Liverpool FC Tour 2014

Tour 2014 program cover

The Liverpool program for the 2014 tour of the US. Includes features on each of the teams they are facing (Manchester City, AS Roma, Olympiacos and AC Milan) the cities they are playing in (New York, Chicago, Boston and Charlotte).

An Interview with Brad Friedel, the first American to play for the Reds. Stories on three Liverpool players who came to the US to play "They Crossed the Pond" - Steve Heighway, Kevin Kewley and Steve Nicol. Past tours of North America - 1946, 1948, 1953, 1964, 2004 and 2012.

Player profiles, very nicely done with a small photo and paragraph on each (6 to a page). Stories on Brendan Rodgers and the city of Liverpool. A very nicely done souvenir program for the US tour....

2013 Montreal Impact v DC United

2013.08.17 Montreal Impact v DC United, Stade Saputo, Montreal, Que, Canada

Impact defeat the United 2-1 on 2 goals from Marco Di Vaio, one of which was nominated as goal of the week. The DC goal was scored by Conor Doyle to tie the game in the 81st minute before a sellout crowd of 20, 801...

Impact Fans below the Olympic Tower

Stade Saputo as seen from the Olympic Tower

Montreal Impact Kia

Wandrille Levfevre - played in one game with the Impact, previously played for the Montreal Impact in the NASL.

Autograph book - As we left the stadium, there were two non-dressed players signing autographs outside the main entrance. The line had been closed after a set number of people, but we were told by the staff that often the players will continue to sign for anyone waiting. After the remaining fans received their autographs, Levfevre came over and continue to sign. The other player signed 2 more additional autographs and left. Staff were handing out the above autograph book, which measures 4 x 6 and features 2 players per page, with a brief bio and room for a signature.

Game Day lineup card with Felipe on the cover, a single fold 8.5 x 11 sheet.

A great experience, fan activities before the game and a very friendly staff.

I created this commemorative cover before I went to Montreal, dropped 2 similar envelopes in the mail, but then found out Canada Post does not work on Saturday. This cover received an Aug 19 postmark. In any case I am sending this out to Marco Di Vaio in hopes of obtaining an autograph. With any luck I will repost with good results.

Updated 2013.08.27

2012 Chelsea USA Tour

(Frank Lampard, Michael Essien, Petr Cech, Fernando Torres)

Front cover of the Chelsea tour program

Chelsea FC had a booth set up as part of the Soccer Celebration before the All-Star game. They gave away tour programs, lanyards, posters and free photos with the FA Cup and Champions League Cup. A great thrill for Chelsea fans.

The program featured articles on the tour with information about each venue Century Link Field, Seattle; Yankee Stadium, NY; PPL Park, Chester, Pa and Sun Life Stadium, Miami.

• There was an article about their relationship with Super Clubs in the US (Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Arizona and Texas).
• A message from the club chairman Bruce Buck (originally from West Orange, New Jersey).
• The Chelsea Foundation and Right To Play.
• Chelsea History
• Stamford Bridge
• Player profiles
• Some nice photos and information about the team coming to the US, which included a photo of Branislav Ivanovic in a Yankee uniform and Juan Mata wearing a Redskin's helmet while throwing an American football.
• Previous visits by Chelsea to the US (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009)
• Photos of Chelsea players with Matt Hasselback of the Seahawks, Charlize Theron, Matt Damon, Owen Wilson, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, Kobe Bryant of the LA Lakers, LaMarcus Aldridge of the Trailblazers, Snoop Dogg and Will Ferell.

Front of a postcard that offered the chance to win a trip to London with match tickets and a stadium tour...

2012 USA Tour pin

Mike looking smug in his Liverpool jersey posing with the Champions League and FA cups.

Yes he caught a lot of heat from the Chelsea fans!

Chelsea US Tour

July 18 2012 - Century Link Field, Seattle, Wa - Chelsea 4 : Seattle Sounders 2

July 22 - Yankee Stadium, Bronx NY-  Chelsea 1 : Pars St. Germaine 1

July 25 - PPL Park, Chester, Pa - Chelsea 2 : MLS All-Stars 3

July 28- Sun Life Stadium, Miami, Fl - Chelsea : AC Miami

2012 - All-Star Game - Soccer Celebration

2012.07.25 Chester, Pa. PPL Park - Soccer Celebration...

2012.07.25 PPL Park, Chester, Pa

Since Mike had his freshman college orientation the following day, we did not try to get tickets to the game because we would get home too late (he was leaving at 5am the following morning). However we did make the 1.5 hour drive to enjoy the Soccer Celebration. Got home to see the end of the first half...

The usual sponsors were there, Castrol, VW, Adidas, X-box, Pepsi, AT&T, Home Depot, Makita, Budweiser, Continental Tire, El Jimador, National Guard, Bimbo, All-State, Eastern Penn Youth Soccer...providing a variety of promotional items including, player cards (Castrol), lanyards, photo ops (nice personal trading card from Castrol), sun glasses, MiCoach from Adidas (now you have to buy the boots), bags, t-shirts, keychains, hats...

