Philadelphia Union II is an American professional soccer team based in Chester, Pennsylvania competing in MLS Next Pro.

Founded in 2015 as Bethlehem Steel FC, the team is the official affiliate of the Philadelphia Union of Major League Soccer.

[1] The survey input and directives from the Union front office eventually led to the creation of a team that would play in the Lehigh Valley, officially announced on August 19, 2015.

The announcement also coincided with dissolving the previous affiliation with USL side Penn FC (formerly Harrisburg City Islanders), originally established in 2010.

[4] Bethlehem Steel FC would become the “missing link” of player development between YSC Academy and first team for the Philadelphia Union.

[6] In preparation of their inaugural season, Steel FC built a roster with a combination of USL veterans (Mickey Daly, Ryan Richter, Bolu Akinyode), Philadelphia Union draft picks (Josh Yaro, Fabian Herbers), and key international players (James Chambers, Cory Burke).

The emergence of Seku Conneh and Cory Burke as reliable scoring threats helped Steel FC double their previous season's win total, finished 8th in the Eastern Conference and earned their first playoff appearance.

The team front office pledged to continue seeking out potential venue solutions that meet the USL Championship requirements for the 2020 season.

[14] On October 27, 2015, Bethlehem Steel FC's name, crest, and colors were officially announced during a ceremony held at the ArtsQuest at SteelStacks.

The Union's rattlesnake alludes to the "Join, or Die" political cartoon by Benjamin Franklin that was featured in the 1754 Pennsylvania Gazette, and is also reminiscent of the Gadsden flag, another Revolutionary icon.

[26] The East End Army support the team from the lower bowl section of Goodman Stadium, dubbed "the Forge."