Submitted by FC London and photo by Cam Vassallo
The summer of 2014 looks to be filled with more soccer than usual with the prospect of top quality soccer from FC LONDON, Toronto FC and 64 top quality televised matches from Brazil. Fresh off the PDL Great Lakes Championship season, FC LONDON is looking to capitalize on this momentum as it heads into the upcoming season in search of its second North American Championship. With a mix of returning and new players, the boys in blue will be on the field and ready to roll May 30 for their season opener.
With the return of local players Alex Lewis, Tyler Hemming and goaltender Mark Haynes, head coach Martin Painter looks to form a new squad with the addition of notable international players to the lineup, including Italian and German strikers and a French defender, to name a few.
“It’s an opportunity to start fresh,” Painter said. “We’ve done a great job as a club over the past few years pulling together a combination of local, Canadian, American and International players, while creating a great chemistry on the team. The coaching staff is looking forward to the challenge once more, and the fans will get the benefit of seeing the results of our hard work on the field.”
With the announcement of the 2014 season schedule, FC LONDON is thrilled to be able to offer fans the ability to see the squad throughout May, June and July virtually every Friday night. The season starts with a road game against the Chicago Fire before FC London returns for its home opener on Friday, June 6 at 7:30 pm against KW United. Other notable games include the Michigan Bucks on Friday, June 20 and new entry Pittsburgh, on Friday, June 13. London finishes off its season in Pittsburgh with a double header to be played at the professional Highmark Stadium, home of Pittsburgh’s parent team, the Riverhounds.
With a renewed soccer interest being generated by Toronto FC’s acquisitions of Tottenham Hotspur forward and English International Jermaine Defoe, US national team captain Michael Bradley, and the recent signing of Brazilian goalkeeper Julio Cesar, there will be lots of media exposure about the Reds this year. This increased interest in soccer within the province will create a buzz of interest in top level soccer, and FC LONDON looks to capitalize on the increased attention on soccer here in the city.
Compound that with 2014 being a World Cup year and you’ve got more soccer than most can handle. There is little to no overlap with key games in the tournament, giving FC LONDON fans the ability to see the best of both local and international play. CEO Ian Campbell sees this as an exciting year all around.
“Between the local action with FC LONDON, district action at Toronto FC and the World Cup on the international stage, it’s a great year for soccer fans, young and old,” said Campbell. “Our goal is to make sure that the fans have a quality experience both on and off the field that reinforces their love for the game.”
Information about the upcoming season and season ticket packages (including tickets that can be purchased in bulk and used at any game) is available online at www.FCLONDON.ca.
www.fclondon.ca
