Former English Premier League midfielder Jack Collison has been named head coach of the Huntsville City Football Club, which begins play in Major League Soccer’s NEXT Pro league in the spring.

A former player of West Ham United in the Premier League with a vast history of developing young talent in the U.S. and abroad, Collison joins Huntsville City FC after two seasons at the helm of Atlanta United FC 2. Collison joined Atlanta 2 in June of 2021 after serving as the head coach of the club’s U-17 Academy team.

Huntsville City FC is an affiliate of MLS’s Nashville Soccer Club and will play its home games in renovated Joe Davis Stadium. Collison recently shared his thoughts about being the first coach of Huntsville’s soccer team with The Lede.

Is this your first time in Huntsville? What are your impressions of the community?

No. I’ve been here a few times. I came down here six weeks ago, and the progress has been incredible. (Director of Business Operations) Chad’s (Emerson) doing a fantastic job of getting it all ready.