HFX Wanderers FC

HFX Wanderers Football Club, commonly known as HFX Wanderers, and spoken as Halifax Wanderers,[2] is a Canadian professional soccer club in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The club competes in the Canadian Premier League at the top of the Canadian soccer league system, and play their home matches at Wanderers Grounds.

"Halifax Wanderers" redirects here. For the defunct sports club, see Wanderers Amateur Athletic Club.
HFX Wanderers
Full nameHFX Wanderers Football Club[1]
FoundedMay 5, 2018 (2018-05-05)
StadiumWanderers Grounds
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Capacity6,500
OwnerSports & Entertainment Atlantic
PresidentDerek Martin
CoachPatrice Gheisar
LeagueCanadian Premier League
2022Canadian Premier League, 7th
WebsiteClub website

History

In December 2016, Sports & Entertainment Atlantic owner Derek Martin met with Canadian Premier League officials to discuss launching a franchise in Halifax.[3] Martin pitched the idea of a pop-up stadium to Halifax City Councillors in March 2017, and approval was given three months later.[4][5] On May 5, 2018, Halifax was one of four groups accepted by the Canadian Soccer Association for professional club membership.[6]

HFX Wanderers FC was officially unveiled on May 25, 2018, as the third team to join the Canadian Premier League.[7] As well as confirming their place in the league for the 2019 launch season, the club also revealed their crest, colours and branding.[8]

On July 28, 2018, HFX Wanderers FC fielded an Atlantic Selects team to play a friendly against Fortuna Düsseldorf's under-21 squad at Wanderers Grounds. The Atlantic Selects won on penalties after a 2–2 score in regulation time. The official attendance was 4,809.[9]

They played their first league game on April 28, 2019, in 1–0 away loss to Pacific FC.[10]

Stadium
Wanderers Grounds is a stadium located in South End, Halifax

The club plays their home games at Wanderers Grounds.[11] The modular stadium opened with a capacity of 6,500 spectators.[12] The stadium's design allows for it to be expanded as required for future growth.[13]

Crest and colours

The shape of the crest takes inspiration from the Halifax Citadel, located near the club's stadium.[7] The crest includes the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge, which connects the Halifax Peninsula with Dartmouth, and an anchor to represent the Atlantic Ocean and Halifax Harbour.[14]

Underneath the club's name reads the Scottish Gaelic motto, Ar Cala, Ar Dachaigh, Ar n-Anam, which translates to Our Harbour, Our Home, Our Soul.[15] Scottish Gaelic is used to signify that Nova Scotia is one of the few places remaining where the language is still spoken.[16]

The crest was created by Canadian graphic designer Mark Guilherme[15] based on consultation and feedback from meetings with supporters, Halifax city leaders and local residents.[17]

The official club colours are navy, grey, and cyan (branded by the club as "harbour blue," "naval grey," and "aqua ocean"). These colours symbolize the night sky, the Royal Canadian Navy, and the Atlantic Ocean.[14]

Club culture

The Wanderers are one of the most popular CPL teams, with great support within Halifax.[18] The team recurrently tops the attendance charts, with frequent sellouts at the Wanderers Grounds. In 2021, the average attendance was 5,196 spectators.[19]

Supporters
Supporters section at Wanderers Grounds.

The first supporters group to lobby for a Halifax team to join the Canadian Premier League was founded in September 2016 under the name Wanderers SG.[20] At the launch event to unveil HFX Wanderers' identity, supporters announced they were changing their name to Privateers 1882 in order for the club to continue the Wanderers name.[15] The 1882 signifies the year of formation for the Wanderers Amateur Athletic Club, who previously competed at the Wanderers Grounds.[21] 'Privateers' refers to the history of privateering in the region, as well as the popular regional song Barrett's Privateers.

Honours

Players and staff

Roster
As of April 4, 2023[22]

Where a player has not declared an international allegiance, nation is determined by place of birth.

No. Position Player Nation
1 GK Yann Fillion  Canada
2 DF Daniel Nimick  Canada
3 DF Zachary Fernandez  Canada
4 DF Cristian Campagna  Canada
5 DF Cale Loughrey  Canada
6 MF Lorenzo Callegari  France
7 DF Ryan James  Canada
8 FW Massimo Ferrin  Canada
9 FW Théo Collomb  France
10 MF Aidan Daniels  Canada
11 FW Kosi Nwafornso  Nigeria
13 MF Armaan Wilson  Canada
14 MF Callum Watson  England
17 DF Wesley Timoteo  Canada
18 MF Andre Rampersad  Trinidad and Tobago
19 FW Tiago Coimbra  Canada
20 DF Jake Ruby  Canada
22 DF Mohamed Omar  Canada
23 DF Riley Ferrazzo  Canada
24 MF Tomas Giraldo  Canada
25 FW Ludwig Kodjo Amla  Denmark
37 FW Lifumpa Mwandwe  England
— FW João Morelli  Brazil
— GK Aidan Rushenas  Canada
— DF Ethan Schilte-Brown  United States
— FW Kimani Stewart-Baynes  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Out on loan
No. Position Player Nation

Current staff
As of February 6, 2023[23][24][25][26]
Executive
President Derek Martin
Team Operations Manager Jose Guevara
Coaching staff
Head coach Patrice Gheisar
Assistant coach Jed Davies
Assistant coach Jorden Feliciano
Goalkeeping coach Jan-Michael Williams
Scouting & recruitment staff
Head scout Victor Mendes
Head of youth development Jed Davies

