In order to bring life to their soccer season, the Tampa Bay Rowdies are traveling to the birthplace of the sport.
The Rowdies have announced a preseason swing through England, training and playing matches from March 6 to 17.
The first match is against a Nottingham Forest XI on March 9. The Rowdies will then take on a Notts County XI on March 11 and close the tour March 16 against an XI from Premier League-leading Leicester City. In all three of their matches, the Rowdies will play a mixed team of first-team players and reserve team players from each respective club.
Tampa Bay coach Stuart Campbell is from England, as is assistant coach Stuart Dobson and center back Tamika Mkandawire.
The Rowdies will arrive at London’s Heathrow Airport on March 7 and immediately travel to Nottingham for the first phase of the trip. Tampa Bay will spend five days training at Nottingham Forest’s training ground in the midlands from March 7 to 11.
Nottingham Forest’s current assistant manager is Lennie Lawrence, who coached Campbell at Grimsby Town in the 2000-2001 season.
Tampa Bay’s training base will move from Nottingham to the St. George’s Park National Football Centre in Burton-upon-Trent on March 12.
Tampa Bay traveled to Portugal last season.
