View source for Unity FC (Canada)

{{short description|Semi-professional soccer club}}
{{About|the [[League1 BC]] team|the Ghanian team of the same name|Unity FC (Ghana)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox football club
| clubname    = Unity FC
| image       = File:Unity_FC_Canada.png
| upright     = 0.8
| fullname    = Unity Football Club
| nickname    = 
| founded     = 2021
| stadium     = Cloverdale Athletic Park
| capacity    = 
| chrtitle    = 
| chairman    = 
| mgrtitle    = Head Coach
| manager     = Mike Shearon (men)<br>Graham Roxburgh (women)
| league      = [[League1 British Columbia]]
| season      = [[2024 League1 British Columbia season|2024]]
| position    = L1BC, 5th; Playoffs, DNQ(men)<br>L1BC, 2nd; Playoffs, SF (women)
| current     = 2024 League1 British Columbia season
| website     = https://unityfc.ca/
}}

'''Unity Football Club''' is a Canadian semi-professional [[association football|soccer]] club based in [[Surrey, British Columbia]] that plays in [[League1 British Columbia]].

==History==
The club was officially unveiled on November 22, 2021, as an inaugural license holder for the first season of the new semi-professional [[League1 British Columbia]] in 2022, operating in [[Langley, British Columbia (district municipality)|Langley, British Columbia]].<ref name=newteam>{{cite web|url=https://bcsoccer.net/news/post/league1bc-welcomes-unity-fc-as-founding-license-holder|title=League1BC welcomes Unity FC as founding License Holder|work=[[BC Soccer Association]]|date=November 22, 2021}}</ref> The team was formed in partnership with [[Trinity Western University]] and their [[Trinity Western Spartans|Spartans]] sports teams with the head coaches of both the TWU men's and women's soccer teams being involved with the club.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/league1-bc-unity-fc/|title=League1 BC Comes To Langley With Unity FC|first=John|last=Jacques|date=November 22, 2021|work=Northern Tribune}}</ref> 

Their inaugural matches occurred on May 22 on the road against [[TSS FC Rovers]] for both the male and female teams.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/league1-bc-2022-schedule/|title=League1 BC Reveals Inaugural Season Schedule|date=February 18, 2022|first=John|last=Jacques|work=Northern Tribune}}</ref> The women's team recorded the club's first ever victory, defeating the Rovers 2-1.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://aftn.ca/whitecaps-unity-and-rivers-lead-the-way-in-womens-division-after-historic-league1-bc-opening-weekend/|title=Whitecaps, Unity, and Rivers lead the way in women's division after historic League1 BC opening weekend|date=May 24, 2022|first=Michael|last=McColl|work=Away from the Numbers}}</ref>

In 2023, they formed an affiliation with [[Canadian Premier League]] club [[Vancouver FC]], which enables Vancouver to send players to Unity on short-term loans throughout the season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://canpl.ca/article/canadian-premier-league-announces-downward-player-movement-pilot-project|title=Canadian Premier League announces downward player movement pilot project|date=April 21, 2023|work=[[Canadian Premier League]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/canadian-premier-league-downward-player-movement-project/|title=CPL Introduces Affiliation Pilot Project With Lower Divisions|date=April 21, 2023|work=Northern Tribune|first=Nelson|last=Mahmoudi}}</ref> In 2023, the club hosted their home season opening male and female match in nearby [[Chilliwack, British Columbia]], before playing the remainder of the season at their home in Langley.<ref>{{cite web|title=Chilliwack hosting B.C. League 1 soccer match between Unity FC and Rivers FC|url=https://www.theprogress.com/sports/chilliwack-hosting-b-c-league-1-soccer-match-between-unity-fc-and-rivers-fc/|date=May 26, 2023|first=Eric|last=Welsh|work=[[Chilliwack Progress]]}}</ref><ref name=brade>{{cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/league1-bc-united-fc-kelcey-brade-ownership/|title=A Conversation With New Unity FC Owner Kelcey Brade|date=August 11, 2023|work=Northern Tribune|first=John|last=Jacques}}</ref> That season, the women advanced to the women's championship final, where they were defeated by [[Whitecaps FC Girls Elite]], and also qualified for the [[League1 Canada]] Inter-Provincial Championship.<ref name=brade/> In 2023, they announced an ownership change, with an investor group led by [[The Sports Network|TSN]] sportscaster Kelcey Brade taking over a majority share of the club.<ref>{{cite web|title=L1BC's Unity FC Announces Ownership Changes|url=https://northerntribune.ca/unity-fc-announces-ownership-changes/|date=August 10, 2023|first=Nelson|last=Mahmoudi|work=Northern Tribune}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://unityfc.team/news/canadian-tv-sports-host-kelcey-brade-headlines-investor-group-joining-unity-fc|title=Canadian TV sports host Kelcey Brade headlines investor group joining Unity FC|work=Unity FC|date=August 10, 2023}}</ref>

