The 2015 Chicago Fire season was the club's 17th year of existence, as well as their 18th season in Major League Soccer and their 18th consecutive year in the top-flight of American soccer.
Chicago Fire began the regular season on March 6, 2015 with an away match against the defending champions LA Galaxy. They finished the regular season on October 25, 2015, with a home match against the New York Red Bulls. The club has missed the playoffs for the fifth time in the past six years.
For the first time in the franchise history Chicago Fire opened the season with three consecutive losses.
On September 20, 2015, entrenched in last place both in the conference and overall, with the playoff hopes out of sight, the club parted ways with head coach and director of soccer Frank Yallop and assistant coaches Marc Bircham and Clint Mathis. In two seasons with the Fire Yallop posted a 13-26-24 record. Fire named the technical director Brian Bliss as interim coach, while the vice president and former player Logan Pause took over as interim assistant coach. The club also hired Nelson Rodriguez, a former MLS executive, as new general manager.
On October 3, 2015, Ante Razov, the club's all-time leading scorer, became the eighth individual to be inducted into the club's Ring of Fire Hall of Fame. The ceremony took place during the halftime of the regular season home match against New England Revolution.
On October 14, 2015 Chicago Fire announced the end of a four-year run with the title sponsor Quaker and introduced Valspar as the sponsor starting with 2016 season. The three-year deal is worth between $2.5 million and $3 million per year.
For the first time in the club's history Fire finished the season with zero road wins (0-12-5). The club has finished the season with an overall record of 8 wins, 20 losses and 6 ties. Twenty losses in a season became the highest in the club's history. The club has finished the season in last place in the league overall, also another first in the club's history.
Squad at the end of the season As of October 25, 2015. Source: Chicago Fire official roster
No. Name Nationality Position Date of birth (aged) Previous club Goalkeepers 1 Alec Kann GK Charleston Battery 18 Jon Busch GK San Jose Earthquakes 25 Sean Johnson GK Atlanta Blackhawks Defenders 2 Matt Polster D SIU Edwardsville Cougars 3 Joevin Jones D HJK Helsinki 4 Adaílton CB Esporte Clube Bahia 5 Lovel Palmer RB Real Salt Lake 6 Eric Gehrig D Columbus Crew SC 16 Greg Cochrane D Los Angeles Galaxy 20 Jeff Larentowicz D Colorado Rapids 22 Patrick Doody D Indiana University Hoosiers 24 Ty Harden D San Jose Earthquakes 55 Daneil Cyrus D W Connection F.C. Midfielders 8 Matt Watson M Vancouver Whitecaps FC 17 Collin Fernandez M Chicago Fire Juniors 19 Harry Shipp M University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish 21 Chris Ritter M Northwestern University Wildcats 26 Michael Stephens M Stabæk 27 Kingsley Bryce M Saint Louis University 30 Răzvan Cociș M FC Hoverla Uzhhorod Forwards 7 Jason Johnson F Houston Dynamo 9 Mike Magee F Los Angeles Galaxy 11 David Accam F Helsingborgs IF 14 Patrick Nyarko F Virginia Tech Hokies 29 Gilberto F Toronto FC 77 Kennedy Igboananike F AIK
Player movement
In
Per Major League Soccer and club policies terms of the deals do not get disclosed. DatePlayerPositionPrevious clubNotesRef October 29, 2014 Lovel Palmer D Chicago Fire Re-signed with the club November 18, 2014 Patrick Nyarko F Chicago Fire Re-signed with the club December 2, 2014 Kennedy Igboananike F AIK Signed as a Designated Player December 3, 2014 Joevin Jones D HJK Helsinki Signed with the club December 9, 2014 Michael Stephens M Stabæk Signed with the club December 10, 2014 Eric Gehrig D Columbus Crew SC Orlando City SC After being selected by Orlando City SC from Columbus Crew SC as the tenth pick in the 2014 MLS Expansion Draft, Chicago Fire acquired his Right of First Refusal in