Bermuda Hogges F.C.

Lore & Background

The Hogges were announced as an expansion team in the USL Second Division in 2007. The name 'Hogges' was suggested by the team's owners following a fan contest, referencing the hog's long association with Bermuda and the toughness of the animal. The initial squad included numerous full Bermudian international players, making the Hogges the most experienced USL2 team in terms of international competition at the time. The team's first game was on 27 April 2007, a 1–0 home loss to Harrisburg City Islanders. Bermuda won just three of 20 regular season games in their debut season, finishing last in the USL2 table. Stephen Astwood was the top scorer with four goals.

Reader's Guide

The Bermuda Hogges represent a unique attempt to use a professional club structure to elevate football in a small island nation. By fielding a team in the USL system, the Hogges provided Bermudian players with regular competitive matches against American and Canadian sides, aiming to strengthen the national team. The club's financial struggles, leading to withdrawal from the PDL in 2013, highlight the challenges of sustaining a professional team in a small market. Despite a losing record in both USL2 seasons, the Hogges improved slightly in 2008, finishing ahead of Real Maryland Monarchs. The team self-relegated to the PDL in 2010 after the exodus of teams to the new North American Soccer League. The Hogges' legacy includes giving Bermudian internationals like Damon Ming and Stephen Astwood a platform, and their home attendance peaked at 756 in 2007 before declining to 254 in 2010.

Did You Know?

• The team's name 'Hogges' was chosen via a fan contest, referencing the hog's long association with Bermuda and the animal's toughness.
• The Hogges' first ever victory was a 2–1 win over New Hampshire Phantoms at the end of June 2007.
• The club's worst defeat was an 8–1 loss to Crystal Palace Baltimore in late July 2007.
• Shaun Goater made 8 appearances for the Hogges in 2007, scoring three goals.

Origins & Ambition

Bermuda Hogges F.C. emerged in 2007 as an expansion franchise in the USL Second Division, the second tier of American soccer at the time. The club was the brainchild of three Bermudian figures: football legend Shaun Goater, fellow former professional Kyle Lightbourne, and local businessman Paul Scope. Their stated mission was ambitious — to elevate the overall standard of play on the island by giving its top players regular competitive matches, with the long-term hope of producing a stronger national squad. The club's identity was shaped by community input: the name "Hogges" was selected through a fan contest, drawing on the pig's deep historical ties to Bermuda and the animal's reputation for resilience. Based in Hamilton, the team wore red, green, and white, and called the Bermuda National Stadium home during their first three seasons. Though the venture would ultimately be short-lived, it represented a singular moment when Bermuda sought to insert itself into the structured American soccer pyramid.

A Debut Season of Hardship

The Hogges' inaugural match on 27 April 2007 drew more than 1,500 spectators to the Bermuda National Stadium, but the Harrisburg City Islanders edged them 1–0 through a Chad Severs strike, foreshadowing a grueling campaign. Across twenty regular-season fixtures, the side managed only three victories. Their first taste of success came in late June with a 2–1 result over the New Hampshire Phantoms, followed by a 3–2 win over Cincinnati Kings in July — a match in which Stephen Astwood netted twice — and a 1–0 triumph over New Hampshire again in August. Lloyd Holder had the distinction of scoring the franchise's first-ever goals in a May draw with Cincinnati. The rest of the season was defined by heavy defeats: Charlotte Eagles scored four past them on two separate occasions, Richmond Kickers prevailed 4–0 in mid-June, and the nadir arrived in late July when Crystal Palace Baltimore dismantled them 8–1. The Hogges finished at the bottom of the USL Second Division table, a single point behind New Hampshire and a staggering 29 points adrift of champions Richmond. Astwood topped the scoring with four goals, while owner Shaun Goater contributed three goals across eight appearances.

International Pedigree & Coaching

Few USL Second Division squads could match the Hogges' depth of international experience. The initial roster featured a remarkable concentration of Bermudian internationals — Stephen Astwood, Domico Coddington, Darius Cox, Devaun DeGraff, Timothy Figureido, Damon Ming, John Barry Nusum, Michael Parsons, Jelani Scott, and Kwame Steede — each of whom had represented their country in World Cup or CONCACAF Gold Cup qualifying campaigns. Owners Shaun Goater and Kyle Lightbourne, both retired Bermudian internationals, further reinforced the squad's pedigree, making the Hogges by far the most experienced team in USL2 in terms of international competition. On the coaching side, Lightbourne himself guided the side from 2007 through 2009, after which Scott Morton took charge for the 2010 PDL campaign and Maurice Lowe led the team through 2011 and 2012. This blend of seasoned internationals and locally rooted leadership gave the club a distinctive character that set it apart from its mainland American rivals.

Fading & Final Curtain

By 2008 the Hogges showed marginal improvement, finishing with a 5–13–2 record and edging past the Real Maryland Monarchs in the standings, yet they remained out of the playoffs. The year opened with a 6–0 rout by Charlotte Eagles, though back-to-back victories over Wilmington Hammerheads and Pittsburgh Riverhounds marked a first for the franchise. Bright spots included wins over Western Mass Pioneers, Real Maryland, and Crystal Palace Baltimore, but brutal defeats — a 5–1 loss to Wilmington, a 5–1 thrashing by eventual champions Cleveland City Stars, and a 7–1 home annihilation by Richmond Kickers in which David Bulow scored a hat trick — underscored the gap. In December 2009, amid a mass exodus of USL clubs to the newly formed North American Soccer League, the Hogges self-relegated to the Premier Development League. They played in the PDL's Mid Atlantic Division from 2010 through 2012, home to the Bermuda Athletic Association Stadium in Pembroke, with attendance dwindling to 254 by 2010. On 28 May 2013, owner Paul Scope confirmed the club could not raise sufficient funds, and the Hogges ceased to exist.