Colorado Foxes

Not to be confused with Real Colorado Foxes.

Colorado Foxes
Full name
  • Colorado Foxes (1990–1997)
  • San Diego Flash (1998–2000)
  • San Diego F.C. (2001)
Founded1990 (1990)
Dissolved2001 (2001)
League

The Colorado Foxes were a professional men's soccer club originally based in Commerce City, Colorado, that played in the American Professional Soccer League (APSL) and USL A-League. Founded in 1990, the club moved to San Diego, California in 1998 and became the San Diego Flash, and later San Diego F.C., before folding in 2001. The club won the 1992 Professional Cup, and back-to-back APSL titles in 1992 and 1993.

History

Commerce City (1990–1997)

The Foxes won two APSL titles, in 1992 and 1993. In 1992 they won the regular season as well as the Professional Cup, giving them a minor treble.[1][2] The Foxes defeated English Premier League side Norwich City F.C. 3–2 in a Four Nations Cup exhibition match on July 18, 1993, placing third in the tournament. They had previously lost to 1. FC Kaiserslautern of Germany.[3] The team also hosted a 1996 benefit match in Montoursville, Pennsylvania, for the victims of TWA Flight 800; the Foxes defeated the Atlanta Ruckus 3–0 at a local football stadium.[4]

When Major League Soccer started and the Colorado Rapids became the region's premier team, the Foxes tried unsuccessfully to compete in the same market for two years.[5] The club was acquired by Yan Skwara and Sam Kaloustian in December 1997 and immediately relocated to San Diego, California, becoming the San Diego Flash.[6]

San Diego (1998–2001)

The club averaged approximately 2,500 fans per game when playing its home games at Southwest College and San Diego Mesa College. The largest crowd for a Flash match was 6,500 at Mesa College for a US Open Cup match against Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy in 2000. In 2001, the La Jolla Nomads took over operation of the team and renamed it San Diego FC.[7] The Flash were fairly successful during their short stint in the league, winning the Pacific Division in 1998 and 1999, finishing second in 2000 and 2001, progressing to the quarter-finals of the A-League playoffs in 2001, and reaching the third round of the US Open Cup on two separate occasions. Its head coaches during this period included Ralf Wilhelms, Costa Skouras, Papo Santos, and Colin Clarke. After the 2001 season the team folded due to management and financial problems. A phoenix club, also by the name of the San Diego Flash, was founded in 2011 and began play in the National Premier Soccer League.

Notable players

Players that played for the Foxes and then went on to play in MLS include Marcelo Balboa, Robin Fraser, Brian Haynes, Chad Ashton, Tom Soehn, Ted Eck, Scott Benedetti, and Mark Dodd.

Seasons

Year Division League Reg. season Playoffs Open Cup Avg. attendance
1990 1 APSL 2nd, WSL North Semifinals Did not enter
1991 1 APSL 3rd, Western Did not qualify Did not enter
1992 1 APSL 1st Champion Did not enter
1993 1 APSL 2nd Champion Did not enter
1994 1 APSL 4th Final Did not enter 3,540
1995 1 A-League 5th Did not qualify Quarterfinals 5,896
1996 2 A-League 2nd Semifinals 2nd Round 4,200
1997 2 USISL A-League 4th, Pacific Division Semifinals Did not enter 983
1998 2 USISL A-League 1st, Pacific Conference Finals Did not qualify 3,083
1999 2 USL A-League 1st, Pacific Conference Finals 3rd round 2,463
2000 2 USL A-League 2nd, Pacific Conference Quarterfinals 3rd round 2,787
2001 2 USL A-League 2nd, Western Quarter-finals 2nd round 580

Stadiums

Honors

  • American Professional Soccer League
  • Professional Cup

References

  1. ^ Pearce, Alan (September 27, 1992). "Colorado blanks Rowdies for league championship". St. Petersburg Times. p. 3C. Archived from the original on August 5, 2016. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
  2. ^ "Colorado wins APSL championship". Palm Beach Post. September 28, 1992. p. 2C. Retrieved May 17, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Dater, Adrian (July 19, 1993). "Foxes topple Brits 3-2 for third place in Cup". The Denver Post. p. 9D.
  4. ^ Krepich, Chris (September 12, 1996). "If only briefly, game eases town's pain". Press Enterprise. Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. p. 11. Retrieved September 29, 2025 – via Newsppaers.com.
  5. ^ a b c Adams, Sam (September 20, 1997). "Rapids running Foxes to new soccer territory". Rocky Mountain News. p. 2C.
  6. ^ a b Lockwood, Wayne (December 19, 1997). "Soccer returns to San Diego in a Flash". San Diego Union-Tribune. p. D3.
  7. ^ Makeshift F.C. opens with rousing victory San Diego Union-Tribune, The (CA) – Friday, April 20, 2001
  8. ^ a b "Foxes find new sites for practice and for games". The Denver Post. January 13, 1992. p. 2D.
  9. ^ Pearce, Alan (May 6, 1995). "Foxes hope to pull in crowds in bid to pull off title in '95". Rocky Mountain News. p. 20B.
  10. ^ Pearce, Alan (September 29, 1994). "Foxes at 'home' for playoffs". Rocky Mountain News. p. 13B.
  11. ^ Patty, Mike (May 9, 1996). "Colorado Foxes to kick around in Commerce City". Rocky Mountain News. p. 32A.
  12. ^ Zeigler, Mark (April 9, 1999). "In only second season, Flash has title visions". San Diego Union-Tribune. p. D5.
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