The 2019–20 Chattanooga FC season was the club's first season playing in the National Independent Soccer Association, a newly established third division soccer league in the United States, and first professional season since being established in 2009.
Overview Chattanooga FC was admitted into the National Independent Soccer Association on August 15, 2019, and latter fully accepted by the U.S. Soccer Federation on December 11, 2019, and will start competing in the 2020 Spring season. The team had spent its entire eleven-year history in the National Premier Soccer League, a semi-pro league generally considered the fourth tier of U.S. Soccer, and reached its National Final on four separate occasions (2010, 2012, 2014, & 2015) which is a shared record for the most finals appearance with Sonoma County Sol.
Prior to joining NISA, Chattanooga hosted two international friendlies. On May 25, the team hosted La Liga side Real Betis in the latter's first game ever in the United States. The home side scored twice in the final ten minutes in the 4–3 loss in front of 6,115 fans at Finley Stadium. The next month, the team took part in 30-time Guatemalan league champion C.S.D. Municipal during its pre-season tour of the U.S., drawing 1–1 at Ridgeland High School in Rossville, Georgia.
On April 27, 2020, following a stoppage of play and subsequent extension due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NISA announced the cancellation of the 2020 Spring season.
Players and staff
Roster
No.PositionNationPlayer
Technical staff
Technical staff
Transfers In #Pos.PlayerSigned fromDetailsDateSource5 Chattanooga Red Wolves SCFree transfer1 Chattanooga FC (NPSL)Free transfer22 Chattanooga FC (NPSL)Free transfer10 Chattanooga FC (NPSL)Free transfer8 Chattanooga FC (NPSL)Free transfer21 Chattanooga FC (NPSL)Free transfer28 St. Louis Community CollegeFree transfer17 Chattanooga FC (NPSL)Free transfer18 University of West FloridaFree transfer14 Forward Madison FCFree transfer20 Oglethorpe UniversityFree transfer4 Chattanooga FC (NPSL)Free transfer11 South Georgia Tormenta FCFree transfer24 Chattanooga FC (NPSL)Free transfer7 Austin Bold FCFree transfer9 Fort Hays State UniversityFree transfer23 OKC Energy FCFree transfer3 South Georgia TormentaFree transfer2 Hartford AthleticFree transfer15 Saint Louis FCFree transfer12 Lansing Ignite FCFree transfer Mobile RamsFree transfer19 Oglethorpe Stormy PetrelsFree transfer6 East Tennessee State BuccaneersFree transfer64 Southern United FCFree transfer
Friendlies
Competitions
NISA Fall season
Chattanooga did not take part in the 2019 NISA Fall season in an official capacity. On August 15, the NISA Board of Governors announced the team, along with Detroit City FC and Oakland Roots SC, had been accepted into the league but would not begin full league play until Spring 2020. During the fall, Chattanooga did play a friendly home-and-away series against NISA side Stumptown Athletic with both games ending in a draw.
NISA Spring season
Details for the 2020 NISA Spring season were announced January 27, 2020.
Standings
Results summary
Matches
U.S. Open Cup
For the first time in its history, Chattanooga will automatically qualify for the U.S. Open Cup tournament. The team will enter the 2020 tournament with the rest of the National Independent Soccer Association teams in the Second Round. It was announced on January 29 that their first opponent would be USL Championship side Memphis 901 FC.
Squad statistics
Appearances and goals
! colspan="16" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center"| Goalkeepers
! colspan="16" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center"| Defenders
! colspan="16" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center"| Midfielders
! colspan="16" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center"| Forwards
Goal scorers PlacePositionNationNumberNameSpring SeasonU.S. Open CupTotal1 FW23Ian McGrath1-1
Disciplinary record NumberNationPositionNameSpring SeasonU.S. Open CupTotal2 DFRaymond Lee10--1023 MFIan McGrath10--10
See also 2019–20 NISA season
References