The Chicago Fire announced Friday the club has signed a USL PRO affiliate partnership with Saint Louis Football Club, who will join USL PRO as an expansion side in 2015.
“We’re excited to partner with Saint Louis FC as our USL PRO affiliate,” Chicago Fire Technical Director Brian Bliss said in a statement. “This is a great opportunity for our players to gain valuable playing time and continue their development in a competitive environment. St. Louis is a city with a rich soccer history and a tradition of producing talented players, and this partnership will allow our organization to broaden our reach in the Midwest.”
As part of the partnership, the Fire will send players on loan to Saint Louis FC with the option to recall the players at any point during the loan.
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“The partnership between MLS and USL PRO represents an exciting time in the development of soccer in this country,” Saint Louis FC General Manager Jeremy Alumbaugh said. “Having an affiliation with the Fire allows us to provide our players with a gateway to the highest level of soccer in the U.S. Working with Frank Yallop, Brian Bliss and the rest of Chicago’s technical staff is something that will help us as we prepare for 2015 and beyond.”
Saint Louis FC will compete at the 6,000-seat Soccer Park in Fenton, MO, located just 15 minutes from downtown St. Louis. The team is led by Head Coach Dale Schilly.