exchange for the natural selection in the second round of the 2016 MLS SuperDraft; he was signed on December 16 December 19, 2014 David Accam F Helsingborgs IF Signed as a Designated Player December 22, 2014 Patrick Doody D Indiana University Hoosiers Signed as a Homegrown Player December 30, 2014 Adaílton D Esporte Clube Bahia Signed with the club January 6, 2015 Guly do Prado F Southampton F.C. Signed with the club January 25, 2015 Shaun Maloney M Wigan Athletic Signed as a Designated Player January 25, 2015 Alex M Chicago Fire Re-signed with the club, after initially having his contract option declined January 27, 2015 Jon Busch GK San Jose Earthquakes Signed with the club February 4, 2015 Matt Polster D SIU Edwardsville Cougars Signed with the club after being selected 7th overall (first round) in 2015 MLS SuperDraft March 24, 2015 Kingsley Bryce M Saint Louis University Signed with the club after being selected 28th overall (second round) in 2015 MLS SuperDraft April 13, 2015 Jason Johnson F Houston Dynamo Acquired in exchange for Alex June 26, 2015 Ty Harden D San Jose Earthquakes Acquired in exchange for Quincy Amarikwa July 27, 2015 Gilberto F Toronto FC Acquired as a Designated Player after claiming him on waivers
Out DatePlayerPositionDestination clubNotesRef October 25, 2014 Logan Pause M None Retired November 18, 2014 Marco Franco D Indy Eleven 2015 contract option was declined November 18, 2014 Patrick Ianni D None 2015 contract option was declined, subsequently retired on January 12, 2015 November 18, 2014 Hunter Jumper D None 2015 contract option was declined November 18, 2014 Steven Kinney D None 2015 contract option was declined November 18, 2014 Gonzalo Segares D None 2015 contract option was declined, subsequently retired on February 4, 2015 November 18, 2014 Bakary Soumaré D Montreal Impact 2015 contract option was declined; selected by Montreal Impact in the Re-Entry Draft November 18, 2014 Sanna Nyassi M San Jose Earthquakes 2015 contract option was declined; selected by San Jose Earthquakes in the Re-Entry Draft November 18, 2014 Robert Earnshaw F Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2015 contract option was declined November 18, 2014 Matthew Fondy F Louisville City FC 2015 contract option was declined November 18, 2014 Florent Sinama Pongolle F Lausanne-Sport 2015 contract option was declined November 18, 2014 Victor Pineda M Indy Eleven Out of contract November 18, 2014 Benji Joya M Santos Laguna Loan deal has expired November 18, 2014 Grant Ward M Tottenham Hotspur Loan deal has expired December 18, 2014 Juan Luis Anangonó F Universidad de Guadalajara Transferred after six-month loan with LDU Quito January 20, 2015 Kyle Reynish GK New York Red Bulls Traded in exchange for 2016 MLS SuperDraft third round pick April 13, 2015 Alex M Houston Dynamo Traded in exchange for Jason Johnson June 9, 2015 Víctor Pérez M Real Valladolid Loan deal not extended June 26, 2015 Quincy Amarikwa F San Jose Earthquakes Traded in exchange for Ty Harden August 4, 2015 Guly do Prado F None The club and the player have mutually agreed to part ways August 27, 2015 Shaun Maloney M Hull City Transferred Players selected in 2015 MLS SuperDraft, but ultimately not signed: midfielder Alex Shinsky (68th overall, fourth round, from University of Maryland) Trialists released in the preseason: goalkeeper Mark Pais, "...while trialists Mark Pais (goalkeeper), Belgian defender Joachim de Wilde and former LA Galaxy defender Bryan Gaul began their quest for a permanent role with the club." defender Joachim de Wilde, defender Bryan Gaul (Open Tryout winner), defender Nick Miele, defender Albert Edward, midfielder Franck Songo'o, midfielder Alou Diarra, defender Danny Gabbidon and forward Shahdon Winchester. Trialist Shahdon Winchester provides 90th-minute equalizer
Loans Per Major League Soccer and club policies terms of the deals do not get disclosed.
