The 2020 Hartford Athletic season was the club's second season of existence and their second in the USL Championship, the second tier of American soccer. This article covers the period from October 20, 2019, the day after Hartford's final match of the 2019 regular season, to the conclusion of the 2020 USLC Playoff Final, scheduled for November 12–16, 2020.
Season in review
Background, off-season and pre-season Hartford finished its inaugural season in next to last place in the Eastern Conference, seven table positions and fourteen points out of the playoff spots. The club parted ways with head coach Jimmy Nielsen just seven days after the 2019 season's end and signed former Southampton U-23 coach Radhi Jaïdi to fill the vacancy on November 8. The club also parted ways with COO Donovan Powell five days later.
The club began announcing roster moves in October, also, quickly announcing the return of four players from the 2019 roster (Harry Swartz, Alex Dixon, Alex Davey, and Nicky Downs), with the return of Danny Barrera and Mads Jørgensen being announced in early November, and the return of Mike Novotny being announced in early December. New signings began in earnest in late November with the addition of Aiden Mesias, former Fresno FC defender Sam Strong, Brazilian defender Gabriel Torres, 2019 Greenville Triumph center back Kevin Politz, Cal State Northridge products Dre Deas and Alex Lara, Dartmouth midfielder Noah Paravicini, and UT-Rio Grande Valley midfielder Arthur Rogers. In January, the club signed San Antonio FC's all-time leading scorer Éver Guzmán, Brazilian defender Matheus Silva, and announced the return of forward Mac Steeves. In February, the club announced loan deals for goalkeeper Parfait Mandanda and Southampton U-23 midfielder Tyreke Johnson.
Roster
No.PositionNationPlayer
Competitions
Exhibitions
Match results
USL Championship
Standings — Group F
Match results In the preparations for the resumption of league play following the shutdown prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Hartford's schedule was announced on July 2.
USL Cup Playoffs
U.S. Open Cup
As a USL Championship club, Hartford as enter the competition in the second round, to be played April 7–9. The 2020 U.S. Open Cup was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Statistics
Appearances and goals
||16 || 6 ||15 || 6 || 13 || 5 || 12|| 5 ||15 || 1||14 ||1 ||7 || 1||7 ||1 || 14 || 0||13 ||0 || 7 || 0|| 7||0 ||10 ||1 ||9 ||1 || 8 || 0|| 7||0 ||14 || 2|| 13||2 ||11 || 0|| 11||0 || 9 ||1 || 8||1 || 4||1 || 4||1 ||15 || 2|| 14||2 || 17 ||2 || 16||2 ||0 || 0|| 0||0 ||12 ||2 || 12||2 ||15 ||1 ||14 ||1 || 15 || 1|| 14||1 ||12 ||1 || 12||1 ||0 ||0 || 0||0 || 8 ||1 ||7 ||1 |- |colspan=10 align=center|Players who left Hartford during the season: ||14 ||2 ||14 ||2 || 3 || 0|| 3|| 0
Disciplinary record No. Pos. Name USLC Total 3 Defender Matheus Silva 8 0 9 0 10 Midfielder Danny Barrera 40 5 0 21 Midfielder Nicky Downs 10 1 0 42 Forward Dre Deas 1 0 01 11 Forward Alex Dixon 3 0 30 28 Midfielder Conor McGlynn 1 01 0 33 Midfielder Harry Swartz 2 0 20 5 Defender Alex Davey 1 0 1 0 16 Midfielder Gabriel Torres 3 0 30 35 Goalkeeper Parfait Mandanda 0101 24 Defender Sam Strong 7 0 80 12 Defender Alex Lara 3 0 30 80 Midfielder Justin Haak 3 0 3 0 4 Defender Kevin Politz 1 0 2 0 88 Midfielder Tyreke Johnson 2 0 20 18 Goalkeeper Mike Novotny 1 01 0 8 Midfielder Mads Jørgensen 1 01 0 6 Midfielder Arthur Rogers 1 01 0 99 Forward Ever Guzman 1 01 0 20 Forward Markus Naglestad 1 01 0 25 Defender Idan Cohen 1 0 1 0
Clean sheets No. Name USLC USLC Playoffs Total Games Played 22 Parfait Mandanda40416 16 Mike Novotny1012
Transfers
In Pos.PlayerTransferred fromFee/notesDateSource Defender Sam Strong Fresno FC Free December 1, 2019 Defender Gabriel Torres Chattanooga FC Free December 9, 2020 Defender Kevin Politz Greenville Triumph SC Free December 9, 2019 Forward Dre Deas CSUN Matadors Free December 12, 2019 Defender Alex Lara CSUN Matadors Free December 12, 2019 Midfielder Noah Paravicini Napa Valley 1839 FC Free December 18, 2019 Forward Arthur Rogers Texas–Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros Free December 23, 2020 Forward Ever Guzman San Antonio FC Free January 8, 2020 Midfielder Matheus Silva Miami FC Free January 13, 2020 Midfielder Conor McGlynn FA Euro New York Open tryouts March 12, 2020 Forward Alfonso Vazquez Windham High School Open tryouts March 12, 2020 Forward Markus Naglestad Egersunds IK Free August 13, 2020 Defender Idan Cohen Hapoel Tel Aviv F.C. Free September 3, 2020
Out Pos.PlayerTransferred toFee/notesDateSource Defender Alex Davey Tampa Bay Rowdies Free September 2
Loan in Pos.PlayerParent clubLength/NotesBeginningEndSource Goalkeeper Parfait Mandanda R. Charleroi S.C. Season long February 20 End of season Midfielder Tyreke Johnson Southampton F.C. Season long February 24 October 8 Midfielder Justin Haak New York City FC Remainder of the season September 9 End of season
Loan out Pos.PlayerLoanee clubLength/NotesBeginningEndSource
Kits
Type Shirt Shorts Socks First appearance / RecordHomeGreenGreenGreenMatch 3 vs. Louisville / 6–2–1AwayWhiteWhiteWhiteMatch 1 vs. New York / 4–0–2CharityAlternateRedRedRedMatch 15 vs. Philadelphia / 1–0–0
See also Hartford Athletic 2020 in American soccer 2020 USL Championship season
References