Member Spotlight: Railbirds

October ISC Membership Highlight: Railbirds

This month, we caught up with Jon Hunt to learn more about the Railbirds,

a passionate supporters’ group from Lexington, Kentucky. From their roots

in local culture to their dedication to building family-friendly fan traditions,

the Railbirds have quickly established themselves as a vital part of the

soccer scene.

ISC: What’s the story behind the name of your group, and when was

it founded?

Railbirds: The Railbirds were founded in 2022. Our name is a nod to

Lexington’s horse racing history, as a railbird was a nickname for a horse

racing fan who would hang or lean over the rails of the track.

ISC: What inspired the formation of the group?

Railbirds: Like most groups, we were inspired by the announcement of

Lexington getting a professional soccer team, and the founders felt that it

was crucial to have an SG.

ISC: How has the group grown or changed over time?

Railbirds: Starting from a small couple of people, we have slowly grown to

roughly 100ish members, and have slowly become a crucial part of fan

culture and a voice for all LSC fans.

ISC: Describe your matchday setup – where do you gather, what’s the

vibe like?

Railbirds: We are behind the south goal at LSC stadium (right side on TV),

and our players have a few base drums, tifos, and national flags. The rowdy

and noisy vibe evolves with the game and whoever joins us on that day. We

have had matches with a lot of chanting or drumming, and we go with the

game’s flow.

ISC: Do you have any pre-game or post-game rituals?

Railbirds: Before games, we typically tailgate in the lot outside the

stadium. Post-game, we award a silver horseshoe to the player of the match

that we, as a group, have voted on.

ISC: What kind of outreach or community involvement does your

group do?

Railbirds: Like most groups, we have done a Prideraiser each year. We

have also done food, book, and school supplies drives to give back to our

community.

ISC: How do you keep members engaged during the off-season?

Railbirds: With the USL Championship and USL Super League, we have a

very small offseason, as it is only the month of January. We hold our yearly

elections for new board members and roll out new merch during that

month.

ISC: What’s one thing most people don’t know about your group?

Railbirds: We’re a family-oriented group. There may be some cussing from

a couple of members, but our chants are family-appropriate, and we often

have young kids drumming for us.

ISC: What are you most excited about for the future of the team?

Railbirds: The sport’s growth within the city, and the slow trend towards

being competitive across both teams, so we can fight for trophies.

ISC: What are your hopes for the supporters’ group as it continues to

grow?

Railbirds: We must keep growing and getting more members while

maintaining our core ideals of a family-oriented, all-welcoming group.

ISC: What would you like to see more of at the stadium or in the

supporter culture moving forward?

Railbirds: More embrace of soccer culture. We have many fans who don’t

fully understand the point of an SG, and we hope that as we continue

growing, we can develop a strong culture.

ISC: How do you balance supporting the team with other aspects of

your life?

Railbirds: Having a dedicated core group of people helps a lot. People can

have lives and miss a few games without issues arising.

The Railbirds have quickly become more than just a group of fans. They

have built a welcoming community that feels like family. From tailgates

before matches to giving back through local drives to handing out the silver

horseshoe after the final whistle, their passion shows in everything they do.

We are thankful to Jon and the Railbirds for sharing their story with us, and

we look forward to seeing them continue to grow, chant, and carry the

culture forward in Lexington.

Want your supporter group to be featured next?

Reach out to RJ Montano on Slack or email membership@officialisc.com and

let us help tell your story.