In DatePlayerPositionLoaned fromNotesRef August 6, 2015 Daneil Cyrus D W Connection F.C. Acquired on loan
Out DatePlayerPositionLoaned toNotesRef July 9, 2013 Álvaro Fernández M Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata Out on loan March 20, 2015 Patrick Doody D Saint Louis FC Out on loan with option to recall March 30, 2015 Alec Kann GK Saint Louis FC Out on loan with option to recall April 9, 2015 Greg Cochrane D Saint Louis FC Out on loan with option to recall "...After training, Yallop informed media that defender Greg Cochrane had joined up with USL affiliate Saint Louis FC..." June 9, 2015 Collin Fernandez M Louisville City FC Out on loan with option to recall
Technical staff at the end of the season
Standings
Eastern Conference table
Overall table
Results summary
Results
Match results
Preseason Kickoff times are in CST (UTC-06)
Simple Invitational
Major League Soccer
Kickoff times are in CDT (UTC-05), unless posted otherwise
U.S. Open Cup
Kickoff times are in CDT (UTC-05)
Friendlies Kickoff times are in CDT (UTC-05)
Leading scorers
+MLS Regular SeasonRankScorerGoalsAssists1 David Accam1022 Kennedy Igboananike733 Jeff Larentowicz604 Gilberto525 Harry Shipp386 Patrick Nyarko347 Shaun Maloney328 Răzvan Cociș239 Jason Johnson2210 Joevin Jones1111 Adaílton1012 Michael Stephens0413 Mike Magee0214 Quincy Amarikwa01 Patrick Doody01 Eric Gehrig01 Lovel Palmer01 Matt Watson01
+U.S. Open CupRankScorerGoalsAssists1 Kennedy Igboananike212 Mike Magee203 Lovel Palmer11 Patrick Nyarko115 Quincy Amarikwa106 Guly do Prado01 Jon Busch01 Joevin Jones01
+All Competitions RankScorerGoalsAssists1 David Accam1022 Kennedy Igboananike943 Jeff Larentowicz604 Gilberto525 Patrick Nyarko456 Harry Shipp387 Shaun Maloney328 Răzvan Cociș239 Mike Magee22 Jason Johnson2211 Joevin Jones12 Lovel Palmer1213 Quincy Amarikwa1114 Adaílton1015 Michael Stephens0416 Guly do Prado01 Jon Busch01 Eric Gehrig01 Patrick Doody01 Matt Watson01
Italics indicate player who departed the club during the season. Updated to match played on October 25, 2015.Source: MLSsoccer.com statistics - 2015 Chicago Fire
Appearances and goals
|colspan="14"|Players who left the club during the season: (Statistics shown are the appearances made and goals scored while at Chicago Fire)
Recognition
MLS Player of the Week Week Player Report5 Shaun MaloneyPOTW
MLS Team of the Week WeekPlayerPositionReport4 Harry ShippMReport 5 Joevin JonesDReport 8 David AccamFReport 13 Kennedy IgboananikeFReport 22 Eric GehrigDReport Matt PolsterM24 Sean JohnsonGKReport 26 Michael StephensMReport David AccamF31 Harry ShippMReport GilbertoF
Team annual awards Midfielder David Accam was named the Most Valuable Player, as well as was awarded the Golden Boot. In 23 matches this season Accam scored team-leading ten goals and added two assists.
First-year defender Eric Gehrig was named the Defensive Player of the Year.
David Accam was chosen Section 8 Chicago Supporters' Player of the Year.
Lovel Palmer's left-footed strike from over 30 yards in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 win over the Charlotte Independence was named the club's Goal of the Year.
Kits
TypeShirtShortsSocksFirst appearance / Info Home Red / Navy Red Red Away White White White
Primary kit
According to the league's bi-annual rotation of kits the primary kit carried over from the previous season. It was originally unveiled on March 4, 2014. The jersey design was inspired by the City of Chicago fire trucks which feature a dark top, a band and red throughout the bottom half. The light blue represents the primary color of the Chicago flag.
Secondary kit On March 2, 2015 Chicago Fire unveiled the club's new secondary kit. The design and details were inspired by the City of Chicago flag.
Draft pick trades Picks acquired: 2016 MLS SuperDraft third round pick in exchange for goalkeeper Kyle Reynish
Picks traded: 2015 MLS SuperDraft conditional third round pick, 2014 MLS SuperDraft 8th overall pick and Jalil Anibaba to Seattle Sounders FC in exchange for Jhon Kennedy Hurtado and Patrick Ianni