Submitted by FC LONDON, Photo by Cam Vassallo
Exciting times are ahead for fans, clubs and players at FC LONDON as the 2014 season gets underway.
“We’ve worked hard over the off-season to find talented players from around the world, and right here in the London area,” said Martin Painter, FC LONDON’s head coach. “It’s encouraging to see many players in our starting 11 coming from the hard work of clubs in our own community. FC LONDON creates a new avenue for them to show their skills in the top amateur league in North America.”
If professional players are any indication, FC LONDON, the 2012 PDL champions, and their fans are in for some excitement in the 2014 season. FC LONDON is seeing a trend in its team this year, and that trend is height … or lack thereof. In the spirit of Diego Maradona (5’5”), Roberto Carlos (5’6”) or Lionel Messi (5’7”), FC LONDON is looking to capitalize on players who rely on their skills, and not their heights, to make an impact on the field this year. Players include: returning midfielder Josh Hughes from Texas; James Pucci from Italy; Aurelian Norest from France; Canadian Alex Semenetes (formerly with FC Edmonton and Vancouver Whitecaps Academy), and Englishman Danny Deakin, a former member of the Sheffield United Youth Academy who is now attending school in Mercyhurst, PA. All of the aforementioned players measure in and around the 5’6” mark.
“Soccer is mostly played on the ground, with the ball at the feet of the players,” said Painter. “Shorter players can flourish when they excel at ball control, speed, agility and the ability to change direction quickly. We’ve pulled together some extremely strong tactical players that will make a huge positive impact on the field with a possession-focused style of soccer.”
Fans this year will get a second taste of the UMBRO Cup, a home and home competition with FC LONDON’s “401 rivals”, KW United.
“There is a lot of spirited support for both clubs, and the trash talk on social media continues to escalate,” said club president Ian Campbell. “It truly shows the passion that fans have for this great game.”
In 2013, FC LONDON defeated KW United after a 2-1 win and a 2-2 tie, giving the competition a total score of 4-3 in favour of FC LONDON.
The 2013 winners will travel away this year for the first leg of the competition to Kitchener-Waterloo on Wednesday, June 11. FC LONDON will then host KW United in a return match on Wednesday, June 18 at their home field on Cove Rd. The games will count for both league play and the UMBRO Cup. UMBRO is recognized around the world as a top supplier of soccer clothing and gear for both recreational and professional players. Both KW United and FC LONDON are sponsored by and exclusively wear UMBRO uniforms.
Tickets for the seven FC LONDON home games this year are available online at www.FCLONDON.ca and also at Source for Sports as unique FLEX tickets. Fans can purchase single tickets or packs of 7 or 14 and use them at any game. This replaces the “specific ticket for a specific game” approach from previous years.
Full game schedule, camp information and stats are available at www.FCLONDON.ca
www.fclondon.ca
