The recently announced Crystal Palace USA soccer club is working on a deal to play its first season in Aberdeen?s Ripken Stadium, a high-ranking official with the club said Tuesday. The home of the short-season Aberdeen IronBirds would serve as a temporary home until the organization?s one-of-a-kind southern Harford County facility is complete. The new facility?s location is yet to be finalized, but it will be visible from Interstate 95 upon completion.
Crystal Palace USA will join the 10-team second division of the United Soccer League, a professional outdoor soccer league with 23 teams spread throughout the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean. It is widely considered the second-best outdoor league in the country behind Major League Soccer.
“We are very excited about Crystal Palace joining the USL,” said USL vice president Tim Holt. “The USL is an excellent vehicle for player development and scouting at the international level. We are confident Crystal Palace, as pioneers in a movement we feel could expand to other clubs, will find this venture to be very successful given the number of talented players in this country.”
The club also brings with it a youth academy, which will be housed at the 10-field Harford facility. And the professional club is a development source itself, with a direct pipeline set up to the Crystal Palace FC namesake in Europe.
“There?s nothing like this in the country,” said club vice president and general manager Pete Medd. “We?re a minor league franchise that has a direct link to a European soccer club.”
Behind a dedicated corporate backing, Palace will plan to compete in the second division, as well as in the U.S. Open Cup, which kicks off in June.
“With the highest payroll in the league, we expect to not only compete immediately for the leaguechampionship, but show well against MLS teams and go far in the U.S. Open Cup,” Medd said.
To reach the U.S. Open Cup field, Palace would have to be in the top five of the second division standings by May 28. The defending champion Richmond Kickers are automatically in the field.
Palace will play its home opener May 4 against the Cleveland City Stars.
CRYSTAL PALACE TRYOUTS
» When: Feb. 5-6 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
» Where: Harford Community College, Bel Air
» Details: For registration, confirm attendance to [email protected] ? Players should be prepared for both indoor and outdoor tryouts ? The club is also holding invitation-only tryouts Feb. 7-8.
