The ranks of FC Cincinnati employees that predate the club's entrance to Major League Soccer thinned again on Wednesday with the announcement of long-time goalkeeper coach Jack Stern departing the club.
Stern's time at FC Cincinnati dated back to 2018, when the club was a member of what was then referred to as the United Soccer League (it's now the USL Championship).
The club was managed by Alan Koch at that time. Four non-interim head coaches later, and with a new general manager in place in Chris Albright, Stern departs FC Cincinnati.
The club will look to fill the position under Albright, along with new head coach Pat Noonan.
Stern was active in local philanthropic efforts, popular among die-hard supporters of FC Cincinnati, and contributed to some of the best moments in team history. He'll also be linked, along with the club's other past coaches, to the three consecutive last-place finishes to begin FC Cincinnati's time in MLS.
FC Cincinnati issued only a tweet announcing Stern's departure Wednesday night. Stern himself tweeted out a lengthy farewell message in which he thanked majority owner Carl Lindner III, team President Jeff Berding and "all of the head coaches and technical staff that I have worked with."
"Cincinnati: Our time together has come to an end," Stern said in his Twitter statement. "Over the part four years, I have felt blessed and honored to be a part of this football club and its incredible rise. From the highs of a USL regular season championship, to the challenges of expansion into MLS, it has been an incredible journey.
"To all those working in the background to help the team, such as operations, communications, equipment guys, chefs, grounds men, interns and front office, I hope you realized how much I appreciated your incredible work.
"Finally, to all of our goalkeepers who have worked with me since 2018, thank you for your passion, commitment and dedication. We never stopped challenging and supporting each other."
A team official declined to comment further.
During FC Cincinnati's rampant, record setting run to the USL regular season championship in 2018, goalkeeper Evan Newton won the league's Golden Glove award. More important than a postseason honor, fellow FCC goalkeeper Spencer Richey earned a contract to make the jump with Cincinnati into MLS from USL.
Stern played his role in both accomplishments.
As FC Cincinnati supporters know, the MLS years weren't as kind to the club. Accolades were scarce, and struggles in many areas persisted. The included, but wasn't limited to, the goalkeeping department.
Stern played an integral role in the recruitment of Przemysław Tytoń to the club for its inaugural MLS campaign. Tytoń was athletic, an established No. 1 goalkeeper for big clubs and big international competitions, but was out of contract late in 2018 and training with first-division Polish side Wisła Plock.
More:The moment FC Cincinnati knew Przemyslaw Tytoń was its MLS goalkeeper
Tytoń's signing was a good one on paper, and when the club declined a contract option to keep him at the club Dec. 1 he was arguably the most successful FCC goalkeeper since it joined MLS.
Amid another losing season in 2021, three FCC coaches were fired in late September but Stern remained on-staff as Tyrone Marshall became head coach on an interim basis.
But when Albright arrived in October and was then followed by Noonan in December, goalkeeping had long since been identified as a position of need by the club's new regime.
Whether that meant Albright and Noonan had a coaching change in mind remains to be seen, but it's a common practice in professional soccer for newly-hired head coaches to bring in their own assistants and support staff, or for members of a since-departed staff to move on.
It's believed Stern's exit from Cincinnati was positive in its nature.
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