FC77 History

In the summer of 1977, the year that Shakira was born and Elvis left the building, the Portland Park Bureau scheduled a soccer jamboree for people who wanted to try playing this new game. That gathering at Delta Park gave birth to a team called SJO Irregulars, sponsored by Seton, Johnson & O'Dell, a local engineering firm. Glenn O'Dell provided the fees, and a motley group of men who'd played soccer primarily in the privacy of their own minds became the first of FC77's several teams. Among them were Mark Dillon, Mike Calder, and David Porter. None of them knew any better at the time.

Following that summer's recreational league, the SJO team acquired the tag of "Irregulars" and signed up to play in the adult men's league that fall. Over subsequent years, the core group continued to play together though the name changed as time passed.

They became the "Stouthearts" when attorney, Bob Stout, took over the sponsorship. Then a series of sponsoring brewing companies found their way onto the team's jerseys: Tiger Beer, Newcastle Ale, Young's Ale, and Old Nick's, a devilish (sadly discontinued) brew from Young's Brewery of England.

By the 1980s the team had actually improved its play enough that it had competed on the 'big rug' at Civic Stadium in a couple of division championships. The original players had also aged enough that the team began to consider splitting in two to accomodate the desires of many of the younger players to be more competitive and of many older players to play at a more casual level. With the formation of multiple teams, the 'club concept' began to take on a reality.

Today's Old Nick's team reverted to that long-ago name in the mid-nineties, with a single brief stint as FC77 Pyramid while trolling for sponsor dollars which never arrived. Somehow the Old Nicks name seems to fit, though the original black jerseys with Old Nick himself leering from them are long gone.

The Newcastle team was the original spin-off team and now plays in Over 50. The next team to emerge from existing players was today's PBR team in Over 40. The club concept begun with these three teams continued with the Bollocks team, Rangers, Hibernian and Ajax .

1977 - SJO Irregulars Formed for the City of Portland Summer Recreational season in 1977. The summer team registers for that fall's GPSD Men's League in 1977 and continues to play as SJO through the 1982 season in the GPSD Third Division.

1982 - Thirty Year Players as of 2012 These players have all been with the club since at least 1982: Mark Dillon, David Porter, Mike Calder, Doug Morasch, Jack Hevel, John Mayfield and Al Gerritson.

1983 - Stouthearts becomes the team name in the 1983/4 season as atty. Bob Stout takes over the team sponsorship.

1984 - Tiger Beer, a sponsor acquired through the machinations of Mike Calder, becomes the team sponsor in the 1984/5 season.

1986 - In 1986/87, the team is Old Nick's/Horsebrass, as the connection with Don Younger and his pub leads to sponsor dollars. We end up playing for (and losing) the Third Division Championship at Civic Stadium. Our player, Alex Addy, wins the scoring title for the entire GPSD with 30 goals scored!

1987 - In 1987/88, the team moves up to Open Second Division based on its performance the previous year, but it is clear that some of the players are ready to advance to an Over 30 Division while others want to remain in the competitive 'open' division. A well-deserved relegation to Third Division follows at season end.

1988 - Old Nick's/Horsebrass again leads the Third Divison in '88/89 and plays the Qualicote Kingsmen in the championship, but the"team" is now two teams, with the Newcastle United side having gone to Over 30.

1989 - By 1989, the club is beginning to infiltrate the GPSD leadership, as Mike Calder and Mark Dillon serve on the league Executive Board.

1990 - In 1990, Newcastle United lose to 30 Proof in the Masters' 2nd Division championship on two own goals. Old Nick's/Horsebrass takes third place in the open Second Division, Rose City League.

1991 - Spring 1991 - Newcastle United play our first season in a newly created Over 40 Division .

1992 - By 1992, Old Nick's Horse Brass Pub is again in the open Second Division Championship. A team known as Newcastle United II plays in the open 3rd Dvision. And Newcastle United plays in the Masters 2nd Division. The Masters (over 30) Division by this time has grown to equal the Open Divisions in size within GPSD.

1993 - The '93 season sees the young Old Nick's Horse Brass Pub team advance to the First Division, B group, for the first time. Horsebrass Newcastle United, moves to the Third Division of Over 30 and has a phenomenal season, winning 11 games and losing none.

1996 - In the Fall Winter 96/97 the old Old Nick's (formerly Newcastle United) plays for (and loses) the Championship of Over 40 Second Division . Newcastle United (formerly Newcastle United II) plays in the Over 40 First Division. (Yes, it is hard to follow!)

1999- Old Nicks gratefully joins the pioneering group of teams starting an Over 50 bracket within GPSD. Old Nicks Horsebrass by this time has become New Belgium.

2001- Ten of the Old Nicks plus a couple friends participate in the King Cup Tournament in Las Vegas for the first time. This King Cup tradition continues as of 2014.

