Empire Supporters Club
First. Last. Forever.
From punk shows and Centaurs games to Section 101 and beyond. Three decades of standing, singing, and fighting for the game.
Kevin McAllister and a crew of anti-racist skinheads, punks, and leftists form the core of what would become ESC at New York Centaurs (A-League) games at Downing Stadium. The group is rooted in the RASH (Red and Anarchist Skinheads) scene and borrows from UK supporter culture.
MLS launches. ESC claims Section 101 at Giants Stadium. By Game 2, it's the ESC home. First anti-fascist confrontation: neo-Nazis appear at a home game and are physically removed. The founding principle is clear.
"We wanted to make sure that if soccer was coming to New York, New Jersey, that supporters sections were not allowed to be taken over by far-right racist elements." — Greg Pason
ESC borrows songs from the UK, Italy, Argentina, and Spain. Tifo and banner culture develops. The "You Suck Asshole" (YSA) chant reportedly originates here. Members include skinheads, Marines, Latinos, Polish hooligans, families, and punk/ska/northern soul fans.
ESC carries a NYC Firm sign on a road trip to New England, photographed by Roger Gaess. The group is traveling, visible, and loud.
MetroStars struggle on the field. Relations with the front office are strained. Giants Stadium acoustics make supporter noise hard to hear. ESC remains vocal and visible through the lean years.
Red Bull GmbH purchases MetroStars; the team is renamed "New York Red Bulls." Many ESC members leave in protest. The remaining members keep the MetroStars identity alive. Harrison stadium groundbreaking happens this year.
The New York Observer publishes "Red Bulls Fan Club Gets Loud, English-Style" — a vivid portrait of Section 101 rowdiness, cultural hybridity, and tension with the club.
Red Bull Arena opens in Harrison, NJ. ESC relocates to Section 101 behind the south goal. Tailgate culture replaces bar pre-games. A charity soccer tournament raises $5,000+ for City Soccer Initiative.
Three supporters sections are formalized: Garden State Supporters (132), ESC (101), and Viking Army (102). "South Ward" becomes the collective name for the unified supporters' end.
NYRB wins the Supporters' Shield. Mike Petke — later granted lifetime ESC membership — leads the team.
The club unveils "As Long As We're Breathing" banners honoring the MetroStars past. The South Ward produces a massive tifo: "Our Hearts Bleed Red For Our Home."
Ali Curtis fires Mike Petke. ESC issues a blistering statement calling it unjust. Declares Petke the only person with lifetime ESC membership.
"Mike Petke is the only person to have a lifetime membership with the ESC, and is welcome to join us anywhere at any time. He will be welcomed as a hero, as he should be." — ESC Statement, 2015
Soccerpubs forum thread documents the planning for the 2016 home opener: tailgate culture, community bar discussions, and the ongoing search for the perfect pre-game spot.
Dante Vanzeir racial slur incident triggers a joint ESC/Viking Army/Torcida 96 walkout after the national anthem. Demands: remove Vanzeir and manager Gerhard Struber. Donations redirected to Black Players for Change.
"We have stood by our club through good seasons and bad, a rebrand, and a pandemic. We will not stand by as long as racism is tolerated." — ESC Joint Statement, April 2023
ESC remains active in the South Ward at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Online presence via official website, Instagram, Bluesky, and MemberPlanet. Thirty years and counting.
Sources: Vice, New York Observer, MLSsoccer.com, Front Row Soccer, Soccer America, Wikipedia, Soccerpubs forum archives, and ESC member interviews.
Compiled from the Empire Supporters Club research archive.