CRYSTAL PALACE USA - England flavor

[Frank Cunha]

Crystal Palace to have a team in the PDL, in the USL league, the home will be in Baltimore

http://www.uslsoccer.com/home/131471.html

the Umbrella goes like this

MSL

USL 1
USL 2
PDL

[Frank Cunha]

England’s Crystal Palace to launch PDL team
New side to begin play in Baltimore in 2007
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USL News Release

Friday, May 5, 2006

TAMPA, FL -- United Soccer Leagues announced Friday that Crystal Palace FC, which recently launched an Academy and Developmental Club in the United States called Crystal Palace FC USA, will launch an expansion Premier Development League team, Crystal Palace Baltimore FC, in 2007 in Baltimore, Maryland.


Jim Cherneski, Sporting Director for Crystal Palace FC USA stated, “It is very exciting to launch this Academy and PDL club in the Baltimore area. I played in the last season of USL professional soccer with the Baltimore Bays in 1997 and it was sad to see the professional outdoor game leave the area. We are excited to bring it back with true quality and professionalism. This is a real opportunity for young players in our area to get recognized and develop under the Crystal Palace FC developmental system. This is a 100-year-old club with a rich history in player development and their expansion of the Academy into the United States is just another example of their commitment to nurture young talent. Last season in the English Premier League, Crystal Palace were one of the few teams to field five players which came through their Academy into the first team.”

The Coca-Cola Championship league side is currently set to begin its semifinal playoff series with Watford for a chance at the final promotion berth to the English Premier League Saturday. The club will then hold their 2006-2007 pre-season training in the United States, landing in Washington, DC on the 13th of July, 2006 for a three-match tour, which includes an exhibition against the USL First Division Virginia Beach Mariners July 22 at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex. The remaining two matches will be announced at a later date. They will be training in the Annapolis/Baltimore, MD region.

Bob Dowie, Crystal Palace FC Director of Football commented “One of the key briefs Chairman Simon Jordan gave me when I came on board was to develop the footprint of Crystal Palace worldwide. More specifically he wanted us to establish a presence in developing football countries, to give the club access to their best and brightest up and coming young talent as well as their current star players. Simon, Dominic Jordan and myself have been working hard over the past eight months or so to define the US-based Academy set-up and this culminated in Dominic and myself visiting the Baltimore area in late April to finalize the details.”

“We are very excited about Crystal Palace joining USL,” said USL Vice President Tim Holt. “USL, and the PDL in particular, are excellent vehicles 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. Jim Cherneski deserves a great deal of credit for making this project a reality”

[Frank Cunha]

they will be localed in Baltimore

The USL Second Division has 10 professional teams from all over the East Coast of the United States as well as the Caribbean. Teams are located in Charlotte, Cincinnati, Harrisburg, New Hampshire, Richmond, Western Mass and Wilmington. CCS is one of three new expansion franchises in 2007 in addition to Bermuda and Crystal Palace USA (Baltimore).

[Frank Cunha]

United Soccer Leagues (USL)
Player search

The 72 came from all over the globe with the most distant flying from Japan. Many locals were there as well as players from Europe, Africa and South America. The United Kingdom, home of the parent club was well represented with players from England, Northern Ireland and Scotland. All together, 21 countries were represented at the camp.

Crystal Palace site
Crystal Palace FC USA

[Frank Cunha]

Charlotte vs Crystal Palace USA

The 2006 USL-2 Finalist opens their 15th Anniversary Season on April 20th against Crystal Palace Baltimore at Waddell Stadium. Kick-off is set for 7pm. The match will also be a milestone for Crystal Palace Baltimore as it marks the inaugural match for the English-owned franchise in the USL. Season tickets and individual tickets are now on sale at Home.

[Frank Cunha]

CRYSTAL PALACE BALTIMORE VS CHARLOTTE
United Soccer Leagues (USL)

[Frank Cunha]

c PALACE huge win
United Soccer Leagues (USL)

[Frank Cunha]

Crystal Palace signed 9 players
United Soccer Leagues (USL)