Defender Ashtone Morgan expects he and his teammates will “keep creating great moments” for Hamilton’s Forge FC ahead of the franchise’s fifth season in Canada’s top soccer league.
The three-time Canadian Premier League champs start their season Saturday afternoon against a former league champion, Calgary’s Calvary FC.
As the most successful franchise in the CPL’s short history, Morgan says Forge is a huge target for opponents and the team to beat.
He told 900 CHML’s Good Morning Hamilton that despite that pressure “week in and week out,” it’s a position they “want to be in.”
“We want to put our best foot forward and as long as we take care of our business that’s all we can really ask for … a good showing for our fans and for ourselves,” Morgan explained.
The left-back played his first season with Forge last year after a pair of potential Major League Soccer (MLS) contacts with Toronto FC and Real Salt Lake were declined.
His debut for Forge came in a February 2022 CONCACAF Champions League loss to Cruz Azul, later appearing in 20 games during the season.
Boisterous crowds are something the 32-year-old became acquainted with last year characterizing the atmosphere at Tim Horton’s Field as “amazing.”
“They keep us motivated and keep us going,” Morgan said.
“So I can’t wait to see them this weekend because again, it’s been forever since we’ve been around them.”
Head coach Bobby Smyrniotis echoes Morgan’s sentiments adding that the venue has often allowed the squad to dictate play in home matches.
“We love playing at Tim Horton’s not only because it’s home … the size of the pitch really allows us to play our style and our brand of football,” Smyrniotis said during a presser on Friday.
Having the roster change little year over year, with 18 of the 22 roster players returning from the 2022 championship team, Smyrniotis says it allows “small tweaks” on its venture for consistency.
“Just where those areas that we need to be a click better,” he said.
“(Being) ten per cent better in certain parts of the field, I think always adds up and that’ll give us the success we need long term.”
The most significant change for the CPL in the 2023 season is the addition of Vancouver FC (VFC), more or less a replacement for the departed Edmonton FC.
CPL board of governors voted to terminate Fath Sports Ltd.’s right to operate the Edmonton franchise in November after taking over operation from owners Tom and Dave Fath in December 2021.
During the 2022 season, Edmonton was fielding players on loan from rival clubs while operating on a shoestring budget.
VFC, located in Langley and the eastern part of Metro Vancouver, will make their first-ever regular appearance in Hamilton on Friday, May 19. The clubs will tangle again at Tim Horton’s on July 28.
Other notable Forge home games include May 31 and Aug. 12 clashes against rivals York FC.
Last year’s regular season champ and playoff final loser, Ottawa Athletic, come to town on June 25 and Oct 7.
The league’s 2021 champions Pacific FC are in Hamilton on June 10 and Sept. 23.
Playoffs will start Oct. 11 and now include a fifth team, compared to just four competitors in the first four seasons.
The fifth-place team visits the fourth-place club with the winner facing the third-place finisher on Oct. 14.
The CPL regular-season champion will host the runner-up with the winner advancing directly to host the CPL final.
The loser will face the winner of the matchup between the third-place team and the club that moves on from the Nov. 4-5 contest.
The victor will advance to the championship game.
– with files from Global News’ Stephanie Swensrude