THE BRITISH ARE COMING….TO PLAY SOCCER IN BUFFALO!
U.K.’s Bedlington Terriers will play exhibition match against FC Buffalo at
Robert Rich Sr. All-High Stadium on June 29
Read the New York Times story here.
June 3, 2011 – Western New York’s version of the British Invasion will take place on Wednesday, June 29 when England’s Bedlington Terriers of the Northern Football League take on the FC Buffalo at Robert E. Rich (RER) All-High Stadium. The match is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
The “friendly” between the Terriers and FC Buffalo will highlight the Bedlington football club’s week long visit to Western New York, which also will include youth soccer clinics conducted by players from Bedlington and FC Buffalo at RER All-High Stadium on June 27, and with the Terriers and Niagara United in Niagara Falls, Canada on July 2.
The Terriers will also play an exhibition match against the Erie Admirals at the Cathedral Prep Events Center in Erie, PA. on June 28.
Tickets for the June 29th Buffalo game will go on sale at 9 a.m. tomorrow via the Buffalo Bisons ticket office and online at www.fcbuffalo.org. Prices will be $10 for adults and $5 kids ages 14 and under. Tickets can also be purchased at RER All-High Stadium on game day.
The Bedlington Football Club’s visit to Western New York was conceived by Bob Rich, Jr., Chairman of Rich Products Corporation and Bison Baseball Inc., who became interested in Bedlington and its football club in 2010 after tracing his ancestral roots back to the town.
“I was very taken with the story of Bedlington and its similarity to our hometown of Buffalo,” said Rich. “Despite the fact that they are underdogs in their league, the collective dream across the community is that the Terriers will some day play well enough to eventually move up a few divisions and compete at a higher level. The more I learned about Bedlington, the more impressed I became with the community’s passion and optimism for its team, so I contacted the club’s president David Holmes to ask how I could help.”
Rich’s support has included a jersey sponsorship, and funding for the construction of a new pitch (field) and scoreboard.
“Our goal is to eventually attract more sponsors and boost the club’s finances so it can improve player recruitment, training and development,” said Rich. “Over the long-term I’d like to foster a mentor-like relationship through our baseball operation’s expertise in marketing, customer relations and even grounds keeping.”
The winner of the of June 29 match between the Terriers and FC Buffalo will receive the inaugural “Lord Bedlington Cup,” an award designed in honor of (and also to poke some good natured fun at) Rich, who received the official title – “Lord of Bedlington” last year as a gift from his wife, Mindy.
“You can’t question the legality of it, though you can probably question the taste of it…,” joked Rich, in an article published in the New York Times on February 7, which featured Rich’s interest of the English football club.
To recognize FC Buffalo for its efforts to coordinate the Terriers exhibition game schedule and youth clinic participation, Rich recently notified Nick Mendola, the club’s co-owner, Rich Products will serve as FC Buffalo’s primary sponsor for the 2011 season.
“To be able to take on a team from the cradle of soccer with the aid of a Buffalo luminary like Bob Rich, Jr. is a sign that we’re moving in the right direction for Buffalo soccer,” said Mendola. “We’re thrilled to represent the States in this inaugural battle for the Lord Bedlington Cup and thank Mr. Rich for his generous support of our club.”
In addition to playing the Buffalo and Erie exhibition games and conducting the youth clinic, the Bedlington Terriers will be special guests at Coca Cola Field on July 3 to watch the Bisons game vs. the Syracuse Chiefs and take part in the post-game Independence celebration and fireworks show.
FC Buffalo must charge season ticket holders for this special event. We hope you understand.
About FC Buffalo:
FC Buffalo was founded in 2009 and competes in the National Premier Soccer League. FC Buffalo is the standard of professional development in amateur soccer. Combining a winning tradition on the pitch with a standard of excellence within the community, FC Buffalo is the height of achievement in player development and professionally-run sport. For more information please visit www.fcbuffalo.org
About Bedlington Terriers:
The Bedlington football club was founded in 1949. The team is currently a member of the Northumberland Football Association and Northern League. For more information, please visit the Terriers website at: www.bedlingtonterriersfc.co.uk
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