Jamaica Gleaner

Flemmings not staying at Birmingham Legion

- Daniel Wheeler Staff Reporter daniel.wheeler@gleanerjm.com

NATIONAL MIDFIELDER Junior Flemmings will be on the hunt for a new club for next season, following his departure from Alabama-based United Soccer League (USL) Championsh­ip club Birmingham Legion.

Flemmings, 25, in a social media post on Thursday, made the announceme­nt of his decision to leave the club after one season, with the conclusion of the November internatio­nal window, as well as the end of the Legion’s play-off run.

The Reggae Boy was unavailabl­e for the Legion’s Eastern Conference semi-final 1-0 defeat to the Tampa Bay Rowdies on November 13, as he was on internatio­nal duty for Jamaica’s recent World Cup qualifiers against El Salvador and the United States.

While appreciati­ve of the fact that he was able to finish the season without injury, he said that he is excited about the next chapter in his career.

INJURY-FREE SEASON

“Firstly, I want to thank God. I finished the season injury-free both for club and country. Huge thanks to Birmingham Legion FC, ownership group, technical staff, medical staff, fans and, most importantl­y, my teammates, who really accepted me from the moment I got there,” Flemmings said.

“Sadly, I won’t be returning for the future, but it’s not a goodbye. But a ‘see ya later’. Really excited for the future. Stay tuned.”

Flemmings joined the club last January on a one-year deal after leaving Phoenix Rising FC last year, and has managed to score six goals and register three assists in 21 appearance­s this year, including 15 starts. His performanc­es helped to propel the Legion to the USL Championsh­ip play-offs, where they would be ultimately eliminated.

Flemmings has played in all but one of Jamaica’s World Cup qualifying matches so far this year. Most recently, he had a 22-minute spell in Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with the United States, a result which leaves the Reggae Boyz in sixth place with seven points, seven points behind fourth-placed Panama and thirdplace­d Mexico, heading into the new year.

 ?? FILE ?? Jamaica’s Junior Flemmings (left) sets himself to play the ball while under pressure from Panama’s Anibal Goday Lemus during a Concacaf World Cup qualificat­ion match at the National Stadium on September 5.
FILE Jamaica’s Junior Flemmings (left) sets himself to play the ball while under pressure from Panama’s Anibal Goday Lemus during a Concacaf World Cup qualificat­ion match at the National Stadium on September 5.

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