After a breakthrough summer and fall season, Miles Green becomes the first Marauder to be chosen in round one of the Canadian Premier League’s U Sports draft
The Marauder men’s soccer team had a season like no other this past fall. The team clinched their first OUA title since 2012 and the season saw numerous players step up in big ways. One of the players to do so was fifth year striker, Miles Green.
Green’s ability to score helped his team on numerous occasions. He scored a total of six goals over a ten-game regular season and added two more to his tally in the postseason. He was also able to add three assists to his statistics.
The team’s striker is no stranger to making an impact on games. During Green’s summer season, playing in Ontario’s semi-pro League 1, the striker was able to score 23 goals in just 20 games.
His composure in front of goal, as well as various other attributes caught the eye of many, including coaches at the professional level. These aspects of his game also gave Green his first feature on the Ontario University Athletics all-star team.
“I think the first thing that got Forge interested in me was my scoring numbers but I think they also saw my versatility and creativity because I can play more than one position. I think it's something they liked,” said Green.
“I think the first thing that got Forge interested in me was my scoring numbers but I think they also saw my versatility and creativity because I can play more than one position. I think it's something they liked.”
Miles Green
It was at this year’s Canadian Premier League U Sports draft that Green was selected to attend the training camp of Hamilton’s professional soccer team, Forge Football Club. This gives Green the possibility of earning a roster spot on the team.
A spot is not guaranteed for Green though. For each CPL team, there are only 23 roster spots.
Green’s ability to play multiple positions on a forward line, hold the ball up, take defenders on the dribble and, most notably, score will put Green in great standing to earn himself a spot. As a player who hasn’t been in a major spotlight before this previous year, Green’s quick rise is noteworthy.
“I had a lot of ups and downs throughout my years at [McMaster University] and it showed me things don’t need to be linear. Progression in both sports and life don’t need to be linear. It’s something I think we all need to give an understanding to,” explained Green.
His rise has caught the attention of many and has helped to bring fans out to Marauders soccer games. The men’s side had a high of 425 fans in their OUA semi-final match, in which Green scored twice.
The CPL season begins in early April, meaning training camp is soon beginning. He hopes to make the team and grow from there, all while having pride in what he’s accomplished at McMaster University.
“Winning OUA was a dream. I’ve wanted to win it before I came to Mac. I’m excited for what this will all do for the McMaster and Hamilton soccer programs,” said Green.
"Winning OUA was a dream, I’ve wanted to win it before I came to Mac. I’m excited for what this will all do for the McMaster and Hamilton soccer programs."
Miles Green
The impressive feat that Green has accomplished will have great impacts for the McMaster men's soccer program as a whole. Though he may not return back to McMaster soccer next season, his name and accomplishments will be well known throughout the Hamilton community for a long time.
C/O Wikimedia
New to the Canadian soccer scene, Hamilton Forge has already made a name for itself
Forge FC is a soccer club based in Hamilton that was founded in early 2017. It is the first major soccer club based in Hamilton and currently participates in the Canadian Premier League (CPL). In its first two years of competitive football within the CPL, Forge has won two of the three championships, proving to be a new force within the Canadian football community that is only going to grow larger.
Although the club isn’t even five years old, they have made some high-profile signings over the course of their existence. In 2019, David Edgar, a former English Premier League regular, signed with the club. Although nearing retirement, Edgar was at the time considered one of the most experienced Canadian center backs, having played 42 times for the country and scoring two goals.
In 2021, Forge signed another high-profile Canadian veteran, Dejan Jakovic, who played on high profile teams such as Red Star Belgrade and LA Galaxy before coming to Hamilton. What made Jakovic such a big signing was also his immense experience for the Canadian national team, where he was capped just over 40 times throughout his career.
Just recently, Forge reached its biggest success yet in qualifying for The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football Champions League by defeating Santos de Guapiles three to nothing at home, which guaranteed automatic qualification to the big tournament.
With the team at a current season break, the squad will return to play in mid February to play the Mexican giants Cruz Azul in the first round of the CONCACAF Champions League.
The manager of ticket sales and youth soccer initiatives at Forge FC, James Hutton — a McMaster graduate — expressed his excitement at being a part of the club so early on in its existence.
“I have been a part of the club [since shortly] after it was founded and it has been remarkable to see how much it has grown over the past few years. We have aimed to spread the word about us in the community and it did a great job. We have more and more fans coming to our games and it’s great to see people getting involved in soccer here,” said Hutton.
"I have been a part of the club [since shortly] after it was founded and it has been remarkable to see how much it has grown over the past few years. We have aimed to spread the word about us in the community and it did a great job. We have more and more fans coming to our games and it’s great to see people getting involved in soccer here"
James Hutton, Manager of Ticket Sales & Youth Soccer Initiatives
When asked about the fanbase and how much it means to the club, Hutton didn't hesitate to explain the importance of the support they’ve been getting.
