After moving the team to Portsmouth, the NH Phantoms changes continue as the team announced that Coach Stefano Franciosa would resign to take a coaching job in Finland.   In comes new coach, Iain Scott from Newcastle, England, who most recently coached in Scotland.  However, the biggest change came as a surprise to many in the Granite State soccer community when the Phantoms’ General Manager announced the team would drop NH and will now be the Seacoast United Phantoms.

After several meetings between Phantoms’ General Manager, Jim DeDeus and Seacoast United Executive Director, Paul Willis, both agree that a working relationship was best for both parties and the community.  They each felt renaming the team Seacoast United Phantoms would be the ideal solution, since the team is playing out of the Seacoast area and partnering up with Seacoast United.

The Phantoms, who play in the United Soccer League’s Premier Development League (PDL) Division will open its 2011 season at MPS Portland Phoenix on Saturday May 7th at 6:00PM in Portland.  Their home opener will be Saturday, May 14th against longtime rival Western Mass Pioneers with a 4:00PM start at Portsmouth High School. 

The team will have several returning players from the 2010 squad but many of the new signings have a home grown connection to the area.  A lot of the players are former Seacoast United standouts from their youth careers and the new look side has many people in the Region excited about the upcoming Phantoms season.  Several additional signings will be announced later this week.

In addition to the PDL schedule, the Seacoast United Phantoms will also compete in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) throughout the summer against the likes of New York Red Bull and Brooklyn Italians.  One of the highlights of the summer will be English professional side, Oxford United visiting Portsmouth from July 11-19 for their pre-season tour which includes a couple of games against the Phantoms in Portsmouth and Exeter. 

Not to be outdone, the Seacoast United Phantoms women’s side will compete in the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) this summer as well and will at times be part of a doubleheader schedule with their male counterparts.  Their first home game is also Saturday, May 14th against the Boston Breakers Reserves with a 1pm start at Portsmouth High School.  Players are a who’s who of former Seacoast United standouts now playing in college such as Kendall Booth from East Carolina University and Emma Clarke from Boston University.

Tickets for all Phantoms home games are now available on the Seacoast United website at www.seacoastunited.org/phantoms.  Stay with us online for the latest on 2011 schedules, game reports, and player news.