The 2015 New York City FC season was the club's first season of existence, their first season in the top tier of American soccer, and their first season in Major League Soccer. New York City FC played their home games at Yankee Stadium in the New York City borough of The Bronx.
Background MLS commissioner Don Garber announced the league's intent to award a second team in the New York area in 2010, with the new team originally aimed to begin operations by 2013. Initially, the league held talks with New York Mets owner Fred Wilpon about a second NY club and with owners of the rebooted New York Cosmos. The Wilpons' interest in MLS reportedly faded following the family's losses in the Madoff investment scandal, while the Cosmos began playing in the second-tier North American Soccer League in 2013.
Garber had previously cultivated an interest in acquiring investment from a major European soccer team to be owners of a future franchise, and in December 2008, he announced a bid for a Miami expansion team led by FC Barcelona that was to begin play in 2010, though the bid eventually fell through (Garber also briefly discussed Barcelona investing in a New York franchise before moving the focus to Miami).
But when Ferran Soriano, Barcelona's vice president at the time of the Miami bid, was appointed Manchester City CEO in August 2012, Garber reached out to him about a New York City team. In December 2012, unnamed sources told the media that Manchester City were close to being announced as the new owners of the 20th team of MLS, and the brand name "New York City Football Club" was trademarked, although the club quickly denied the report. However, Garber announced in March 2013 that he was almost ready to unveil the new expansion team,
New York City Football Club, LLC was registered with the New York State Department on May 7, 2013, and on May 21 the team was officially announced as the 20th Major League Soccer franchise.
The team announced an English-language radio deal with WFAN on October 3, 2013.
Non-competitive
Pre-season
Manchester training camp
N.B. The friendly against St Mirren deemed the club's first ever match according to the club itself.
Carolina Challenge Cup
TeamHouston Dynamo32015236New York City FC31115324Charleston Battery311124-24Orlando City SC302125-22
Post-season
Puerto Rico tour
Competitions
Major League Soccer
League tables
Eastern Conference
Overall
Results summary
Results by matchday
Matches
U.S. Open Cup
New York City FC entered the 2015 U.S. Open Cup with all other Major League Soccer teams in the fourth round.
Squad information
Squad No. Name Nationality Position(s) Since Date of birth (age) Signed from Games played Goals scored Goalkeepers 12 Josh Saunders GK 2014 Real Salt Lake 33 0 18 Ryan Meara GK 2014 New York Red Bulls 1 0 25 Eirik Johansen GK 2015 Manchester City 1 0 Defenders 2 Jason Hernandez CB 2014 San Jose Earthquakes 27 0 3 Kwame Watson-Siriboe RB / CB 2014 Real Salt Lake 12 1 5 Jeb Brovsky RB 2014 Montreal Impact 16 0 17 Chris Wingert LB 2014 Real Salt Lake 28 0 24 Shay Facey CB / RB 2015 Manchester City 24 0 69 Angeliño LB 2015 Manchester City 14 0 51 Andoni Iraola RB 2015 Athletic Bilbao 9 0 27 R. J. Allen RB 2015 Skive 15 0 Midfielders 4 Andrew Jacobson AM 2014 Stabæk 34 1 8 Frank Lampard CM 2015 Manchester City 10 3 10 Mix Diskerud CM 2015 Rosenborg 28 3 11 Ned Grabavoy LM 2014 Real Salt Lake 27 2 21 Andrea Pirlo CM 2015 Juventus 13 0 15 Tommy McNamara AM 2014 Chivas USA 19 5 16 Connor Brandt CM 2015 Tucson 1 0 20 Mehdi Ballouchy LM 2014 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 20 3 26 Sebastián Velásquez AM 2014 Real Salt Lake 12 0 30 Javier Calle CM 2015 Independiente Medellín 12 1 88 Kwadwo Poku AM 2015 Atlanta Silverbacks 28 6 Strikers 7 David Villa (captain) CF 2014 Atlético Madrid 30 18 14 Patrick Mullins CF 2014 New England Revolution 25 6 19 Khiry Shelton CF 2015 Lane United 17 1 99 Tony Taylor CF 2014 Omonia 2 0
Statistics
Appearances and goals
Honors
Major League Soccer Player of the Week award WeekPlayer 2 David Villa 15 David Villa
Major League Soccer Team of the Week selection WeekPlayer 1 Mix Diskerud 2 David Villa 14 Tommy McNamara 15 Jason Hernandez David Villa 16 R. J. Allen David Villa 18 Josh Saunders David Villa 19 David Villa 21 Kwadwo Poku David Villa 24 Kwadwo Poku 29 Ned Grabavoy
Major League Soccer Goal of the Week award WeekPlayer 14 Tommy McNamara
Etihad Airways Player of the Month award Awarded to the player who receives the most votes in a poll conducted each month on the NYCFC website Month Player March Josh Saunders April Josh Saunders May Mehdi Ballouchy June Tommy McNamara July David Villa August Kwadwo Poku September Frank Lampard October Josh Saunders
Transfers
In
Out
Loan in
No.Pos.PlayerLoaned FromStartEndSource18GK New York Red BullsDecember 11, 2014December 2015NYCFC.com30MF Independiente MedellínFebruary 6, 2015December 2015NYCFC.com24DF Manchester CityMarch 6, 2015January 1, 2016NYCFC.com69DF Manchester CityJuly 8, 2015January 1, 2016MLSsoccer.com
Loan out
No.Pos.PlayerLoaned ToStartEndSource7FW Melbourne CityJune 3, 2014December 31, 2014BBC.co.uk5DF StrømsgodsetJune 13, 2014December 31, 201412GK San Antonio ScorpionsJuly 18, 2014December 31, 2014NYCFC.com 4MF Stabæk IFJuly 29, 2014December 31, 2014NYCFC.com 3DF Carolina RailHawksAugust 22, 2014December 31, 2014CarolinaRailhawks.com
Non-player transfers
AcquiredFromForSourceAdditional international roster slot – 2015 & 2016 D.C. UnitedAllocation moneyMLSsoccer.comDiscovery rights for Kwadwo Poku Seattle Sounders FCConditional 2017 MLS SuperDraft pickNYCFC.com
References