FC Golden State Force Secures Franchise In USL PDL to Begin Play In Summer 2016
Soccer News: The Premier Development League (PDL) has consistently been a precursor for top soccer professionals in the United Soccer League, Major League Soccer and beyond. Beginning this spring, FC Golden State Force will be your team to follow in the PDL.
FC Golden State acquired the PDL franchise rights from United Soccer Leagues (USL), the largest organization of elite-level soccer leagues in North America, and is dedicated to producing a competitive club and professional-level game-day experience.
The PDL season runs from May through July. The FC Golden State Force will play 14 league matches against teams from around the region including Ventura County Fusion, Southern California Seahorses, LA Laguna FC, SD Zest FC, and OC Blues U23. Home games are slated to be played at Citrus College Stadium. FC Golden State soccer club continues to grow a strong footprint in Southern California having more than 100 youth teams competing in the Coast Soccer League (CSL), Southern California Developmental Soccer League (SCDSL), U.S. Soccer Development Academy (USSDA), and now the PDL. Coming off a US Youth Soccer Boys Under-18 National Championship in 2015, the Force boasts a strong pool of young talent for the future.
The team will be managed by former Orange County Blue Star General Manager and Head Coach Jon Spencer. Spencer has been in the USL and PDL since 2008, having managed some of the top PDL players of past and present. That list of players includes 2016 MLS Draftees Wade Hamilton, Michael Salazar, Eric Verso, Keegan Smith, Zach Mathers and TJ Casner. Previous PDL players Spencer has coached and have been called up by the US Men’s National Team include DeAndre Yedlin, Bill Hamid, Miguel Ibarra, Joshua Gatt, Ethan Horvath and Steve Birnbaum.
“We are excited about the next step in the development of FC Golden State in our quest to build a strong soccer foundation in Southern California,” said Spencer. “The PDL is a proven environment where we can continue to provide our players a path to professional soccer. This franchise gives local and national collegiate-aged players the opportunity to prepare for the next steps in their career and still maintain their eligibility. Our players will be in a program set up to develop and prepare them for success both on and off the field.”
