Crown Legacy FC To Play Huntsville City FC In Opener
By Brian Maurer
Crown Legacy FC players in training (photo courtesy of Crown Legacy FC)
Crown Legacy FC will host Huntsville City FC in their inaugural match on March 26th. Huntsville City FC is Nashville SC’s MLS Next Pro team. They, like Crown Legacy FC, are starting their inaugural season in 2023.
Match details: March 26th, 3:00PM at Mecklenburg County Sportsplex in Matthews, NC
Tickets will be for sale on Mint Street during the Charlotte FC match on Saturday, February 25th and an announcement will also be made during the match at Bank Of America.
- $15 for General Admission single match tickets
- Season tickets start at $140
Huntsville City FC will be coached by Jack Collison. The Welshman played as a midfielder at West Ham United before coaching. He spent the last two seasons coaching the Atlanta United 2 team. In Collison’s two years as Atlanta United 2’s coach he had a record of 12-13-35.
Huntsville City FC’s first ever signing was Canadian midfield prospect Isaiah Johnston. Johnston has 53 professional appearances while playing for his hometown club York United FC, and was recognized as one of the 2021 Canadian Premier League’s Next Gen stars.
Here is the list of the other ten players that have been signed to Huntsville City FC’s inaugural roster:
Perris Barnes (21) - Defender who played at Butler University.
John Berner (31) - Goalkeeper who last played for USL Championship side, Memphis 901 FC. He will also be a goalkeeper coach.
Jonathan Bolanos (24) - Midfielder who last played for USL League One side, Richmond Kickers.
Josh Drack (23) - Defender who last played for MLS Next Pro side, LA Galaxy II.
Danny Griffin (24) - Midfielder who last played for USL Championship side, Pittsburgh Riverhounds.
Nick Law (34) - Midfielder who last played for USL Championship side, Tampa Bay Rowdies. Grew up in the Sheffield United academy and debuted in the EPL. Also played for Rangers FC. Will be taking on a player/coach role.
Azaad Liadi (24) - Forward who last played for USL Championship side, Loudoun United FC.
Chris N’sa (23) - Defender who last played for CPL side, York United FC.
Cyrus Rad (23) - Defender, and Carolina native, who last played for USL League One side, Forward Madison FC.
Ollie Wright (23) - Midfielder who last played for USL Championship side, Rio Grande Valley FC Toros.
Huntsville City FC’s roster, so far, consists of players who have been primarily playing domestically. This matches with the model that Nashville SC uses where they too have a heavy focus on recruiting domestic players. This makes for an interesting inaugural matchup as Crown Legacy FC have opted for a blend of both international and college prospects with their early signings. Full Crown Legacy Schedule will be announced sometime next week.
