‘When I arrived in Tampa there were people who still remembered Hull City’s visit’

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http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/8216-when-i-arrived-in-tampa-there-were-people-who-still-remembered-hull-city-8217-s-visit-8217/story-30394718-detail/story.html

‘When I arrived in Tampa there were people who still remembered Hull City’s visit’

Will Jackson speaks to Beverley-born Hull City fan Stuart Dobson about cracking the playing and coaching world of American soccer.

Thirty-three years ago this week, Hull City went stateside to play Tampa Bay Rowdies in the second leg of the Arrow Air Anglo-American Cup.

The Tigers picked up a 3-1 aggregate victory over the Florida side in a game that will live long in the memory of those old enough to witness it.

However, despite the game taking place over three decades ago, the two clubs still have a connection.

The Rowdies are hoping to be awarded a franchise into the MLS, the American top flight, over the coming months and Beverley-born Hull City fan Stuart Dobson will be helping them do it.

Dobson has been working as Tampa's goalkeeping coach for three seasons after moving out to the States in the early nineties to follow his dream of being a professional footballer and crack America.

A promising goalkeeping career fell by the wayside in the United Kingdom, as opportunities at Hull City and Reading came and went. The former Longcroft School pupil was offered a 'soccer' scholarship in Portland while playing for Goole Town and he hasn't looked back. [ . . . ]

However, the Beverley lad's big break came when Stuart Campbell was appointed as head coach of the Rowdies and keeping things inherently British gave Dobson his first outdoor chance.

"It was a good connection at Tampa, the head coach here is an English guy, Stuart Campbell, he played for Leicester City for a few years and me and him hit it off. [ . . . ]

It seems almost an odd twist of fate that the Tampa Bay Rowdies should continue their connection with the city of Hull, 33 years after their first meeting.

The Tigers put the Americans to the sword in the first leg at Boothferry Park, as goals from Garreth Roberts, Steve McLaren and Steve Massey sealed a 3-0 win, and even after a 1-0 loss in Florida, it was enough to win the series.

Dobson was at Boothferry Park on the day the Americans came to town and admits that people in Tampa still remember.

"When I moved here to Tampa, when I said I was from Hull, there was a few people from my generation who remembered the Hull City game," he said.

"There are a few people in town who still know of City from that match back in the day.

"I actually went to the game at Boothferry Park and I remember they had cheerleaders there and I think Don Robinson came onto the pitch on a horse.

"It was wild, they did a whole American theme and I was there.

"So it was weird that I watched them back then and now I'm coaching here.

"They've done away with all that now of course here, they're trying to make it the real game. We've got a few English guys here, Joe Cole and Martin Peterson who played for Burnley, they've got a good British influence here. [ . . . ]

The likes of David Beckham, Kaka and Andrea Pirlo have all helped the game grow and it now seems that football is starting to resonate with the American public, in fact, Dobson not only believes is it serious league but football in the States is the best it has ever been.

"It's a very different league and you have to perform to a high standard and the travel takes its toll," he added.

"When the league first started the games were tough to watch, they didn't flow but now you can actually sit and get enthralled and the public are educated enough now that they are fine with a 0-0 draw. They just didn't get it before because there wasn't enough points on the board.

"If you go to Orlando City down the road, the fans are ridiculous. They stand the whole game and there's the wall based on Borussia Dortmund – and it's worked very well.

"We have a great following as well, our hard-core fans get together hours before the game, they'll sit outside in the car park, drinking, they have smoke bombs, they sing, it's pretty good."

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http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/sd-sp-mls-expansion-cities-update-20170615-story.html

Few MLS expansion prospects have their bid locked up

Tampa/St. Pete

The Tampa Bay Rowdies of USL and their owner, Bill Edwards, moved one step closer to joining MLS when they won a May referendum in a landslide (87 percent). It allows the St. Petersburg city council to negotiate a long-term stadium lease with the club.

Edwards stands ready to spend his own $80 million to expand waterside Al Lang Stadium to 18,000, with the only question now facing MLS: Is it comfortable (or maybe does it prefer for rivalry purposes) putting a second team 100 miles away from highly successful Orlando City?

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https://ussoccerplayers.com/2017/06/the-lower-divisions-us-open-cup-rochester-raging-rhinos.html

The lower divisions in the US Open Cup

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http://wfae.org/post/charlotte-independence-plays-1st-game-new-stadium-sat

Charlotte Independence Plays 1st Game In New Stadium Sat.

