I will keep waving my flag, regardless
Perspectives on Chattanooga FC v Red Wolves from the blue side of the city
One of the most intriguing and highly anticipated games in the recent history of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup will take place in Chattanooga’s Scenic City this Wednesday (2nd April, 19:00pm ET). Chattanooga FC of MLS Next Pro will face-off at home against the Chattanooga Red Wolves of USL League One. Two clubs that are separated by nine miles, one ridge, and vastly different operating models but who are connected by a fraught history.
The Southeast Soccer Report will be covering the game, and a match preview and post-game recap will follow. However, I was keen to get a sense of the importance of this fixture from different angles in the blue part of Chattanooga, so I spoke to the Head Coach, front office staff, players, and fans about the game.
Overall feelings about the match-up
Chris Nugent, CFC Head Coach: It’s great. The excitement of the fans, owners and players when the draw was revealed was there. This rivalry has been brewing and brewing. But we haven’t had a chance to compete on the field yet so that’s going to be huge. Not just for us as a club, but for the community and the city also. I’m sure their side wants to have a game also. That’s huge, it’s going to bring more attention on us, the Cup and the game, so that’s excellent.
Alex McGrath, CFC Captain: It’s exciting. It’s great for the club and the city that it’s finally happening. I know there’s obviously some history and some conflict between the clubs. It’s great to have that type of game over here in the US, two teams, really close to each other, and have a derby. As a player you want to be playing in as many of those games as possible. Having been in Chattanooga for a while now, I feel it a bit more because I know where this club has been and the story there.
Markus Naglestad, CFC record goal-scorer: Its really exciting for us, for them, the city. It’s going to be a huge game. We’ve both been around for a few years, we’ve been around for longer. But they’ve been around since 2019, so it’s six years and we haven’t played in a friendly or in any capacity. I’m really excited to go against them.
Bill Bolen, Co-Founder of the Chattahooligans: Well, I’m happy it is at Finley. I was surprised that it was announced so quickly. It’s something we’ve always known could happen since they went to regional seeding, that we’d eventually play them. It has almost happened a bunch of times already, but one of us would get knocked out before it could.
Matt Coniglio, Co-Host of the Section 109 Podcast: The Second Round matchup wasn't terribly surprising. I feel a lot differently today than I would have back in the early days of the Soccer War. Given everything that the East Ridge organization did to try and kill CFC, I had real worries that, back then, playing in the Open Cup and losing to them would have a long-term impact on the club's legitimacy in town. That's just simply not the case anymore. CFC's position in the Soccer War’s endgame is secure and East Ridge is on life support, and quite literally stuck in the mud.
Topher Kersting, Flag Coordinator for the Chattahooligans: Disappointment. I never wanted this match to happen. I wanted them to fold or leave before it ever did.
Justin Vizaro, Chattahooligan member: We got word almost immediately that we would be hosting the team from East Ridge. Section 109 as a whole was already amped after watching 130 minutes of Open Cup and a Markus goal, but that announcement almost blanked the win for us. Eyebrows were up.
Sam Click, CFC Manager of Ticketing: Excitement is obviously a great way to put it. I’ll be completely honest; there’s a little bit of pressure too. Pressure with the chaos that can sometimes come with getting a Cup tie on short notice and having to host. I’m sure everyone feels it on the technical side who’s out there, but I’d say all of us here in the office feel the pressure too with a two-week turnaround time to fill out Finley and get this match the proper attention it deserves. Pressure, privilege and I’d say when we found out, there were some nerves there too.
Calvin Claggett, CFC Senior Marketing Manager: Incredibly excited. I’m a Chattanooga native but was gone for nearly 12 years. Even when away, you hear about the massive strides and impact of CFC and how the Red Wolves came into the picture. This fixture is great for the beautiful game here in the city. It’s a big moment for Chattanooga FC to further stake its claim as the pinnacle of the beautiful game in this region.
Hopes for the game
Chris: Our fans are always supportive, but I think it will be louder. The desire to win is always there, it comes across higher in a game like this. There’ll be a bigger away section, it’ll be more heated. On the pitch I want to see our style of football on show, for us to be consistent, how we press, how we transition.
Alex: Maybe its the start of those derby-type games, where you can see the benefit of having two clubs in the same area. There’s a great atmosphere in the games we have week in and week out, but I am sure Wednesday is going to be something special. Hopefully the city is behind CFC and hopefully we can entertain them and get into the next round. It’s going to be a good game. They’ve got good players. I’m confident in the lads that we have.
Bill: I would like to see a really big crowd and I hope that it is very obvious which team is Chattanooga’s team. I think CFC is a good team this year, they’re very talented. I hope our players understand the importance of the game.
Topher: My hope and expectation, as always, regardless of opponent, is for a CFC victory. I won't treat this any differently, because I won't give them the satisfaction.
Justin: This match means a lot for this club, and for Chattanooga. We hope to see things go well for us, obviously, but we also hope this brings people back home. Chattanooga, the community, has been cheated out of the full potential of its community club, and we just want people to see what they could have again.
Calvin: This match has a little bit of everything to it. However we would have finally met on the pitch would have been intriguing and exciting, but the fact that it was a surprise, it’s a knock-out game, it’s competitive and not a friendly, the stakes are high. So, it’s not just about bragging rights.
Who are the favorites? Who are the underdogs?
Chris: Its tough to know who favorites are. The leagues are similar in terms of quality, although USL League One is an older age group. It is a true equal match.
