29 Aug Gators FC Enjoy Complete UK Soccer Tour
DB Sports Tours remain committed to providing US-based youth soccer clubs the best in class soccer tours, and our recent UK soccer tour with Gators FC is the latest example of that.
Indeed, Gators FC of Seattle, USA, spent eight days and nights touring three UK cities (London, Manchester and Newcastle – on an all-encompassing soccer tour.
As ever here at DB Sports Tours, we want our soccer trips to bring the elite of the football world to our customers. Be it tours of top soccer stadiums, training with professional soccer coaches, playing high quality local soccer teams – anything which enhances your experience of soccer at the elite level in the UK, we want to bring it to our customers.
Gators FC wanted a trip of the highest class in the UK, through thorough planning and exceedingly strong relationships with our UK based partners, we believed we provided such an experience for our new US-based friends.
DB Sports Tours designed this soccer trip to revolve around work and fun evenly, with training and exploring both on the menu for our group on this soccer trip. First up, Gators FC got to experience Wembley, the famous football ground of the England national team. A stadium tour was arranged, with the group getting to take in the famous (although renovated in recent years) stadium where England lifted the World Cup in 1966.
By day two the group were well-rested, with bleary eyes exchanged for ones ready for action; Gators FC were off to Chelsea FC for training with professional Academy coaches from the famous Premier League soccer club. Following the training session Gators FC were off to play Proformance Global Academy at Stonebridge Recreation Ground, in Hillside, London. This was a fantastic opportunity for the boys to test their mettle against high quality UK opposition.
The next day, Saturday, means only one thing in the UK – football – or soccer – is the only thing on the menu for the wider public. We arranged for Gators FC to get to go see West Ham United take on Bournemouth FC at the London Stadium for a live Premier League match. The match was a typical English Premier League encounter, with more than enough goals and incidents to keep you entertained all game, as West Ham lost 2-1 to the Cherries with goals from Callum Wilson and Steve Cook in the second half cancelling out Marko Arnautovic’s first half penalty.
By Sunday it was back to work and time to leave London for Birmingham and then Newcastle. Stopping off in Birmingham, Gators FC got to train with Academy coaches from Birmingham City FC, the famous Blues who compete in the Sky Bet Championship, England’s second tier soccer division. After training it was back on the road to Newcastle, but it was Monday before they had time to do anything there.
On Monday this soccer tour went up a notch – or two – as the group got to go on a tour of Newcastle United’s massive stadium, St. James’s Park. In the evening there was even time to take on local opposition, putting their training sessions into practice, facing Newcastle East End FC. On Tuesday morning before they departed Newcastle, there was still time for a training session with Newcaslte United Academy.
Later that Tuesday morning the Gators FC group left the picturesque North East of England for the North West, specifically Manchester. The group’s action-packed day continued, taking part in training sessions at the Leigh Sports Village, home of the Manchester United U-23’s and their Women’s senior team.
By Wednesday the fun in Manchester continued, first going on a stadium tour of Old Trafford, home of Manchster United. In the evening there was an unexpected treat for the group: due to our strong ties with Stoke City FC, we had arranged for Gators FC to be the guard of honour before Stoke City’s Championship match at home to Wigan Athletic at the Bet 365 Stadium, a match which the Potters unfortunately lost 3-0 on the night. Despite the result, it will be memories to last a lifetime for the group, with the boys getting to have a lap of honour at half time.
On Thursday it was more fun, with Gators FC touring of The Etihad in the afternoon, home of English Premier League champions Manchester City. Also on Thursday the group got to tour the FA Museum in Manchester.
By Friday it was time to head back to London and subsequently home to Seattle following this truly all-encompassing soccer tour of the UK for Gators FC. If you wish to arrange a similar soccer tour for your group, then don’t hesitate to contact our office here in Dublin by clicking the following link. While you’re here, why not check out the rest of our regularly updated blog here.
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