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http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/aztecs/sd-sp-zeigler-20170616-story.html

Column SoccerCity might be in jeopardy here, but not soccer

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http://www.empireofsoccer.com/foreclosed-strikers-set-for-public-auction-62038/

Foreclosed Strikers Set for Public Auction

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http://www.richmond.com/sports/richmond-kickers/date-with-tampa-bay-continues-kickers-challenging-season/article_ee92a3c5-8908-5ad2-b5ea-83f533b84ae0.html

Date with Tampa Bay continues Kickers' challenging season

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http://www.cltampa.com/food-drink/food-features/article/20864747/food-issue-2017-the-10-essential-cubans-in-tampa-bay

Food Issue 2017: The 10 essential Cubans in Tampa Bay

Who makes the best version of Tampa's iconic sandwich? Start here.

Meaghan Habuda

Jun 15, 2017 4 AM

But, really. There’s no way to properly execute this year’s Food Issue without paying a little extra homage to the sandwich that keeps Tampa Bay — and its visitors — coming back for more: the Cuban, traditionally composed of roast pork, ham, Swiss, pickles, mustard and, yes, salami.

Food Network star Alton Brown was remarkably unsatisfied with the four Cuban sandwiches his fans suggested he try while in the neighborhood a couple months ago (though he did take Tampa’s side in the never-ending argument about the not-Miami birthplace of the sando.) I believe he said, “In reality, I don’t have a perfect Cuban,” after completing his blind tour-bus taste test.

Luckily, this rundown of our 10 favorite Cubans around the region, as chosen by CL staff and readers, offers options with both classic elements of the local staple and some rule-breaking dressings, including tomato, lettuce and avocado. It’s a list that everyone, no matter where they fall on the that’s-not-a-true-Tampa-Cuban spectrum, can enjoy.

AGUILA SANDWICH SHOP

No list of beloved Cubanos is complete without a visit to this West Tampa mainstay. Here, the sandwich, which you should order traditional style (aka no mayo, lettuce or tomato), is how you’d imagine the Cuban’s inventors intended it to taste those many years ago, and considering Aguila has been around for 30 years, I’d say the place has pretty good authority. 3200 W. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa, 813-876-4022. —Chris Fasick

THE BRICKS

Ybor City is lacking in true veggie options. But at this hip spot, the veggie Cuban dazzles. Vegans need to ask for it without cheese or honey mustard — and even without those two ingredients, the sandwich is still pretty tasty. Admittedly, it’s the honey mustard and avocado slices that really hit the spot. 1327 Seventh Ave., Tampa, 813-247-1785, thebricksybor.com. —Kate Bradshaw

CITGO

When Gulfport elected Mayor Sam Henderson the first time, he served the Citgo Cuban at his victory party. Sammy (no need for a last name — locals know him and his now-famous Cuban) makes a fresh batch every morning, pressing them to order, and come lunchtime, you’ll find a crowd waiting for perfectly smushed compilations of ham, bread, mustard and all the rest of your traditional Cuban fixin’s. I’d say this is not only the best local gas-station Cuban, it’s the best Cuban I’ve tasted. Ever. 5227 22nd Ave., Gulfport, 727-328-9178. —Cathy Salustri

FLORIDA BAKERY

Ordering your sandwich Cubano, or con todo (with everything), from Florida Bakery is just about as fun as taking a seat on a barstool and people-watching as you eat. The portion is probably one of the heartiest in the area, and while there isn’t anything particularly jaw-dropping about individual elements, the sandwich as a whole (lettuce, tomato, mayo, mustard, ham, pork, Swiss and perfectly pressed Cuban bread) is one of the most glorious things that could ever land in a hungry belly. Factor in a fast-paced, take-no-shit staff and what you have is a must-do West Tampa experience. 3320 W. Columbus Drive, Tampa, 813-870-0756, floridabakerytampa.com. —Ray Roa

HAVANA HARRY’S

Now here’s a proper Cuban. Thirty-odd miles removed from Ybor City, Largo is home to Havana Harry’s, a market and café that houses arguably the best-crafted Cuban on the peninsula. The pork is second-to-none. The ham is perfecto. And in true Tampa fashion, it’s equipped with salami. Swiss, mustard, pickles and not-so-Tampa mayo, all loaded and toasted on bread delivered straight from Ybor’s La Segunda Central Bakery. 13932 Walsingham Road, Largo, 727-596-5141, havanaharrysmarket.com. —Colin O’Hara

