Wed, Jun 9, 2004 07:30 PM (Local) USL Representative XI vs England FA Nat.Game XI (England) Blackbaud Stadium, Charleston, SC Is this another attempt at an All-Star game?
do you have a link where this is coming from , ...i remember reading something about an english league team playing there(Charleston) but i think it was a club team against the Battery and not any represenatives, this might be mis information or a new development,
I know that the Battery were going to play Sunderlend of the English 1st Division (Ryena's old club). July 17 Charleston Battery vs. Sunderland AFC(Exhibition) 7:30 PM Blackbaud Stadium So this is not that match. http://www.ussoccer.com/events/report.sps?iEventID=14439&categoryid=376
Here is what I found on the English FA website: http://www.thefa.com/England/NationalGameXI/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/2002/02/1900.htm It is sort of old but it appears that a USL all-star team played a Nationwide Conference team in 2002 in England. This could be the return match.
That's what I was thinking when I first read it. Another idea is that maybe it's a PFA (Proffesional Footballers Association) team of out of contract players. I know that the PFA has an open showcase of players that are out of contract for teams. In the past, coaches from the A-League have attended. But more then likely its an all star team from the Confernece.
http://www.chester-city.co.uk/national_game.htm http://www.thefa.com/England/Nation...tings/2004/04/Lions_named_to_defend_title.htm
Nigel Cooper, GM and President of the Battery, mentioned this match in an interview I did before the Carolina Challenge Cup. I sure he said the English team will be made up of players from Conference and lower level divsion clubs. The players will be Americans from the A-league. This is indead an American leg of the match played a ouple years ago in England. Here is a link to the article (written the beginning of March) http://www.a-league.com/features/2004/fea,2004,0010.shtml This match is in addition to the Sunderland match the Battery hosting on the 17th
I remember the 2002 match. Here's some preview articles I've found from 2002. http://www.stevenageborofc.com/content/news/050302.shtml http://www.nationwide.co.uk/football/common/SearchStory.asp?ID=30614 http://www.nationwide.co.uk/football/common/SearchStory.asp?ID=33056 http://www.nationwide.co.uk/football/common/SearchStory.asp?ID=51468 And a match report from the BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/1886015.stm
Nice find on those articles: The US roster. http://www.nationwide.co.uk/football/common/SearchStory.asp?ID=33056 USA: Michael Ueltschey - Boulder Nova Scott Vallow - Rochester Raging Rhinos Matt Bobo - Milwaukee Rampage Dalton (Owen) Blake - Southern Methodist University Mark Schulte - Minnesota Thunder Mali Walton - Rochester Raging Rhinos Jason Russell - Milwaukee Rampage Mike Burke - Richmond Kickers Zach Kingsley - Seattle Sounders Select Kevin Knight - Richmond Kickers Paul Lekics - Richmond Kickers Temoc Suarez - Connecticut Wolves Brian Winters - Portland Timbers David Castellanos - University of Connecticut Rob Ukrop - Richmond Kickers Jamel Mitchell - Rochester Raging Rhinos Dustin Swinehart - Charlotte Eagles Not a bad team. It is an interesting mix though. Players from the PDL and College all the way to A-league. I wonder if they selected teams without matches that week and sent the best from those teams. Actually the date being 20 March for the match, I imagine that the team was partially people they could get a hold of.
Here's a much better match report from the inaugural 2002 contest: http://www.thefa.com/England/NationalGameXI/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/2002/03/2108.htm I was wondering what colors/kits this team wore representing the US. Looks like we borrowed the Kickers red/orange cotton duds. ugh.... And the Battery has now posted an article for the 2004 match: http://www.charlestonbattery.com/news.asp?y=2004&page=1&id=121