October 2nd (2010)

Oct. 2, 2010: Athletic Club (AC) of St. Louis plays its final game, a 2-1 loss to the Rochester Rhinos at the Soccer Park. AC will fold after the season. The game ends fittingly for the ill-destined AC St. Louis. A game-tying goal scored in stoppage time is ruled offsides. Playing in the USSF Division 2 Pro League (not the same as, but equivalent to, today’s second-division USL Championship), AC ends its only season with a record of 7-15-8. AC is part of attorney Jeff Cooper’s soccer operations that began the season with the men’s AC St. Louis and the women’s St. Louis Athletica in WPS, the predecessor of today’s NWSL. English investors in Cooper’s soccer operations pulled out unexpectedly in the spring, leading to the Athletica going out of business on May 27, six games into its season. AC St. Louis shed the salary of St. Louisan and player-assistant coach Steve Ralston by mutual consent in early June. But there’s not enough financial support to continue past the end of the season.