| Clubname: | Bethlehem Steel F.C. |
| Fullname: | Bethlehem Steel Football Club |
| Nickname: | Steelworkers |
| Founded: | (as "Bethlehem F.C.") |
| Stadium: | Bethlehem Steel Athletic Field at Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| League: | American Soccer League |
| American: | y |
| Pattern B1: | _vneckwhite |
| Pattern So1: | _blackline |
| Leftarm1: | 000000 |
| Body1: | 000000 |
| Rightarm1: | 000000 |
| Shorts1: | ffffff |
| Socks1: | 000000 |
Bethlehem Steel Football Club (1907–1930) was one of the most successful early American soccer clubs. Known as the Bethlehem Football Club from 1907 until 1915 when it became the Bethlehem Steel Football Club, the team was sponsored by the Bethlehem Steel corporation. Bethlehem Steel FC played their home games first at East End Field in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley, then later on the grounds Bethlehem Steel built on Elizabeth Ave named Bethlehem Steel Athletic Field.
The first soccer team in Bethlehem was founded in 1904, according to a June 2, 1925, article in The Bethlehem Globe. The sport took hold of the town and local steel workers formed a recreational team.[1]
On November 17, 1907, the Bethlehem Football Club played its first official match, an 11–2 loss to West Hudson A.A., at the time one of the top professional teams in the country.
In 1913, the steel company created Bethlehem Steel Athletic Field, the country's first soccer field with stadium-seating. In 1914 Charles Schwab, owner of the Steel Company, took the team professional, using his wealth to induce several top players to move to Bethlehem Steel and changing the team name to the Bethlehem Steel Football Club.[2] Schwab would eventually begin importing players from Scotland and England. From 1911 to 1915, the club was a member of the amateur Allied American Foot Ball Association before moving to the American Soccer League of Philadelphia, another amateur league, for the 1915–1916 season.[1]
Bethlehem Steel FC was not associated with a league from 1916 to 1917, playing only exhibition or cup games. In 1917, it joined the professional National Association Foot Ball League. In 1921, several teams from the NAFBL and other regional leagues joined together to form the American Soccer League. Although one of the strongest teams of the time, the owners decided to disband the club, moving the players and management to Philadelphia where it competed as the Philadelphia Field Club. Legendary Scottish football player Alex Jackson, played for Bethlehem Steel. Although Philadelphia won the first ASL championship, the team was in financial trouble and lacked fan support. The ownership moved it back to Bethlehem the following year, and the team restored their initial name.
In 1925, the ASL, including Bethlehem Steel F.C., boycotted the National Challenge Cup. The boycott created some animosity with the United States Football Association. Three years later, in 1928, the ASL again boycotted the Challenge Cup. When Bethlehem Steel chose to ignore the boycott this time, the league expelled them.
In 1925 - 1926 Bethlehem Steel F.C. was awarded the United States Football Association Medal. Patrick McColgan, from, Old Kilpatrick, Scotland had travelled to Philadelphia to help establish the team. His name is on the medal.
Under the leadership of the USFA, Bethlehem Steel and two other expelled teams joined with teams from the Southern New York State Soccer Association to create the Eastern Soccer League. These actions, part of the 1928–1929 "Soccer Wars", along with the Great Depression, financially devastated the ASL, ESL and Bethlehem Steel FC. While Bethlehem Steel FC rejoined the ASL in 1929, the team folded after the spring 1930 season.
| Year | Division | League | Reg. Season | Playoffs | Challenge Cup | American Cup | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911/12 | N/A | AAFBA | N/A | Final | N/A | did not enter | |
| 1912/13 | N/A | AAFBA | 1st | Champion (no playoff) | N/A | did not enter | |
| 1913/14 | N/A | AAFBA | 1st | Champion (no playoff) | Third round | Champion | |
| 1914/15 | N/A | ALAFC | 1st | Champion (no playoff) | Champion | Semifinal | |
| 1915/16 | N/A | ALP | 2nd | No playoff | Champion | Champion | |
| 1916/17 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Final | Champion | |
| 1917/18 | N/A | NAFBL | 2nd | No playoff | Champion | Champion | |
| 1918/19 | N/A | NAFBL | 1st | Champion (no playoff) | Champion | Champion | |
| 1919/20 | N/A | NAFBL | 1st | Champion (no playoff) | Quarterfinal | Final | |
| 1920/21 | N/A | NAFBL | 1st | Champion (no playoff) | Second round | Semifinal | |
| 1921/22 | see Philadelphia Field Club | ||||||
| 1922/23 | 1 | ASL | 2nd | No playoff | Third round | Second round | |
| 1923/24 | 1 | ASL | 2nd | No playoff | Semifinals | Champion | |
| 1924/25 | 1 | ASL | 2nd | No playoff | did not enter | N/A | |
| 1925/26 | 1 | ASL | 4th | No playoff | Champion | N/A | |
| 1926/27 | 1 | ASL | 1st | Champion (no playoff) | Semifinals | N/A | |
| 1927/28 | 1 | ASL | 2nd (1st half); 4th (2nd half) | Semifinals | First Round | N/A | |
| 1928/29 | 1 | ASL | withdrew after 6 games | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| 1928–29 | N/A | ESL | 1st | Champion (no playoff) | Quarterfinal | N/A | |
| 1929 | N/A | ESL | 1st | Champion (no playoff) | N/A | N/A | |
| 1930 | 1 | ACL (ASL) | 7th (Spring) | No playoff | Semifinals | N/A | |