Huntsville City FC bringing back four stars from inaugural season

HUNTSVILLE – Call it football or call it soccer; it’s really a moot point these days.

However, this is undisputed fact – the professional form of the sport is returning to the Rocket City for a second go ’round in 2024.

And there will be some familiar names and faces returning to play for the home team at Wicks Family Field at Joe Davis Stadium.

The Huntsville City Football Club (HCFC) announced that four players from the successful 2023 MLS NEXT Pro league season are coming back – defender Fernando Ciceron, midfielder Isaiah Johnston, midfielder and fan favorite Ollie Wright and forward Azaad Liadi.

The quartet will reintroduce themselves to the home crowd at the first “Blastoff Battle,” a four-team invitational tournament headlining the equally embryonic Huntsville City Soccer Week Feb. 16-18.

After leading the league in attendance last season, HCFC can bank on that momentum building with returning players in the fold.

“I think it’s really a positive thing to have popular players like Ollie come back,’’ Chad Emerson, managing director of business operations, said Monday during a news conference to unofficially introduce the upcoming season. “People recognize him. He’s a fan favorite. He’s quick to sign autographs, quick to engage with kids and the fans.

“So, while winning is our primary goal, it’s also I think good for Huntsville to have some level of continuity.’’

Here’s a deeper look at the four returning players:

• Ciceron joined Huntsville City FC on July 12 following a stint with Violette AC in Ligue Haïtienne. The Haitian defender started all eight games in which he appeared, helping lead the back line to two clean sheets in his first three starts. The 19-year-old led the club in duel percentage (62.5%) among outfield players who played in multiple games (eight). 
• Johnston made a major impact after being Huntsville City’s first signing, making 15 starts for the club in 20 appearances, and finishing the season with three goals and two assists. The Canadian midfielder recorded his first career brace in Huntsville’s 6-2 win over Orlando City B on July 9. Johnston served as captain nine times, including in the historic home opener of Wicks Family Field at Joe Davis Stadium on May 19. 
• Wright tied for the team lead in assists (six) and was nominated for MLS NEXT Pro Goal of Matchweek Three after scoring on a sensational kick from outside the box in Huntsville’s 2-2 draw against FC Cincinnati 2 on April 9. Off the field, the 24-year-old has made a concerted effort to get to know the community, participating in soccer camps in town and performing a skit with the Rocket City Trash Pandas on Huntsville City FC night on July 25. The Englishman’s efforts on and off the pitch earned him the 2023 Huntsville City FC Supporters Player and Community awards.  
• The club’s first Golden Boot winner (12 goals), Liadi tied the team lead in goal contributions (14). He scored the club’s first goal, earning him MLS NEXT Pro Goal of Matchday One, as well as the winning goal in the historic 2-1 home opening victory over Crown Legacy on May 19. The 25-year-old forward recorded the club’s first hat trick in a 5-2 win over Philadelphia Union II on Aug. 19, earning him MLS NEXT Pro Player of Matchday 23.

Matchups and kickoff times for the Blastoff Battle will be announced in January. For tickets, visit https://www.mlsnextpro.com/huntsvillecityfc/blastoff-battle. 

Huntsville City FC 2024 season tickets can be purchased at MLSNextPro.com/HuntsvilleCityFC/Tickets or by calling 256-864-6426, Ext. 2.