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Montreal Roses FC

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"Roses FC" redirects here. For other similarly-named soccer clubs, see Association football club names § Rose.

Roses FC
A black shield, with a blue rose on the bottom and "Roses", "MTL", and "FC" written in gold on top.
FoundedJuly 2023; 1 year ago (2023-07)
StadiumVarious
Owner
  • Isabèle Chevalier
  • Jean-François Crevier
PresidentAnnie Larouche
ManagerMarinette Pichon
CoachRobert Rositoiu
LeagueNorthern Super League
Websiteen.rosesmtl.ca

Roses FC (also known as the Montreal Roses; French: Roses de Montréal) is a professional women's soccer club based in Montreal, Quebec that will compete in the Northern Super League, in the top flight of the Canadian soccer league system. One of two professional soccer clubs in the province of Quebec alongside CF Montréal, it is owned by Isabèle Chevalier and Jean-François Crevier, led by Annie Larouche, and managed by Marinette Pichon. The club is symbolized by a blue rose, and its colours are black, blue, gold, red, and white.

Roses FC was founded in July 2023 by Chevalier and Crevier, who both sought involvement in the Northern Super League after its formation the previous year. It was one of the last two charter members of the league, alongside the Ottawa Rapid. In lieu of a tenancy deal with a venue in Montreal, the club will play its home games at various venues. Its first season will be played in 2025, with Robert Rositoiu as its head coach.

History

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Roses FC were co-founded by Quebecer entrepreneurs Isabèle Chevalier and Jean-François Crevier, who bought a licence for a team in the Northern Super League, then tentatively known as Project 8, in July 2023.[1] Chevalier, who gained notoriety as a "dragon" on both the French and French-Canadian adaptations of Dragons' Den, sought a team in the league as a passion project inspired by her advocacy for women's sports; while Crevier, whose companies manufacture and distribute lubricants, sought involvement in the league after news reports covering its establishment piqued his interest.[2][3][4] Their acquisition, along with regulatory approval by Canada Soccer, was achieved in May 2024,[1][5] and the league publicly announced Roses FC and Ottawa Rapid FC as the last two of its six charter members at the espnW Summit Canada shortly after.[a][7][8]

During the club's development, Chevalier and Crevier sought advice from former Laval Comets and Canadian national team player Amy Walsh, and former Montreal Alouettes president Patrick Boivin.[4] They appointed former Montréal Alouettes and Montreal Alliance executive Annie Larouche as the first president of Roses FC, and former Juvisy and French national team player Marinette Pichon as its first sporting director.[9][10] Larouche, who was still an executive at the Alliance when she was nominated, served out the rest of her tenure at the Alliance to the end of the 2024 CEBL season.[11] Pichon had immigrated to Quebec in 2019, following her tenure as Juvisy's general manager, and participated in the local soccer scene prior to her appointment.[11][12] Pichon appointed Robert Rositoiu, who achieved a League1 Canada treble as coach of A.S. Blainville Féminin in 2022, as Roses FC's first ever head coach.[13][14] Fifteen investors were secured for the club, some of which were appointed as brand ambassadors under the title of investor-ambassadors.[15][16]

Exterior of a white and brown brick building
The club's launch was celebrated in an event held at Dalhousie station (pictured).

Roses FC were the last of the six charter members of the league to unveil their branding, and did so at a high-profile event held at Dalhousie station in Old Montreal on 8 October 2024,[17][18] attended by around 550 people including Isabelle Charest, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, members of the Montreal Victoire and Canada men's national soccer team, and various club and league executives and investors.[18][19][20] The first player signings were announced a few weeks later – French defensive midfielder Charlotte Bilbault and Canadian goalkeeper Gabrielle Lambert, who both transferred from European clubs to join Roses FC.[21] The club initially found difficulty in securing a long-term tenancy at a venue in Montreal, and will adopt a touring model for their inaugural 2025 season, in which their home games will be played in various venues.[4][22]

Identity

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A blue-dyed rose
Blue roses (pictured) are prominently featured in the club's branding, intended to illustrate "making the impossible possible."

