. ▁Hart ford ▁retained ▁The ▁Wh ale ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁as ▁El m ▁City ▁Express ▁spent ▁the ▁season ▁on ▁hi atus . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁the ▁Ag ents ▁of ▁H ale ▁along ▁with ▁King ston ▁Stock ade ▁FC ' s ▁Dutch ▁Guard ▁established ▁the ▁Wood en ▁Sho e , ▁a ▁fan ▁cup ▁to ▁be ▁awarded ▁to ▁the ▁winner ▁of ▁the ▁season ▁series ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁teams . ▁The ▁Wood en ▁Sho e ▁pays ▁hom age ▁to ▁the ▁Dutch ▁orig ins ▁of ▁both ▁cities . ▁Stock ade ▁FC ▁defeated ▁Hart ford ▁City ▁ 2 - 1 ▁on ▁aggregate ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁first ▁Wood en ▁Sho e . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁team ▁was ▁originally ▁set ▁to ▁play ▁ind oor ▁s occer ▁in ▁the ▁Major ▁Arena ▁Soccer ▁League ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 5 – 1 6 ▁season ▁and ▁also ▁planned ▁to ▁form ▁an ▁out door ▁team ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁North ▁American ▁Soccer ▁League . ▁ ▁Hart ford ▁City ▁FC ' s ▁ownership ▁group ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁sign ▁a ▁le ase ▁for ▁the ▁X L ▁Center ▁because ▁the ▁city ▁had ▁issues ▁with ▁the ▁group ' s ▁handling ▁of ▁an ▁out door ▁s occer ▁stad ium ▁development ▁deal , ▁the ▁legal ▁status ▁of ▁its ▁main ▁financial ▁back er , ▁and ▁other ▁critical ▁issues . ▁The ▁group ▁hoped ▁to ▁re construct ▁D illon ▁Stadium ▁in ▁the ▁South ▁End ▁of ▁Hart ford ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁ 1 5 , 0 0 0 ▁seat ▁s occer - only ▁stad