Head coaches
As of November 30, 2022
Coach Nation Tenure Record
GWDLWin %
Stephen Hart  Trinidad and Tobago June 27, 2018 – October 13, 2022 105 31 31 43 029.52
Patrice Gheisar  Canada November 30, 2022 – present

Club captains
Years Name Nation
2019 Jan-Michael Williams  Trinidad and Tobago
2020–present Andre Rampersad  Trinidad and Tobago

Record
Main article: List of HFX Wanderers FC records and statistics

Year-by-year
Season League Playoffs CC Continental Average
attendance		 Top goalscorer(s)
DivLeaguePldWDLGFGAGDPtsPPGPos.NameGoals
2019[27] 1 CPL 28 6 10 12 21 35 –14 28 1.00 7th DNQ R3 Ineligible 6,601 Trinidad and Tobago Akeem Garcia 7
2020 CPL 10 4 4 2 15 14 +1 16 1.60 2nd RU DNQ DNQ N/A Trinidad and Tobago Akeem Garcia 6
2021 CPL 28 8 11 9 28 34 –6 35 1.25 6th DNQ QF Brazil João Morelli 15
2022 CPL 28 8 5 15 24 38 –14 29 1.04 7th DNQ QF 5,825 Canada Samuel Salter 12

1. Average attendance include statistics from league matches only.
2. Top goalscorer(s) includes all goals scored in league season, league playoffs, Canadian Championship, CONCACAF League, and other competitive continental matches.

See also

References
  1. "HFX Wanderers Football Club Joins Canadian Premier League". Canadian Premier League. May 25, 2018. Archived from the original on April 28, 2019. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  2. "Halifax Canadian Premier League team to be called the HFX Wanderers". Sportsnet. Archived from the original on April 28, 2019. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
  3. Smith, Amy (December 9, 2016). "Promoter sees pro soccer in Halifax as sport reaches 'tipping point'". CBC News. Archived from the original on April 28, 2019. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  4. Boon, Jacob (March 24, 2017). "Pop-up soccer stadium could come together this summer". The Coast. Archived from the original on April 28, 2019. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  5. "Halifax approves downtown soccer stadium for new professional league team". The Chronicle Herald. June 21, 2017. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  6. "4 clubs get membership from Soccer Canada; expected to join CPL". Sportsnet. May 5, 2018. Archived from the original on April 27, 2019. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  7. McIsaac, Greg (May 25, 2018). "HFX Wanderers Football Club Joins Canadian Premier League". Canadian Premier League. Archived from the original on April 28, 2019. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  8. MacDonald, Glenn (May 25, 2018). "HFX Wanderers FC introduced". The Chronicle Herald. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  9. Palov, Willy (July 28, 2018). "Wanderers win shootout thriller over Fortuna Dusseldorf". The Chronicle Herald. Archived from the original on July 29, 2018. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
  10. "HIGHLIGHTS: Pacific FC earns historic 1st win in CPL". April 28, 2019. Archived from the original on May 11, 2019. Retrieved April 29, 2019.
  11. Shaw, Kyle (May 25, 2018). "HFX Wanderers unveiled as Canada's newest professional soccer club". The Coast. Archived from the original on March 24, 2019. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  12. "Welcome to 'The Kitchen': Wanderers Grounds could be fortress for HFX Wanderers FC". canpl.ca. October 30, 2018. Archived from the original on October 31, 2018. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
  13. "Stadium Profile". hfxwanderersfc.canpl.ca. HFX Wanderers FC. May 25, 2018. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  14. "Emblem Inspiration". hfxwanderersfc.canpl.ca. HFX Wanderers FC. May 25, 2018. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  15. "Explaining the Canadian Premier League Teams, Logos and Uniforms". SportsLogos.net. March 5, 2020. Archived from the original on March 6, 2020. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  16. "Keeping Canada's unique Gaelic culture alive". BBC News. October 21, 2010. Archived from the original on June 22, 2018. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  17. "HFX Wanderers FC: Club Story". Archived from the original on March 27, 2023. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  18. "'Off the charts': HFX Wanderers' home-opener comes as soccer sees wave of popularity". Atlantic. April 26, 2022. Archived from the original on February 8, 2023. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  19. "Rabid fans create hope that Canadian soccer could be headed for big things". The Signal. Archived from the original on February 8, 2023. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
  20. "Who Are We?". Privateers 1882. May 25, 2018. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  21. Kloke, Joshua (May 25, 2018). "The Starting XI: Interview with HFX Wanderers president Derek Martin, examining rumours of Giovinco and Piatti transfers". The Athletic. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  22. "Halifax Wanderers Roster". HFX Wanderers FC. Archived from the original on May 21, 2022. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
  23. "Owners Profile". hfxwanderersfc.canpl.ca. Archived from the original on September 11, 2018. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  24. Jacques, John. "Jan-Michael Williams Returns To Wanderers In Coaching Role". Northern Tribune. Archived from the original on December 10, 2019. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  25. "Halifax Wanderers add Alejandro Dorado to Coaching Staff". HFX Wanderers FC. January 12, 2022. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  26. "Wanderers announce full soccer operations staff for 2023". HFX Wanderers FC. February 6, 2023. Archived from the original on February 6, 2023. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  27. "HFX Wanderers FC: 2019 season in review". canpl.ca. Jonathan Briggins. Archived from the original on December 24, 2019. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
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