New York are “95% done” ahead of potential League 1 entry in 2022

Drew Darbyshire

New York will put together a full-time team next year ahead of their entry in to League 1 in 2022.

The American franchise are currently drawing up a fixture list of between 20 and 25 games to prepare them for their entry to League 1 in 2022.

The club’s consortium have been knocked back in their bid to join Ottawa in the third tier of the English game in 2021 but organiser Ricky Wilby says his investors remain committed for the next five years.

He said: “Once we knew we weren’t going to be in for next year, we started looking at alternatives because we’ve got sponsors we need to service and a stadium that we need to play games in.

“Companies have built budgets and included us in them.

“It was disappointing to miss out. There were logistical things that were out of our control that probably counted against us.

“But we think we’ve got a really exciting fixture list that we can put together for next year that will excite players who would want to take a leap of faith into the brand.”

Wilby is confident his New York franchise will be allowed entry in to League 1 in 24 months’ time.

He added: “We’re pretty much 95% of the way there, there’s a couple of i’s to dot and t’s to cross.

“The RFL have done their due diligence on the investors and they sailed through that. They’ve committed to being involved for the first five years.”

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