In February 2024, it was announced that the club would move to [[Surrey, British Columbia]] and formed a partnership with youth club [[Surrey United SC]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.unityfc.ca/blog/news-2/unity-fc-and-surrey-united-sc-announce-groundbreaking-multi-year-agreement-bringing-pro-am-soccer-to-cloverdale-athletic-park-1|title=Unity FC and Surrey United SC Announce Groundbreaking Multi-Year Agreement, Bringing Pro-Am Soccer to Cloverdale Athletic Park|date=February 6, 2024|work=Unity FC}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/league1-bc-unity-fc-surrey-united-partnership/|title=Unity FC Joins Forces With Surrey United|date=February 7, 2024|work=Northern Tribune|first=John|last=Jacques}}</ref>

== Seasons ==
===Men===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
!Season
!League
!Teams
!{{tooltip|Record|Wins, draws, losses}}
!Rank
!Playoffs
![[Juan de Fuca Plate (soccer)|Juan de Fuca Plate]]
!Ref
|-
|[[2022 League1 British Columbia season|2022]]
|rowspan="3"|[[League1 British Columbia]]
|7
|3–3–6
|6th
|did not qualify
|4th{{efn|name=juan|The Juan de Fuca Plate is a combined men's and women's competition that combines both squads results}}
|
|-
|[[2023 League1 British Columbia season|2023]]
|8
|5–5–4
|4th
|Semi-finals
|5th{{efn|name=juan}}
|
|-
|[[2024 League1 British Columbia season|2024]]
|7
|4–4–4
|5th
|did not qualify
|3rd{{efn|name=juan}}
|-
|}
{{notelist}}

===Women===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
!Season
!League
!Teams
!{{tooltip|Record|Wins, draws, losses}}
!Rank
!Playoffs
!Inter-provincial Championship
![[Juan de Fuca Plate (soccer)|Juan de Fuca Plate]]
!Ref
|-
|[[2022 League1 British Columbia season|2022]]
|rowspan="3"|[[League1 British Columbia]]
|7
|8–0–4
|3rd
|did not qualify
|did not qualify
|4th{{efn|name=juan|The Juan de Fuca Plate is a combined men's and women's competition that combines both squads results}}
|
|-
|[[2023 League1 British Columbia season|2023]]
|8
|7–3–4
|3rd
|Finalists
|3rd
|5th{{efn|name=juan}}
|
|-
|[[2024 League1 British Columbia season|2024]]
|7
|7–2–3
|2nd
|Semi-finals
|did not qualify
|3rd{{efn|name=juan}}
|
|-
|}
{{notelist}}

==Players==
{{updated|5 May 2023}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Unity FC|url=https://www.league1bc.ca/roster/show/7957177?subseason=886866|publisher=League 1 BC}}</ref>
{{Fs start}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=CAN|name=Sebastian Colyn|pos=GK}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=CAN|name=David Hicks|pos=GK}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=CAN|name=Mario Banovic|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=CAN|name=[[James Cameron (soccer)|James Cameron]]|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=CAN|name=Devon Chescoe|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=CAN|name=Adam Hajdecki|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=CAN|name=Joey Seo|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=CAN|name=Brandon Torresan|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=CAN|name=Jace Wiebe|pos=DF}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=CAN|name=Marcel Bona|pos=MF}}
{{Fs mid}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=CAN|name=Kieran Eve|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=CAN|name=Nick Fussell|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=CAN|name=Jordan Low|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=CAN|name=Francis Powell|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=CAN|name=Thomas Powell|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=CAN|name=Rahid Raheim|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=CAN|name=Xander Roxburgh|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=CAN|name=[[Lennon Thompson]]|pos=MF}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=CAN|name=Keishean Francois|pos=FW}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=CAN|name=Christian Rossi|pos=FW}}
{{Fs player|no=|nat=DRC|name=Victory Shumbusho|pos=FW}}
{{Fs end}}

==Notable former players==
The following players have either played at the professional or international level, either before or after playing for the League1 British Columbia team:
{{cmn|colwidth=18em|
*{{flagicon|CAN}} [[James Cameron (soccer)|James Cameron]]
*{{flagicon|CAN}} [[Lennon Thompson]]
}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{League1 British Columbia}}
{{British Columbia Sports}}

[[Category:Soccer clubs in British Columbia]]
[[Category:League1 British Columbia clubs|Unity]]
[[Category:Association football clubs established in 2021]]
[[Category:2021 establishments in British Columbia]]
[[Category:Sport in Surrey, British Columbia]]