The sign in the upper deck from the Toronto fans read “The Last Douche Out, Turn Off the Shite”…psst Toronto, you’re the last douche.

The last game to be played at Giants Stadium in predictable fashion was played in driving rain and horrible conditions, in some places standing water was on the field of play. Given the way this season had gone most fans were not expecting an awe inspiring performance….but that is what we got.

With Toronto’s playoffs on the line, New York laid down a severe 5-0 beatdown and gave New York its most convincing home win since 2006 when they beat hapless Salt Lake 6-0. The result ended Toronto’s bid for a first ever playoff appearance and sent their fans home wet and depressed for a 12 hour bus ride. Hope you enjoyed the trip douches.

The win capped off a miserable 14 years at Giants Stadium with the NFL lines, the poor concessions, the nazi security of the NJSEA, and the shit field surface. All of that is now a thing of the past, for the next time we watch our New York side it will be in Red Bull Arena. Start the countdown.

Its been 14 years since we first started this tradition, the tailgating in lot 16A and the pregame song practice, beer drinking, domino playing and other shenanigans. Through out the years many have come and gone, but in the end we all at one time experience the comradeship of 16A.

Many of us met for the first time in that lot over beers and football talk, or shots of Jameson, or grilled food. Those experiences for many were the start of this long struggle together and we wouldn’t trade any of you shits for anything.

This next Saturday on October 24th ESC will be throwing a Adios to 16A Party for all ESC and friends of ESC. There will be kick ass DJ’ing from ESC’s resident DJ pros like The Offside Rules own Shawn Francis, and longtime ESC spinmaster Jamison and of course the longest tenured ESC member Mike Sansone.

Kegs and “RocktoberFest” food prepared by Chef Leon will be on provided for the supporters and friends as we celebrate the end of an era. The end of the hellhole known as Giants Stadium and the end of the crap given to us by the NJSEA.

SO come on out to the match and stop by 16A to help us say adios to this place as we prepare to meet up again for the first time in the new arena next season.

Date: October 24, 2009
Time: 1:00PM – 7:00PM
Where: 16A of course!

Food:Assortment of Wursts :
Bratwurst, Knockwurst, Bockwurst, Bauernwurst, Weiners

German Potato Salad

Potato Pancakes

Cucumber-Dill Salad

Braised Cabbage

Sauerkraut

Sliced Radishes

Kegs: TBD

LIVE MUSIC: ESC DJ’s TBA

PS: Many ESC season ticket holders will be using their never waste a tickets for this game so there may be quite a few free tix floating around.

The Empire Supporters Club’s soccer team Empire SC made a thrilling title run in the recent Supporters Charity Tournment in NYC this past Saturday. The Empire SC team was MLS’s entry and wore the local MLS side New York Red Bulls kits as they dispatched several would be contenders before losing a tight affair with the eventual champions, Liverpool Supporters, in the semi finals.

Congradulations to the players of Empire SC for reping ESC and MLS in this charitable event. The Empire SC team, coached by Paul Anderson, is looking to be a regualr organized club team in the NYC leagues. Any ESC’ers that are interested in playing should contact Paul at andersenpa@gmail.com

ESC STORE is now up and running on the website. You can purchase and select available sizes for our current stock of gear. We will be adding new items to the store over the coming months and running pre-order specials for some specialized merchandise.

Simply click on the Store tab above to enter the products page and select the item you want. All sales are via Paypal to ESC’s paypal account.

The Legion of Honor serves as a supporters Hall of Fame, a distinction decided on by the supporters to pay tribute to the best players of all time both on the field and off it.

Below is the video of the presentation for those supporters that were unable to attend.

The Empire Supporters Club, (ESC) will honor former MetroStars great Giovanni Savarese on Thursday, July 30th, at their official pub, Nevada Smiths, by inducting him into the ESC’s Legion of Honor, a distinction reserved for only the greatest and revered of former players. This event will run in conjunction with the official New York Red Bulls viewing party for the CONCACAF Champions League match with W Connection on FSC.

