Port Ruppert Skyliners

Football Club of Port Ruppert, commonly known as Port Ruppert Skyliners, or simply Skyliners, is a Kingstonaise sports club based in Port Ruppert. It was founded on May 21, 1968. The Club has been part of the Kingston Soccer League since 1978 and has won the championship twice and reached the finals on three other occasions.

Since 2004, the Skyliners play their home games in 56,400-seating CARTERdome in downtown Port Ruppert. It is the sixth largest club in Kingston and Boyce by membership count, and the eight largest by financial possibilities.

History


The team was founded in 1968 by a group of Students form the University who refused to pay the fees to join the University's Soccer team. The Club quickly became very popular in Port Ruppert and soon transformed into a professional club, however still without any membership fees. Up until today, the club has not introduced those fees and is the only professional soccer club in North America to not charge its members. The money needed to finance the players and staff is mainly taken from sponsorship deals and prize money.

By 1970, the Skyliners were a part of the 2nd National Division and remained in that division until their promotion in 1978. Although battling to remain in the league, the club gained more and more popularity and attracted fans and supporters even from Lower Columbia and Escambia. Friendly links with the Lower Columbian League team Vancouver Whitecaps and Escambian League team Glauchau United were initiated.

In 1992, the Skyliners qualified for the first time for the playoffs, seeding second at the end of the season. In a heart wrenching final against the Kingston Sharks, Port Ruppert won due to a sudden-death overtime goal by striker Louis Gale, which proved to be first championship-clinching overtime goal in Kingston and Boyce. Up until 2006, the team reached the final three more times, (1997, 2001 and 2004), but lost on all three occasions. Most memorable was the 1997 final against city rivals Port Ruppert Flames, losing on penalties.

In the 2013 season, the team lost to eventual champions Portland FC in the first round, by an aggregate score of 5-1.

Stadium
The Skyliners have found their home in the CARTERdome in Downtown Port Ruppert in 2004. Prior to that, the team used the Hedfeld University's stadium.



Roster
Players in Bold are currently part of their respective national team.

Coaching Staff
US- native mark Richards is head coach of the team since 2011, when he took over from Daniel Svensen.