The official name of the club is Roses FC,[19][20][23] though Montreal Roses and Roses de Montréal are also used by the club in English- and French-language media, respectively.[19][24] Roses were chosen as the central motif in the club's identity for their bilingual name, and recognition as symbols of femininity and of Montreal itself – being featured in the city's coat of arms, flag, and logo.[25][26][27] The club's branding was workshopped with Quebec-based advertising agencies Cossette and GRDN from over forty ideas.[20][28] It primarily uses hues of blue and red, symbolizing the "diverse cultural heritage shared between Quebec and Canada," that intentionally differ from blue and red hues traditionally used by Montreal sports teams. Black, gold, and white are also used in the club's colours.[26][27][28] A blue rose, which does not occur naturally, features prominently on the club's crest – intended to evoke perseverance, resilience, and the idea of "[making] the impossible possible."[17][25] The typography used in the club's branding, inspired by the Farine Five Roses sign, was designed to resemble thorns on the stems of roses.[17][26][27]

Stadium

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Roses FC currently have no permanent home ground, and will play their home games at various venues.[22] Its training ground is the Centre Sportif Bois-de-Boulogne in Laval, Quebec, which will undertake two rounds of renovations to accommodate the club.[13]

Organization

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Roses FC are independently owned by Isabèle Chevalier and Jean-François Crevier.[1][24] It is led by Annie Larouche as its president, while Marinette Pichon manages the club as its sporting director.[9][10] The club's board of directors also includes Mélissa Beauchesne in the operations portfolio,[29] Antoine Chevalier in ticketing,[30] Andréanne Gagné in culture and finance,[31] Baptiste Robert in partnerships,[32] and Nathalie Vachon in strategy and communications.[33] A number of investors hold shares in the club, some of which also serve as brand ambassadors for the club under the title of investor-ambassadors (French: investisseur-ambassadeurs). Notable investors include: LCI Education, Patrice Bernier, Maxime Crépeau, Julie du Page, Mark Pathy, Samuel Piette, and Bruny Surin.[15][16][34][35]

Team

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Robert Rositoiu serves as the head coach of Roses FC.[13][14]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Squad correct as of October 2024.[21]

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK Canada CAN Gabrielle Lambert
— MF France FRA Charlotte Bilbault

See also

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References

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Notes

  1. ^ At the time of this announcement, the clubs were known by their tentative names, SLN Montreal and NSL Ottawa.[6]

