The 2013 season was the current Tampa Bay Rowdies fourth season of existence, and third playing in the North American Soccer League, the second tier of American soccer pyramid. Including the original Rowdies franchise and the Tampa Bay Mutiny, this was the 26th season of a professional soccer team fielded in the Tampa Bay region.
The Rowdies entered the 2013 season as the defending NASL Champions.
Background
The 2012 season marked one of the most successful seasons in modern Rowdies history, as the club finished second in the league table during the regular season. During the regular season, Tampa Bay amassed 45 points in 28 matches, and tallied for 12 wins, nine draws and seven losses. By finishing in the upper two spots of the league table, Tampa Bay earned a bye to the semifinals of the 2012 NASL Playoffs, where they took on Carolina RailHawks in the two-leg semifinal series. Ultimately, the Rowdies defeated the RailHawks 5–4 on aggregate, earning themselves a berth into the Championship round. There, Tampa Bay took on the Minnesota Stars FC, and had the luxury of hosting the second leg, due to the better season record. Tampa Bay fell 2–0 in the first leg of the series, but were able to recover in the second leg of the series, winning the match 3–1 and tying the match on aggregate. The aggregate tie allowed the match to enter a penalty shoot-out, in which Tampa Bay emerged victorious, 3–2, over Minnesota.
Club
Roster
No.PositionNationPlayer
Team management
Perry Van der Beck – Executive Vice President, Technical Director, and Director of Player Development Lee Cohen – Director of Operations Ricky Hill – Head Coach Slobodan Janjuš – Goalkeeper Coach James Faylo – Head Athletic Trainer Patrick Horan – Team Physician
Competitions
Preseason
Friendlies
I-4 Derby
Orlando City won 6–4 on aggregate and won the I-4 Derby.
Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic
Group stage
NASL Spring season
Standings
Results summary
Results by round
Match reports
NASL Fall season
Standings
Results summary
Results by round
Match reports
U.S. Open Cup
Honors
Individual honors NASL Golden Ball Award (MVP) Georgi Hristov
NASL Best XI Luke Mulholland, Georgi Hristov
Transfers
In No.Pos.PlayerTransferred fromFee/notesDateSource20 FW Evans Frimpong Tampa Bay Rowdies Re-signed to a 2-year deal with the club November 28, 2012 22 MF Keith Savage Tampa Bay Rowdies Re-signed to a 3-year deal with the club through the 2015 season November 28, 2012 14 DF Draymond Washington Tampa Bay Rowdies Re-signed to a 2-year deal with the club November 28, 2012 33DF Jay Needham Puerto Rico Islanders Signed to a 3-year deal with the club through the 2015 season January 7, 2013 3 DF Andres Arango Tampa Bay Rowdies Re-signed to a 1-year deal with the club, with an option for the 2014 season January 14, 2013 32DF Takuya Yamada Tampa Bay Rowdies Re-signed to a 1-year deal January 18, 2013 16 FW Amani Walker Minnesota United FC Signed to a 2-year deal with the club through the 2014 season February 20, 2013 10 FW Georgi Hristov PFC Lokomotiv Sofia Signed to a 2-year deal with the club, with an option for the 2014 season March 8, 2013 21 FW Devin Del Do Minnesota United FC Signed to a 2-year deal with the club, with an option for the 2014 season March 13, 2013 24 GK Diego Restrepo Deportivo Táchira Signed to a 2-year deal with the club, with an option for the 2014 season March 20, 2013 5 MF Kyle Clinton GPS Portland Phoenix Signed to a 2-year deal with the club, with an option for the 2014 season March 27, 2013 17 DF Jordan Gafa North Carolina Tar Heels Signed to a 2-year deal with the club, with an option for the 2014 season March 27, 2013 13 DF Thurston Johnson Tampa Bay Rowdies Signed to a 2-year deal with the club, with an option for the 2014 season April 10, 2013 27 MF Jamael Cox Seattle Sounders U-23 Signed to a 2-year deal with the club, with an option for the 2014 season June 4, 2013 99 FW Etienne Barbara Minnesota United FC Trade for Mike Ambersley August 1, 2013
Out
No.Pos.PlayerTransferred toFee/notesDateSource DF Eddie Ababio None Club declined contract option November 20, 2012 FW Dan Antoniuk None Free Agent November 20, 2012 GK Jeff Attinella Real Salt Lake Club declined contract option; signed with Real Salt Lake November 20, 2012 FW Matt Clare None Club declined contract option November 20, 2012 DF Thurstan Johnson None Free Agent November 20, 2012 MF Dan O'Brien None Club declined contract option November 20, 2012 DF J. P. Rodrigues None Club declined contract option November 20, 2012 FW Fafa Picault None Club declined contract option November 28, 2012 FW Mike Ambersley Minnesota United FC Trade for Etienne Barbara August 1, 2013
Loan in
No.Pos.PlayerLoaned fromStartEndSource23 MF Alex Dixon Houston Dynamo April 5, 2013 30 day loan with the option for an extension
Loan out
No.Pos.PlayerLoaned toStartEndSource
References