Affiliate Club(s)

[Uke]

Reading Football Club announce American side Louisiana Fire SC as an Affiliate Club

https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2026/m ... rtnership/

Will anything come of this? Are we going to get access to new talent? Is this link too "lightweight"?

Or just a new manager like we did from Chicago Fire FC? (Whatever happened to, etc... )

[RG30]

About as useful as that temporary link we had with Galatasaray.

[RoyalBlue]

Reading Football Club announce American side Louisiana Fire SC as an Affiliate Club

https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2026/m ... rtnership/

Will anything come of this? Are we going to get access to new talent? Is this link too "lightweight"?

Or just a new manager like we did from Chicago Fire FC? (Whatever happened to, etc... )

It's a start but it's 'just' a youth soccer programme. Links between such programmes and English clubs are quite common in the US. Man City apparently has a presence across 38 different US cities (just been told theirs isn't the same!) .

A much bigger result would be if we could get a link to a MLS or USL senior club. Louisiana Krewe (USL2) would be an obvious one as a starting point.

I'm not sure Rob could quite stretch to the $500M+ that would be needed to get an MLS expansion slot for Louisiana!

[RoyalBlue]

Our daughter, who knows far more about US Soccer, has just corrected me! Man City is apparently not the best example, as they actually set up their own programmes with their own full-time coaches in the US!

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/manch ... 07913.html

The Brentford model is more like that being introduced by Reading.

https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/art ... icago-2025

[tidus_mi2]

Reading Football Club announce American side Louisiana Fire SC as an Affiliate Club

https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2026/m ... rtnership/

Will anything come of this? Are we going to get access to new talent? Is this link too "lightweight"?

Or just a new manager like we did from Chicago Fire FC? (Whatever happened to, etc... )

I remember back in the day, having a US affiliate club was a bit of a money spinner, although probably less of a case for a League One side and probably not the case in 2026, in or out of a video game.

[RoyalBlue]

Our daughter, who knows far more about US Soccer, has just corrected me! Man City is apparently not the best example, as they either put their own coaches into existing youth set ups or start up their own programme with their own full-time coaches moving to the US!

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/manch ... 07913.html

The Brentford model is more like that being introduced by Reading.

https://www.brentfordfc.com/en/news/art ... icago-2025

[Uke]

Reading Football Club announce American side Louisiana Fire SC as an Affiliate Club

https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2026/m ... rtnership/

Will anything come of this? Are we going to get access to new talent? Is this link too "lightweight"?

Or just a new manager like we did from Chicago Fire FC? (Whatever happened to, etc... )

I remember back in the day, having a US affiliate club was a bit of a money spinner, although probably less of a case for a League One side and probably not the case in 2026, in or out of a video game.

Wrexham have provided the glamour option for League 1 and 2

Every US fan will be thinking we are the next Wrecks Ham.

[RoyalBlue]

Reading Football Club announce American side Louisiana Fire SC as an Affiliate Club

https://www.readingfc.co.uk/news/2026/m ... rtnership/

Will anything come of this? Are we going to get access to new talent? Is this link too "lightweight"?

Or just a new manager like we did from Chicago Fire FC? (Whatever happened to, etc... )

Need to look in the direction of New England Revolution, this time around!

Marko Mitrovic is doing a pretty good job there! They currently sit second in the table, just above Messi Miami. Recently my daughter got a chance to reminisce with him re times at RFC. Another former employee who still seems to hold our club in reasonable regard.

[JedMaxwell]

I can't see a huge amount happening, other than some exchange-type trips with youngsters going over there and some coming here.

[Sutekh]

I can't see a huge amount happening, other than some exchange-type trips with youngsters going over there and some coming here.

And then it’ll all be forgotten. Didn’t we have some similar things with organisations/clubs in India and Italy 10-15 years ago ?

[Uke]

I can't see a huge amount happening, other than some exchange-type trips with youngsters going over there and some coming here.

And then it’ll all be forgotten. Didn’t we have some similar things with organisations/clubs in India and Italy 10-15 years ago ?

If we did, I've forgotten...

[Millsy]

Just googled Louisiana Fire - all I'm getting is reports of devastating fires.

Affiliation with a natural disaster is endangerification ffs.