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From Moston to MoTown, FC United head to Detroit this weekend

From Moston to MoTown, FC United head to Detroit this weekendFC United are heading to Detroit in the USA to play an international friendly match against Detroit City FC this Saturday 28th May 2016.

The match has been organised to celebrate the Michigan club’s ground-breaking campaign to refurbish the city’s historic Keyworth Stadium with a community investment scheme. Detroit City FC hosted its first match at Keyworth Stadium last Friday drawing with AFC Ann Arbor, 1-1, in front of 7,410 supporters.



Saturday’s match will be LIVE STREAMED at www.detcityfc.com/streaming at 8pm GMT and joining the commentary team is Manchester United legend Stevie Coppell.

The link with Detroit City FC has come about through an FC United member who opened up a dialogue with DCFC about FC United and our values as a supporter-owned club. Detroit City FC are long-term admirers of FC United and the club’s community ownership model and were very keen to host a supporter owned club on their home turf to mark the opening of their refurbished ground.

While not a traditional supporter-owned club in the FC United sense, Detroit City are very much a fans’ club with a strong community focus. Founded in 2012, Detroit City currently play in the National Premier Soccer League (US 4th Division, no promotion/relegation in American soccer)

Unlike the majority of sports teams in the US (and the UK) that are owned by billionaire owners and millionaire players, Detroit City FC are a team founded by a group of young Detroiters .The club was started by five regular supporters in their early 30s who lived in Detroit and were adamant that Detroit not only needed a football club (or soccer club as they’d term it), but it needed to be done the right way - focused on supporters, embody the resurgence going on in Detroit; accessible to the city’s residents, and situated in the urban core of the city.

Detroit City FC has established itself as one of the most talked about football teams in North America. Their club motto, “Passion for Our City, Passion for the Game???, evokes the three ideas the grassroots organisation was built upon - to satisfy the demand for football in downtown Detroit, represent the city in a positive light, and build community through ‘the beautiful game’.

We are delighted to have been invited to play this international friendly at DCFC’s expense. The FC United players are raring to go and are looking forward heading over the Atlantic for this incredible experience.

FCUM.TV caught up with the players and management team to find out how much they knew about Detroit.



A small army of FC United fans will also be making the trip to Detroit, but for those who are staying at home, we are pleased to announce that the match will be LIVE STREAMED via www.detcityfc.com/streaming

Joining the commentary team will be Manchester United legend SteveCoppell, who recently became an FC United member following his recent visit to Broadhurst Park.

"The links to Manchester United are an extremely important part of FC United’s history,??? said FC United of Manchester founder member Alison Watt. “Our co-owners and fans love to see the involvement of former red heroes such as Steve Coppell. For those, like me, who saw Steve play there will be great memories of one of the best wingers ever, a player who graced the famous No.7 United shirt for many years until his playing career was sadly cut short by injury. It’s a measure of the man that Steve has already taken the time to come along to an FC United home game to find out for himself all about our fans-owned club and he’ll always be a welcome visitor. In case there’s any doubt, United fans have long forgiven ’agent Steve’ his brief time as Manchester City’s manager."

Speaking of the match Coppell said “Communities are fighting back and taking ownership and responsibility for their local teams, Wimbledon led the way, but the flag bearer now is FC United of Manchester. Detroit City are now members of a very exclusive group. I am really looking forward to watching this game between two pioneer teams at Detroit’s new stadium, and I am sure the rest of football will be watching with interest.???

Detroit City FC v FC United of Manchester
Saturday 28 May 2016, kick off 3pm EST (8pm GMT)

Keyworth Stadium
3201 Roosevelt St
Hamtramck
MI 48212
United States

LIVE STREAMING via www.detcityfc.com/streaming



First Posted ~ 13:02 Wed 25 May 2016
News ID ~ 6853
Last Updated ~ 16:00 Fri 19 Feb 2021