Citations

  1. ^ a b c Brideau, Alec; Davidson, Neil; Servant, Simon (28 May 2024). "New pro women's soccer league will have a team in Montreal". The Gazette. Archived from the original on 28 May 2024. Retrieved 23 August 2024. Co-founders Jean-François Crevier and Isabèle Chevalier purchased the Montreal team in July 2023, but it was only last Friday that the deal with the new league was signed.
  2. ^ Brideau, Davidson & Servant 2024, "Chevalier said this new league was not only an investment, but also a passion project. Crevier said he saw an article in March last year about the league that co-founder Diana Matheson wanted to start."
  3. ^ Houpt, Simon (28 May 2024). "New Northern Super League takes women's soccer pro in Canada, with room to grow". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 28 May 2024. Retrieved 23 August 2024. The Montreal NSL team owners include Jean-François Crevier, the president of a commercial lubricant distribution company, and Isabèle Chevalier [...] one of the "dragons" on the Radio-Canada's edition of Dragon's Den.
  4. ^ a b c Jaques, John (28 May 2024). "Women's Pro Soccer To Plant Flag In Montreal". Northern Tribune. Archived from the original on 28 May 2024. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  5. ^ Davidson, Neil (4 April 2024). "Project 8 says three more clubs have asked to join proposed women's pro league". The Canadian Press. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  6. ^ "Montreal, Ottawa join newly named Northern Super League pro women's soccer circuit". CBC Sports. 28 May 2024. Archived from the original on 28 May 2024. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  7. ^ Houpt 2024, "In fact, the four teams previously announced will be joined only by Montreal and Ottawa, which were unveiled Tuesday at the ESPNW Summit..."
  8. ^ Kerry, Gillespie (28 May 2024). "Canadian women's pro soccer league has a name, the Northern Super League, and two more teams". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on 29 May 2024. Retrieved 23 August 2024. At the espnW Canada conference in Toronto, Matheson also announced Ottawa and Montreal have signed on to join previously announced clubs...
  9. ^ a b Arcand, Jean-Philippe (19 June 2024). "Les nombreux chantiers d'Annie Larouche et de Marinette Pichon" [The many challenges of Annie Larouche and Marinette Pichon]. La Presse (in French). Archived from the original on 20 June 2024. Retrieved 23 August 2024. ...la nomination d'Annie Larouche à titre de présidente du club, tandis que l'ex-gloire du soccer français Marinette Pichon en sera la directrice sportive.
  10. ^ a b Richard, Mylène (19 June 2024). "En mode séduction pour dénicher des joueuses et un entraîneur de soccer" [In seduction mode to find soccer players and a coach]. Le Journal de Montréal (in French). Archived from the original on 23 August 2024. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  11. ^ a b The Canadian Press (19 June 2024). "Annie Larouche leaves Montreal Alliance to head new local soccer team". The Gazette. Archived from the original on 19 June 2024. Retrieved 23 August 2024. Larouche leaves her position with the Montreal Alliance of the Canadian Elite Basketball League, at the end of this season [...] After her sporting career, [Pichon] was general manager at FCF Juvisy Essonne...
  12. ^ Dunlop, Brendan (9 September 2024). "Behind the Badge: Find Out How NSL Montréal is Ready to Elevate the Game in Quebec". Northern Super League. Archived from the original on 12 September 2024. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  13. ^ a b c Jaques, John (11 September 2024). "Rositoiu To Coach Montreal's NSL Club". Northern Tribune. Archived from the original on 12 September 2024. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  14. ^ a b The Canadian Press (11 September 2024). "Montreal's Northern Super League club names Robert Rositoiu as head coach". The Gazette. Archived from the original on 12 September 2024. Retrieved 12 September 2024. Rositoiu is well known in the world of women's soccer, having won three trophies with AS Blainville in Ligue1 Québec [...] Rositoiu's appointment was the result of a meticulous selection process led by Pichon...
  15. ^ a b Téotonio, Jean-François (8 October 2024). "La floraison des Roses de Montréal" [The flowering of the Montreal Roses]. La Presse (in French). Archived from the original on 10 October 2024. Retrieved 9 October 2024. Les seules autres surprises annoncées mardi soir ont été les noms de cinq nouveaux investisseurs-ambassadeurs [...] la fondatrice de la plateforme Femmes d'hockey, Isabelle Éthier, l'actrice Julie Du Page, ainsi que le gardien de l'équipe masculine de soccer Maxime Crépeau.