Savarese spent three seasons with the MetroStars, scoring a then-team record 41 goals and 94 points in league play and 44 goals, also a record, and 101 points in all competitions. He held the record with the most goals in franchise history with 44 goals from the very first goal in club history in 1996 until the summer of 2007 when Clint Mathis struck for #45. In addition to his statistical achievements Savarese became a fan favorite for his passion and commitment to the club.

The presentation will take place at 7:30 P.M and will be followed by the New York Red Bulls’ CONCACAF Champions League qualifier against Caribbean Champion W. Connection at 8:00 P.M. This is an official ESC and New York Red Bulls watch party, and drink specials will be provided during the match.

All fans are encouraged to attend to show their support for Giovanni Savarese and the Red Bulls, and to watch the Champions League match. For more information visit www.empiresupportersclub.com and www.metrofanatic.com.

WHEN: Thursday July 30th
TIME: 7:30 P.M. (match coverage begins at 8:00 P.M.)
WHERE: Nevada Smiths
74 Third Ave (Between 11th & 12th Streets) New York, NY
Phone: 212-982-2591

The New York Red Bulls are on the road yet again this weekend as thier epic road trip continues this Saturday in a 2008 MLS Cup rematch with surging Columbus at Crew Stadium. Gone is any real hope or optimisim that the team can turn around the regular season, all that is left is to salvage some pride and avoid being branded the worst Metro/Red Bull team in the history of the franchise.

Despite the horrible place in the standings we hold and the general poor quality of play, we endure. ESC will be at their official away match bar Nevada Smiths, so stop by for some $4 Spaten Lager 20.oz Imperial Pints and get stuck in with the rest of us.

$4 20 oz. Pints during all NYRB away matches

WHEN: Saturday June 27th
TIME 7:30PM
WHERE Nevada Smiths

Our friends at First Touch Magazine in tandum with the South African Consolute and Amarula Cream are thowing a huge party featuring our own ESC spinmasters DJ Bamalama and DJ Crazy Baldhead (“Golasso”) this Sunday June 21st from 2PM till 10PM at Nevada Smiths.

The party is centered around the final Group B matches of the confederations cup (USA v. Eygpt and Brazil v. Italy) which both begin at 2:30. Follwing the match our ESC DJ’s will be providing the musical entertainment.

AND BEST OF ALL – IT’S FREE, NO COVER!!

Details:
Free Pies at Half-Time
$4 Carlsberg Beer
Prizes and Giveaways
Live Traditional African Drummers

For more information please check out First Touch Online

Call us bitter, but given the state of the team this season we are not in a welcoming mood these days, especially for that bastard expansion side that started this whole cursed season. They have some Columbian that stalks females, a former underwear model, a bunch of cast offs and a lard ass for a head coach. Screw these guys, lets give them hell.

As always ESC will be pregaming in Lot 16A at Giants Stadium starting at 3PM until the march in at 20 minutes prior to kick off. However, unfortunately this week Chef Leon will be away and there will be no special ESC tailgate menu.

June 6, 1944 – The day a massive force inavaded enemy territory and turned the tide of a campaign which led to the ultimate victory. The spirit of that day lives on this Sunday as ESC send all divisions north on I-95 to Foxboro for what could be the decisive battle of 2009, with ultimate defeat at stake.

Yes, the team this year has played poorly, as it stands today our beloved squad sits bottom of the table and their season all but over. The Empire Supporters Club is sneding its brave soliders in a last stand effort to push the team to earn a victory, a victory at a stadium we havent tasted victory since 2001. We will leave it all on the line there, victory or death to the season…the team must win to salvage any hope at playing meaninful league football the rest of the season.

Wish us luck. This is our D-Day.

For those that did sign up for the Bus Trip to Foxboro you can find full information here :FULL BUS TRIP DETAILS

Remember only those that previously signed up will be allowed on the bus.