Ormskirk residents will soon have new neighbours in the form of a newly founded non-league football club with an unusual twist - all 22 of its players will hail from the USA.
FC 219 is the brainchild of Rainhill entrepreneur Tom Baker, now based in Texas, whose sports and education consultancy 219 Sports secures sports scholarships for British students at American universities.
The entirely new team will enter the 10th division of the English football pyramid from next season. FC 219 will play its home games at Edge Hill University campus in Ormskirk, where American-born players will study for Masters degrees alongside featuring in regular matches.
Bridging the gap for American players
In England, many footballers who leave academies aged 18 are left with few options to continue playing while gaining further qualifications, leading some to pursue sports scholarships in the US. Alongside securing these through his other business venture, Mr Baker told the ECHO he wanted to offer more opportunities for American college soccer players who miss out on the draft to continue their own playing careers in England.
He said: "If you finish your four-year degree at university in America and you want to continue playing sports - if you're a good player but not quite good enough to go and sign an MLS deal - there's nowhere really else for you to go. There's no football pyramid. So, that's why building FC 219 around those graduating Americans kind of fills that void but also gives them an amazing experience to come and play in a very, very different environment, as well as obviously get a Masters degree."
"There's nothing quite like it in America."
Recruitment and ambitions
Player recruitment has already begun and is expected to continue until April, with trials set to be held in California and New York in January with a view to building a 22-man squad and cohort to start the North West Counties Football League season in August. With a full-time head coach, assistant coach, goalkeeping coach and player liaison also set to be appointed, FC 219 has been established with the intention of competing at a high level.
Mr Baker explained that the bridge on the club's badge is a "visual metaphor for the club's mission: bridging the gap between US college football and the UK league system".
Mr Baker told the ECHO: "[Ambition] is the whole reason why we're putting it together, kind of why the club was founded. I get asked questions all the time like, how does that college soccer level translate to the English game? And I think this is the perfect experiment to find out. I truly believe the top end of college soccer can go a long way in the English football pyramid. And that's our objective. That's our plan. We want to be as successful as possible."
"And not only do we want to be successful on the field, we want to bring that American razzmatazz to the non-league game as well."
American-style matchdays and community support
Setting out their stall as what he describes as "a very Americanised kind of club", Mr Baker wants match-goers to embrace the pre-game US sports ritual of tailgating. Matches will feature half-time and post-game entertainment and "potentially cheerleaders".
With more than half of all Premier League clubs now under American ownership and TV shows Welcome to Wrexham and Ted Lasso seeing success stateside, US interest in English football has probably never been higher. Mr Baker is confident that the club will find its supporters.
He said: "Obviously, Ormskirk's a relatively large-sized town with not a huge standout team. I know they have teams there so I'm not being disrespectful to them, but I would like to come in and capture a little bit of that community. And also, with us being based on Edge Hill's campus, there's 15,000 students there that I'm sure will all want to get behind something that's new and unique, so we'd like to tap into that."
"And then with the parents and the families of the players coming over, we'll start with that. And I think that will quickly spread just because it's such a unique offering to Americans, so to speak. I think, like I said, it'll be the only club within the football pyramid made up of Americans, so I feel like it's a bit of a team that they can get behind even if it is from afar."
Future prospects and European opportunities
While through college soccer alone, American players cannot accumulate the Governing Body Endorsement points required to secure a work permit and play professionally in England, FC 219 could feasibly play as high as the National League without having to go professional - which would give players a sizeable platform if the club proves successful.
With the government reconsidering the UK's options for closer ties with the EU, however, the future could potentially serve up further opportunities in Europe for FC 219 players who impress, particularly if the club are able to reach the upper tiers of the non-league game, while a return to alignment with the EU's non-points-based system could even open the door for American players to continue in the English game after their time with FC 219.
Mr Baker told the ECHO: "Look, I'd like to keep hold of our players for as long as possible. But you never know. And that's the world of football, isn't it? If one of our players comes over and their Masters degree is for 12 months and they'll be signed with FC 219 for that 12 month period, if they come over and do really well and if there is that extra mobility, then maybe they have a chance to spread their wings, so to speak, in the footballing aspect across Europe."
"And that, for us, that'd be amazing case studies for us to give - potentially - our players opportunities to take that next step in their sport. But we also know if this specific player does go and do that, we know that they've also got a Masters degree as well."
Matthew Greig, professor in sport and exercise biomechanics at Edge Hill University, said: "We are delighted to have joined up with 219 Sports/FC 219 for this exciting venture, with a real focus on the continuation of the student-athlete pathway. Talented soccer-scholars having the opportunity to pursue post-graduate study across the breadth of opportunities at Edge Hill, whilst continuing their soccer journey in the heartland of soccer in the UK, is an amazing opportunity."
"We are confident we can provide a really unique experience, providing the quality of soccer training and competition 219 Sport students have become accustomed to, with excellence in teaching or research mentorship, and an amazing cultural experience. We have a beautiful campus that will quickly feel like home, with all educational and playing needs close to hand for the students. We are looking forward to welcoming our first squads and getting started."
Dan Jordan, League Football Education's club community organisation study programme manager, said: "The launch of FC 219 is an exciting development. 219 Sports has quickly established itself as one of the most respected organisations in this field, and this new opportunity will allow American players to experience life in England, both on and off the pitch. It promises to be a unique and enriching experience that will help young players develop both personally and professionally."