LA SEGUNDA CENTRAL BAKERY

It’s the bread, stupid — the bread (see last item) that has launched countless Cubanos since the Moré family set up shop in Ybor more than a century ago. The rest of the ingredients ain’t too shabby, either, the pork, salami, ham, swiss, pickle and special sauce all in order and all fresh and delicious. But a warning: If the cashier asks if you want everything on your Cuban, and you say yes, then expect to get (“Horrors!” scream the traditionalists) lettuce and tomato. You’ll still want to eat the whole thing anyway. 2512 N. 15th St., Tampa, 813-248-1531, lasegundabakery.com. —David Warner

LA TROPICANA CAFÉ

There’s a breakfast Cuban here, but go for the O.G., even if it’s 8 a.m. Lightly toasted Cuban bread, a thin slice of Swiss and moist jamón, plus authentic and charmingly wizened roast pork, come together with dabs of mayo, mustard and the cutest little pickle slices for a sandwich that goes great with the Ybor joint’s fantastic Spanish bean soup. 1822 E. Seventh Ave., Tampa, 813-247-4040. —Ray Roa

LATIN AMERICAN SUPERMARKET

A white paper bag printed with the word “Delicious!” contains your mix of ham, pork, salami and Swiss — all freshly sliced — from the Latin American Supermarket. Authentic is the first thing that comes to mind for this Cubano and the grocery store, complete with meat market and deli. The sandwich tastes better than it looks (and really, as a rule, if it looks a bit iffy, that’s actually a good sign) and yes, it highlights a few American embellishments. But the meat is flavorful and fresh and the bread is undeniably Cuban: not too doughy, crunchy yet soft, and ever-so-lightly grazed with hints of butter. 7601 Palm River Road, Tampa, 813-623-3701. —Lis Casanova

MICHELLE FAEDO’S ON THE GO

If I had to pick one word to describe what sets apart Michelle Faedo’s celebrated traditional Cuban from the others locally, it’d simply be: taste. A fixture of this now-mobile mainstay, Michelle Faedo’s Cuban is packed with flavor all the way through, from the fresh herbs pressed onto the bread to the uber-juicy, piled-high pork. Various locations, Tampa Bay, 813-784-6933. —Chris Fasick

WEST TAMPA SANDWICH SHOP

In the shadows of what seems like a picture of every politico in Tampa, a very unique (and now presidential) take on the city’s beloved sandwich, the Honey Cuban “Obama Sandwich,” lives to make sandwich-eaters smile. As the story goes, former President Obama ordered the house specialty — a Cuban with a brush of honey on one bun — on a September 2012 afternoon, and the West Tampa Sandwich Shop subsequently named it after him. With its juicy sliced ham and moist roast pork, all buoyed by a healthy slathering of mayo, it’s truly one of the best Cubans in town no matter who you voted for. 3904 N. Armenia Ave., Tampa, 813-873-7104, westtampasandwichshoprestaurant.com. —Ray Roa

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http://www.cltampa.com/food-drink/food-features/article/20859146/what-did-alton-brown-think-of-four-tampa-cuban-sandwiches-with-video

What did Alton Brown think of four Tampa Cuban sandwiches? (with video)

The Food Network star said he was surprised by his blind taste test.

Meaghan Habuda

Apr 23, 2017 6 PM

Alton Brown trusts his fans to tip him off to stellar places for grub while he's on the road. So after the Food Network star reached out to Tampa for recommendations on where to get the best Cuban sandwich via social media, he put four of their suggestions to a blind taste test.

The evaluation — conducted and filmed on Brown's tour bus Friday ahead of his Eat Your Science appearance at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts — highlighted Cubans from the West Tampa Sandwich Shop, La Segunda Central Bakery, Brocato's Sandwich Shop and Columbia Restaurant, anonymously labeled with the letters A, B, C and D.

But they weren't what the culinary personality and James Beard Award-winning author expected.

