Phantoms Moving to PDL

Franchise-worst Record in '07 Leads to Change

November 24, 2007

HAMPSTEAD, NH – After finishing with their worst record in franchise history, the New Hampshire Phantoms announced they were moving down from the United Soccer Leagues Second Division to the USL’s Premier Development League.

The Phantoms finished with a 3-12-5 mark in 2007, good for 9th place in the 10-team USL Second Division. It was the worst finish ever for a once-storied franchise that went all the way to the finals in 1998 before losing the Division 3 championship in overtime.

The Phantoms have played in USL's Second Division for the past five seasons and prior to that in Division 3. NH has posted .500 or better seasons in 8 of the 12 years since its inception in 1996.

"This was a very difficult decision to have to make," Phantoms General Manager Jim DeDeus said in a statement. "For the past several years, we have had to travel by air to play most of our opponents. The high costs of transportation as well as other escalating expenses necessary to operate a professional franchise have been detrimental to our program."

The PDL, the top U23 men’s amateur league in North America, is a development ground for elite players. The 63-team, four conference league plays in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as well as various exhibitions.

By joining the PDL, the Phantoms will be renewing long-standing rivalries in the Northeast Division against Vermont Voltage, Cape Cod Crusaders, Rhode Island Stingrays, Westchester Flames, and Long Island Roughriders, Reading Rage, and Northern Virginia Royals.

“It is our hope that by playing one year in the PDL, it will allow us the opportunity to re-evaluate and restructure our organization, and possibly reunite with USL-2 in 2009 along with maintaining a second team in PDL,” DeDeus said.

Tryouts for the 2008 team will be held at PhanZone Sports Center, Route 142 State Route 111, in Hampstead, on Sunday, December 16, 2007, from 8-11 AM. Tryouts are open to all amateur status players. Tryout fee is $30 and applicants may register on line at www.nhphantoms.com. Every participant will receive a NH Phantoms T-shirt.

NCAA Division II and Division II college players are eligible to participate at this tryout. Division I players may try out if their school is on official school break for the holidays. Otherwise, those players will have to wait until January when a second tryout date is announced.

ADD TO YOUR SOCIAL BOOKMARKS: Blink Del.icio.us Digg
Furl Google Simpy Spurl Technorati Y! MyWeb