On July 20 Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and MLS Commissioner Don Garber launched the All-Star celebration by kick off the MLS Giant Ball tour on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
The ball was paraded around Philadelphia making stops where fans were encouraged to sign the ball. Any fans signing the ball at the game were given a free t-shirt! Awesome!

As a Liverpool fan Mike really liked this shirt!

Of course Mike wore his Liverpool jersey as did a few others, amongst the many Union and Chelsea jerseys. We even saw a great old SJ Clash and old MetroStars jerseys in the crowd...

Tony Meola and Alexi Lalas where on hand signing autographs as were several players from the Union, as well as Bill Hamid from DC United.

Bill Hamid...

 Autograph cards like the one above (front and back) were available at each signing table. Zac MacMath, Amobi Okugo and Chris Albright...

Chase Harrison from sponsor El Jimador

We got to the X-Box booth 10 minutes before Adu was scheduled to appear. Starting the line we watched it grow. It was nice to see how many fans still appreciated Adu efforts to US soccer. As a women was exiting the X-Box booth she asked "Is that a line?" Mike's response to me was "I guess she failed geometry!"

All-Star Game Program

Some great articles on soccer in Philadelphia (the National, The Fury and the Atoms), the 1976 Bicentennial NASL all-star game, and player profiles from both teams...

All-Star Game pin

I know its not a soccer pinback, but you have to like the VW smiley fan bicycle button, part of their Think Blue campaign...

2011 MLS All-Star Game

2011 MLS All-star v Manchester United game program

Mehdi Ballouchy - signed card provided by Dick's Sporting Goods...the photo measures 5x7 without the $10. coupon...
Tony Meola - signed 8.5 x 11 photo..the back of the photo features Meola's stats...
Carl Robinson signed All-Star autograph card...This type of card was available for all of the players, some had the players name in place of the word autograph...

2002 - Metrostars v KC Wizards

2002.05.25 Metrostars v KC Wizards..Lockdown, What it takes to be a forwards worst nightmare...When defending is an art, MLS' elite defenders explain how playing in the back involves a lot more than just being big and strong... Ted Chronopoulos, Pablo Mastroeni, Eddie Pope, Jeff Agoos...

Metrostars 1 - KC Wizards 1

KC opened the scoring in the 10th minute when midfielder Chris Klein muscled a low shot past Tim Howard at the left post. The play began with a long pass from defender Nick Garcia that found teammate Preki approximately 25 yards from from the goal on the right flank. Preki eluded Metrostars defender Jeff Moore before hitting the streaking Klein as he cut toward goal...

Working up the center of the field Mamadou Diallo scored in the 41st minute. Holding defender Garcia off with his back, Diallo spun to receive a feed from Tab Ramos. Diallo left-footed the ball past KC keeper Oshoniyi into the right corner of the net from 10 yards out...

2002 Metrostars v LA Galaxy

2002.06.15 Metrostars v LA Galaxy...Freekick game program featuring the MLS Strike Force - Demarcus Beasley, Josh Wolff, Brian McBride, Landon Donovan, Clint Mathis...5 American strikers with the same mission: to showcase the attacking abilities and flair of US soccer players.

Metrostars 5 - Galaxy 0

Mamadou Diallo left his mark on the Galaxy scoring 4 of the Metrostars 5 goals. Diallo struck in the 27th minute on an assist from Andy Williams and Brad Davis. Diallo scored again in the 36th minute unassisted. In the 58th minute Diallo scored his 3rd goal assisted by Ross Paule and Andy Williams. Brad Davis found the net in the 60th minute assisted by Tab Ramos and Andy Williams. In stoppage time Daillo took a penalty kick for his 4th goal of the game.

Tim Howard posted his first shutout of the season and his career 9th shutout.

2007 - NJ Ironmen

2007.12.01 Prudential Center, Newark, NJ

Inaugural game of the New Jersey Ironmen v Detroit Ignition...

The local draw to the game was the addition of Tony Meola, in goal for the Ironmen. Daniel Antoniuk connect for a hat-trick in the inaugural game victory for the Ironmen over the Ignition 8-6.

Pele was named honorary captain for the opening game...the game program had this, written by John Archibald..barely 30 years after playing that last game at the Meadowlands, Pele has returned to the Garden State. The man known as the greatest soccer legend of all-time will soon carry us into the next generation of New Jersey sports, just as he was carried around Giants Stadium that rainy day in 1977. while the rooftop of Prudential Center may prevent the sky from dropping tears of joy upon our heads, there will undoubtedly be a need for tissues when the legend of Pele is in our presence. the roof may block the night sky, but that's alright. The brightest star in the sky will be right in front of our eyes.

The field was packed with children lined up around the center circle. Pele walked onto the field into the center of the circle for the first kick and presentations. then the children, who never saw Pele play converged on the man. He touched them on the head, shook their hands and smiled. Drawn like a magnet the children would not leave the field. Announcement were made and the mass of children moved with Pele like a game of magnet ball.

When the field finally cleared, and Pele had departed, we waited for the game to start. The players did not take the field. We waited, an announcement was made that the players will soon take the field and start the game. We later learned that the players were still in the locker room getting autographs and shaking hands with Pele, meeting their hero just as the children on the field had done...