“People may think sometimes that we are taking fans away from other clubs but that is certainly not what we are doing. I think what Forge FC is doing in Hamilton is bringing fans to the sport — new fans that not only become our supporters but start supporting the national team as well. It was a very exciting journey so far and we are excited to see it progress,” explained Hutton.
Regarding the recent success in the CONCACAF Champions League, Hutton quickly expressed his excitement at the games coming up.
“Just qualifying for the big competition was amazing for everyone at the club. We all knew that we could win the CPL but we also knew that we could be dangerous in the continental competitions as well. We showcased who we were in that [three to nothing] win and I think we can do even more when we come back in February,” said Hutton.
When asked about how he feels now that Forge will be playing Cruz Azul, Hutton once again mentioned how fascinating an experience it will be.
“We will be playing against one of the best teams in North America. Not only that, but we will be traveling to one of the most remarkable stadiums, the Azteca. I personally can't wait to come up against them,” said Hutton.
Although Forge is currently on a break, it will return to the field for the Champions League thriller against Cruz Azul on Feb. 16 at the Tim Hortons Field. Just eight days later, they are set to rematch against the same club on at the Azteca.
With the season being up in the air, Forge Football Club still prevails in the end.
Forge Football Club, Hamilton’s team in the Canadian Premier League, won their back-to-back championship after scoring two-nil against the Halifax Wanderers Football Club in the title game of the 2020 season.
A typical season consists of 28 matches lasting from April to October; however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the season was shortened. It has become known as the Island Games, comprised of seven matches between the eight teams in the first stage, utilizing a round-robin format. Afterwards, the tournament goes into the group stage, in which the top four teams compete against one another. The top two teams advance and compete against each other for the title.
Kyle Bekker, the captain and player with the highest score on the team, understood that he had to bring the team together to get the morale high to compete at such great levels.
“We spoke about it just being a business trip and knew what guys were giving up and the sacrifices people are making to go make a tournament happen and going away from family and loved ones for a significant time. If we’re going to do this, we’re coming back home with the trophy at the end of the day . . . It became militant at times. It was a battle every single day. We got [to the final game] and we achieved that . . . There’s obviously good days and bad days in the bubble. We just have to get on with it,” said Bekker.
“We spoke about it just being a business trip and knew what guys were giving up and the sacrifices people are making to go make a tournament happen and going away from family and loved ones for a significant time. If we’re going to do this, we’re coming back home with the trophy at the end of the day . . . It became militant at times. It was a battle every single day. We got [to the final game] and we achieved that . . . There’s obviously good days and bad days in the bubble. We just have to get on with it,” said Bekker.
David Edgar, former Premier League player for Newcastle United Football and centre-back on Forge FC, echoed similar sentiments as Bekker. Edgar exclaimed that carrying the mentality before the pandemic into the bubble is what propelled them to the championship, despite having to leave a young family for such a long time.
“This [tournament] was extra hard. But in all honesty, I attacked it like a prison sentence, where you mentally focus and lock in for one job only. Yeah, you miss certain things and meals. But winning it makes it worthwhile,” said Edgar.
“This [tournament] was extra hard. But in all honesty, I attacked it like a prison sentence, where you mentally focus and lock in for one job only. Yeah, you miss certain things and meals. But winning it
Edgar went on to say that the bubble was very unique and acted as a family with other teams there. “It’s also not the friendliest of places, lots of testosterone running around with the competition. You go about your business and hold yourself to certain standards,” said Edgar.
Despite the team having won a championship the previous season, they knew the pressure of a title game doesn’t change.
“We definitely felt the weight of it being a championship game. We were lucky enough to have a core group from our first year come back and be a part of this, which definitely helped . . . But going into that final game, the excitement will always be there. Definitely, a feeling of we been here and we know what was expected of us,” said Bekker. “It felt more unique. Overall, we won both now and that’s the hardest thing to do. We won in a league and tournament football and you can’t afford to lose in a tournament,” said Edgar of repeating as champions.
“We definitely felt the weight of it being a championship game. We were lucky enough to have a core group from our first year come back and be a part of this, which definitely helped . . . But going into that final game, the excitement will always be there. Definitely, a feeling of we been here and we know what was expected of us,” said Bekker.
After their championship victory comes their first match of the 2020 Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football League, having qualified from winning the 2019 season of the CPL, playing in El Salvador. The team will play against Municipal Limeño of El Salvador. Bobby Smyrniotis, head coach of the team, says that with the El Salvadorian league commencing Oct. 10, it gives them two matches to view their opponent’s playstyle to prepare for the match. “[I] gave the [players] a full week off to decompress then back [to] work at Tim Horton’s Field, six days a week . . . Looking forward to another opportunity to compete continentally for our club. The guys really relish the opportunity to play,” said Smyrniotis.
“[I] gave the [players] a full week off to decompress then back [to] work at Tim Horton’s Field, six days a week . . . Looking forward to another opportunity to compete continentally for our club. The guys really relish the opportunity to play,” said Smyrniotis.
Their match against Municipal Limeño will happen on Thurs, Oct. 22 at 8 p.m.
