Midnight Riders Elect 1st Female President Aoife Creighton

The Blazing Musket talked with Aoife about becoming a Revolution fan, plans for the Riders, and much more

Photo Courtesy of Aoife Creighton

The Midnight Riders made history this offseason as they elected the first female president of a New England Revolution supporter group with Aoife Creighton taking over as president.

Creighton’s journey as a Revs fan started all the way back in 2004 when she attended an away trip when New England faced the New York Red Bulls. As a teenager, her parents didn’t want her to stay at home alone for an entire day so they brought her along on the journey.

“I was a junior in high school, 16 years old, and had absolutely zero idea what a soccer game entailed,” Creighton told The Blazing Musket. “I never knew that 20 years later I'd be here still. I fell in love with the people that I met that day, with the atmosphere and the entire game. I feel like if they had brought me just to a regular game and had me sitting in any other section of the stadium, it would have been a different experience altogether and I might not have wanted to come back. Being in the Port-a-Fort, as it was commonly known, was imperative to growing my passion as a supporter. I'm not 100% positive when my parents put me on to their membership but I've been coming ever since.”

The Riders quickly became more than just a supporters group for Creighton. It is where she met her husband Chris, and her daughter Jett became the first third-generation member.

“It's one big family, and I wouldn't change that for the world.”

Becoming president of the Riders really wasn’t on Creighton’s radar until she was asked by former president Matt Zytka to contemplate taking over the position.

After speaking with Zytka, Creighton felt that she was a fit for the role and decided to run. She aspired to make a difference and improve the group that she calls home.

“After having a conversation with him and getting an actual layout of what everything entailed, I had to really think about what my future in the Riders looked like,” she said. “‘Could I do this? Could I handle it?’ Once I did that, it was like a flame ignited in my chest. Pushing me to do better, be better, and want better for our entire organization.”

Creighton ran unopposed, which she believes was an indication of the confidence the group had in her ability to be president. The initial nerves wore off and she became excited that she was opening doors for the next generation of Revolution supporters after she was named president of the Riders.

“I hope that seeing someone that resembles them can help any identifying female to feel empowered to stand up, run for positions, and grow our organization to new heights,” the new president said. “I want people to know they are welcome and wanted; at our tailgates, in the stands, and within our organization. No matter who you are or other injustices/segregation you may have felt from other people. Soccer is for anyone.”

With the regular season around the corner and with Creighton holding her position for under a month, it has been a busy time for the new president. Still, she is excited about what is in store for the Riders under her leadership.

“Our current goals are lofty but attainable,” Creighton said. “We want to get back to our pre-covid events. Bringing back some supporter favorites and hopefully some new ventures too. We want to grow our organization, and streamline all our processes so anyone can step into the role next and be successful.”