2009 Skyblue FC

Sky Blue FC game day program with Tasha Kai on the front cover...

2001 - Metrostars v NE Revolution

2001.09.07 Metrostars v NE Revolution...Freekick program featured Wolde Harris on the cover. Harris, a Jamaican International earned 28 caps with the Jamaican National Team. Playing at Clemson University, Wolde would break into the MLS in 1997 with the Colorado Rapid...

Taking the lead early, Rodrigo Faria scored after 5 minutes of play, heading in a Daniel Hernandez corner kick. The Revolution would tie the game on a shot from Jamaican international Andy Williams (would would join the Metrostars for the 2002 season).

Faria would sore his second goal in the 27th minute with a header off a Petter Villegas corner kick. The third goal for the Metrostars came in the first-half injury time, when Adolfo Valencia (Colombian International) headed in a Steve Jolley Corner kick...

2001 Metrostars v Chicago Fire

2001.09.01 Freekick MLS Program featuring Hristo Stoitchkov of the opposing Chicago Fire. The program featured stories on rising stars Eddie Johnson, Dallas Burn and Santino Quaranta, DC United...Life in a new land, about foreign born players coming to the MLS...Ray Hudson, head coach Miami Fusion...

The same program was used for 3 games, Sept 1 v Chicago Fire, Sept 7 v NE Revolution and Sept 12 v Miami Fusion...The cover would be changed for each issue to represent the opposing team...

Philadelphia Kixx - NPSL-MISL

2003.03.22 Philadelphia Kixx v Milwaukee Wave, First Union Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pa.

The defending MISL Champion Kixx defeated the Wave 15-12 in front of a crowd of 7,437. Kixx forward Joe Scigliano connected on the game winning goal at 10:00 of the 4th quarter. Peter Pappas earned the victory in goal...

The Philadelphia Kixx usually played their games in the Spectrum (1967-2009). In 2001 the Kixx crossed the Delaware River to play at the Sovereign Bank Arena in Trenton, NJ...

The Kixx clinched a berth in the NPSL playoffs with a 20-15 victory at the Sovereign Bank Arena, Trenton, NJ. Don D'Ambra had three 2-point goals and an assist for 7 points. Pat Morris and Scott Henderson also scored of the Kixx who are averaging 22 points a game during a 3-game win streak..
2000-2001 Kixx game program....The Philadelphia Kixx formed in 1995 as part of the National Professional Soccer League (1984-2001). When the league disbanded, six of the teams formed the Major Indoor Soccer League. The Kixx won the first MISL Championship (2001-2002 season)...The MISL folded in 2008 and the Kixx joined the National Indoor Soccer League, which changed it's name to the Major Indoor Soccer League in 2008.

The program featured the rules of the game (NPSL) individual player profiles, 1999-2000 statistics and a very nice 2-page Kixx timeline from inception to the end of the 2000 season.

1996 - Metrostars - Inaugural game

1996.04.20 Giants Stadium - Metrostars Inaugural Game...v NE Revolution.

Originally called the Empire Soccer Club, the team would switch to the MetroStars, which signed Tab Ramos, the first player to be signed to an MLS contract. Tony Meola and Italian player Roberto Donadoni from AC Milan would be added.

After losing their first game at Los Angeles 2-1, the Metrostars opening in Giants Stadium before a crowd of 46,826. the Metrostars' Nicola Caricola would score an own goal to give the NE Revolution the 1-0 victory with 13 seconds remaining in the game...

The MetroStars issued a free newspaper/program called Freekick that was distributed to all fans. Freekick featured Tony Meola on the cover, a Welcome to Major League Soccer from commissioner Douglas G. Logan and articles about the MLS, International Stars coming to the MLS, Individual team previews, Kellogg's association with the MLS, Tony Meola: Home At last, and Soccer Town, USA (Kearny, NJ)

In the Article: American Stars Coming Home by Brian Trusdell, Eric Wynalda is quoted "Two or three years from now, I think we should take our champion and play the best in Europe and I guarantee, we'll beat them."

1999 - Women's World Cup

This is my game. This is my future. Watch me play.

Official program of the 1999 Women's World Cup, Mercy Akide, Nigeria on the cover photo by Dan Helms. The program featured articles on rising stars of US women's soccer, recaps of the previous Women's World Cup matches, performance notes on each of the 16 teams in the tournament, the US vs FIFA World All-stars preliminary game to the World Cup, information about the match venues and the complete tournament venues...

1994 - World Cup94

Official US Edition commemorative program with Peter Max designed cover...featured articles on each of the hosting cities, how soccer and the World Cup has spread from the private schools of England into every town and country in the world, history of FIFA, a look back at past memorable moments of the World Cup, the US team's cinderella story, Pele, Bora Milutinovic, Germany and the US Women's success in their World Cup...along with similar articles printed in the game day program....additional Peter Max related World Cup94 art can be seen at The MAX Collector
1994 Game Day Program, cover design by Roy Wiemann - featuring the participants..profiles of the competing teams with complete rosters..a pull out bracket to fill in the advancing teams...an article on the US team and its chances...Italy 1990 defending champions..a story of how the games came to the US...