2003- Saxer plays for the GPSD Open 3rd Division (Silver) Fall Championship, but continues long-standing Club tradition and loses 2 - 1.
The FC77 Athletic Cup late summer club gathering is first held.

2004- Saxer plays for the GPSD Open 4th Division Spring Championship and wins handily; score is 8 - 0! New Belgium changes name to PBR for the fall 2004 season.

2005- In February, Saxer becomes Madison's as this eastside restaurant sponsors our 3rd Division Open team.

2006- In July, Old Nicks to its own surprise, becomes the champion of the GPSD Spring-Summer Over 50 bracket with a 7-1-1 record. (Best summer finish ever!)

2007-
The travel-crazy members of FC77 formally organize themselves into FC77 Mojos. This group organizes tournament teams to many exotic locales for all Club members.
FC77 is no longer homeless! A Club field is established at the Montessori Earth School at 14750 SE Clinton on Portland's east side. All five teams begin playing their home matches at the new location for the Fall 2007 season.

2008- For the Spring/Summer season, Madison's and Rangers win their respective GPSD division Championships and Newcastle plays in their division's Championship final. Best summer results for the Club ever!

2009- Madisons breaks the (now non-existant) links with its previous sponsor and becomes the English-flavored FC77 Bollocks.

2010-
Newcastle becomes two teams at the end of summer 2010. The original team goes to Over 50 Division; the new Hibernian team remains in the Over 40 Division.
The travel-crazy Mojos decide to disassociate themselves from the plain crazy FC77'ers. The parting is amicable and an unofficial association continues.
By the end of the Fall 2010 season, FC77 happily reports that PBR, Bollocks and Hibernian had all qualified for Divisional playoffs. PBR wins their division.

2011- Sadly, FC77 resumes its gypsy fieldless existance with the start of the 2011 Spring Season. After four years, our Montessori field could not take the usage we required, so we bid it farewell.Artificial turf high school fields seem to relieve the long-time field shortage for the men's league.

2012- Hibernian finishes undefeated in Winter Season Over 40 (2nd Div). Newcastle finishes in 1st place in Spring/Summer Season Over 50's.

2013-
PBR shucks off it's macro brew nomenclature and renames itself the slightly wistful sounding Last Call. Old Nicks keeps movin' on up and co-founds the League's Over 58 Division, beginning with the Fall 2013 Season. Newcastle finishes 1st in Over 50s Spring Season with an 8-1-1 record in regular play. They lose to Shanahan's in the playoff. Last Call reverts to PBR name for Fall 2013 Season.

2014- An Over 50 team formerly known as Gresham East joins FC77 in time for the Fall 2014 season. It's new moniker is FC77 GE. They join Old Nicks in the Over 58 bracket of GPSD. This puts FC77 at an all-time high of seven Club teams!

2015-
In the 2015 Spring League, Old Nicks places first in the Over 58 Division (7- 1- 3 record) and wins the Championship Game of the Division against the second place Royals. All seven teams begin the Fall 2015 season with high hopes.
At the end of 2015, the GE team decided to resume a solitary, unaffiliated existence as the New Kings team in Over 58. A new Club Over 58 team is rumored to be taking their place for 2016.

2016-

2017-

2018-

2019-

2020-

2021-

2022-

2023- New club team FAS joins FC77 in time for Spring 2016 Season. Composed of many players from the former GE team, they join Old Nicks in the Over 58 bracket of GPSD. At the end of the Spring Season, FAS is dissolved and its players join other FC77 teams.
In the Fall 2016 Season, Rangers play very well and make it into the Over 30, 3rd Division Championship Game against Buckman United on December 3rd. They lose, 2-1, thereby finishing in second place.

Wow! It's our fortieth year! Six established teams make up the Club. A commemorative logo contest is held in spring 2017 to honor our longevity. The logo design by Mike Calder is selected by Club members. That summer's Athletic Cup club gathering celebrates the 40-year milestone.

FC77 Ajax managed by Andy Groeneveld joins the Club family as an Over 50 team for Fall 2018 season.

All seven teams of the Club participate in both GPSD's 2019 Spring and Fall Seasons.
Rangers make it to the Spring Over 30, 3rd Division Championship Game and win their Division, 3-1.

Arranged by Mike Calder, the Club sends a composite Over-60 FC77 team to La Paz, Mexico in early March to compete in the first annual senior tournament against local Asociación Sudcaliforniana de Futbol members.
The COVID-19 virus causes the cancellation of the GPSD 2020 Spring and Fall Seasons for all FC77 teams.

Over 40 team Ons Oranje joins the FC77 family as post-Covid-lockdown league play resumes for Spring Season 2021. Old Nicks undergoes mitosis and becomes the Over58 Old Nicks and the Over65 Older Nicks beginning spring 2021. Newcastle team takes a sabbatical for 2021.
PBR, Ajax and Hibernian teams all place first in their divisions for the Spring 2021 Season!

