Joe Cole, Big Sam and why US Division two soccer is thriving

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Joe Cole, Big Sam and why US Division two soccer is thriving

By Gareth Kelly

“I, I believe. I believe that. I believe that we will win,” chant the crowd with what has become the default song heard all over soccer games in the United States. And they do. On a warm, yet humid evening, my wife and I attended the Tampa Bay Rowdies versus Jacksonville Armada FC soccer game at the 7,500 capacity Al Lang Stadium in downtown St Petersburg, Florida.

The ‘Rowdies’ play in the North American Soccer League or NASL. The league once made famous in the late 70’s and early 80’s by Pele, Best, Beckenbauer and new England manager Sam Allardyce who himself played 11 games for the Tampa based team in 1983.

Located next to a Salvador Dali museum and feet from an Indy car Race Track, the Rowdies are one of the original NASL teams from those past glory years. Below all the MLS’ franchises these more ‘homely’ clubs are in effect North America Division two.

In an aging but quaint and connected stadium, this former baseball field has become a caldron of families, songs, drums, banter and even flares. ‘Ralph’s Mob’ the official supporters club of the home team occupy a large section of the terraces behind the goal. A bearded chap wearing a funeral directors hat beats loudly on a large bass drum emblazoned with team livery. Huge billowing flags are waved above in a sight probably more common in the San Siro than Old Trafford.

. . .

Not long after the players depart the field, the gates are opened and people run out onto the pitch. The kids love this. Being able to run, leap and tumble onto the same field they just watched their hero’s play on, clearly magical in their minds.

The fireworks were rather anemic with people mainly staying to see Mr. Rida. He doesn’t disappoint and plays for about an hour. His classics, “My House, Wild Ones and GDFR”, popular with the crowd. Many families and now a larger following of teens (where have the been?) get up close and personal to the 100 million record selling singer wearing a personalized Rowdies jersey.

This is what makes division two of U.S. football so special. This is real football. The kind we grew up hearing about as kids, or at least the type of experience we romanticized about. The players still connected to the fans. Many of those same fans probably make as much if not more than most of the players (Cole is probably an exception).

I’ve lived in the U.S. for the past 15 years and in that time one thing is abundantly clear. Americans don’t like football. Americans LOVE football. Every age range, every race and every income bracket loves football in America. With tickets starting at $23 (18 pounds) for adults what’s not to love?

They get it now. The power of football, the world’s game. Like the rest of us, Americans now have it in their blood. Its brilliant, its fun and its up close and personal.