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LOS ANGELES — John Thorrington is sitting in an outdoor courtyard in Manhattan Beach, Calif., musing about how it used to be a sleepy surf town.

He grew up a few minutes away, a water sports nut in Palos Verdes Peninsula, before leaving home at 16 to join Manchester United’s academy.

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Now, two decades later, after a playing career in England and MLS, including two seasons with the Vancouver Whitecaps, and after working for the MLS Players Union and finishing his MBA at Northwestern University, Thorrington is back.

About a year ago, he was hired as executive vice-president of soccer operations for Los Angeles FC, who join MLS in 2018.

“Everyday, I feel so incredibly privileged to be in this position,” says Thorrington. “I’ve always said my goal is to take whatever I’ve learned and to play a part in growing the game. I couldn’t have dreamed a scenario where I could do that in my hometown.”

The transformation of Manhattan Beach has got nothing on what’s taking place in L.A.’s soccer scene.