"I've gone on the record many times as saying that the Cuban sandwich is my favorite sandwich on earth," says Brown in the video before breaking down the ingredients that define a Tampa Cuban (roast pork, salami, ham, Swiss, pickles and mustard), and briefly touching on the iconic sandwich's hotly debated birthplace.

Among the highlights, which include critiques as well as praise: Brown calls out two Cubanos for their "greenery," a.k.a. lettuce and tomato. Mayo — or maybe butter? — is found on one sandwich that's decided to skip the salami. And he ultimately proclaims that there isn't a perfect Cuban in front of him.

Ouch.

"So I'm gonna have to go with the most classic sandwich that I see here, and that is going to be I think probably C. I'm gonna give this another bite," he says.

"C is what I would call the most classic Cuban here. None of them are the best Cuban that I've ever had, which surprises me just a little bit."

Which food spot was behind sandwich C? Ybor City's Columbia.

According to Brown, he was intrigued by A, built by the West Tampa Sandwich Shop, but the sandwich was missing "too many of the elements of a true Cuban."

On Facebook, the video, which you can check out in full below, earned nearly 2,000 shares, 400,000 views and more than 1,000 comments as of Sunday night.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NdfiYcQHVU&t=2s

Alton Brown's Tampa Cuban Sandwich Blind Taste Test

Alton Brown

Published on Apr 21, 2017

Watch as Alton Brown pits four of Tampa's most-popular Cuban sandwiches against each other to find who's got the best in a blind taste test.

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Aguila sandwich shop Tampa Fl

Figgy56

Uploaded on Sep 3, 2011

Man vs food , best Cuban sandwich

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Emeril's Florida: Bern's Steakhouse in Tampa

VISIT FLORIDA

Published on Jan 4, 2016

Emeril Lagasse visits one of the most respected and popular steakhouses in the world, Bern’s Steakhouse in Tampa. While Bern’s Steakhouse is known for steaks, they’re just as well known for their wines. They have the largest wine collection of any restaurant in the world with over 600,000 bottles. In this segment, Emeril tours both the restaurant and the wine cellars.

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Man V Food Nation visits Skipper's Smokehouse

skipperssmokehouse1

Uploaded on Jun 18, 2011

For some un-aired bonus footage, check out this clip of Skipper's longtime Catering Manager Vicky Dodds shows Adam how to prepare one of Skipper's signature Blackened Grouper Reubens: http://www.travelchannel.com/videos/tampas-grouper-reuben-0161620

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Best Cuban Sandwich Tampa, Florida Brocato's Sandwich Shop

We're the Russos

Published on Jan 23, 2016

Brocato's Sandwich Shop in Tampa, FL has the best Cuban sandwich and potato balls. The price is right and the food is delicious. A six inch sandwich with chips and an 8oz beer costs $7.99. Use cash to save $.99 on the credit card fee. There is plenty of parking in their lot and we hear the lines can get long so try to go during off peak hours.

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#Foodies #FoodVideo

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What's your favorite "hidden gem" of St Pete? (self.StPetersburgFL)

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http://www.tampabay.com/things-to-do/food/dining/a-food-and-drink-walk-along-st-petersburgs-burgeoning-central-avenue/2249391

A food and drink walk along St. Petersburg's burgeoning Central Avenue

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The Underbelly Tour: A taste of Causeway Boulevard

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http://www.tbo.com/dining/take-a-gastronomic-ramble-down-st-petes-central-avenue-b82487818z1

Take a gastronomic ramble down St. Pete’s Central Avenue

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http://www.tbo.com/pinellas-county/st-pete-gaining-global-fame-as-hip-destination-20140119/

St. Pete gaining global fame as hip destination

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGe8ZEpS5c0

Florida Flavors: Bodega's Cuban Sandwiches

VISIT FLORIDA

Published on May 6, 2016

Saint Petersburg's Bodega restaurant is a strong contender in the battle between Tampa Bay and Miami for which city has Florida's best Cuban sandwich. Take a peek to learn more about how Bodega creates its classic version.

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http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/stuart-dobson-spreading-the-good-word-of-hull-city-in-florida/story-30394723-detail/story.html

Stuart Dobson spreading the good word of Hull City in Florida

Beverley-born Tampa Bay Rowdies coach Stuart Dobson admits to spreading the good word about Hull City in Florida.

Although he has lived and worked in the United States for 25 years, Dobson remains a fan of his boyhood club, despite only being able to get back at Christmas.