Markus: We’re going out there to win. I don’t know who’s the favorite, we’ve never played. That’s the crazy thing about US soccer; we’re in different leagues but at the same level. I’m backing us to win.
Hayes Creech, CFC Communications and PR Manager: I’m confident about how the team has performed this season. I know culture doesn’t define results, but it goes a long way. The culture of this team is really good and that can set them up for success. They’ve shown they can play different styles when needed, they’re versatile.
Calvin: From ownership, front office, technical staff, our supporters; everybody is locked in arms, everybody is together. That’s very hard to beat.
Sam: I always feel confident about results when we’re at Fort Finley.
Why should people come? Why should neutrals support CFC?
Bill: This is going to be on the biggest games in Chattanooga soccer history. One of the great things in sports is rivalry and a derby. This year, with the coach and players we have, its a fun team to watch. Its super exciting when the stadium is packed, when not only the ‘Chatta’ section but when the ‘Nooga’ section also gets loud. CFC is part of the whole city and has been involved in community throughout Operation Get Active, Chattanooga Sports Ministries, the strong relationship with the Lookouts. CFC is Chattanooga’s team.
Matt: Neutrals, casual observers, and interested parties just checking out a novelty event should come out because it's a once in a lifetime event and they should root for CFC because its the only soccer organization that has a permanent commitment to the community. It's literally written in the mission statement of the club: "Our mission is to use soccer as a tool to build strong relationships – across age, race, creed and socio-economic status – for the greater good of our city." There's so much more than just men's first team matches 17 times a year. It's the dozen plus marriages that exist because of the club, it's the 1400 schoolchildren that have a hot meal twice a week through Operation Get Active's soccer programming, it's the fact that strangers come together to watch a game and end up friends and then end up family. There's so much soccer out there for folks to consume in MLS or LigaMX, or Europe or more, but there's only one Chattanooga FC.
Topher: CFC is a great organization that needs their support. We're a unique club: our ownership and players know who their supporters are and appreciate us. We have been a force for good in soccer for years, and our efforts have led directly to the growth of the sport at all levels. This is literally good vs. evil. This isn't a derby: The East Ridge organization tried to kill CFC, and we haven't seen any evidence that they've changed. Beyond that, CFC will be here for the long-term, and will continue to support Chattanooga.
Justin: This is a massive moment for Chattanooga. The Cup creates stories, and no matter the outcome of this match, this will absolutely be one of the most talked about Cup stories of the year. Be part of it. Say you were there. Experience the potential of pro soccer in a small market. Wy should people root for CFC? In short: this club exists to serve the community, and the other exists to make money for a man in Utah. We can serve the community much better with more support and passionate people. Neutrals who need a reason to pick a side should listen to the section 109 pod, especially the 2:46 long episode about the history of soccer in chattanooga. Spoiler: we’re the good guys!
How far do you want to see CFC go in the Cup?
Chris: Any winnable cup game is a priority. I don’t want to be heartbroken about not winning the game if the next round turns out to have a dream draw. If we draw an MLS fist team, we’ll always be trying to win that game too.
Bill: I’ve been a big fan of the US Open Cup long before CFC came around and I’ve always loved a Cinderella team. I’d love for CFC to make a big late run with the chance to have an MLS team in the stadium. I know that’s very difficult for a Division 3 team but it would be great for the club financially and great for the fans.
Matt: CFC has a special history with the Open Cup, but last year's First Round loss left a sour taste in our mouth. We need to win in Round 2 so we can get another opportunity to test ourselves up a level and see if we can start one of those magical Cup runs again.
Topher: A Cinderella story win. Realistically, I just want to see our club keep growing and improving, and each win gets us noticed so players and fans want to be here. I will keep waving my flag, regardless.
Justin: I want to win this next match. I want section 109 to grow by at least 10 people as a result of this match. I want people to see the stories, understand who we are, and why we are so special. I want CFC to replace El Farolito as everyone else’s second favorite Open Cup team. Beyond that, I want the Cup schedule to run through Finley. We should host every match we play.
Calvin: We want to make a Cup run for as long as we can. That adds a whole other level of excitement and interest.
My thanks to the CFC community for their time.
About the Chattahooligans
The Chattahooligans are the independent supporters group for Chattanooga FC. They were present at CFC’s first ever game in 2009 and have been at every game since. At home games they gather in Finley Stadium’s Section 109. You can find out more about them on their Instagram, X, and Facebook pages, and their website.
About the Section 109 Podcast
The Section 109 podcast was begun back in 2019 to share stories of the people that make up Chattanooga FC. Its content also includes match reviews as well as interviews. Episodes come out.... whenever! Busy schedules mean that episodes are recorded whenever possible, and it can change based on the time of year. As described by Matthew; “the Section 109 Podcast is principally for us. In a lot of ways, it's just friends talking about CFC and conversations that would happen with or without a microphone. We want to do the same podcast whether we have thousands of listeners or just four. Anyone is welcome to listen, comment, and subscribe!” You can find Section 109 wherever you get your podcasts, including Spotify, Apple, and others. Episodes can also be watched on YouTube. You can follow them on X, Bluesky, and Instagram.
I would be lying if I called myself neutral in this game. Bham has histories with both of these clubs in the Open Cup, and preseason friendlies. I've been up to Finley for a preseason match. And I sum up the 'hooligans this way: this year's preseason friendly in Bham was expected to be a closed match for season ticket holders; that didn't stop CFC supporters from coming down to see the game (and not being turned away)