Toronto FC signed goalkeeper Clint Irwin from the Colorado Rapids in January. The 27-year-old — who has moonlighted as a writer throughout his playing career — has since become part of the backbone of the team, with three shutouts in the Reds’ first eight away games. Here’s his message to the fans:

On my first trip to Toronto as a member of Toronto FC, I immediately noticed something was different in this city than what I was used to in Major League Soccer. This trip was during pre-season, a Sunday afternoon in early February. After a gruelling pre-season stint in California, the team returned home. Road and leg weary, most of us were just excited to be back on home soil. But on this otherwise nondescript Sunday arrival to Pearson I felt what this club means to this city.

As we shuffled through customs, collected our baggage and made our way out to the general arrival area, where families greet their loved ones, a large group of supporters had made their presence known. And by known, I mean they were singing songs, waving flags and generally making a ruckus that would be loud by in-stadium standards, let alone the hushed waiting area of a major international airport. These supporters came out on a Sunday afternoon to greet us in pre-season. For me and I’m sure many other players on our team, that moment was special.

That moment made us feel something.

When we get together as a team, we talk about our goals and our objectives, but we also talk about making people feel something. We want our fans — the people of this city — to feel something when they watch us play. We want to represent this city in a way that makes people feel proud. Proud that the team that represents them plays with passion, with style and above all, wins.

Last year’s first-ever playoff appearance was the first step in making this city feel something. As a new player with the club this year, it was made clear to me by the Toronto natives on the team how this city buzzed over that small taste of success. The players felt it. Our goal this year is more; more feelings; more good feelings.

For the first two months of this season, our team has played every game on the road. Eight games in a row away from this amazing city. We’ve gone across the continent to Portland; we’ve gone down the 401 to Montreal (where over 300 supporters travelled to see our 2-0 win), to New York City twice, to Colorado, to play at altitude. We’ve been the opponents for three teams’ home openers. At this point, I barely unpack my bag. I just wash and repack. Through these eight games, we’ve felt elation, picking up three wins, disappointment in our losses and pride in the character we’ve shown on a road trip that tests every ounce of our mettle.

But the reason for this extended road trip makes it all worth it. Throughout the trip we always remind ourselves that no matter how we feel now, at the end of it we come home. We get to come home to a renovated BMO Field and play in front of you, our fellow Torontonians. It’s a beautiful soccer stadium and we can’t wait to play in front of so many people who feel something special or this city and this wonderful club. We want you to join us to turn these individual feelings into shared feelings and lasting memories.

See you on Saturday. All For One.