  16. ^ a b Bombardier, Junior (8 October 2024). "Unveiling of Montreal's Northern Super League professional club's name and branding". Roses FC. Archived from the original on 30 October 2024. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  17. ^ a b c Richard, Mylène (8 October 2024). "Soccer féminin: les Roses de Montréal voient le jour" [Women's soccer: the Montreal Roses are born]. Le Journal de Montréal (in French). Archived from the original on 10 October 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  18. ^ a b Téotonio 2024, "...l'évènement organisé à la gare Dalhousie, dans le Vieux-Montréal. Environ 550 personnes étaient présentes en soirée [...] la ministre Isabelle Charest, même des représentantes de la Victoire de Montréal ont assisté à la présentation."
  19. ^ a b c Rainbird, Daniel (8 October 2024). "Roses FC unveiled as Montreal's Northern Super League franchise". The Canadian Press. Archived from the original on 10 October 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  20. ^ a b c Specter, Heidi (9 October 2024). "Roses FC Is the Name of Montreal's Northern Super League Team". Betting.ca. Archived from the original on 10 October 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  21. ^ a b Davidson, Neil (21 October 2024). "Montreal's Roses FC signs first players, Charlotte Bilbault and Gabrielle Lambert". The Gazette. The Canadian Press. Archived from the original on 22 October 2024. Retrieved 22 October 2024. Defensive midfielder Bilbault comes from Montpellier's team in France, while goalkeeper Lambert of St-Hyacinthe is with SC Freiburg.
  22. ^ a b Jaques, John (30 May 2024). "Everything We Know About All Six NSL Launch Teams". Northern Tribune. Archived from the original on 30 May 2024. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  23. ^ CBC News Staff (9 October 2024). "Montreal's new pro women's soccer team now has its name and logo". CBC News. Archived from the original on 10 October 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  24. ^ a b Téotonio 2024, "Les Roses de Montréal, Roses FC, Montreal Roses, « tu prends [l’appellation] qui te plaît ! », nous dit la femme d’affaires Isabèle Chevalier, copropriétaire de l'équipe de la nouvelle Super Ligue du Nord (SLN). Elle est assise au côté de son comparse et autre copropriétaire, Jean-François Crevier."
  25. ^ a b Téotonio 2024, "...puisqu'il s'inspire de la rosace du logo officiel de la Ville de Montréal. « La rose, c'est féminin, mais c'est puissant. » Plus sérieusement, la rose bleue au centre de l'image de marque, « c’est impossible dans la nature […] Donc ce logo-là rend l'impossible possible. »"
  26. ^ a b c Roger, Christine (8 October 2024). "Les Roses FC de Montréal voient le jour dans la Super Ligue du Nord" [Montreal Roses FC are born in the Northern Super League]. Radio-Canada Sports (in French). Archived from the original on 9 October 2024. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  27. ^ a b c Cook, Glenn (8 October 2024). "Roses de Montréal Aim To Be a Thorn in the Side of Fellow NSL Clubs". SportsLogos.net. Archived from the original on 10 October 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  28. ^ a b Téotonio 2024, "Les agences GRDN et Cossette ont été impliquées dans le processus de sélection. [...] portaient tous l'écharpe bleu, blanc et rouge des Roses en cette soirée de grand dévoilement. Des couleurs qui rappellent évidemment le monde du sport montréalais. « On a pris des rouges et des bleus un peu plus vifs, différents des autres équipes. »"
  29. ^ Montreal Roses FC [@rosemtlfc] (27 September 2024). "We're thrilled to announce Mélissa Beauchesne as our Director of Operations!" (Tweet). Retrieved 9 October 2024 – via Twitter.
  30. ^ Montreal Roses FC [@rosemtlfc] (4 October 2024). "Antoine Chevalier is stepping into the role of our Ticketing Director!" (Tweet). Retrieved 9 October 2024 – via Twitter.
  31. ^ Montreal Roses FC [@rosemtlfc] (20 September 2024). "En tant que Directrice Culture & Finances, Andréanne apporte une riche expérience et une vision novatrice à notre organisation" [As Director of Culture & Finance, Andréanne brings a rich experience and an innovative vision to our organisation.] (Tweet) (in French). Retrieved 9 October 2024 – via Twitter.
  32. ^ Montreal Roses FC [@rosemtlfc] (6 October 2024). "Meet Baptiste Robert, our new Director of Partnerships! Welcome to the squad, Baptiste!" (Tweet). Retrieved 9 October 2024 – via Twitter.
  33. ^ Montreal Roses FC [@rosemtlfc] (30 September 2024). "Welcome Nathalie Vachon, our VP of Strategy and Communications!" (Tweet). Retrieved 9 October 2024 – via Twitter.
  34. ^ Montreal Roses FC [@rosemtlfc] (26 September 2024). "Represented by Caroline Comeau, Chief Revenue Officer and Executive Vice-President, LCI Education joins the group of investors in Montreal's Northern Super League club!" (Tweet). Retrieved 8 October 2024 – via Twitter.
  35. ^ "Sam Piette joins Canada teammate Max Crépeau as investor in Roses de Montréal NSL team". Canadian Soccer Daily. 13 November 2024. Archived from the original on 15 November 2024. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
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