For Spring 2022 Season, FC77 fielded an all-time high 9 teams. New addition was FC77 United managed by Gene Nguyen. United plays in the Over-50 bracket.
The fabled FC77 Athletic Cup made a successful return on September 3rd after a multi-year COVID-related hiatus. Vancouver Wa. was the site. All teams were represented. Wives, friends and offspring joined the players, with a barbeque feed capping off the event.
Nine Club teams registered for Fall 2022 Season.

GPSD Spring Season 2023 was graced with all nine Club teams. Rangers, Bollocks and United teams made the culminating June Championship Finals, with Rangers and United winning their Divisions! The 2023 FC77 Athletic Cup gathering on Aug.5th, draws more than 120 participants to Portland's Lents Park, a Club record for participation.

1977 -	SJO Irregulars Formed for the City of Portland Summer Recreational season in 1977. The summer team registers for that fall's GPSD Men's League in 1977 and continues to play as SJO through the 1982 season in the GPSD Third Division.
1982 -	Thirty Year Players as of 2012 These players have all been with the club since at least 1982: Mark Dillon, David Porter, Mike Calder, Doug Morasch, Jack Hevel, John Mayfield and Al Gerritson.
1983 -	Stouthearts becomes the team name in the 1983/4 season as atty. Bob Stout takes over the team sponsorship.
1984 -	Tiger Beer, a sponsor acquired through the machinations of Mike Calder, becomes the team sponsor in the 1984/5 season.
1986 -	In 1986/87, the team is Old Nick's/Horsebrass, as the connection with Don Younger and his pub leads to sponsor dollars. We end up playing for (and losing) the Third Division Championship at Civic Stadium. Our player, Alex Addy, wins the scoring title for the entire GPSD with 30 goals scored!
1987 -	In 1987/88, the team moves up to Open Second Division based on its performance the previous year, but it is clear that some of the players are ready to advance to an Over 30 Division while others want to remain in the competitive 'open' division. A well-deserved relegation to Third Division follows at season end.
1988 -	Old Nick's/Horsebrass again leads the Third Divison in '88/89 and plays the Qualicote Kingsmen in the championship, but the"team" is now two teams, with the Newcastle United side having gone to Over 30.
1989 -	By 1989, the club is beginning to infiltrate the GPSD leadership, as Mike Calder and Mark Dillon serve on the league Executive Board.
1990 -	In 1990, Newcastle United lose to 30 Proof in the Masters' 2nd Division championship on two own goals. Old Nick's/Horsebrass takes third place in the open Second Division, Rose City League.
1991 -	Spring 1991 - Newcastle United play our first season in a newly created Over 40 Division .
1992 -	By 1992, Old Nick's Horse Brass Pub is again in the open Second Division Championship. A team known as Newcastle United II plays in the open 3rd Dvision. And Newcastle United plays in the Masters 2nd Division. The Masters (over 30) Division by this time has grown to equal the Open Divisions in size within GPSD.
1993 -	The '93 season sees the young Old Nick's Horse Brass Pub team advance to the First Division, B group, for the first time. Horsebrass Newcastle United, moves to the Third Division of Over 30 and has a phenomenal season, winning 11 games and losing none.
1996 -	In the Fall Winter 96/97 the old Old Nick's (formerly Newcastle United) plays for (and loses) the Championship of Over 40 Second Division . Newcastle United (formerly Newcastle United II) plays in the Over 40 First Division. (Yes, it is hard to follow!)
1999-	Old Nicks gratefully joins the pioneering group of teams starting an Over 50 bracket within GPSD. Old Nicks Horsebrass by this time has become New Belgium.
2001-	Ten of the Old Nicks plus a couple friends participate in the King Cup Tournament in Las Vegas for the first time. This King Cup tradition continues as of 2014.
2003-	Saxer plays for the GPSD Open 3rd Division (Silver) Fall Championship, but continues long-standing Club tradition and loses 2 - 1. The FC77 Athletic Cup late summer club gathering is first held.
2004-	Saxer plays for the GPSD Open 4th Division Spring Championship and wins handily; score is 8 - 0! New Belgium changes name to PBR for the fall 2004 season.
2005-	In February, Saxer becomes Madison's as this eastside restaurant sponsors our 3rd Division Open team.
2006-	In July, Old Nicks to its own surprise, becomes the champion of the GPSD Spring-Summer Over 50 bracket with a 7-1-1 record. (Best summer finish ever!)
2007-	The travel-crazy members of FC77 formally organize themselves into FC77 Mojos. This group organizes tournament teams to many exotic locales for all Club members. FC77 is no longer homeless! A Club field is established at the Montessori Earth School at 14750 SE Clinton on Portland's east side. All five teams begin playing their home matches at the new location for the Fall 2007 season.
