Aztex will travel to England in October and face two Premier League teams

September 21, 2009 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Austin Aztex News Release


After concluding the inaugural USL-1 season, the Austin Aztex players and coaching staff now get a chance to rest before refocusing and preparing for a fun and exciting once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in October. That is when the Aztex will become the first-ever USL-1 team to travel to the United Kingdom and square off against two Premier League teams, Stoke City and Burnley.

Stoke City, an official affiliate of the Aztex, will host the Austin franchise, allowing them to train at their facilities, and on October 14th the two clubs will compete in an exhibition at Nantwich Town's Weaver Stadium.

Later in the week, on October 20th, the team will play Burnley at Turf Moor. Burnley, promoted to English Premiership in May 2009, will be another great opportunity for the Aztex players to test their skills. Both teams will provide very tough competition for the Austin club said President Phil Rawlins.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for the players to learn about the game in England and to test themselves against the very best opposition. They will have the chance to train with the Stoke City coaches and first team at the same facilities thanks to the Aztex affiliation with Stoke," Rawlins said. "We are also delighted to have been invited to play an exhibition game against Burnley at Turf Moor, again another great opportunity for the players to play against top-class opposition in a Premier League setting. This is the kind of trip that they will remember for the rest of their lives."

Head coach Adrian Heath, who had a distinguished career in top-flight professional football in England, said this trip will be a measuring stick for his Aztex squad.

"For our players it's a fantastic opportunity to pit themselves against players who play in the Premier League week in, week out," said Heath. "The thing I'm looking forward to is for them to see the intensity that the game is played over there and to give them an understanding about some of the things I've been talking about this year, they'll see it firsthand."



USL First Division Stories from September 21, 2009


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