By Gareth Kelly

“I, I believe. I believe that. I believe that we will win,” chant the crowd with what has become the default song heard all over soccer games in the United States. And they do. On a warm, yet humid evening, my wife and I attended the Tampa Bay Rowdies versus Jacksonville Armada FC soccer game at the 7,500 capacity Al Lang Stadium in downtown St Petersburg, Florida.

The ‘Rowdies’ play in the North American Soccer League or NASL. The league once made famous in the late 70’s and early 80’s by Pele, Best, Beckenbauer and new England manager Sam Allardyce who himself played 11 games for the Tampa based team in 1983.

Located next to a Salvador Dali museum and feet from an Indy car Race Track, the Rowdies are one of the original NASL teams from those past glory years. Below all the MLS’ franchises these more ‘homely’ clubs are in effect North America Division two.

In an aging but quaint and connected stadium, this former baseball field has become a caldron of families, songs, drums, banter and even flares. ‘Ralph’s Mob’ the official supporters club of the home team occupy a large section of the terraces behind the goal. A bearded chap wearing a funeral directors hat beats loudly on a large bass drum emblazoned with team livery. Huge billowing flags are waved above in a sight probably more common in the San Siro than Old Trafford.

It feels like we’re going into battle. The wife and I, guests of Ralphs Mob president Jason Bruzzichhesi are embedded with the gang whose volume is only dampened by the obligatory national anthem.

Bruzzichesi believes this level of football, he knows to call it football, is as good as the MLS and in many ways better because of the apparent closeness of the players and fans both physically and emotionally,

“For us, the biggest appeal is not just the ease of access to the players, but the team as well,” Bruzzichesi said. “There’s no faceless bureaucratic entity in New York getting back to you by email two weeks later to do a joint fundraiser. These are real, approachable and reasonable people who love their club and their community as much as we do. The badge means more than just a job to them, and it shows in how intimate the fan experience is.”

Two little girls sat down to our left with their mum jump, yell, cover their eyes and gasp with every flick, every tackle and every chance on goal. That unique tension mixed with total joy and adrenalin that only football can deliver. It’s clear they are now addicts, like the rest of us. Game over. The stadium is packed to capacity, filled with families, the young and old and people from all races.

“Every win and every loss resonates from the fans to the front office to the grounds crew, to the press box to the clubhouse. It’s more like family than 2nd division soccer,” added Bruzzichesi.

With a firework show and live performance by Floridian rapper ‘Flo Rida’ scheduled after the end of the match it’s a buoyant crowd.

A small band of away supporters stands across from us, trying to match the passion and intensity of the ‘mob’.

The game kicks off. No Cole tonight. He’s “become the heart of the team”, Bruzzichesi told me. “His knees are gone but his vision and awareness are on another level.”

Disappointed not to see the diminutive former Chelsea and England midfielder we settle in to the game. The quality is good. Both teams look organized and play the ball around well. The surface is immaculate. Amazingly after the game the entire crowd floods onto the grass to get their spots for the impending concert. You wouldn’t see that at Anfield.

In a town with both a Major League Baseball franchise, the Tampa Bay Rays located a few blocks away in their 40,000 all seater indoor fully air conditioned stadium, and a very successful ice hockey team, The Tampa Bay Lightning, the Rowdies know they must give additional value to the discerning family or supporter.

Hotdogs, pizza, huge pretzels and beer and wine complete the stadium experience along with a team store (green and gold are their colors) and a tailgate party in the adjacent parking lot. Not decidedly traditional but a fun addition nonetheless.

Chances at either end have been few and far between with the Rowdies having the majority of the possession. Its 0–0 at half time. Petey the Pelican, the teams Donald Duck like mascot, is making the rounds, high fiving kids and taking selfies with grandmas. In this very open stadium there’s plenty of room for wandering and milling about. Every seat has a great-unobstructed view. The storm clouds over the ocean and palm tress rustling in the humid breeze are nice touches.

Stadium staff roam the aisles offering water, soda, nibbles and yes beer! There’s not a hint of ill will, no fear for ones safety and no inappropriate chanting.

Into the second half and it’s the visitors who score first. A low cross whipped in from the right wing takes an odd bounce over the defender for the arriving striker to nudge into the back of the net. The tiny pocket of away fans erupts. Bum, bum, bum, bum from the drum and the mob rise up in voice! They barely let up all game in fact and provide comical relief by way of PG13 chants. The Rowdies are quick to reply and get one back, a drive through midfield before a high ball into the box for the striker to head home. The home fans ecstatic.

The rest of the game swings back and forth neither side able to find a winner. A 1–1 draw probably a fair result for both teams. Either way the fans are happy.

Not long after the players depart the field, the gates are opened and people run out onto the pitch. The kids love this. Being able to run, leap and tumble onto the same field they just watched their hero’s play on, clearly magical in their minds.

Floridian rapper Flo Rida

The fireworks were rather anemic with people mainly staying to see Mr. Rida. He doesn’t disappoint and plays for about an hour. His classics, “My House, Wild Ones and GDFR”, popular with the crowd. Many families and now a larger following of teens (where have the been?) get up close and personal to the 100 million record selling singer wearing a personalized Rowdies jersey.

This is what makes division two of U.S. football so special. This is real football. The kind we grew up hearing about as kids, or at least the type of experience we romanticized about. The players still connected to the fans. Many of those same fans probably make as much if not more than most of the players (Cole, the probable exception).

I’ve lived in the U.S. for the past 15 years and in that time one thing is abundantly clear. Americans don’t like football. Americans LOVE football. Every age range, every race and every income bracket loves football in America. With tickets starting at $23 (18 pounds) for adults what’s not to love?

They get it now. The power of football, the world’s game. Like the rest of us, Americans now have it in their blood. Its brilliant, its fun and its up close and personal.

No wonder Joe Cole gave it a shot.

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