 British Columbia Women Standings. Canadian Soccer History Archive.