2008-	For the Spring/Summer season, Madison's and Rangers win their respective GPSD division Championships and Newcastle plays in their division's Championship final. Best summer results for the Club ever!
2009-	Madisons breaks the (now non-existant) links with its previous sponsor and becomes the English-flavored FC77 Bollocks.
2010-	Newcastle becomes two teams at the end of summer 2010. The original team goes to Over 50 Division; the new Hibernian team remains in the Over 40 Division. The travel-crazy Mojos decide to disassociate themselves from the plain crazy FC77'ers. The parting is amicable and an unofficial association continues. By the end of the Fall 2010 season, FC77 happily reports that PBR, Bollocks and Hibernian had all qualified for Divisional playoffs. PBR wins their division.
2011-	Sadly, FC77 resumes its gypsy fieldless existance with the start of the 2011 Spring Season. After four years, our Montessori field could not take the usage we required, so we bid it farewell.Artificial turf high school fields seem to relieve the long-time field shortage for the men's league.
2012-	Hibernian finishes undefeated in Winter Season Over 40 (2nd Div). Newcastle finishes in 1st place in Spring/Summer Season Over 50's.
2013-	PBR shucks off it's macro brew nomenclature and renames itself the slightly wistful sounding Last Call. Old Nicks keeps movin' on up and co-founds the League's Over 58 Division, beginning with the Fall 2013 Season. Newcastle finishes 1st in Over 50s Spring Season with an 8-1-1 record in regular play. They lose to Shanahan's in the playoff. Last Call reverts to PBR name for Fall 2013 Season.
2014-	An Over 50 team formerly known as Gresham East joins FC77 in time for the Fall 2014 season. It's new moniker is FC77 GE. They join Old Nicks in the Over 58 bracket of GPSD. This puts FC77 at an all-time high of seven Club teams!
2015-	In the 2015 Spring League, Old Nicks places first in the Over 58 Division (7- 1- 3 record) and wins the Championship Game of the Division against the second place Royals. All seven teams begin the Fall 2015 season with high hopes. At the end of 2015, the GE team decided to resume a solitary, unaffiliated existence as the New Kings team in Over 58. A new Club Over 58 team is rumored to be taking their place for 2016.
2016- 2017- 2018- 2019- 2020- 2021- 2022- 2023-	New club team FAS joins FC77 in time for Spring 2016 Season. Composed of many players from the former GE team, they join Old Nicks in the Over 58 bracket of GPSD. At the end of the Spring Season, FAS is dissolved and its players join other FC77 teams. In the Fall 2016 Season, Rangers play very well and make it into the Over 30, 3rd Division Championship Game against Buckman United on December 3rd. They lose, 2-1, thereby finishing in second place. Wow! It's our fortieth year! Six established teams make up the Club. A commemorative logo contest is held in spring 2017 to honor our longevity. The logo design by Mike Calder is selected by Club members. That summer's Athletic Cup club gathering celebrates the 40-year milestone. FC77 Ajax managed by Andy Groeneveld joins the Club family as an Over 50 team for Fall 2018 season. All seven teams of the Club participate in both GPSD's 2019 Spring and Fall Seasons. Rangers make it to the Spring Over 30, 3rd Division Championship Game and win their Division, 3-1. Arranged by Mike Calder, the Club sends a composite Over-60 FC77 team to La Paz, Mexico in early March to compete in the first annual senior tournament against local Asociación Sudcaliforniana de Futbol members. The COVID-19 virus causes the cancellation of the GPSD 2020 Spring and Fall Seasons for all FC77 teams. Over 40 team Ons Oranje joins the FC77 family as post-Covid-lockdown league play resumes for Spring Season 2021. Old Nicks undergoes mitosis and becomes the Over58 Old Nicks and the Over65 Older Nicks beginning spring 2021. Newcastle team takes a sabbatical for 2021. PBR, Ajax and Hibernian teams all place first in their divisions for the Spring 2021 Season! For Spring 2022 Season, FC77 fielded an all-time high 9 teams. New addition was FC77 United managed by Gene Nguyen. United plays in the Over-50 bracket. The fabled FC77 Athletic Cup made a successful return on September 3rd after a multi-year COVID-related hiatus. Vancouver Wa. was the site. All teams were represented. Wives, friends and offspring joined the players, with a barbeque feed capping off the event. Nine Club teams registered for Fall 2022 Season. GPSD Spring Season 2023 was graced with all nine Club teams. Rangers, Bollocks and United teams made the culminating June Championship Finals, with Rangers and United winning their Divisions! The 2023 FC77 Athletic Cup gathering on Aug.5th, draws more than 120 participants to Portland's Lents Park, a Club record for participation.