Photo: Earl Gardner

The tenth season in Union history was unlike any of the nine that came before it.

After a slow start that left many wondering if this year would be more of the same, things changed in a big way for Philadelphia.

The Blue and Gold spent most of the summer atop the Eastern Conference, with not even a slight slowdown at the end of the campaign keeping the club from its highest point total in history.

Along the way, Talen Energy Stadium once again became a fortress, with observers noting an energy in the crowd rarely seen by the banks of the Delaware River.

The Union’s season climaxed with the first postseason win in club history – an unforgettable, come-from-behind win against a hated rival on a rainy Sunday afternoon in October.

Less than a week later, that season ended in Atlanta.

While this season was a success, it was not an unqualified one. The Union didn’t win MLS Cup, or reach a conference final, or qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League. Bethlehem Steel took a big step backwards, as did some of the Union’s young players. There are, in short, serious questions about whether this season can be repeated – or built upon.

Over the next two weeks, PSP’s writers will be taking a closer look at the year that was – and the decisions that lie ahead – in our Season Review series.

We’ll be writing about some of this season’s most surprising and delightful stories, like the emergence of supersub Ilsinho and the sterling season of Kacper Przybylko. We’ll also be taking a look at the Union’s roster, reflecting on Ernst Tanner’s first offseason in charge and what moves he may have lined up for his second. We’ll also have our annual reader polls to get a sense of how the fanbase feels as we approach yet another offseason.

The series kicks off today with Tim Jones taking a look at Bethlehem Steel’s roster and Chris Gibbons breaking down Andre Blake’s mixed bag of a campaign.

We hope you enjoy.